The Goat, The Jellyfish, Tight Circles, and "I'm hot - who's got the water?" These are some of the things you will hear if you venture out on a Monday night at 7:30 to the Hall of St. Michael's Church. For the past few weeks, a small but enthusiastic crowd has been meeting to dance the traditional dances of Newfoundland. Under the eagle eye of Jim Payne, and coached gently but persuasively by Dr. Ford Elms, this group has been working up a sweat to great music being played by musicians well known to those who frequent Folk Club at The Ship Inn on a Wednesday night, or indeed, the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival.

Over the years, Newfoundland dance sessions have been run at various venues around town, sometimes with large crowds (eg. at the Star of the Sea Hall), and sometimes with smaller groups. On its first night, the Monday group fell into the latter category, and this set the scene for a rather unusual happening. There were sixteen people present at the first session. Included in this group were three fine musicians: Tim Laycock and Paul Wilson from England, and Jim Payne. In order to have a good dance, however, all sixteen were required to get up and get down (as it were). So, where to get the music? The answer, of course, in good traditional style, was for the dancers to provide "mouth music." So, with three accordions sitting on the floor, the dance commenced: all the dancers were humming or singing Mussels in the Corner. We started out strong, and with fine embellishment, but got more breathy and muted the longer the dance went on! Such a good time was had, that the dancers kept going all evening - singing, humming, dancing, and laughing. Oliver Cromwell would have approved - of the accordions sitting on the floor!

In the weeks since that first meeting, the group has remained small, and musicians have provided us with great music. Stan Pickett, Andrew Lang, Fergus Brown-O'Byrne, and others have done a grand job, keeping the feet going and the energy levels up.

At the last meeting, footwork was discussed. Newfoundland dancing seems to be distinct from many other traditional styles in its potential for very speedy footwork, but it is also possible to slide along and get around happily without being too precise. You can take your choice, as long as you keep going. The fun in the dance is in getting it right, getting a good workout, and imagining that you are in a kitchen or parlour: "Keep it tight! Mind the stove! Don't knock her over! Have another one." Flirtation and fun are the orders of the night. If the group stays small, maybe we should look for volunteers to host dance parties on a rotating basis.

Those who have an interest in learning the traditional dances of Newfoundland are encouraged to come along and find out for themselves how much pleasure can be had from dancing and getting it right. Sessions are Monday nights, 7:30 to 9:30 at St. Michael's Church Hall, on the corner where LeMarchant Rd. and St. Clare's meet.