Scottish Country Dancer, issue 33, October 2021

SCOTTISH

Country Dancer The Members’ Magazine of the RSCDS

No 33 October 2021

R S CDS EVENT S WINTER SCHOOL 2022

SUMMER SCHOOL 2022

20 - 25 FEBRUARY THE ATHOLL PALACE HOTEL, PITLOCHRY CO-ORDINATOR: WILLIAM WILLIAMSON

24 JULY - 14 AUGUST UNIVERSITY HALL, ST ANDREWS SCHOOLS DIRECTORS: JANET JOHNSTON & JIM STOTT • Attend as a resident or non-resident • Morning classes at all levels, some optional afternoon classes plus social dancing in the evenings

• Teachers - Fiona Mackie, Sue Porter, David Hall, William Williamson • Musicians - Mo Rutherford, Shona MacFadyen, Adam Brady, Neil Copland

AUTUMN GATHERING 2021 & 92ND AGM

• Week 1 Musicians' Course Units 2 and 3 • Week 2 Junior Summer School Young Dancers' Week Units 2, 3 and 5 • Week 3 Class Musicians' Course Unit 5

Final details will be posted on our website: www.rscds.org/winter-school

5 - 7 NOVEMBER PERTH, SCOTLAND

SPRING FLING 2022

• Friday Dance - The Marian Anderson Scottish Dance Band • Saturday - Open Forum and AGM • Saturday Ball - Jim Lindsay & His Scottish Dance Band • Classes on Saturday and Sunday Final details will be posted on our website: www.rscds.org/agm

DATE & LOCATION TBC Details of this event will be posted on our website as soon as available: www.rscds.org/events For any queries, contact the RSCDS: info@rscds.org

All classes and courses are subject to demand.

Final details and online booking will be posted on our website: www.rscds.org/summer-school

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Editorial Scottish country dancing has shown itself during this past year to be a truly innovative, living tradition, adapting to the many different circumstances and regulations imposed on dancers. Classes have continued intermittently worldwide: sometimes virtually, sometimes outdoors, and sometimes indoors. Dancers’ optimism remains high and, now that many groups have confidently planned a social programme for the year ahead, Ian Brockbank’s dance diary can return to entice us away from home.

Contents RSCDS Events

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News from Coates Crescent

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Chairman and Convenors’ Reports

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James Cook: Hornpipes and Country Dances

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You may notice an Australasian flavour to this issue. Perhaps you recognise the location on our front cover? Sydney dancers are out and about, promoting Scottish country dancing to passers-by. Within the magazine, Heather Clarke from Brisbane, dance historian and teacher, writes about how she discovered that Captain Cook was keen to keep his sailors fit by dancing on board. She has put together a marvellous children’s dance pack, to encourage boys and girls to country dance while learning about the history of Cook’s voyage to Australia. Across the Tasman Sea, Katherine and Andrew Uren from Auckland, New Zealand, describe how they became involved in playing for Scottish country dancing. Readers may find their musical insight into how they adapted to the challenge both informative and enlightening. Rod Downey in Johnsonville reflects on how his group have recruited new dancers after they noted that attendance was dropping at their club.

Jean Martin of Fraserburgh

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In My Opinion

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Core Training for Instructors

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Young Dancers’ News

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Playing for Scottish Country Dancing

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Mary Isdale MacNab - A Collecting Legacy

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Dancing Around the World

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Letters to the Editor

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As classes resume, there may be some whose teacher has retired, or moved away. This gives the dancers an opportunity to find a new leader, who may or may not have the RSCDS teaching qualifications. The new Core Training for Instructors programme may be just the support a new group leader may like to consider. Deb Lees outlines what is involved, and reports on the first training session.

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Jean Martin has announced that she is retiring as our Honorary President, and after such a long commitment to the Society, I hope you will find her interview insightful. After reading it, perhaps she will have encouraged you to consider volunteering for the benefit of the Society, either within your own group, or to become a member of one of the RSCDS committees. Now that we are all so proficient in using electronic communication, where you live need not deter you from standing for election, as meetings do not require attendance in person. New ideas and different faces are needed to keep the RSCDS vibrant and innovative!

My thanks to all the branches and groups who have sent in reports and photos. Younger dancers describe their efforts to keep going during this difficult time, and there is a fond tribute to a long-serving teacher of children’s classes. We are all hoping that dancing will happen as planned. I look forward to meeting you either in person on the dance floor, or by email, and hearing about your dancing exploits in time for the next issue of Scottish Country Dancer.

Sadly Missed

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Dancers’ Diary

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The next issue of Scottish Country Dancer will be published in April 2022. Please refer to Notes for Contributors on the website.

Send materials for inclusion to the editor: mag.editor@rscds.org no later than 31 January. Please send enquiries about advertising to Cécile Hascoët: mag.advertising@rscds.org Editor Fiona Grant Editorial Team Caroline Brockbank, Helen McGinley, Jimmie Hill, Jane McIntosh Publisher The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society 12 Coates Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 7AF Website www.rscds.org

Telephone Email 0131 225 3854 info@rscds.org

Graphic Designer Its All Good The Haughs, Cromdale, Grantown on Spey, PH26 3PQ info@itsallgood.org.uk t: 01479 870 435 Printer J Thomson Colour Printers Ltd, 14-16 Carnoustie Place, Glasgow G5 8PB

Fiona Grant, Bristol.

Cover: RSCDS Sydney, Dennis Brennan

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News from Coates Crescent Branch Awards Congratulations to all members listed below who have received a Branch Award since October 2020: Branch Aberdeen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fiona McIver Ayr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wilma Brown Belfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aileen Patterson Berks, Hants, Surrey Border Branch . Shirley Ferguson Cheltenham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anne and Alexander Walker Edinburgh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Atsuko Clement Edinburgh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Watkins Forres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dorothy Scott International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maria Sol Grimaldi Internationa l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carlos Candia International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marcella Galve International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eddy Arismendi International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eric Ferguson London . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joanne Lawrence London . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephen Webb London Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Margaret Allan London Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maureen Graham Los Angeles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristine McGinnis Los Angeles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audrey Ramsay Prest Ottawa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phyllis MacCulloch Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maureen Richardson Vancouver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Lowe For more information about Branch Awards, visit www.rscds.org/get-involved/membership/member-recognition

AGM 2021 Plans for the 2021 Autumn Gathering event are progressing, subject to Scottish Government restrictions. The AGM is scheduled for Saturday 6 November at 2pm at Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth. For up to date details and to book tickets please visit: https://www.rscds.org/events/autumn-gathering-2021

Elections to Management Posts Nomination details received for this year’s elections including candidate profiles are listed on the website. The results will be announced at the AGM on 6 November 2021.

Management Board (Convenor Youth Services plus 3 places for 3 years).

Education and Training (Convenor Elect plus 3 places for 3 years) Memberships Services (4 places, 2 for 3 years and 2 for 1 year) Youth Services (3 places, 2 for 3 years and 1 for 2 years) Please visit https://www.rscds.org/events/autumn-gathering-2021 for details of all AGM motions along with accompanying notes.

RSCDS Marketing Strategy Ewan Watt was appointed for six months this year as the Interim Marketing Director to develop a marketing strategy for the Society in the wake of the pandemic and in the run up to the Centenary celebrations. He has provided the following insights into this challenge and how we will approach it: We love Scottish country dancing and music. We want it to thrive and be around for future generations to enjoy. But how do we inspire current dancers, teachers and musicians while reaching out to new

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audiences? That’s where the RSCDS’s new marketing strategy comes in. Its aim is to ensure strong and consistent branding and messaging, together with positive and dynamic communications internally and externally. It reflects and supports the Management Board’s business plan for 2021-24.

The first step focuses on the return to full dancing in the UK. It features help and advice for branches, as well as spreading the word about the fun, fitness and friendship aspects of Scottish country dancing and encouraging new people to join in. Step 2 will build on this, whilst introducing a global element and more dynamic messaging to encourage a cultural shift in perceptions of SCD. Step 3 will focus on the Centenary year events in 2023 and beyond.

