Spring Fling in Paris

19-21 April saw dancers of all ages converge on Paris for the Spring Fling weekend. Two young dancers share their enthusiasm

The festival theme of Love was reflected in the evening programme with Chased Lovers, Love in the Marais and Dance of Love. Paris Branch welcomed everyone with open arms and old friends were reunited on the dance floor. A 12-piece band provided beautiful music. The classes kicked off on Saturday with Ramona Zohm leading the Very Advanced workshop. Ramona, followed by David Hall, taught around 70 young dancers a range of complicated dances including Paranoid Jig, Summer in Paris, and Celtic Border. Both teachers led the session with ease and accommodated an atmosphere of laughter and enthusiasm for all. It was good to dance with dancers of a similar age and ability allowing for in-set variations and high energy spins – a truly fun and rare opportunity to dance really challenging figures with competent dancers! After some baguettes and cheese in the scorching sun, Ramona again took the ‘Old but Fun’ Scottish country dances with another very large turn-out. Hamilton House, The Priest and his Books, Couteraller’s Rant’ and Teviot Bridge featured in the afternoon class. The introduction to an older style of dancing with unusual progressions and a full dance of only pas de basque was highly enjoyed. According to tradition, we danced an all-male Reel of the 51st as per the dance’s army origins.

Saturday night brought together the Fling and Fringe once again for the Ball. Love featured strongly again – Love is in the Air, and The Kissing Bridge were enjoyed along with favourites such as The Deil Amang the Tailors and The Glasgow Highlanders keeping spirits high well into the night. St Petersburg Branch introduced the 2020 Spring Fling as we danced Links with St Petersburg. A night of dance and fun, a real testimony to the work of this year’s committee.

Sunday morning was a surprise class. A few sore heads and tired feet found their way to the hall. It all began with a class with a twist. Each dance had a ‘rule’ applied after teaching, such as one member of the set being blindfolded, completing the dance with no hands given, everyone holding a cup of water and even replacing a member of the set with a baguette! A great way to bring the weekend to a close – hilarity shared by all. The fun and games concluded with an outdoor pizza party where we all shared our favourite moments of the weekend, had a chance to thank the organisers, and say goodbye to good friends.

I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend in Paris. With thanks to Youth Services and TAS (Teachers Association Scotland) for their help in getting me to the event, I was able to dance with young dancers from across the world. Attending last year’s event in Glasgow solidified my interest in the Fling and I would highly recommend everyone that is able to attend the next one. I made new friends and caught up with familiar faces while participating in an international celebration of our hobby. A massive thank you and well done to all those who organised, played and taught – until next time, au revoir!

Scott Smith, Glasgow

Spring Fling 2019 in Paris was not only my very first Fling, it was also my first international Scottish dance event. I had such a wonderful time meeting dancers from all over the world. The teachers for the weekend were excellent and really pushed us to be better dancers. And how could you not enjoy dancing when there was such wonderful music to dance to from such talented musicians? It was great to see so many younger dancers and to see the passion they have for Scottish country dancing. The Spring Fling Committee did a fantastic job of organizing the event. Being with so many dancers was great because you could tell how much everyone just loved being there. Paris is called the City of Love and the halls were filled with the love of dance. I want to thank the Society and the Youth Services Committee for offering the scholarship to me. Hope I can make it to Toronto in 2020!

Janet Peterson,Columbia, Maryland

Fun with cups!

Blindfold fun on Sunday morning

My partner is a baguette