Hey braves,

Can someone tell me the differences between a Reel, a 2 step and a 1 step?

It should have differences between this 3 kind of dances, but It shouldn't be easy to notice it!

My guitarist, who plays irish music with an other band, told me that 2 step and reel are so close but a bit different, but he can't notice what it is exactly!

An other thing, the tune "allons a lafayette" is sometimes called an one step, sometimes a 2 two step and I saw one time it was called a reel...

So I reconize to be a bit lost with it...

Greg, here is the dilemma.

During the time when these dances were popular and people actually knew how to dance to them, there was a steady influx of European Immigrants to the U.S. They would bring these tunes with them and then they would be blended into the musical styles of the Cajuns. These dances (especially reels) were in high demand by dancers, and therefore were probably a must have in the cajun musicians repetoire.

Well after a while immigrants began to settle elsewheres, and the introduction of records and radio took over and standardized/Americanized the influences of Cajun music.

The reason you are having trouble hearing the differences maybe are

A.) they may be in the same time signature, and the emphasis on phrasing are not being played right. e.g. with an accordion it might be more challenging to emphasis phrases in a reel that would make it "sound" like a reel. It is much easier to tell the difference when you listen to a good fiddler play these songs.

B.) The standardization/Americanization killed the different types of dances (reels, one steps, etc) So musicians adapted the tunes and played them more like two-steps or waltzes, which are what people know how to dance to a cette heur.

C.) Don't invest to much in titles for songs in old cajun recordings. You might come across the same tune with about 10-15 different names. It hasn't been until recently that names for songs are being standardized.

D.) Listen to good fiddlers play these songs and pay close attention to the details. The structure of the songs, the timing, the emphasis in phrasing, the "feel" of the song, bowing patterns, etc.

E.) Listen to the same types of tunes in other genre's (like irish music/scottish/nova scotia/ old time) and seek out the similarities.

F.) buy a fiddle learn some two-steps, then try to learn a reel or one-step. You will quickly discover the difference.


p.s. listen to more dennis mcgee

According to Marc Savoy there is no difference between a one step and a two step.

well, that may be, but I hear a difference. I also think its important to listen for that difference and keep it going. Otherwise we'll all be boring ourselves and the public with monotonous set lists of waltz/ two-step patterns.

I never could tell the difference. I have always thought that the difference was in the dance (steps), not in the rhythm of the music. But then I also have a hard time hearing a difference between 2/4 and 4/4 time. I don't care much, as long as it has a bit of a groove.
I'd like to hear Chris Miller's opinion on this, but he is always busy.

Just to muddy the waters further, what about the difference between a waltz and a bass-bas? ( If I spelt that right.)

Somebody on here explained it some time ago. If I remember correctly, Bonsoir Moreau is a bass-bas.

BJ

(I think that was Ganey that was explaining the difference between waltz and bass-bas.)

Pedantically speaking, I would hazard to say that
one could chart any song into any time signature with
sheet music .. just as one could chart a song that's
played in the key of "G" on a "C" keyed staff.

Of course, in the latter case, they'd need to
"sharp" every "F" in the sheet music.

The point being, the key or time signatures
illustrated on paper are not the absolute reason that
a song sounds like it's in 2/4 or 4/4. (If that
makes any sense!)

The charting is frequently formatted to make it the
most intuitive for the person who has to read it
and get the proper feel of the song ..

--bn

well BJ i think we'll have the same argument as before with the Basse Bas thing. Its a waltz timed played with a little swinging blues kinda feel. songs like Bonsoir Moreau, Barres de la Prison, etc. have this feel.

one other thought on this subject and then I'm done. If there wasn't a difference between two-step/one-step then why would they differentiate the two with specific titles that relate to the types of dance ? If there was no difference then why make a difference in the first place ?

just sayin

Tradition, my friend! Tradition!

And a baisse-bas, as I hear it, seems to be (even) more slow dragging and syncopated than a Cajun waltz, which is already more slow dragging and syncopated than an ordinary waltz...

Great subject, but don't we forget the JIG ?
And I've learned the so called Mamou Two Step and that a dance that's fits on a blues or a waltz.
A lot of thinking during the dance

And what about the POLKA ? website #2.

BTW: I don't dance much, but if I do, I have to try NOT to think at all, if I don't wanna step on my own feet.

To reinforce what Christian said, put very little stock in Cajun song names. And remember that names of some of the songs predated the accordion in La and the accordion changed the way many of these songs are played. I really like seeing that guys like Christian are not letting go of those old styles. I love the accordion, but it's still a relative rookie in south Louisiana music.

Yes Christian, I hear (in the tune) what you mean by the bluesy, swing thing, but didn't Ganey also say something about the dance? Something about the translation being like 'dip down', because that's how it was danced?

BJ

Yes probably. I met a couple of cajun dance enthusiasts that were learning the actual dance style of Baisse bas. I am not sure how it is danced since I havent seen them. But I imagine its like other zydeco type dances where the woman is straddling the guys leg and it looks like they're ******* on the dance floor.

"According to Marc Savoy there is no difference between a one step and a two step."

Yeah, but other knowledgeable people disagree. Austin Pitre was recorded in an interview by Ralph Rinzler of the Smithsonian Institute explaining the difference between a one-step dance and a two-step. On file at ULL (USL) archives of Cajun and Creole Culture. He's a generation older than Marc Savoy. Allie Young (even older) also distinguished between a one step and a two step.

The difference might be unrecognized by accordion players, but there are (or were) dancers who knew the difference. I hear a lot of difference between Hathaway Two Step (which I understand is really a one-step) and Fee Fee Ponchaux, which is a two step. Both are very old songs. Good songs for comparison. The older songs are where I would look to trace the complexities and the developments.

Agree with Bryan and others who mentioned it. Song titles are not a good indicator.

Just having fun

What's in a name?
To squeeze or not to squeeze, that's the question.

And in A. Savoy's book, Joe Falcon says he had a hard time trying to convince one of his musicians that there is such a thing as a "two-step waltz". "Colinda" is one (from J. Falcon).
La valse à deux pas (ou valse à 2 temps) :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valse_%C3%A0_deux_temps