Young Dancers News of young dancers is edited by Olga McIntosh. Please send her news of your youth events to ol.mcintosh@gmail.com Cape Town Virtual Festival If you watched the Virtual Festival, you will remember the Elgin Scottish Dancers with impressive African movements.
There were always things going on, with optional classes, such as Highland and ladies’ step and trips out. There was dancing every evening to live music. We had to get into our best dresses for the Hogmanay and the President’s Ball, which made us feel magical. We loved doing the 32-some at Hogmanay, it was so exhilarating! The fancy dress evening was really fun too. Everyone at Summer School was super friendly and it felt like one big Scottish dancing family. We would love to go again!
Catriona and Susie Brown
Duns and District Branch Children’s Class
The Elgin Dancers The group was organized by Campbell Tyler who wanted to provide after-school activity for the young people. He started a group that was attended by around 40 pupils (age 13 – 16) from the three high schools of Elgin – a small town 70 km from Cape Town. Some have been dancing for about two years, but none had done Scottish dancing before. Most are from poor backgrounds; one of the dancers in the video had never been to Cape Town when they came to film their entry at the foot of Table Mountain. The Flying Scotsman was chosen with the African flavour added by using moves from Kwaito (South African form of music and dance). The movements are called ‘Water Lily’, ‘Pharra Walk’, ‘Coffee Grinder’ and ‘Zulu Stamp with Gwarra Gwarra’. The new version of the dance was called Shosholoza Meyl after the train that runs between Cape Town and Pretoria.
17 children from Duns and District Children’s class recently took Medal Tests at four levels. Everyone was delighted with the results and the feedback from the examiner. Introductory: 3 passes, 3 credits and 1 distinction Grade 1: 2 credits and 2 distinctions Grade 2: 2 passes Grade 3: 1 pass, 1 credit and 2 distinctions Some children danced nine dances on the test day to make up sets! On 31 December, the children danced at the Knoll Hospital in Duns entertaining patients and visitors. At the monthly branch dance, the beginners performed The Cumberland Reel, with the older children performing 32 bars each of four different jigs: Ladies’ Fancy, The Waratah Weaver, Kendall’s Hornpipe and The Dhoon. Everyone enjoyed the performances and dancing in a set with the children, sometimes with the children leading the set! Scottish country dancing is definitely thriving for both children and adults in Duns and District!
Julie Grainger
Glasgow Branch Well done to all the 4 teams of dancers from the JVA class, who recently took part in the 94th Inverclyde Music and Dance Festival in January.
Campbell Tyler and Olga McIntosh
Summer School New Zealand Style We were lucky enough to go to Summer School in Nelson this year as our Dad was asked to teach. We were in the Junior JAMS class in the mornings, taught by Hazel Fish. Hazel made things really fun and our dancing definitely improved. There were only four children in the class, but it was helpful that local dancers came along to make up the set. At the ceilidh we performed a dance devised by Hazel. It was nerve-wracking, but enjoyable!
The Glasgow JVA teams The mixed team retained the Edinburgh Renfrewshire Association Shield. The ladies’ team won and retained the RSCDS West Renfrewshire Trophy. In the square dance section the team came second. Another ladies’ team won the Jean Milligan Memorial Trophy. This is an amazing result especially as some of the dancers had never competed before, with some of them only starting within the last year. Their teacher was Carol Ann Knox. The JVA class is a joint venture between Glasgow Branch, Alba Scottish Country Dancers and Glasgow University SCD club.
The Junior JAMS
Debbie McAlees
www.rscds.org
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