Each step will look at areas of opportunity to promote the themes of health and wellbeing, of community, of Scottish culture and heritage - but always with a sense of passion and inclusion. Along the way, there will be continual improvements to the RSCDS’s marketing and communications to ensure we can increase awareness of Scottish country dancing and music - and the crucial role played by the Society.

RSCDS Staff updates We are delighted to welcome Lyndsay Walker to the Society as the new Marketing Officer.

Following a four-week handover in August with the Interim Marketing Director, Lyndsay’s role will be focused on implementing the new marketing strategy. Lyndsay joins us from Theatre Royal Dumfries where she spent four years as the Marketing and Communications Officer; with a passion for the arts and a love of music and dance, she is really looking forward to learning more about the RSCDS and helping to spread the word about Scottish country dancing.

RSCDS New Publications Six country dances were published in Edinburgh in 1820, all with a link to Sir Walter Scott’s novel, The Heart of Midlothian. The Society has decided to mark the 250th anniversary by re-publishing these six dances exactly 201 years after their original publication.

Two additional dances with connections to Sir Walter Scott, originally published in 1822 by Nathaniel Gow, are also included.

The book will be accompanied by a CD recorded by Màrtainn Skene.

Combined Books 39-44: Last Sir Walter Scott, a Celebration in the series of A5 Combined through Scottish Dance and books, you will find all the Music (The Heart of Midlothian) instructions for the dances

contained in the RSCDS Books 39 to 44 revised and updated in modern standard terminology.

The Hill Manuscript: The Archive is pleased to announce that this publication is now available. Read more about this project in www.rscds.org/blog

From the Chairman

Youth Services Lorna Ogilvie

I write this at a time when the prospect of returning to the dance floor, here in Scotland, is at last a reality. How envious we have been of those already doing so, in far flung locations such as New Zealand. Additionally, what inspiration we got from the many imaginative ways groups of dancers invented to stay socially distant whilst completing all the figures of cleverly selected dances!

The Society has continued to be very active since November, despite the lack of dancing in person, and some very challenging periods of lockdown. The Dance Scottish at Home newsletter, and virtual classes, have provided a highly valuable link with members, as have the many branch newsletters and virtual events locally. Few of us would have believed eighteen months ago how competent we would become at Zoom, Facetime and chat rooms! These new technical skills have been a wonderful way of keeping us in local contact and, equally importantly from a Society perspective, they have brought the RSCDS ‘family’ closer together than ever before. Future communications will build on these foundations as we continue to innovate and find new ways to share news and ideas linked to our love of Scottish country dancing. This has also given me the opportunity to ‘meet’ dancers in far flung corners of the globe, including Hawaii!

Many teachers, musicians, and dancers contributed to the 2021 virtual Winter School, Spring Fling and Summer School. Whilst filming in St Andrews for the virtual Summer School I shared in the sheer joy of the dancers, not just at meeting old friends for the first time since early 2020, but also their excitement at dancing together once more to live music. Meeting up in person in Pitlochry and St Andrews in 2022 will be very special.

Marketing will play a large part in attracting new members The RSCDS Board and Committees have been working hard during lockdown and one advantage of this period has been the opportunity to review and update our operational systems as we aim to work more efficiently heading towards our second century.

Marketing will play a large part in how we continue to attract new members, and we owe an immense debt of gratitude to Ewan Watt, our Interim Marketing Director, who completed his six months with us in August. Through fresh eyes, he has given us invaluable advice on modernising and simplifying our highly complex decision-making processes. As he hands over to Lyndsay Walker, the new Marketing Officer, we face the challenge of ensuring that we do not lose the tradition which our founders worked so hard to preserve, yet also become more inclusive so that more dancers can enjoy the fun and friendship, in addition to the physical and mental health benefits of Scottish country dancing.

Joana Stausberg This autumn brings you more news about our new virtual dance lifestyle.

Malin, Abbie and Philippa are working on a Virtual Dance Display, and by the time this issue arrives in your mailbox/ inbox, you will be able to see the result yourselves on the RSCDS website - fingers crossed!

Contributions to this year’s Virtual Festival requested We are also looking for contributions to this year’s Virtual Festival on the theme of ‘Ceilidh: dancing and beyond’. Pick your favourite ceilidh dance from the Aberdeen Virtual Spring Fling creations, form a display around it and send in your video to info@rscds.org by 20 November. Everyone is invited to vote on their favourite video during Global Youth Week, from Sunday 28 November to Saturday 4 December. Winners will be announced before Christmas.

For the centenary year, we will publish a free children’s booklet on Scottish country dance. Peppered with quizzes, colouring-in pages and lots of pictures, it aims at introducing children to the world of Scottish dancing. The ideas of what to include keep coming, and it’s a fun process to think of the best way to present music, key formations, RSCDS history and dancing worldwide.

Since this is my last column as convenor, I’d like to thank the office staff, my co-convenors, Management Board members, the DSAH team and the committee for their ideas, support and many interesting, friendly conversations. I wish the new convenor and committee all the best for their work - keep up with the enthusiasm and engaging projects!

I look forward to welcoming many of you to our Autumn Gathering weekend in Perth in November, including those who will watch the AGM meeting remotely. Friendships will be renewed that weekend, as at many dancing gatherings during the coming year. Our Honorary President, Jean Martin, will be retiring and I add my personal thanks to Jean for all she has done for the RSCDS over many years, not just in this role but also as a past Chairman and teaching ambassador. Also retiring is Bill Cant, Treasurer for the past six years. He deserves both praise, and grateful thanks, for managing our finances so calmly and professionally, especially during the budgetary challenges of the last eighteen months.

What has been so reassuring, as Chairman over these long months of lockdown, has been the enthusiasm and passion from dancers who have been determined to ensure that the RSCDS will be in good heart when dancing returns, and we approach our Centenary year. Thank you to you all.

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Membership Services Peter Knapman This is my last report as convenor of MS and I must admit that things have not been quite as I expected when I volunteered for the role. Events over the last 18 months have, of course, slightly altered our plans - however, from adversity there also comes opportunity.

When Andrew Kellett suggested in March 2020 that a regular newsletter and weekly online classes would help the Society keep in touch with our members, little did we anticipate that this would still be taking up a significant amount of the committee’s time some 18 months later. By the time you read this you should have received issue number 40 which is planned to be the final DSAH. However, don’t despair, there are plans for a replacement members’ newsletter. Details will be revealed in due course.

The response to DSAH has not only been rewarding, but made the committee reflect on what constitutes a service to our members.

We have been considering the type of publications that are appropriate for the RSCDS now that most of the information you need for Scottish country dancing is readily available somewhere on the internet.

Edited videos from the video project are being uploaded onto the RSCDS YouTube channel MS has continued to undertake its original planned duties and by now the next combined volume covering books 39 to 44 should be available. Progress on the formation index is progressing well and edited videos from the video project are being uploaded onto the RSCDS YouTube channel as they become available.

We are still on course to publish the book of dances associated with Sir Walter Scott’s novel The Heart of Midlothian – appropriately 250 years after his birth. Reconstructing historic dances is not always straightforward and interesting decisions have to be made!

One of the aims of the book has been to explore and discuss some of these challenges. The Walter Scott book is more than ‘just a book of dance instructions’, it also sets the dances and their music into their historical perspective. It will be available at the Autumn Gathering along with accompanying music, recorded by Màrtainn Skene and his band, using a line up and arrangement in keeping with the early 19th century.

As I finish my term as Convenor, I would like to thank the committee and the office for their help in what have been some testing times and wish Angela all the best for the future as she takes on the role of Convenor.

Education and Training Anne Taylor I am very happy to report that the Teacher’s Certificate Unit 1 examination, which had to be postponed in February and rescheduled for 26 June, has taken place. The next Unit 1 examination will be on 16 October 2021. Other teaching certificate courses, which had to stop during the restrictions on meetings, have almost all resumed, and examinations have begun again.

Our regular Education and Training Committee meetings have taken place online, and the members have done a great job over the past two years updating the Dancing Achievement Awards, Medal Tests, Examinations and working on the new Core Training for Instructors. This programme is based on teaching a class, but without the rigours of the current examination system. The new system will not replace the current Teaching Certificate Units.

Would you be interested in either becoming a Trainer or an Instructor?

