From the Archives - Book Review by John Meredith - Peter Ellis's Collector's Choice, Volume Three. Mulga Wire no.72, April 1989.

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Mulga Wire, no.72, April 1989, pp.S1-S4

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What Bush Dances? by Rob Willis

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Reprinted from Verandah Music with Graham Seal's permission


Following on our recent dance posts, here’s one to stir the possum a little. We begin with a relevant reminiscence from Rob Willis, with links to a video of John Meredith and Ollie Willis lightfooting some Eureka Youth League dances.
There is also a link to Rob’s edited version of the late Peter Ellis’s detailed discussion of this issue.  (NB Some issues with these historical file formats).

Rob writes:
I was born and raised in Forbes, Central West NSW, and in my youth during the 1960s went to dances in the many country halls that were scattered around the surrounding countryside. We learnt, mainly from the older women, how to waltz and also have fun with such dances as the Barn Dance, Pride of Erin, Jolly Miller and a raft of others.
I was therefore mystified in the late 1970s when becoming involved in the 'folk scene', going to so-called ‘bush dances’ (a term that was never used in the Central West) and being taught dances that I had never heard of in the bush. As time progressed and I started to travel on field recording trips with John Meredith (a good dancer in his own right) I met and formed a very strong friendship with dance historian, the late Peter Ellis. It became clear that ‘bush dance’ was a dance genre that had evolved over recent decades.
In conversations on the track with John and also with the people we were recording then for the National Library, some born in the 1890s, it became clear that the dances of the bush were in reality the Quadrilles, Polkas, Varsoviennas, Mazurkas as well as the later ones I had learnt in the Forbes district.
Over the many hours that Meredith and I had on the track talking about the past he explained how the genre was formed and Peter's article puts it all together as well as John's explanation in a video I shot of him and my wife, Ollie, demonstrating a couple of these dances.
I can remember being with Meredith and Alan Scott at a Bush Dance at a festival in Newcastle when Merro leaned over to Alan and said "Geez mate, just to think that we were responsible for this".

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John Meredith - photos from the Peter Ellis Collection.

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Peter Ellis Collection, National Library Oral History collection

all quotes are taken from emails sent by Peter   

Merro at Yass, 1988 (Peter Ellis photo)

Merro & Peter Ellis at Harry McQueen's place, Castlemain, c1989   (John Meredith photo)
Taken in Harry McQueen’s lounge in Castlemaine during an interview. Merro would have the original, it should be around, I rescued this from a local newspaper I think

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Collecting trip to South Australia & Western Australia, 1991.
Merro took all pictures he had a timer on his camera on a tripod. (email from Peter 12/08/12)


First night our from Thirlemere on the WA trip - Merro & Peter at motel in Hay with Peter's FJ Holden,1991 (John Meredith photo)


Merro & Peter on the Nullabor (John Meredith photo)


Merro & Peter on the Nullabor 1991 (John Meredith photo)
This is the famous one, he used a black and white of it in Real Folk and the National Library have that, but it was taken in colour. I drove a little way off the highway on a track towards some sand dunes (where the Great Australian Bite would have been) for effort.


Merro on the Nullabour on the return from Perth, 1991  (Peter Ellis photo)

There’s one more I took on the main highway across the Nullabour, i.e. sealed rd. not the off road famous one. In this I’ve got Merro pointing out at the treeless nothing.

Kimba, Half Way across Australia (John Meredith photo)
This is at Kimba where we interviewed Ma Seal, the reason for our trip.  The postboard is advertising Kimbar on the Eyre Peninsula S.A. as half way across Australia between Sydney and Perth.


Cranbrook WA - Sept 1991

This one is at my father’s cousin’s Charles and Wyn Lilford place, now both deceased. Merro and I interviewed them for the National Library, details in the Merro article I sent you. The name of the farm is East Lynne, set up originally by my great uncle Frank Lilford, and it is at Cranbrook W.A.

Merro at the Bight, 1991 (Peter Ellis photo)
it says on the back (not my writing) John Meredith indicating the South Pole near the head of the Great Australian Bight. September 1991
  
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