The Daily Teaser — 30-4-2013: Walpurgis Night … !

Hello … 

Looks like the government is trying to get tougher on prisoners.

Mostly by making sure that prisoners work harder for their perks.

I’ll be honest, I’m thinking that it’s not much more than what’s already in place: it’s simply the government trying to look tough on law and order.   JUST when there’s a huge set of local elections due on Thursday.

Guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens with it.   But I can’t help but think of an old phrase I’ve picked up, that’s very apposite for the news.

Same Shit … Different Gaol … !

Let’s move on.

}}}·{{{

Yesterday’s Teaser saw both Debbi and Mr Strict putting in their answers.

Yesterday saw Mr S* showing us how to do the Hokey Pokey/Cokey, the Twist AND the Hopek 

Here … 

It also saw Debbi† showing us this post.

On top of THAT, yesterday’s Teaser Mr S bagging 7 out of 10, and Debbi bagging ten … !

Let’s see how they — and you — do with today’s mildly spooky questions, shall we … ?   Here they are, along with the ‘How To’, license and video … 

Q1) 30th April is Walpurgis Night, in many parts of Europe.  Which Devonshire saint is it named after … ?

Q2) Brocken Mountain — in Germany — sees who gather for a festival on Walpurgis Night … ?

Q3) Which composer wrote Die erste Walpurgisnacht — The First Walpurgis Night —  in 1831: Felix Mendelssohn, Ludwig van Beethoven or Johann Ludwig Krebs … ?

Q4) Which American ‘Z’ wrote a short story called Walpurgisnacht … ?

Q5) And finally … which well known Black Sabbath song was originally called Walpurgis … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 29th April is — according to both UNESCO and the International Theatre Institute — International Dance Day.   It was introduced in which year of the 1980s … ?

A1) 1982.

Q2) The date was picked to honour Jean-Georges Noverre: the man credited with making which dance form popular … ?

A2) Ballet.   (I tried a Grand écart, once.   I didn’t walk for weeks … )

Q3) In which dance would you — at various points — ‘shake it all about’ … ?

A3) The dance known under various versions of the name, the Hokey Cokey.

Q4) Name either of the two South American countries that the Tango is said to have originated in.

A4) Argentina or Uruguay.   (There’s also a Finnish Tango … )

Q5) Which T is both a dance and a hit for Chubby Checker … ?

A5) The Twist.

Q6) What’s the name of the BBC 1 show, focussing on ballroom dancing … ?

A6) Strictly Come Dancing.

Q7) More to the point, what’s the name of the US version of the show … ?

A7) Dancing With The Stars.   (Steve Wozniak is a hardware genius.   Buuuuuuut … )

Q8) Raqs sharqi is better known as good old fashioned Egyptian what … ?

A8) Belly Dancing.

Q9) Waltzes are usually in which time signature: ¾, 4/4 or 5/4 … ?

A9) ¾.

Q10) And finally … The Hopak is traditionally danced by many Ukrainians: and which Russian peoples … ?

A10) The Cossacks.

I’ll leave you with this thought …

“Go home, Johann — Walpurgis Nacht doesn’t concern Englishmen.” 

From Dracula’s Guest by Bram Stoker.

And — as it’s used for the Walpurgis Night sequence in Disney’s Fantasia — I’ll leave you having a night on Bald Mountain … 

Enjoy your day: don’t get spooked … !

*        Mr S … ?   I think we’re going to have to name you as The Old Peculiar’s Official Choreographer in Chief … 

†        You’re right, Debbi, they do: I’ll have to keep me eye open for it.   Oh … Did I tell you we’ve got a Chief Choreographer … ?