Several qualified and experienced teachers undertook a training programme online and are now working with wouldbe Instructors, where classes are being held once again. If you think you would be interested in either becoming a Trainer or an Instructor, contact Moira for an application form: moira.thomson@rscds.org Information can be found on the website here: www.rscds.org/learn/teacher-training/coretraining-instructors-cti We had a wonderful time making Virtual Summer School 2021 for you and if you haven’t already seen it you can tune in again by visiting: www.rscds.org/events/virtual-summerschool-2021.

We hope that you will get in the mood to visit Summer School in St Andrews in 2022. Before Summer School there is Winter School in Pitlochry in February 2022: something else to look forward to. If you have never attended, you are in for a treat: the hotel is as great as is the company, and the views from your room and from the dining area are spectacular. If you are lucky enough to experience the snow falling, this just makes it feel like being in a snow globe. Can’t wait!

My role as Convenor of Education and Training comes to an end in November 2022 and prior to that I hope that we will have a Convenor Elect to work alongside me for the next year.

Wherever you are, I hope that Scottish country dancing can resume in the form which we all love, in a set, on a dance floor, with the sound of great music driving us on. All our plans were Up in the Air, but we hope that these will now all come to fruition. However, we must be flexible in this and take our chances and hopefully ask our partners once again to Take the Floor.

Virtual SS 2021 in sunny St Andrews

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Hornpipes and Country Dances with a Famous Navigator Dr Heather Blasdale Clarke’s research began with the discovery of The Transit of Venus in a collection of dances from 1775 1. Inspired by this significant find, she has undertaken extensive studies, tracing Captain Cook’s life, achievements and death through the popular culture of the time. Heather teaches an RSCDS class in Brisbane, Queensland.

Captain Cook wisely thought that dancing was of special use to sailors...it was to this practice that he mainly ascribed the sound health which his crew enjoyed... 2 James Cook is considered one of history’s greatest navigators, a man who rose from the humblest of beginnings to become an exceptional scientist, cartographer, and leader. One aspect which has rarely been examined is the music, theatre, and dances that were interwoven through his life and served to venerate him after death. He used music and dance to keep his crew healthy and to establish peaceful communication with people he encountered on his voyages. His own life was celebrated with theatrical productions, and in popular social country dances.

In the 18th century dancing was so integral to society that it is possible to follow Cook’s life through the titles of dances. Every year numerous collections of country dances were published reflecting the fame of prominent people, commemorating contemporary events, and recalling noteworthy locations. Many dances from these collections are incorporated in the repertoire of the RSCDS. A biography of Cook encompasses Black Joke, a dance popular in rural Yorkshire where he spent his childhood, Boscawen’s Frolick for his association with Admiral Boscawen’s Fleet in the Atlantic, Nova Scotia for his years in Halifax, and the Mile End Assembly for the dance venue situated next door to his family home in London. As his voyages across the Pacific became famous, dances celebrating his achievements were devised: Transit of Venus, South Seas, Island of Love, Trip to Tahiti and Captain Cook.

As was common practice amongst enlightened captains of the time, Cook recognised the health-giving qualities of dancing and utilised them to good effect on his long voyages. According to the historian Carlo Blasis, writing in 1830, Cook, wishing to counteract disease on board his vessels as much as possible, took particular care, in calm weather, to make his sailors and marines dance to the sound of a violin, and it was to this practice that he mainly ascribed the sound health which his crew enjoyed during voyages of several years continuance.2 This corresponds to modern scientific research that endorses dancing as one of the best forms of exercise, helping to maintain good physical, mental and emotional health, including as it does creative expression, co-ordination, musicality and social interaction.

For sailors, dancing on board ship was an established tradition and a favourite form of entertainment, serving to relieve the boredom of long voyages. It was more than the drunken frolic that we in the

The dance ‘Captain Cook’ was published in Corri & Dussek’s ‘Twenty four New Country Dances for the Year 1797’ in London and Edinburgh

21st century might imagine; it was a skilful art requiring balance, co-ordination, strength, and endurance. The best sailors were the topmen who climbed high into the rigging and were regarded as the elite in the seamen’s hierarchy - they were also renowned as the most accomplished dancers.

Accounts of Cook’s voyages list hornpipes, country dances, and cotillions being danced by his sailors, not simply for their own entertainment but also in cultural exchanges. The ability of sailors to dance added a positive and cheerful tone to encounters with indigenous people. It was a way to reciprocate the islanders’ rituals of greeting and hospitality, and an important aspect when verbal communication was limited. Both sides joined with the others’ dances: the islanders imitating the sailor’s hornpipe with great hilarity, and ultimately excelling their teachers in ‘nimbleness of foot’, while the sailors attempted the facial distortions of some Tahitian dances. On Cook’s third voyage, Lieutenant Rickman recorded: During the dinner, the music, particularly the bag-pipes, with which the Indians seemed most delighted, continued to play, and the young ladies who were within hearing, though out of sight, could hardly refrain from dancing the whole time … After the tables were cleared, the ladies joined the company, and then hornpipes and country dances after the English manner commenced, in which the young ladies joined with great good humour. 3

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uncouth music, though almost insufferable to our ears, delighted the king and his subjects to a degree which we could hardly have imagined possible. 5 News of Cook’s expeditions caused intense interest in Britain and throughout Europe. Before the era of film and television, the theatre played a vital role in presenting the stories of his travels.

The first English production to portray the South Seas was the pantomime Omai, or A Trip Around The World. The title referred to the Tahitian man, Omai, who had travelled to England with Cook in 1774 and achieved celebrity status before returning home two years later. The pantomime, staged at the Covent Garden Theatre, London in 1785, was an immediate success – a block-buster of the 18th century. The characters and scenery were drawn from the places Cook had visited, featuring authentic costumes, impressive stage designs and extraordinary special effects. It included a variety of scenes of cheerful and lively dancing for the islanders, the sailors, and the two groups together.

Music and dancing were important activities on board ship.

‘Sailors in Port’ after William Stothard (1798) © The Trustees of the British Museum

Music was provided by the ship’s musicians, usually marines, and with each voyage more musicians were enlisted. By the third voyage a band including drums, trumpets, bagpipes, hautboys (oboes), French horns, fifes, flutes, and violins was on hand. Utilising music on Cook’s voyages was initially suggested by the Scottish nobleman, James Douglas, the 14th Earl of Morton. Douglas was a founding member and President of the Society for Improving Arts and Sciences in Edinburgh and was elected President of the Royal Society in London in 1763. He was influential in obtaining a grant of £4,000 to finance Cook’s first voyage and, significantly, he issued ‘a list of hints’ to Cook and the gentlemen on the Endeavour with advice on how to approach the indigenous people they would encounter – not with the report of Guns, Drums, or even a trumpet....but if there are other Instruments of Music on board they should be first entertained near the Shore with a soft Air. 4 Music was considered to have the power to entertain, amuse, and pacify; and was thus a powerful factor in early encounters.

The Admiralty considered the ‘primitive’ music of the bagpipes would have special appeal to the supposedly uncultivated tastes of Polynesians and ensured two marines with bagpipes were recruited – evidence suggests these men were Archibald McVicar and Thomas McDonald. In many places the indigenous people were enchanted with the pipes. In Tahiti it was observed that: All the people of the island were highly delighted with the bagpipe and required it to be played constantly. 5 Cook’s father was a Scotsman, so perhaps the captain was keen to share the music of the pipes, unlike the German scientist Georg Foster, who expressed his own opinion: A highlander, who was one of our marines, was ordered to play the bagpipe, and its

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A Dancer in the pantomime of Omai. Philippe Loutherbourg and John Webber (1785). Courtesy of National Library of Australia.

Music and dances from the theatre frequently entered popular culture and it was common for plays, pantomimes, and ballets to feature dances which could be adapted for a social setting. The dance, Omai is an example of this – it came directly from the pantomime and was published in Campbell’s 2nd Book of New and Favourite Country Dances c.1786.

