To Clap or Not to Clap
I am about to step into a minefield: the controversy
that surrounds the double clap that occurs after one finishes each “Petronella”
spin.
Some people hate the clapping, absolutely hate it. Colin Hume has written a dance
entitled “No Clapping” which, theoretically, has such rapid Petronella turns (or
confusing-direction Petronella turns) that dancers have no chance to Clap-Clap.
And Colin is one of many, many-many, who hate what they feel is an intrusive, uncalled
for, punctuation of the dance tune, what they feel is a staccato interruption in the flow
of a dance.
For years I have been absolutely neutral. I refused to take sides because I did not
hate the claps, nor did I love the claps. I think the trite saying “I could take it
or leave it” seems totally appropriate. I didn’t care (except, of course, when I
was told “No Clapping”: then I had to clap, & did find time to do so).
But I am here to tell a tale. I was at an evening dance that contained a fair number of
total beginners. I came across many of them as I danced up & down the contra lines.
They weren’t bad dancers, but this new form had them totally befuddled: they were
earnest, they were able, but they were not having fun. They were concentrating too hard to
have any fun.
And then I came across them when they all, suddenly, discovered the Petronella turn with a
clap-clap. They tried it, they got it, they loved it. They had a sense of rhythm, they
were able dancers, but this new dance form was tough. Up until now they couldn’t show
their innate ability.
They loved the Petronella spin, clap-clap. I came across two-three new-to-contra-dancing
couples, and they were clapping up a storm, a wicked, sly grin on their faces. They got
it. They were having fun. What a great dance, balance in, balance out, spin, clap-clap,
balance in, balance out, spin, clap-clap.
You could see what simple mastery of what was heretofore a befuddling dance form was doing
for them: they could spin, they could clap-clap, and they could do all that in time to the
music.
I suddenly decided I loved the clap-clap. I suddenly remembered how much I loved doing it
when I first learned it. You, a dancer, become part-musician with this percussive
clap-clap.
I know why some musicians hate it (WE are the musicians, you stick to dancing….), and
why some callers hate it (I DIDN’T write that noise into my dance….), but I go
for whatever gives the dancers most pleasure (Without unduly disturbing the lovely music
we dance to) -- and many dancers derive pleasure from, balance in, balance out, spin,
clap-clap.
I am sure I have not laid the controversy to rest, but one needs to see that what is
hateful to some is pleasurable to others.