16 minute read
Dancing Around the World
All branches and affiliated groups are invited to send in their news (maximum 200 words) to Caroline Brockbank caroline@ceilidhkids.com
The Freiburg Corona Collection
by Jens Heckmann
In Spring our SCD group in Freiburg, Germany, had to face the fact that we couldn’t continue in the usual way. After a long period of no dancing at all, we were lucky to change to an open-air venue until the beginning of October – when due to weather and waning daylight we changed back to our regular dancehall.
The only thing missing in summer - apart from a proper dance floor - was ‘no-handsgiven’ dances. Following a futile and timeconsuming search we decided to produce our own collection, starting with Kirsten’s Noli Me Tangere. I fiddled with ‘handless’ formations until we had a reasonable choice of dances carrying us through the summer.
Members helpfully added their ideas during class, so we changed the dances accordingly. Therefore a big thankyou goes to those members who bore with us during the experimental phase when lots of seemingly inventive and clever formations turned out to be not so inventive after all – let alone clever.
We were eventually bold enough to go public with the collection, relying on the professional support of Roland Telle for cribs and Keith Rose for diagrams, and including revisions that pioneers in groups from the USA, Sweden, France and even Uganda had pointed out.
All of the of dances comply with social distancing rules and can be downloaded from the Freiburg SCD page: www.freiburg-scottish-country-dancers. de/freiburgdances/The_Freiburg_Corona_ Collection-final_version.pdf
The crib sheets can be accessed from the Breton branch page : scotbreizh.fr/index.php/fr/danses-specialcovid-19/the-freiburg-corona-collection
We hope that these dances make some friends out there – but even more we hope that sooner or later this collection will no longer be needed.
Newcastle upon Tyne and District Branch
by Sheila Trafford
The year that never was! Last year everything was cancelled for everyone. However, it was doubly disappointing for Newcastle Branch as we were due to start celebrating our 70 th anniversary year at our AGM in May 2020 and would have continued with special events until May 2021.
Our Midsummer Supper Dance in June should have been especially ‘special’ with a buffet, a programme relevant to our branch and the launch of a book of new dances with accompanying CD. Marian Anderson’s band were booked to play at the dance (they play 8 tracks on the CD). We shall celebrate this landmark eventually, even if it isn’t until 2022. Unfortunately, many other events had to be cancelled, including our Newcastle Festival; the highlight of the year for many dancers. Iain MacPhail was due to play. (He also plays 8 tracks on our new CD.)
Dancers have watched classes and musicians from all over the world via social media; good for keeping in touch but can never compare with face to face meetings. We run alternate weekly SCD and Ladies’ step classes, as well as a few children’s classes, and we have fortnightly ‘socials’ with a speaker or topic, questions and chat. We hope we shall be able to dance together again soon, which is really all our members want to do.
ROIS Dance School in Rome
by Martina Spagna
Italy has been badly damaged by the pandemic. Gyms and dance studios have been closed since the end of last October, after a short summer opening. RSCDS Affiliated Group ROIS Dance School, based in Rome, is organizing virtual sessions of Scottish country dancing with Giorgia De Luca, with the aim of keeping alive the bond with its most loyal students. The lessons are organized from month to month, according to the evolution of the pandemic.
We have fun choosing dances according to the time of year. For example, we studied Christmas Party Jig in December to celebrate Christmas, and New Year Jig in January to greet the brand new year. Each dance is a chance to deepen the study of steps and easy formations. Our plush partners are also thrilled to help us to arrange sets at a distance!
Plush’ partners in Rome
Moscow Branch
by Maria Tsvetoukhina
SCD clubs and schools in Russia gradually came back to regular classes, with restrictions and precautions to make dancing safe. Dancers also participate in online classes to stay together with the community worldwide. Some events are already back or planned for 2021.
Christmas Social in Nizny Novgorod
Photo Yuri Saifullin
Quick Scotch Club opened the dance year with a meeting of the Russian Team in Nizhny Novgorod at the beginning of January. This was aimed at a wide range of dancers and included classes and evening events.
Beltane Fires, the Cheboksary Club, organized a traditional Scottish Festival on January 30, this year mainly online, though having offline dancing in the programme. The ‘Address to the Haggis’ recited in Scots and in Russian united different Russian cities online.