Following the great success of the pantomime Omai, a new theatrical extravaganza was created, first in Paris, then in London, The Grand serious pantomimic ballet, The Death of Captain Cook 6. The story bore little resemblance to any actual event; it did however, give an elaborate depiction of the people and places which Cook had visited. The scene is set on ‘The Island of O-Why-e in the South Sea’ where the King of Hawaii is at war. Cook assists in defeating and capturing his enemies.

Although the ruler wishes to put the prisoners to death, Cook is able to save them. Despite this he is attacked and murdered by them on their release, as they regard him as responsible for their defeat. The first performance evoked tears and hysterics when the audience saw the Captain stabbed to death. It was this dramatic representation which became an important factor in the ballet’s ongoing success. This spectacular entertainment subsequently became popular throughout the British Isles, Europe and America.

Curiously, the story of Cook’s death was adapted as an equestrian drama for the circus, initially by the flamboyant Philip Astley in Dublin and later by John Ricketts in America. The Edinburgh Equestrian Circus’ own production of The Death of Captain Cook in 1790 was applauded as the climax of the season and a selection of music from drama was published in The Celebrated circus tunes perform’d at Edinburgh this season (1790).

Heather has developed a free online resource where you can read about these and other fascinating stories, which covers the life

of Cook from his Yorkshire childhood, through to his elevation as a legendary hero on the stage, presenting music and dance associated with each account. https://www.colonialdance.com. au/dancing-with-cook The book and CD of Captain Cook’s Country Dances is available in the UK from Folksales.com (visit colonialdance.com.au for USA and Australia.) A teaching unit comprising dance, history and literature for primary schools is also available. The music and the dance provide a unique way to tell the tales of a great navigator - a living link to our heritage as we enjoy a taste of the culture from that world.

1. Bride, Favourite Collection Of Two Hundred Country Dances.

1775, London.

2. Blasis, C., The code of Terpsichore. 1830, London: E. Bull.

3. Rickman, J., Journal of Captain Cook’s last voyage to the Pacific Ocean, on Discovery performed in the years 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779. London: Printed for E. Newbery.

4. Douglas, J., Hints offered to the consideration of Captain Cooke, Mr Bankes, Dr Solander and the other gentlemen who go upon the expedition on board the Endeavour.

5. Forster, G., A voyage round the world. Vol. 1. 1777, London: White.

6. The death of Captain Cook a grand serious-pantomimicballet, in three parts. 1789, London: Printed for T. Cadell, in the Strand.

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Jean Martin of Fraserburgh All members of the RSCDS will recognise the strathspey, Jean Martin of Aberdeen. Jean was RSCDS Chairman from 2002 until 2004 and has been Society President since 2016. Although she has lived in Aberdeen for most of her life, Jean was born and brought up in Fraserburgh, 40 miles north. She studied English at Aberdeen University and after teacher training, taught at Inverurie Academy. In this interview with Jimmie Hill, she talks about her life, dancing, and the RSCDS.

Did you dance at school?

Yes, I did the usual ballet and tap, neither of which was quite me!

But then I went to Bobby Watson’s Highland class in Fraserburgh.

He came from Aberdeen once a week and that was really my introduction to Scottish dancing. In school our teachers taught Scottish country dancing in the winter from time to time and I continued while at university. I danced with the Queens Cross Dancers, the Aberdeen Branch and a group of dancers from the Branch, known as the Rubislaw Dancers.

You must have taken part in the Aberdeen Festival when you were at school?

Yes, I remember dancing in my Girl Guide uniform with my lanyard and whistle bouncing about. We never took it too seriously. It was fun, just as it is to this day. I think the success of the Scottish Festivals depends on the number of teachers out in the schools who themselves dance. It’s certainly true in Aberdeen. That’s why we have hundreds of children taking part every year. I have trained quite a few schoolteachers to teach country dancing and it is very rewarding to see them bring teams to compete. I think living up here in the North East, where it can be pretty cold and dark from October to March, you need an indoor pursuit! Getting schoolteachers dancing is the key to getting their classes dancing.

were all together in one big class in the Younger Hall, taught by Miss Milligan. She had quite a good sense of humour, but you did what you were told. She wasn’t really a frosty sort of person. I remember the year she taught Book 23, which means it was 1967.

I was dancing with my friend, Alastair Reid. The dance was The Auld Alliance. The first 16 bars use alternately right and left hand. She stopped the class and announced, “There’s someone holding on with the wrong hand, so we’ll repeat the last 8 bars.” After those 8 bars, she stopped the music again, “Mr Reid, your OTHER left hand!” I think that is where the phrase comes from! And of course, this was my partner and me. We were totally embarrassed, but everybody was laughing.

Did you do your teaching certificates at St Andrews?

I did both in Aberdeen. Lesley Martin, no relation, was the tutor.

Jean Milligan was my examiner for both certificates. I will never forget my Preliminary Certificate. I had not got very far into my lesson when Miss Milligan announced, “Miss Campbell, that will do. Thank you very much.” I was nonplussed, but I got the message that I had to leave the room. She probably recognised that I was a teacher by profession, and she had seen enough to pass me, but it was quite off-putting. It was quite a worrying wait until I got the letter!

What was dancing like in the north east in the swinging 60s?

We went to a country dance class during the week, but we jived too. Country dances tended to be on Friday evenings, so we were free to do other types of dancing on Saturday nights. In those days we didn’t have mobile phones or social media, so the only way to meet people was to take part in some organised activity. I think the North East has always been a more traditional part of the country. As you get north of Perth, I think cultural traditions are more valued.

You lived for a while in Swaziland.

Yes, we moved out there a month after Iain and I got married.

It’s now called the Kingdom of eSwatini. We were there for just over two years while Iain was on secondment from the School of Agriculture here in Aberdeen to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN. We were in Mbabane where there were other foreigners, including quite a lot of Scots, and there was a country dance class which I ended up teaching. I was also persuaded to take an after-school class in SCD in the school where I taught. I remember we had very poor equipment. The few vinyl records we had were very scratchy, so I asked Nan Main if she would produce a tape for me and she sent it out. It is now in the Society Archive, so anyone can now hear her playing.

Can you tell us a bit more about Nan Main?

Miss Milligan’s Pupils

When did you start going to St Andrews?

It was the Aberdeen pianist Nan Main who persuaded me to go for the first time. At St Andrews I was one of Miss Milligan’s ‘young team’ in the mid 1960s. Up to that point the Thursday night demonstration team had always been members of the teaching staff or PE teachers. It was Miss Adams who suggested to Miss Milligan that she should have some of the young people, and since then it has mostly been a team made up of participants, and not staff. At that time the very advanced dancers and the teachers

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Her married name was Mrs Ernest Allen. She was a small unassuming lady. She played for a lot of classes in Aberdeen and was one of Jean Milligan’s favourites at Summer School. She used to play for the whole month. Nan had trained in Dalcroze Eurhythmics in London.

She composed as well as playing. Her tunes were very popular at the time, especially with other pianists because at that time Summer School musicians were all pianists. Her tunes don’t fit the accordion in the same way. She was particularly good at composing second tunes – tunes that were appropriate to complement the customary tune. Many of her tunes are in the Aberdeen City Archives. She wrote a couple of tunes to complement The Frisky and they are just right. Her brother was a percussionist and the two of them used to play for social dances once a month. Provost Skene’s House is one of her best strathspeys.

What was it like being the Chairman of the first Management Board?

It was a very challenging time. There were lots of organisational changes with the new management system – things like the Society Constitution. I was invited to events all over the country, so a lot of time was taken up visiting branch events. Iain and I were always made very welcome. I did enjoy the branches I visited abroad. It was such a time of change, you always felt as if you were running just to stand still! I would have liked to have been able to do more. E-mail and computers were fairly new at the time and I don’t know how I would have coped without them. One of the things I am proud of during my time was when we got Registration from the General Teaching Council for Scotland to run teachers’ development courses. I remember speaking to a previous Chairman and he was surprised that I wrote letters! Different Chairmen make different contributions.

Looking back, were we right to make the branches the basis for the Society?

