Step Dancing
Step dancing was still danced for exhibitions at parties and socials well into the 1950s, however it rapidly died out in the following years to the extent that by the turn of the millennium step dancing in County Down has completely died out. Throughout Great Britain and Ireland the most popular dances for step-dancing were reels, jigs and hornpipes. In County Down reels, particularly single reels and hornpipes were the favoured form of tunes for step dancing to.
Many of the “crushed bowing” reels played by John Simpson and his fiddlers were phrased specifically for step-dancing single reels. Tunes like the Killyleagh Lasses, that have a bowed treble in the 2nd half of each 4th bar, were phrased this way to match the dancer’s steps. The dancers usually danced a series of doubles near the end of their performance to let the fiddle player know they were about to stop. A favourite tune for dancing hornpipes was the Greencastle Hornpipe.
There are few memories of step-dancers left these days as it died out so long ago; however some recollections still exist.
Hans Stevenson Donnan
Towards the end of the 1800s, Hans Stevenson Donnan was well-known around East Down as a champion dancer. Hans was born in Raffrey on 22nd April 1859, his parents being Robert and Margaret Donnan (nee Lowry). His father Robert was a tailor. Hans followed in his footsteps being a tailor; he lived at Ballywillin, between Killyleagh and Crossgar, and he travelled locally carrying out exhibitions of step-dancing.
On 11th September 1885 he married Annie Killops at Inch. Annie was from Dunanally, Inch; her father William was a coachman at the Finnebrogue Estate, north of Downpatrick.
Willie McCloy regularly travelled to the Donnan’s to play for Hans to practice. Through these visits Hans’s daughter Lizzie was introduced to fiddle music and she later became a fine player. Two of Hans’s favourite reels to dance to were Box (or fight) among the Coals, and Fire on the Mountain. Hans Donnan passed away in July 1900.
Champion step-dancer Hans Stevenson Donnan with his wife Annie, c. 1900.
Frank Bishop and Robbie Johnston
In the early-1900s, Frank Bishop and Robbie Johnston were well-known step-dancers, who often danced together. Frank, who was born in 1883, was from Ballymacarron and was a carpenter by trade. Robbie, who was born in 1886, was from Mahee Island. They would have started dancing with single batters, then doubles and trebles, dancing side by side, then forward, back, and sideways together. Then at a certain point they would spread apart, dancing against each other, which would get the crowd going. Interestingly Robbie liked the tempo of the music moderate and steady, while Frank preferred it faster – this resulted in each of the dancers occasionally giving simultaneous conflicting hand signals to the fiddle player. Like most step-dancers they performed at house parties, socials and at concerts in local halls and church halls.
William James Sprott and Alec Dorrian
At a later period William James Sprott (born around 1905) was renowned as a dancer. He was a farmer from Balloo, and was very supple – he was well-known for his fancy footwork. He occasionally placed two crossed sticks on the floor and danced around them in a fashion similar to a sword dance.
There was great rivalry between the dancers as this yarn from Jackie Donnan about William James Sprott illustrates;
"On the day that William James buried his wife he landed into Morrow’s pub in Killyleagh in the afternoon, after her funeral. He was seated with his head bowed, the tears were tripping him, dripping onto the flagged floor. A rival of William James’s, a dancer called Alec Dorrian came into the pub and ignoring William James he asked Morrow to put on the gramophone and play a hornpipe. Morrow duly put on a recording of the Harvest Home and Alec Dorrian got on the floor and stepped a hornpipe. By the time another hornpipe was played, Dorrian was still up dancing, and William James couldn’t take it any longer. He shouted at Dorrian, “sit down, sure you’re only limpin’”, and jumping up he danced the hornpipe out."
Alec Dorrian was from Tullyveery, Killyleagh and was born around 1893. He worked as a farm labourer and flax dresser.
The following references to step dancing were made in the Dromore Leader over a number of years;
George Wright & Mr Stewart
“A very successful social and dance took place in the Town Hall, Hillsborough, on Friday evg., (4th October)…. An excellent step-dance display was given by Mr George Wright.
(Dromore Leader 12th October 1918)
At the social and dance in Ballykeel Orange Hall on 11th October;
“A Irish jig by Messrs Stewart and Wright was much appreciated.”
(Dromore Leader October 19th 1918)
Miss M Brown
On Easter Monday 1920 at Ballaney Orange Hall – Ballaney Temperance Bagpipe Band social & dance;
“A feature of the evening was a number of step-dances given by Miss M Brown, which were highly appreciated.” (Dromore Leader 10th April 1920)
Sister A. Owens and Br. J. Smyth
Sister A. Owens and Br. J. Smyth were recorded as step dancing for Gransha LOL social and dance on 2nd January 1925. The social opened at 9.00pm and ended at 6.00am. The dance music was supplied by fiddle players William and John Wallace. (Dromore Leader 10th January 1925)
James McCormick
On 25th January 1929 at Waringsford annual soiree & ball;
“James McCormick, the latter in songs, hornpipes and step dances in long boots…”
(Dromore Leader 2nd February 1929)
Miss Freda & Chrissie Blaney
On 1st March 1928, at the Town Hall, Ballynahinch;
“at breathing-spells between the dances…. were very much enjoyed, as was also a step dance by the Misses Freda & Chrissie Blaney.”
Miss Lottie & Chrissie Blaney, Miss Lowry & Miss Casement
On 1st March 1929, at a concert in Gransha Orange Hall;
“Miss Lottie & Crissie Blaney’s step dance and Miss Lowry & Miss Casement’s step dance with Mr T Gourley playing the bagpipes was a splendid item.” (Dromore Leader 10th February 1929)
Misses B & P Carlisle
On 1st February1934 the Misses B & P Carlisle gave some step dances which were greatly appreciated at the Saintfield Parish Social in the Saintfield Courthouse.
(Dromore Leader 3rd March 1934)
Miss V Ferguson
Skeagh Flute Band Concert and Half Night Dance 21st February 1934. Miss V Ferguson step danced a “Highland Fling”.
Miss Nance McQuillan
On 30th October 1936 in Dromore Orange Hall for the Dromore Branch of the Amalgamated Transport Workers Union dance;
“Step dancing by Miss Nance McQuillan, music by Premier Dance Band, Lurgan.” (Dromore Leader 7th November 1936)
George Clydesdale & Robert McCullough
On Christmas Night 1940 Brs George Clydesdale & Robert McCullough gave a step dancing display in Skeagh Orange Hall for the annual social & dance (“an Orange Social”).
(Dromore Leader 4th January 1941)