The 4th Robert Burns Flash Mob Online, organised by Moscow Branch and Saratov Club ‘Falcor’, had participants from all over the world. You may find all creative recordings of My Love She’s But a Lassie Yet at: www.facebook.com/groups/scottishdance.ruusing #BurnsNight2021
On February 21-23, affiliated group Fairy Tale has arranged the 6 th Scottish Weekend in Novosibirsk. Held for the first time in this region, and supported by the International Branch, participants will enjoy live music during classes and evening events, provided by the Permian Ceilidh Band (Perm). Spring Weekend is announced in Naberezhnye Chelny in March, hosted by the New Town dance club.
South East Herts SCDS
by Ian, Emma and Catriona Stewart
Carry On Dancing! South East Herts SCDS started online classes in September with some trepidation, aiming to keep local dancers in touch with each other. The 40-minute sessions are taught by Emma and Ian Stewart with their daughter Catriona on fiddle. We choose dances where 1st couple essentially do the same thing at the same time, so that singleton dancers can follow easily whether men or women, and Catriona chooses popular second tunes to help lift the class. We have gradually learned which formations work well, since interest has to be derived from footwork, transitions and phrasing rather than from interaction with other dancers.
Dances with a personal challenge are popular such as Caberfei, where pas de basque on the right transitions nicely into skip change with the left. The onecouple allemande in Earl of Home was also new to many, and was felt to be an appropriate lockdown formation. Despite the popularity and fun of our virtual classes, we still have toes crossed for resumption of full dancing soon!
The Stewart Family carry on dancing
Quizzy Burns’ Night - RSCDS Cheltenham
By Fiona Knee
On one of the coldest nights of the year Cheltenham Scottish country dancers gathered on Zoom to test their knowledge of SCD. We raised our glasses to the Bard, and our Quiz Master brought us to order for three rounds, with dances between each.
We then rattled through some fiendishly difficult cryptic clues to dances and formations. I was disappointed not to get the answer to ‘This girl might have had a bump on the head?’ and ‘This might be an antidote to fake news?’. (Answers at the end)
Round two was the Picture Round, but the Music Round generated most head scratching. In addition to naming dances, the first letter of each made a mystery word for a bonus point. With only two tunes identified correctly, I was never going to make sgian dubh.
There were no sumptuous prizes, but a few participants achieved impressive scores. The evening was true to the origins of Burns’ Night, when friends gathered to celebrate his life and work and provide cheer in the long winter evenings. Thank you to everyone who joined us, including fellow dancers from Cheltenham Scottish Society, and to those operating technology, selecting and recapping dances.
These lines from ‘Tam o’ Shanter’ certainly ring true today.
‘As bees flee hame wi’ lades o’ treasure The minutes wing’d their way wi’ pleasure’
(Quiz Answers: Starry Eyed Lassie, Moment of Truth)
Greensboro, North Carolina
by Craig and Sherri Davis
Our Greensboro, North Carolina Scottish Country Dance Society celebrated a virtual Burns Night Supper on Jan 25, 2021 via Zoom. We had great fun with the toasts, and the eating of the traditional Supper, which ended with a Ceilidh of songs by Robert Burns. We took various screen shots during the Zoom meeting and compiled a keepsake for our group members to enjoy until we can hopefully celebrate this event next year in person. You can see it here:
www.gsoscds.org/yahoo_site_admin/ assets/docs/GSCDS_Burns_Night_ Supper_25_Jan_2021.39183036.pdf
The link can also be accessed from the our homepage: http://www.gsoscds.org/
Chesterfield Caledonian
by Liz and Ian Stead
Chesterfield Caledonian dance class used their weekly Zoom meet and dance to celebrate Burns’ Night. Andrew Lyon played his accordion at home for us to enjoy listening and also to dance a couple of ceilidh dances and Angus MacLeod. Two class members danced for us; Su danced Earl of Erroll, and Lucy The Sheiling, a new step dance written by our guest David Queen (also joined by our other guest Cathy). Class members Robin addressed the haggis, Mavis recounted facts about Burns and Jan delivered one of his poems. We found time for a wee dram to toast Burns, and all we enjoy that’s Scottish, before ending with Auld Lang Syne.
It was an evening that lifted our spirits and reminded us as to why we love to dance and socialise together. We continue to enjoy the RSCDS weekly online dance class and look forwards to the DSAH newsletter and the music podcast; thank you to everyone involved.
