Crack

[lorimt]

So, I went out to this lady's house today to buy wool. Now I just need to figure out how to get it out to school and how to find the time to clean it once I get out there. Even better would be to find a fiber arts guild or someone else to loan/rent me cards and a spinning wheel. The lady was really nice, she gave me some very pretty stuff she had dyed that was all ready to spin, just because she wouldn't use it soon. On the way out, I noticed a bodrain on the wall. When I asked, she told me about a few different Celtic jam sessions in the general area, as well as one that offered free dance lessons. (Happy me!) I may only be home for a little while longer, but rest assured, I'm taking advantage of this. It's too bad most events like this are held in bars, but I'll survive. I just wish I'd looked into things like this earlier.
I've just learned that LJ has no more of an idea how to spell bodrain than I do. You know what I mean, the Celtic drum thats round and sounds cool.

Comments

[sithjawa.livejournal.com]

bodhran? Maybe?


Very spiffy. And the answer to your time problem is surely "Sit in the back of class!"

^.^

[leech.livejournal.com]

I've seen "bodhran" as well. It's made of a goat.

[(Anonymous)]

Hooray!! Another convert! So by next year you'll be sitting in the sessions with us, right? Or at least dancing in between the tables? Have you picked an instrument yet?

I agree with your other commentators that "bodhran" is the most correct spelling, inasmuch as there is one. They aren't always made of goat skin, though. One of the players we met in Ireland made his own bodhrans -- out of dog skin. He called them "bow-wow-dhrans."

-- Mike (http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~shulman/cgi/view/Journal)

[(Anonymous)]

neat-o! i guess MC just corrupts - oops - converts us all.
i can already see you step dancing - geez, i did see you dancing! it sounds like there's much more of this stuff going on down south than up here. d'oh...
yes, bodhrans are round and sound really cool! i never knew how many different sounds you could get out of those things until i saw it being played.
-tracy

Ceili Dancing

[lorimt]

Yesterday was Wednesday and I went Ceili dancing. It was good fun, even if I couldn't keep up with the footwork. I generally managed to be in the right place at the right time. Now I just need to find somewhere near Mudd so I can learn enough to teach next year. Ceili dance is done with lots of people dancing together, which makes it not ideal for impromptu music sessions. On the other hand, it may give some inspiration for what footwork will actually work well with Celtic music. I am happy.

Re: Ceili Dancing

[(Anonymous)]

> Ceili dance is done with lots of people
> dancing together, which makes it not ideal for impromptu music sessions.

Au contrair! Do you know what the word "ceili" means? It means a party. With music, and dancing. Sometimes there's a "ceili band" but just as often I think the music is just a bunch of musicians who are just there to have fun like the dancers. Admittedly playing a session for dancers requires a little more musical maturity and planning (for example, so the music doesn't stop in the middle of the dance), but dancers add so much energy to a music session (and are generally just such cool people anyway) that it's well worth it.

Admittedly ceili dancing does generally require multiple people, but I'll bet you could get a few more people at camp interested. I don't know what luck you'll have finding somewhere near Mudd, though.

-- Mike (http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~shulman/cgi/view/Journal)

spinning stuff

[boojum.livejournal.com]

There's a guild in the LA area (http://www.glasg.org -- watch out, it's all Flash, because the only person who's willing to do the website likes Flash), but unless you have a car, it's going to be too far away. (It usually meets in the North Hollywood area.) There's probably one nearer you. Paw through http://www.interweave.com/spin/Spin_Off/guilds/INDEX.HTM to see. I've got cards and a wheel, but I'm in the middle of a project using them. I can lend you a spindle if you'd like. You can also get spindles online pretty cheaply or make them. I did better buying prepared fiber (rovings, tops, etc) than fleece while I was at Mudd. If you want cheap and reasonable, but not great, stuff, check http://www.babesfibergarden.com (I got my wheel there. PVC is indestructible.). Ebay is decidedly a mixed bag. There are a lot of little and medium-sized stores online, many of which are good. There may be some in the area, but they tend to go in and out of business fast, so it can be hard to find them. Cleaning wool can be fun, but is mostly a pain.

Sorry this is so disorganized, but hope it helps.