In The News: US Researcher Doing the Sword Dance in Traunstein

For the first time in the history of the dance we have a guest dancer in our midst.

Jeremy Carter-Gordon studied Ethnochoreology at Bard Collage, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. As part of a one-year fellowship he is one of the first people to explore the different sword dances throughout Europe. To this end, Jeremy has stayed for six weeks in Traunstein and on Easter Monday to be one of 16 dancers to lift the Spring up on their swords in the town square.

Jeremy contacted us in October 2010 and asked if he could study our dance up close:

“I am a Sword Dancer from the United States, studying different types of sword dance in Europe. I hope to be traveling in Europe from September 2011 to July 2012 and I would really like to study with your team. I know you have an amazing performance during Easter, and I was wondering if I could come and learn how to dance with you. I dance English Rapper Sword and Long, and would like to learn your dances as well. Would be possible for me to come and study how to dance at some point during this time?”

The Traunstein sword dancers are delighted that he will be there. Special thanks to the people who have taken him for the six week trial period in Traunstein itself. Jeremy has his big appearance on Easter Monday on stage at the town square. But one thing we can already tell: almost no one could dance better than him right away. Respect!

The travel blog of Jeremy: http://starofswords.wordpress.com/

Background:

Ethnomusicology is concerned with the musical practice and the structures of the music interpreting music as social interaction and as a globally circulating identity symbol of social groups.

Dance anthropology , dance ethnology and dance in his Ethnochoreology investigates socio-cultural context from the perspective of the participants, be they dancers, teachers and spectators. While the Ethnochoreology studies the phenomenon of “folk dance” (traditional dance, folk dance) as a communication object under specific historical, social and economic conditions, it is is dedicated to treat all forms of dance anthropology, dance or “structured movement” (Kaeppler).

Photo of Jeremy Carter-Gordon (red shirt) in his first practice in the Franz-Eyrich hall in Traunstein on 2 March 2012.
Source: Sword Dance Traunstein

Original at: http://www.schwerttanz.de/products/us-forscher-tanzt-den-schwerttanz-in-traunstein/