story about how Willie learned to stepdance

Deamar a dh'ionnsaich thu an dannsa?

Ciamar a dh'ionnsaich mise dannsa? Uell, bha m'athair, 's e... Chluitheadh e’ n fhiodhall, agus dheanadh e... bha steapan aige do dhannsa. Dheanadh e... steapan laghach, steapan matha. Agus bha fhios aige... watchadh e air an ùrlair, ‘coimhead air a’ dannsa. Agus dh’ionnsaich mi na steapan a bh’aige. Ah, uell, cha robh mi a nuair sin ach, dh’fhaoidhte, sia na seachd a bhliadhnaichean. Ach an oidhche bha seo, chaidh mi chadal dh’ionns’ na lobhtadh, agus bha bruadal agam. An duin’ a bha seo, choisich e staigh dha ‘n bhedroom agus sheas e air mo bheulaibh. 'S thuirt e rium,
"Tha thu ‘dol a bhith ‘nad dhannsair. Tha mi ‘dol a shealltuinn dhut step, a dhà na trì do steapannan." Agus, Alright. Dhùisg mi anns a’ mhaduinn (Tape garbled here) ‘s thàinig mi nuas. Dh'foighneachd m’athair dhiom, "Ciamar a chaidil thu araoir Willie Francis?"

"Chaidil mi math, ach bha duine ‘s a’ bhedroom.. Bruadal mu ‘n duine a bha seo a choisich astaigh ‘s a’ bhedroom: duine bò’dhach, suit ghorm air, 's leine gheal, 's necktie. Bha e ‘sealltuinn dhomh dòigh air steapan a dhèanadh. Sheall e dhomh cóig steapannan."

“Uell,” thuirt e rium, thuirt m'athair rium, Uell,”ma ? leam an fhiodhall ‘s ma chluitheas mi dhut port, an tig agad air na steapan a dhèanadh?"
"O, thig, thig," thuirt mi ris, “gun strì.”

Uell, alright. Thug e leis an fhiodhall 's chaidh mis' mach air an ùrlar, 's rinn mi na steapannan a dh'ionnsaich mi bhuaith’ fhein, agus na cóig steapan bha seo a dh'ionnsaich mi as ... bho ‘n bhruadal. Agus bha sin alright.Dh’fhaoidte an ceann cola-deug, na mìos as deaghaidh sin, chaidh mi chadal arithist. Bha ‘n aon fhear air an ùrlar ‘na sheasamh mu m’choinneimh. Thuirt e rium,
"Gu dearra, tha thu ‘dol a bhith ‘nad dannsair. Tha mi dol a shealltuinn dhut an dòigh a s(h)easadh air an urlar, seasadh dìreach. Nuair a bhios tu ‘dannsa, coimhead romhad dìreach mar sin 's na bi swingeadh do làmhan anull ‘s anall mar sin idir. Tha thu ‘dol a bhith math cuideachd."

Uell, alright, thàinig mi anuas as ... far na lobhta, 's thuirt e, m’athair,
"An na chaidil thu alright?"
"Cha chaidil. Bha an aon fhear 's a’ bhedroom a’ sealltuinn dhomh tuilleadh do steapan."
"Uell, an tig agad air an dèanadh ma chluitheas mise dhut port?"
"Thig, thig."
Chaidh mi mach air an ùrlar ‘s bha fichead steap agam dìreach mar siod, dìreach bho'n bruadal. 'S thàinig e triop no dhà eile as deaghaidh sin. Uell, as deaghaidh sin, dheanainn fhìn steap a fhreagaireadh. Dheanainn fhìn steap an uair sin a fhreagaireadh. Bha an gnothach agam.Cha do sheall duine sam bith dhomhsa steap riamh. Ach dìreach na steapan aig m'athair, thog mi dìreach bhuaithe mar siod. Agus am bruadal a bha seo, bha an gnothach cho furasda dhomh. Ma chunnaig mi na steapan, chumainn sin ‘nam... ‘nam cheann. Bha sin agam dìreach mar siod. Agus sin agad a bh’ann.

How did you learn to dance?

How did I learn to dance? Well, my father, it’s he... He could play the fiddle and he could make... He had dance steps. He could make... nice steps, fine steps. And he knew...He would watch the floor, looking at the dancing. And I learned his steps. Ah, well, at the time, I was only, maybe, six or seven years old. But this certain night, I went upstairs to sleep and I had a dream. This fellow, he walked into the bedroom and stood in front of me. And he said to me,
“You are going to be a dancer. I’m going to show you a step, two or three steps.
And, alright. I woke in the morning (tape garbled here) and came downstairs. My father asked me, “How did you sleep last night Willie Francis?”

“I slept well, but there was a man in the bedroom. (There was a) Dream about this man who walked into the bedroom: a fine looking man, wearing a blue suit, while shirt and a necktie. He was going to show me a way to make (dance) steps. He showed me five steps.”

“Well,” he said, my father said, “If I get the fiddle(?) and if I play a tune for you, can you make the steps?” “Oh, I can, I can,” I said,”easily!”

Well, alright. He got the fiddle and I went out on the floor and did the steps I learned from himself and these five steps I learned ... from the dream. And that was alright. Maybe in two weeks, or a month, after that, I went to sleep again. The same fellow was on the floor standing in front of me. He said to me,
“Indeed, you are going to be a dancer. I’m going to show you the way to stand straight on the floor, to stand straight. When you’re dancing, look straight ahead of you like that, and don’t be swinging your arms around at all. You’re going to be good too.”

Well, alright. I came down... from upstairs and he said to me, my father said to me,
“Did you sleep all right?”
“I didn’t. The same fellow was in the bedroom showing me more of steps.”
“Well, can you do them if I play a tune for you?”
“I can, I can!”

I went out on the floor. I had twenty steps just like that, just from the dream. And he came a once, or twice, after that. Well, after that, I could do a step that suited. I could make up a step that would fit. I had the knack. No one ever showed me a step; just the steps my father had. And this dream, the thing was so easy for me. If I saw the steps, I would keep that in my... in my head. And that’s the story.

Transcribed and translated by Jim Watson.