Andrew Lyon plays for Chesterfield virtual zoom meet
Aberdeen Branch
by Lynn Wood
With a total around 130 people, some in couples, attending our Virtual Burns Night on 29th January, we were delighted to welcome our members and visitors from Argentina to Russia via Shetland, Germany, Belfast and places in between.
The evening started traditionally with the address To the Haggis followed by A Toast to the Lassies and then of course The Reply to the Toast to the Lassies. The latter two had us giggling away, as is appropriate. We had Burns poems with suitable scenes behind the speaker and Doric (North East Scots) dialect poems. We had a clarsach solo, a piano duet and solo and a flute and piano duet - all playing Scottish music. We then hopped over the Atlantic for some Cape Breton music and then back home with our local accordionist for some Scottish country dances with a relevant theme including the Haggis Thrash, the Burns Bi-Centenary Strathspey and Oh Whistle And I’ll Come To Ye My Lad finishing with Auld Lang Syne.
A delightful well-balanced and interesting event and thanks go to everyone who kindly donated their time and effort. This was our third virtual Zoom event and we have several more in the pipeline. Maybe we can be dancing again after these?
Edinburgh RSCDS
by Elizabeth A.Harry
Dancers and friends from around the world joined us virtually in Edinburgh to celebrate Burns Night. Stephen Carr, our Chairman, opened the event with his Pandemic version of Burns’ ‘Elegy on the year 1788’:
We were treated to an evening of splendid entertainment from musicians Pete Clark, Ewan Galloway, Roddy Johnston and Seonaid Lynn and piper Jamie Crawford, with dancing from our demonstration team. It was lovely to have so many members involved, with past Chairmen Stewart Adam and Brian Harry along with Theresa MacVarish Clark, Grant Bulloch and Elizabeth Harry, all helping the evening to go with a swing as they introduced the programme.
There were some surprise guests on the night, with piping from Yoshi Shibasaki and step dancing from Atsuko Clement. Thanks to Edward Bain who ensured that the technical side worked seamlessly. It truly was an evening that allowed us to ‘Dance, and Sing, and Rejoice, Man’.
If you missed our event, you can catch up and join with us raising a glass to Robert Burns. https://youtu.be/-CJ7hwi5gM0
RSCDS Sheffield
by Norma Hutchinson
We have enjoyed online classes since the end of October. The objective is to spend time with friends, so it’s cameras on wherever possible, and comments welcome. We dance for only an hour, chatting before and after. Led by our usual teachers, dances are simple or familiar, sometimes modified, and maximise interaction between 1st couple. We dance each up to four times through and assume dancers will dance as one of first couple each time, but no-one is obliged to dance more than they wish, and may rest in fourth place.
We held our Annual Dance remotely at the beginning of December, when we were delighted to have Phill Jones play from home. You get the ‘buzz’ and joy of dancing to live music even over the internet.
Zoom enabled us to meet at Rotherham SCD New Year’s Eve dance as is traditional, but without worrying about the weather. A few more sherries may have been enjoyed as no-one had to drive home afterwards.
We held a successful Burns Night, our first one via Zoom. The Selkirk Grace and Address to the Haggis were followed by tunes, songs, step dancing and poems provided by our members. A variation on the ‘Toast to the Lassies’ was entitled ‘Toast to the Non-Dancers’ - those who do not partake in our passion but are always there to listen, lend a hand, and these days, help with technology. And of course we finished with dancing.
Le Méaudre Reel
by Sophie Marchand
Cuisine écossaise façile avec le Méaudre Reel!
Dancing is no longer an option but we are all dancing in our heads! What can be done when no dancing is authorized? We were lucky, as we could still dance in our village in the mountains up to the end of October 2020. Since then, we have had to keep our dancers motivated.
We organised a Scottish cooking challenge to keep dancers interested in Scottish culture. Everyone was sent one or two recipes each week. They then tried the recipe (and put aside their prejudices concerning across the Channel cooking!), and photographed the result. All photos were sent anonymously to an international jury of dancers. Of course the winning photo won a prize! Most of our dancers took part in this challenge which lasted for two months. The photos were so great that we contacted an editor for our new creation, a cooking dancing book; Cuisine écossaise façile avec le Méaudre Reel!
Still waiting for dancing, we now organise three different dancing times in the week: an art workshop with links to Scotland for children, a workshop for teenagers to create new dances and a ‘tea/coffee and friendly talk’ for adults, about matters linked to Scotland or SCD.