There are pros and cons in every argument. I really don’t know. I think if we had turned ourselves into a members’ organization (where each member has a vote), it might have fragmented the Society. In the old system every branch had a representative on the Executive Council, albeit a proxy. Moving to a much smaller Management Board, where the members were elected, was a big change. Perhaps branches might have felt they were less involved. It’s difficult for me in Aberdeen to say because under the old and the new systems we have always had somebody involved in one way or another. I think the disadvantage is that branches no longer seem to be directly involved. But the old Executive meetings could have 150 people present. A few people had something to say at every meeting, while many remained silent. And very often the branch representatives never changed; it was the same people year after year.

You have been very involved in the magazine. How important was it when it began?

I think it was very important. It was the time when it was decided that members would no longer receive a book of dances as part of their subscription. Whether they were right or not, members were asking, “What am I getting for my money?” The magazine opened up lots of opportunities to inform the whole membership about the Society, and about country dancing, something they had never had. My concern now is that if the magazine goes digital, people are not going to read it. If I get a large document on-line, unless it is really important, I don’t read it all. What we get on-line is very important, but there is a place for both. And people do get fed up sitting in front of a computer.

on constitutional matters as he was a lawyer. And, of course, he was an expert when it came to chairing difficult AGMs! He was a lovely person. Sitting up on the platform beside him, some of his private comments were very interesting. And, of course, he was genuinely interested in country dancing and the future of the Society. I think the ideal President should be somebody with a wider public profile than a dancer such as myself. It would be best if it were someone who could use their position to encourage people outside the Society to take up country dancing. It is really up to the Management Board and the AGM to decide what the role of the President should be.

How did Jean Martin of Aberdeen, the dance and the tune, come about?

It was in 2004 when I was teaching at Pinewoods, the summer camp of the Boston Branch, and Muriel Johnstone was leading their musicians’ course. They always have an auction in aid of camp funds. One of Muriel’s tunes was being auctioned, so I thought I would bid for it. I was told in no uncertain terms not to do so!

What I didn’t know was that the Pinewoods staff had decided to purchase the tune for me as I was Chairman at the time. Muriel devised the dance and composed the tune.

What are the main changes you have seen in 60 years of country dancing?

I would like fewer dances. I know we have a lot of very gifted devisers, but in the early days when Iain and I used to go to dances, there were no recaps; nobody was fiddling away with cribs; we just got up and danced. In some ways it was much more sociable because the repertoire was much more limited. John Drewry wrote some marvellous dances, but he wrote over 800! We are just swamped with dances nowadays. I remember Iain and I were at a ball down south and there were hardly any dances on the programme that we knew. And poor Iain kept being asked to dance! I’m not sure who suggested a ‘Core Dances’ repertoire but I think that is an idea we should bring back and have it published regularly. I think that would make events more sociable. The idea that no matter where you go in the world you can join in was central to Jean Milligan’s view of the Society. This last year of Covid has united dancers worldwide with the weekly class and Dance Scottish at Home – particularly people who may never have been to Summer or Winter School. It has made all members realise that we really are a worldwide organisation.

What is going to happen when we are all free to travel and dance again?

There will be dancers who will not return, so we really need to think about how we market country dancing, and for all members to see that we need to encourage more people to join us. A few years ago, Aberdeen Branch set up a class in the early afternoon near a primary school. The idea was to involve parents to come to a class before they picked up their children. The class has been highly successful. We also attracted people who worked part-time as well as some early retirees. Of course, we must encourage young people, and get more country dancing taught in more schools. Our priority should be to get more people dancing, and then they will want to join the Society. You don’t need to be a Society member to join in with branch activities. I think the idea of Core Dances would help new dancers become more involved more quickly.

Youth Team 1967

Finally, what are your favourite dances?

Were you surprised when you were asked to become President?

It seems such a long time since we danced, I think I have forgotten!

I am particularly fond of The Reverend John MacFarlane – because of the tune – and The College Hornpipe. I really like strathspeys – there are so many great dances, but Miss Janet Laing is one I really enjoy.

I was totally taken aback. I am only the second non-aristocrat to take on the role. When I was Chairman, I have to admit, it was very useful to have the Earl of Mansfield as President to consult

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In My Opinion Rod Downey is a mathematician and computer scientist. Apart from theorizing and teaching at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, he teaches Scottish country dancing at the Johnsonville Scottish Country Dance Club. He has published four books of dances, all available online from his home page.

When asked to write something for the magazine, he did consider discussing mathematics and SCD, but in the end, he was led to reflect on his 25 years of teaching.

I have taught classes at many levels, although most of my teaching has been as a sole tutor at a club of mixed abilities and ages.

Travelling around, this seems typical of the SCD tutor experience, so maybe my thoughts might be helpful.

Traditional music is the core for me. The early books had fabulous tunes. When I construct a programme for a formal dance, one of my main considerations will be the musical structure of the programme: where to put pipe marches, where to put strong strathspeys, where to put the exciting reels, etc. It is a social occasion. It needs an approachable programme with great tunes and only a small number of more challenging dances.

For teaching, whilst Johnsonville Club has a database of 4,000 recordings going back from this year to digitized 78s, I often find myself using Jimmy Shand, Jim Macleod, Stan Hamilton, etc, as they have penetrating clarity. I try to impart how to use all the music to enable flow.

My theory is that most of the difficulties the dancers have are caused by poor phrasing. This is particularly true of geometric figures where the dancers must dance to a position or dance a shape: for example, the third person in a reel of three, or not passing left shoulders in a reel of four. When should the dancer attack, and when to hold back?

I try to emphasise really listening to the music, understanding the phrasing and how each dancer’s phrasing affects that of the others. I often say, “Remember it is a team sport.’’ There has been a tendency in modern dances to follow a track without the need to vary phrasing, and I believe that this is unfortunate for the development of dancing which I see as my goal as a tutor.

Restructuring for change In 2012, we noticed that our membership had dropped badly to about 20 members. Things needed to be done. This involved a combined effort from the club and changing patterns which had worked for years. We decided to run beginners’ classes for the first 4 weeks each year before the season. Then I structured the club nights to encourage beginners, but still had teaching for experienced dancers. Many experienced club members came along to help for the early part, supporting the new dancers.

My approach is to have an annual teaching programme where I gradually introduce formations and steps in a slow, structured way. On club nights, beginners attend the first 1½ to 2 hours. The experienced dancers arrive for the last hour with the beginners, and then have their own hour for themselves. I end with a challenging dance for those very experienced.

This schedule is for the first half of the year, new dancers leaving around supper at 9pm. Later we integrate the group for the whole night. This year, I did 3 weeks using only skip change and simple formations, then allemande and strathspey travelling and setting (week 4), pas de basque (week 6), reels of three (week 9), and reels of four (week 12). For the more experienced, I pick on something to extend them and really work on it before the season of formal dances comes along. This year it was the espagnole, and the rose progression, and last year the all-round poussette, tourbillon, and complex entry reels. I have step practice, certainly for the first few months, and formation practice. We have one or two briefing dances (one for all, one for more experienced) pre-posted in the newsletter.

You might wonder how you can do this and maintain an interesting and fresh programme. Easy. There are many great dances with basic formations. For example, this year our first Tartan Night (aimed at beginners) was full of variety, with just one dance with reels for experienced dancers.

Rationale. Dancers need to experience success to be happy. The club supports this approach wonderfully. They truly welcome new dancers. I think sometimes SCD groups give lip service to supporting new dancers, but we don’t give them a really encouraging environment. A consequence of my approach is that I use dances from upcoming programmes only when they fit into a structured programme. Too often, I have seen some poor beginner thrown into a sink or swim situation where they are thrown from tourbillon to spurtle; often caused by the necessity to ‘cover the dances’ from an upcoming ball programme.

A team effort. This approach can only work if the whole club agrees to support it. My bit is only one part of recruitment and retention. We introduced many things with the aim of building a community: weekly newsletters including my column which discusses what we did and what we will be doing, summer ceilidh, midwinter feast/ceilidh, live music nights, consistent branding, Facebook page, website, etc. See the 2018 articles on our website for recruitment and retention. It is also important to understand what the group is trying to achieve. Whilst some fit the traditional mould, many Johnsonville dancers will never go to Summer School or be technique dancers. They love the dancing and come with enthusiasm each week.

Success. We now have around 60 members. We aim to gain a set of new dancers each year. There are surely many other approaches which might succeed. But, given we have only one tutor (I am hoping for more soon!) ours seemed to be the only feasible one. I hope some of these ideas might be useful.

