For Jill
(Greece)
[Full notes] [Summary notes] [Other dances & the source code]
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Formation
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Circle (or lines if a circle will not fit the dance space). V-hold.
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Dance Structure
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( (A + B + C + D) x 2 + (A + B + D) x 2 + (A + B + C + E) ) x 2.
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Music Structure
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4 counts/bar, 4 bar phrases. 2 extra counts at the end of Part E.
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Music Speed
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130 counts/min.
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Music
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Nostalgo by I. Kapellas.
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Source
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Mostly from Mary Mindham in 2007 in Ipswich. Part E from Stefan Freedman's summary notes (made from Mary's teaching) as I forgot it.
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Disclaimer:
Mistakes are quite likely in the notes and no guarantees are made as to accuracy. Music may differ, particularly in speed, introduction and duration, between performers. The division into parts, bars & counts is not standard. These notes of the dance are freely distributable (under GPL or CC-by-sa) in so much as the note's author's contribution but the choreography was someone else and so their copyright might apply to the dance itself. Better than using notes, go to a dance class where it is taught by Mary Mindham.
A dance in the Greek syrtaki style.
The structure is less complex than my division into parts makes out. I have divided it into small parts for ease of writing. The choreographer thought of it as just 3 variants, A, B & C, arranged (A x 2 + B x 2 + C) x 2 where her A = my A + B + C + D, her B = my A + B + D & her C = my A + B + C + E. It makes no difference to the actual steps as to whether one considers it 1 big part with 3 variants or several small parts arranged in different ways. The reason for the variations is to fit with the different lengths of verses in the music.
It was choreographed in syrtaki style to syrtaki music in the UK by Mary Mindham in memorial to a friend, Jill Lusardi, who had recently died unexpectedly and who had liked dances of this type. 'For Jill' was a provisional name given to it when Mary asked Stefan to write down her steps in Circle Dance notation before she had chosen a name for the dance but it has stuck and become the dance's permanent name.
Music source: The music is commonly available on Greek tourist compilations in various musical qualities. The choreographer's favourite recording when I learnt it was from a CD called 'Sirtaki Dance - Instrumental'.
Style: Upright. Specific requests from the choreographer were that the digs were not reduced to generic lifts and the dances keep facing towards the centre of the circle not turning towards the direction of travel.
Introduction
Summary:
1 phrase.
Wait through 1 phrase (2 bars, 8 counts) of music.
Part A
Summary:
Travel L with (L across infront, R to side) x 3.5, L lift. Mirror.
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Start
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Facing the centre of the circle. Weight on L foot.
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1
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1
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R across infront.
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2
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L to the side.
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3-4
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Repeat counts 1-2 (R across infront, L side).
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2
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1-3
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As bar 1 counts 1-3 (R across infront, L side, R across infront).
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4
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L lift (starting to bring it out to the side & around to infront to seamlessly merge into the following L across infront step).
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3-4
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As bars 1-2 but on opposite feet in L-R mirror image (L across infront & R to side 3.5 times, R lift).
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Part B
Summary:
Walk in R, L, R. L Dig. L back & Dig R, mirror.
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Start
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Facing the centre of the circle. Weight on L foot.
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1
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1
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Walk R forwards.
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2
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Walk L forwards.
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3
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Walk R forwards.
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4
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L Dig. A Dig is a lift of the foot infront with bended knee then moving the foot down leading with the heel but not all the way to the ground. It is very similar to how a foot moves when forcing a spade into the ground with the foot when digging with a spade.
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2
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1
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L backwards.
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2
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R Dig.
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3-4
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Repeat counts 1-2 on opposite feed (R backwards, L Dig).
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Part C
Summary:
Cherkessia L starting L foot, R lift. Mirror.
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Start
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Facing the centre of the circle. Weight on R foot.
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1
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1
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L close.
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2
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R across infront.
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3
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L in place. (Combined with the previous 2 counts, this comprises a Cherkessia.)
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4
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R lift.
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2
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As bar 1 but in L-R mirror image (Cherkessia to the R; i.e. R close, L across infront, R in place, L lift).
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Part D
Summary:
L side & R brush, mirror. Slow exaggerated L side & R close.
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Start
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Facing the centre of the circle. Weight on R foot.
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1
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1
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L to the side.
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2
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Brush R on the ground in a small C-shape arc towards the L foot, forwards and to the side.
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3-4
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Repeat counts 1-2 in L-R mirror image (R side, L brush in C-shape arc).
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2
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1-2
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L to the side sliding the foot on the ground. This is a big step (which requires dancers not being too close together beforehand) with the torso lagging behind (it remains close to where it was and leans slightly to the right both for balance because the hips move a bit to the left in the step).
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3-4
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R close sliding the foot on the ground and bringing the torso & hips into position above the feet ending standing up straight with feet together & weight on both (but if going into Part A afterwards, it is helpful to instead really keep weight on L foot whilst appearing to have weight on both).
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Part E
Summary:
L side, R close. L side & R brush, mirror. L side, R brush across infront, R touch across close, pause.
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Start
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Facing the centre of the circle. Weight on R foot.
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1
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1
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L to the side.
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2
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R close.
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3-4
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As Part D bar 1 counts 1-2 (L side, R brush in C-shape arc).
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2
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1-2
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As Part D bar 1 counts 3-4 (R side, L brush in C-shape arc).
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3
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L to the side.
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4
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R brush to diagonally across infront.
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5
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Touch R across with toes to ground close to the L side of the L foot and with the R foot vertical.
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6
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Pause.
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