We are looking forward to putting on our dancing shoes again. Take care and keep motivated; our dance floors are looking forward to our steps!
Montreal Branch
by Holly Boyd
Since dancing in person is still not an option in our neck of the woods – the church halls that we use are all closed indefinitely – I decided to start SCD online. First I hooked up with the New York group, then North Virginia, Albany, Toronto and Cambridge where, thanks to International Branch events, I know several of the dancers.
After about a month of ‘dancing’ nearly every night, I decided to start an online class for the Montreal Branch. We have 12-15 attendees every Tuesday, with a bit of social time at the beginning. It is nice to see everyone and find out what is happening (or not happening) in their lives. And everyone seems to enjoy dancing alone, together. Planning a class isn’t much different from planning a regular dance class except you don’t have to worry about the numbers!
Hopefully this will help me and my dancers keep our interest and our abilities sharp, ready for the happy day when we can all dance together - together again.
Queensland Branch
by Bryan Hacker
Queensland was very fortunate over 2020, suffering less from disruptions associated with the pandemic than other regions of the world. Dance classes resumed at Spring Hill, Brisbane, on 7 September 2020, with limited numbers. Along with other SCD clubs in the State, we followed regulations relating to social distancing when not dancing, sanitizing, and limitations to serving refreshments.
We are grateful to Ausdance Qld for their guidance. SCD is now termed ‘Recreational Structured Partner Dancing’, distinguishing it from styles of dance not then legitimised in Queensland. Our year concluded with a closing RSPD social attended by about 50 dancers, to the music of the Black Bear Duo. Our opening social is scheduled for 24 April, after classes resume in February. However, lockdown for the greater Brisbane area in mid-January has thrown doubt on future events in southern Queensland.
Several dancers were invited to Tenterfield in northern New South Wales, to an end of year function held by a small dance group led by David Huntley, scheduled for 14 December. About 20 made the 275 km trip, staying in a local hotel. The event expanded to three nights of dancing, with some ‘different’ dances devised by David, including Spring Fling. Weather was very Scottish – cool, grey, with intermittent showers, very different from Brisbane’s usual summer heat.
Toronto Association
by Sheena Gilks
We kept busy throughout 2020 maintaining a schedule of social classes five times a week, with Scottish step dancing also included. Online activities provide an important connection for people hunkering down during Covid.
The year closed on an upbeat note with a virtual Christmas dance on December 12. Hosts Keith and Deidre Bark had multiple screens of dancers, with 100 people logging in from near and far; a great response from our vibrant dancing community. With a mix of dances, there was plenty of physical and mental exercise as we danced in our invisible sets. The evening featured frequent break-out sessions so people could chat in virtual meeting rooms. Perhaps that, more than the dancing, was the attraction of the evening! Social interaction is a strong component of SCD and is so needed right now. Despite dancing at home, people felt they were participating in a much larger event.
We welcomed Spring with our West End Workshop and Tea Dance on March 27. It was a one-day workshop via Zoom, but hopefully we will return to the usual three-day event in 2022. Our splendid teachers, both Scroll of Honour recipients, lifted our spirits - Sue Porter from Oban, Scotland, and Fiona Miller from Lethbridge, Alberta. Between events there was virtual socializing, and the afternoon Tea Dance, with music by Don Bartlett, rounded off an enjoyable event. A great start to the new year.
Western Australia Branch
by Helen Douglas
Members and clubs have been very lucky that our side of the country has successfully avoided a major Covid-19 outbreak and there has been minimal transmission. Perth, Western Australia, is fairly isolated but has the advantage that life here is relatively normal. In 2020 classes resumed in August after most restrictions were lifted, and we were able to return to dancing with giving of hands and without the need for face masks. There was a good deal of excitement knowing how fortunate we are to be able to meet and dance together regularly. We have a long break over the summer months from December to February but held our annual Keep-In-Touch social in mid-January and as always, this was very enjoyable and well attended. Classes have now resumed and the Branch is currently running a weekly technique class, a well-attended weekly general class and a fortnightly advanced class. Our monthly socials will commence in March. Due to the restrictions, the Australian Winter School, that we were due to host in 2020, had to be postponed but the new dates are now 25 September to 2 October 2022. So please ‘Save the Date’ and hopefully with vaccinations being introduced, travel around the world will be possible and we will be able to welcome many dancers to Western Australia.