Rod’s Class: the Johnsonville Dancers

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Epilogue. SCD is a wonderful and rewarding hobby. My wife and I have found the SCD community welcoming worldwide.

A wonderful tribute to the RSCDS. I hope the tradition continues.

The New Core Training for Instructors Programme Deb Lees, a member of the Education and Training committee, introduces you to a new RSCDS course.

Providing instruction in Scottish country dancing has always been one of the main aims of the RSCDS. To do that we need welltrained teachers who can encourage, develop, and inspire the dancers in their classes or groups. The RSCDS Teaching Certificate is the recognised teaching qualification and each year dancers across the world work towards completing the five Units in the syllabus. There is also the Basic Teaching Skills course which gives a taster of the skills required of a SCD teacher. But it has long been recognised that we need another route to enable more dancers to become confident and competent teachers in their local area, as the Unit system is not always accessible, affordable, or appropriate for everyone. Hence the development of the new Core Training for Instructors programme (CTI).

In essence, the CTI is an apprenticeship approach where a trainee instructor ‘learns on the job’, with support and guidance from a trainer, who must be an experienced RSCDS-qualified teacher.

Over a period of up to two years the trainer and trainee instructor will work together, either in person or remotely (using video), to develop the set of skills required to run a successful SCD class. The approach is very personalised, with a focus on the skills that the individual needs for their own context. This means that the CTI programme may feel quite different for each person, depending on the type of class or starting point. Unlike the Units there are no exams to take, as the trainer judges when the trainee instructor has developed competency in the core skills and can run a well organised, enjoyable class which meets the needs of their group.

The CTI is aimed particularly at dancers who are leading social or general classes, including people who can’t readily access the Unit system or feel that the exam route is not for them. It doesn’t require the high level of personal dancing of the Units, but it does require a

good knowledge of steps and formations and the ability to analyse dances and plan classes appropriate for their group. These skills are all covered in the programme, underpinned by a range of resources designed to support the trainer and trainee instructor.

During the Covid pandemic, the E&T committee have fine-tuned the programme proposed at the 2019 AGM, and developed a course for those interested in becoming trainers, as well as developing resources for them to use with their trainees. The aim is to ensure that trainers have a good understanding of the CTI approach and are well equipped to develop teaching skills in a way that is consistent with other trainers. Training courses were held during May and June, and as a result we now have 33 trainers.

Now we are ready for the next stage, where the trainers begin to work with their trainee instructors! Potential instructors will be able to apply through the website and will be matched with a trainer. Some trainers are already aware of and keen to encourage dancers in their local area to consider doing the CTI. Information is now on the website so do have a look at it and consider whether you, or anyone you know, may be interested. https://www.rscds.org/learn/teacher-training/core-traininginstructors-cti It has been a huge privilege to have been involved with this very different approach to developing teaching skills and building our teacher resource, a resource that will be essential as we begin to dance again after the restrictions of the past year. The CTI programme will sit alongside the current Unit system to support people to develop the skills that will enable them to give their class or group a great SCD experience so that they want to come back for more. And that’s something that I am passionate about, as I am sure you all are too.

Get ready … get set … and plan to join the fun at

2022 TAC Summer School

Mount Royal University, Calgary, Canada

July 24-31, 2022 20222022 Welcoming, supportive classes For dancers of all levels

Basic | Intermediate | Advanced Daily classes | evening social dances | formal ball and banquet | evening after parties | ceilidh | silent auction

Teachers

Raphaëlle Orgeret (France) Robert McOwen (USA) Jeanne Moody (USA) Barbara Johnston (Canada)

Musicians

Judi Nicolson, Fred Collins, Ian Muir, Kathy Fraser Collins, not pictured: Terry Traub, Mary Ross

tac-rscds.org Sponsored by Scottish Country Dance Teachers’ Association (Canada)

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Dancing During a Pandemic

Dancing away from home in Lisbon.

Back to real dancing again Raphaëlle Orgeret describes how her young dancers tried to keep dancing.

When the pandemic started, we stopped everything, from March to September last year. We asked all our Lyon Branch members to send some photos, and with some clever editing from our committee members, we came up with fun videos and online classes, but no child or teenager got involved with that kind of class. They couldn’t be bothered. When it became possible, classes for younger dancers resumed, dancing with masks most of the time. We didn’t have big numbers, as no new dancers had joined, but we managed to keep our 20 young dancers dancing throughout the pandemic one way or another. We even managed to keep our dancing trip to Lisbon in July! Ten teenagers went with me to dance with the local young dancers and visit the beautiful city. We had a ball!

Saturday Morning Zooming Moira Korus reports on how one childrens’ class kept their skills up.

Rosedale Kids classes in Toronto, Canada decided to go on Zoom exactly a year ago in October 2020. Our numbers are very small and there is lots of time for individual attention. In our family class, parents attend with their children in person and so it was a natural progression for parents to dance with the younger kids during our Zoom classes. Working out where the top of the set

Deer o’Dale Dancers, Ufa, as Scots and Vikings

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was and deciding which was the men’s side and which the ladies’ side was a bit of a challenge. Gavin Keachie, our other teacher, joined us most Saturday mornings and by the end of the year was able to put our 8-12 year olds through some quite complex dances. Our classes went from October to May, and we finished with an online ceilidh with some fabulous recitations, songs, and music performances from many of our regular dancers. While Zoom kept us together as a class for the pandemic year, I know we are all looking forward to the time we can return to the shared dance floor.

Young Dancers Virtual Fun Malin Altenmüller of the RSCDS Youth Branch remembers how young dancers put together entries for the RSCDS Virtual Festival when they could not dance together.

The submissions for the Virtual Festival showed how dancing can be very creative and great fun, even when we could not meet together to dance. In parks, forests and riverbanks, we saw young dancers, trolls, Vikings and fairies coming together to enjoy reels and jigs, strathspeys and step dancing. Kilts and dresses, flowers and costumes came to shine in spring, midsummer and autumn.

Various very imaginative ways were invented for keeping physically distant from each other: outside dancing, extra wide sets, crafted paper hands, tennis rackets and flags not only ensured safe dancing but looked great!

dancing with the ‘big girls’ and aspire to their level. One little girl couldn’t wait to be allowed to stay for the second hour because that is when they do strathspey! Doris’s endearing warmth shows in the loyalty that all her dancers show her, and many of her former pupils still gladly come and dance at events when asked.

Lyon dancers travelled virtually far and near.

From dancing in her classes as a child myself to now teaching alongside her I have learnt so many things, for which I am truly indebted, and most of her dancers feel the same way. Not only is she a dance teacher, she also really knows her children. She knows their families; their other hobbies; the subjects they are doing at school and is always on hand to offer wisdom. Doris is very involved in Guiding and the Trefoil Guild, so those girls who are also Guides have another connection with her, and Doris is more than happy to sign off their Duke of Edinburgh Award schemes for dancing.

Through skilful video editing, even travelling to different places in an instant for a dance seemed effortless! With their journey to all the locations they were planning to go in 2020, Lyon Branch won the popular vote. The winners of the under 16s category were Moscow’s Deer O’Dale dancers with their beautifully danced and presented display The Scots and the Vikings.

Thank you to everybody who taught, danced, filmed, edited and uploaded videos for the Virtual Festival, it’s a real joy to watch them! If you haven’t seen all the entries yet, they are still available: https://www.rscds.org/get-involved/young-dancers/youthactivities/virtual-festival

Our Dance Teacher: Mrs Young

The Lady Sempill Salver presented to Doris and her Airyhall Dancers

Gail Fraser and Emma Allsop have been dancing since they were children; here they sing the praises of their muchloved teacher on her retirement.

One of the biggest things the class works towards is the annual Aberdeen Festival. Excitement builds for this highlight in the calendar, and everyone works hard to reach the standard worthy of entering. I’m pretty sure that one evening we danced Highland Fair about 50 times through until it was perfect! I will never forget that dance or tune now! But despite the hard work she always makes it fun, and everyone gets to participate. Active on the Festival Committee, she likes to enter as many teams as she can.

There must be a vast array of trophies with Airyhall/Craigiebuckler names on them. Doris is willing to travel anywhere with a team to compete, and share the joy of country dancing, such as to the dance festivals in Perth, Dundee, Newcastle, and Inverness.

Teaching children for over 50 years shows true commitment, enthusiasm, love, and passion for dancing. Mrs Doris Young’s style is encouraging and supportive; she looks for perfection but in a seemingly relaxed way. She is open, honest, and forthright at times while getting the very best out of her class. Mrs Young is a remarkable lady with a heart of gold who develops such sincere relationships with all her dancers that they will always be part of her dancing family. How many teachers can say that they are still in touch with their pupils from decades ago, attending their weddings, barbecues and parties?

I will always remember my Friday nights as a child in her class, where dancers make friends for life. She allows fun and chatter (Mrs Young herself has joked that sometimes you need to come armed with earplugs as it can be so noisy!), but also commands hard work. This balance of strictness and understanding is so difficult to get right, yet Doris manages it effortlessly.

The children’s classes began at Airyhall Primary School where Doris taught, and Kenny her husband played the accordion, always bringing a lively bounce to the children’s step – many people today still spot the ‘Airyhall bounce’ at festivals! Doris also encourages children to play Scottish music and try it out in class.

The opportunities she presents are just fantastic. The class has seen a steady stream of young dancers keeping the RSCDS spirit alive in Aberdeen.

At the Friday night class, everyone is involved. Mrs Young hooks in young dancers and gets them excited to be there. That’s no easy feat when teenagers have other options available! Yet they show up willing to dance and help the younger ones, and some of her original dancers still help all these years later, whether as a partner, or to demonstrate and be a role model. The younger ones enjoy

Doris sees potential and encourages children to work for Medal tests.

More than a thousand of her children have achieved a high standard of dancing: a record to be proud of. She has a large collection of photographs of the class, and the children love their badges and shields. In addition, Doris has supported dancers, from teenagers upwards, to attempt Dancing Achievement Awards. Prior to the assessment, Doris will adjust the front of her black cardigan, clasp her hands and say, ‘You’ll be fine, you’ll be fine’. More recently, the Youth Leadership Award has had teenagers working together to devise their own dances, overseen by Doris, and the young ones are involved too in trying out the dances. The girls learn for themselves if the dance will work: is the progression right, does the phrasing work? Without knowing it, the children are developing a deep understanding of dancing while they have fun devising dances and trying them out!

We are all better for having been taught by Mrs Young and once you have been in the team there is an imaginary piece of elastic that pulls you back to dance again and again. Friday classes won’t be the same without her, and Mrs Young will be missed, but we are sure that she will still give her opinion on dancing and will stay involved with the Society. She has influenced more people than she will ever know. What talent this lady has! What a legacy she has left behind! Thank you, Mrs Young!

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The Challenge of Playing for Scottish Country Dancing Katherine and Andrew Uren have been playing classical music professionally for the last 30 years in New Zealand. Ten years ago, they discovered Scottish country dancing through the Innes Club in Auckland, and it wasn’t long before they were asked to join a band.

Musical Background Katherine is a full-time cellist in the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, which performs a different programme each week, including in their repertoire a wide range of eras and genres on stage, as well as accompanying operas, ballets, films and stories.

The orchestra mentors and performs in schools and, in addition, Katherine teaches her own students at school and at home.

Andrew specialises in reed parts (clarinets, saxophone, flutes etc), sometimes doubling or tripling for professional musicals. He plays in concerts for several professional orchestras, specialising in bass clarinet, and has a full-time itinerant role teaching clarinet and saxophone as well as directing bands. Many of you attending Katherine’s DSAH class were very appreciative of his playing!

Andrew and Katherine Uren

natural phrasing from players like Max and Marian who are so experienced in this genre: nothing felt rushed or hectic.

At the Wairarapa Summer School NZ 2017-18, while Katherine studied for her Teachers’ Certificate, Andrew joined the Musicians’ Class, led by Ian and Judith Muir. It was thought-provoking to note how Ian and Judith took some liberties to keep the music fresh and alive, such as leaving an occasional beat silent or throwing in an emphasis on a weak beat (hemiola). After all, the excitement of a live band is something special for the dancers.

We have such appreciation for SCD musicians, and how a truly experienced player can go beyond the notes on the page.

In this article they talk about their fascination with Scottish dance music, and the challenge of playing the tunes on a variety of different instruments.

The attraction of Scottish dance music We are trained to sightread many types of music, and to listen, tune in and blend to perform with minimal ensemble rehearsal, so we find the reading part of SCD music not too difficult. Within the huge range of styles in the orchestral repertoire, there are many subtle stylistic trends, handed down over the decades or centuries. When Trish Henley encouraged us to join her Aucklandbased band, Rose and Thistle, in rehearsing and playing for both Scottish and English dancing events, she helped us become aware of different playing styles for jigs, reels and strathspeys through sharing her CDs. She also organised a group masterclass with Marian Anderson and Max Ketchin when they were in NZ. What a wealth of spirited tunes! We were impressed by the

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Auckland Thistle Dancers, Katherine on the right.

Comparing SCD music to classical music Scottish dance music is very structural, with a lot of repeats, which provides a sense of familiarity and finality that fits the phrasing of the dancing. For a 3-couple dance in a 4-couple set,

the band usually plays four tunes, twice each, with two repeats of each tune, each time. In music from a similar time, such as the Baroque and Classical periods, you can also find a dance structure with two repeating ‘halves’. The orchestral repertoire shows us similar plans with repeats and markings of da capo (back to the beginning), as in the collection of famous Strauss waltzes On the Beautiful Blue Danube… but most concerts don’t have 20 of these, end to end!

One of the biggest challenges when playing for formal dances is stamina, especially for wind players. There are very few breaks in the whole evening, which can be four hours long. Each dance is intense playing with hardly any breathing time for up to nine minutes!

The strict pattern of multiple repeats in Scottish dance music also means a good memory and an alert brain is essential. But once this stamina is developed, it is of huge benefit to the player.

In contrast, classical concerts are less tiring; there are more rests for wind players in most pieces, and the total length of the concert is usually not more than two hours. However, the music is more exposed and demands more soloistic nerve, which is a big responsibility!

There are the odd challenges when some dance tunes are more idiomatic to suit certain instruments. For example, Scott Meikle has a rocking effect of quickly alternating high and low notes which sits nicely on an accordion or keyboard but is awkward on a clarinet because of crossing from one register to another. Wind players need to breathe between notes, but tunes for fiddle, bagpipe, or keyboard can keep playing with no breaks. That said, songs or more linear tunes, such as the City of Belfast, suit the clarinet admirably.

Katherine and the harmony challenge

Andrew concentrates on his music practice Every type of music has certain unique traits that a player must learn to add or bring out. Perhaps the most notable difference in Scottish dance music is in the jigs. In Scottish jigs, where there is a group of three equal notes written in the music, we subtly alter the lengths of the notes so that the first note is lengthened, and the second note is delayed. This helps to inspire the lift of the dance and give a swing feel. Try saying these syllables: “e-ven-ly” versus “Am-ster-dam”, which has a subtle lilt.

Articulation (the character of the notes) is important for any ensemble and varies depending on the musical situation. In the musical Jersey Boys, we didn’t just play the music on the page: we interpreted and developed it to match the words of the voices, or to highlight the drama. If we were playing a piece

by Mozart, in the opening, we’d emphasise and strengthen the first beat, leading away from it and up to the next one, and we’d add articulation like staccatos (short, detached notes) to give it lightness. In some modern contemporary art scores, a composer might ask for the opposite extreme, and will notate precisely how they want a note to be attacked, describing extremely detailed dynamics, rhythms and effects to get the desired musical idea across.

Andrew chooses his instrument Of all my wind instruments, I prefer to use the clarinet in C. It avoids the transposition issue, has a bright and cheerful sound, and can blend well with other instruments. It also boasts a huge range (over three octaves) and is very versatile with articulation and dynamics.

Soprano saxophone works really well for dances like Pelorus Jack which have a jovial quality. Recorder, flute and chalumeau work well for older tunes, and make a contrast in timbre.

Sheet music for a SCD band usually just has the violin tune in treble clef and letters for the chords. For a classically trained cellist, used to having all the details written out in bass, tenor, or occasionally treble clef, there was a lot of learning to do!

Without a written cello line, I wasn’t sure what to play at first.

I would find it aesthetically pleasing to compose interesting harmonies to enrich the tune and thicken the texture, but this takes a lot of time, and there are so many tunes that it is impractical for an imminent Ball. I could also play the tune as written, which would sound like a violin, but this is a challenge high up on a cello, and some pieces suit that better than others.

Learning to transpose the tune down one or two octaves was more satisfying, especially the singing melodies in strathspeys.

However, the most natural role for the cello I find is to use the printed chord letter names to join the bass line of the keyboard, strengthening the beats that the dancers need. Both transposing in my head and playing from chord letters (rather than notes) are skills that rarely arise in classical music, so it was a brain scrambling experience. My sight-reading abilities are now more diverse, that’s for sure.

If anyone with a classical musical background is thinking of joining a band to play for Scottish country dancing, we would encourage them wholeheartedly: bring your skills and learn from those with experience!

RSCDS Cheltenham

Celebration Ball Cheltenham Town Hall - 15th Jan 2022 Dancing to Craigellachie £25.00 with Buffet Supper Info www.rscdscheltenham.org or email tickets@rscdscheltenham.org

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Mary Isdale MacNab: A Collecting Legacy Stephen Webb describes his journey to discover and collate, for the benefit of us today, the known and previously unpublished dances in original form as taught by Mrs MacNab in her classes and for festivals.

The Collection’s Story Unfolds Fiona kindly sent me these records as pdf files, whilst also lodging the originals in the RSCDS Archive. I have read most of these files that run into just under three hundred and found it fascinating being transported back to an earlier time from 1953 up to 1991 in the then Scottish dancing world when communication was by ‘snail mail’, especially when it was transatlantic. Some dances were typed, some handwritten - as was most of the correspondence.

In one, Miss Milligan, writing to Mrs Sutorius in March 1967, not long after her aunt had passed away, explained that there could be no copyright on ‘tradition’ and that she had created rough notes of the dances from what Mrs MacNab had told to her ‘by word of mouth’ on which the printed dances were based (presumably, 1st to 9th Sets). Mrs MacNab often said to Miss Milligan when watching one of her dances being performed, ‘That is not exactly as I meant, but it is very nice.’ Miss Milligan expressed affection for her saying, ‘Mrs MacNab whom we knew and loved, has gone ...’

Adding, ‘I will be glad for you to use my material in any book you intend to print … I hope you get a wonderful memorial for Mrs MacNab whom we shall never forget.’

Mrs MacNab in the 1960s. Photo: Sharyn Elder

How this Collection came About Several years ago, I became interested in the ‘The Missing MacNaberries’, this being what many Canadians affectionately called Mrs MacNab’s collected dances. Looking at the combined RSCDS 1987 two-volume publication of Scottish Dances collected

by Mary Isdale MacNab, I noticed that it had omitted two of the original 29 dances because they were not actually said to be collected by Mrs MacNab, yet they formed part of the original Sets. These two dances were eventually reprinted and published by 2014, the last being Tir nan Og. A book of Pilling style diagrams for all these dances, prepared by Angus Henry of Darwin, Australia, had been published by the RSCDS in 2006. Incidentally, The MacNab Dances in Diagrams was the Society’s first publication to include dance diagrams in this complete dance form.

From a passing conversation in St Andrews in 2018, Fiona Grant told me that Chris Brady, a traditional English step-dancer, dance researcher and member of Reading Cloggies had given her for safekeeping and publicity purposes a box of about five reams of dances and letters collected by Mrs MacNab. He made these photocopies when visiting Mrs MacNab’s niece, Elizabeth Sutorius (1915-2009), in the 1980s, with the idea of publishing them. The originals were lost after Mrs Sutorius died. Chris was keen that the documents should be on open-access and Fiona agreed to scan these and distribute them to anyone interested.

Mrs MacNab’s Last Will and Testament (registered June 1967) in subclause 3b states: To deliver unto my niece Beth Sutorius of….

Santiago…. All my books, records, documents, articles and materials dealing with dancing. It was her niece’s wish expressed here that this new archive resource, endeavours to honour: Mrs MacNab left all her records, rights and title to her niece, Mrs Elizabeth Sutorius, of San Diego, California, who intends to make the dances from this famed collection available to teachers of Highland dancing throughout the world, thus establishing a living memorial to this wonderful lady. And I would interpret this to mean really, the wider Scottish dancing world.

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Alistair Aitkenhead at St Andrews, dancing Brig o’Doon in 1952.

Photo: Wilson Nicol Hence the idea of a Mary Isdale MacNab Collection then formed and is available now as a new interactive online dance resource for teachers and dancers to explore and use at: http://www.rscdslondon.org.uk/mary-isdale-macnab-dances/ It is clear that Mrs Sutorius wrote to Dr Hugh Thurston in Vancouver, a friend and dancer in Mrs MacNab’s Braemar Group demonstration team (1958-1962), and a teacher and deviser in his own right, seeking assistance in collating a collection of her aunt’s dances. He replied offering, ‘to help in any way that I can’, listing Mrs MacNab’s dances which were then being danced at tattoos and the like. His knowledge of the dances was clearly prodigious. Dance descriptions were not written down by Mrs MacNab, as her teaching was from memory and her rough notes - an example of which can be seen on the webpage in section H01-H16. Her classes were expected to memorise them too and pass them on to other pupils. In a letter written in 1950s from Dr Hugh Thurston to Dr Tom Flett in England, describing Mrs MacNab’s dances he says, I think exaggerating to make a point, ‘Mrs M’s memory of the dances as collected is just about nil, moreover she occasionally alters them because of forgetfulness … the nearest one gets to a definitive version is what she teaches her senior girls’ class’. Presumably, recalling his earlier exchange of letters, Dr Thurston suggested to Mrs Sutorius that she involve dance collector and historian Dr Flett in this initiative. Everything it seemed was coming together. It is emphasised that Mrs MacNab, in the main,

Hugh Thurston leads the ladies up in the Glasgow Highlanders in 1963. Photo: Rosemary Coupe didn’t devise dances but collected them, just in the same way as the Society had begun. The Society ranks collecting as one of its main Objects and devising isn’t directly mentioned. It is at this point the reader might like to read the excellent detailed and extensive tribute that Dr Thurston, the then editor, wrote in the Vancouver dancing newsletter, The Thistle (No. 33) now uploaded and available from the RSCDS London Branch MacNab page.

The purpose of this article is not to set out Mary Isdale MacNab’s life, as the reader can find links to that by reading Rosemary Coupe’s excellent tributes and history of Scottish country dancing in Vancouver, also uploaded to the above link, but to describe what London Branch’s webpage hosting the Mary Isdale MacNab Collection Archive offers the user. Before I do that let me complete the story of the ‘Complete Collection’. Dr Thurston typed out many dances and sent them to Joan and Tom Flett for verification and any amendment. These are the dances on the webpage mainly to be found in section T01-T16. There may be others yet to be discovered.

From the initial burst of enthusiasm after Mrs MacNab’s death we now see an airmail letter from Mrs Sutorius dated October 1985 to Chris Brady in England acknowledging she is finding it ‘hard to sit down to it’. I suspect she had been overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task and it had stalled. She would look forward to his visit. In this letter both Ron Wallace (San Francisco Branch) and Colin Robertson (then in Reading, Tom and Joan Flett in 1950s.

England) are mentioned as Photo: Jane Harrison being interested in her late aunt’s dances. By the beginning of February 1986, Chris writes to Mrs Sutorius explaining Colin has devised a plan to collect dance descriptions of the dances that were in note form adding that Joan Flett was about to publish her late husband’s description of The Dirk Dance which Mrs MacNab had ‘sold’ to them, (Traditional Step-Dancing in Scotland was eventually published in 1996). In writing to Chris Brady later that month, Joan Flett says, ’it should be included in a collection of Mrs M’s dances for completeness.’

The month becomes busy as Mrs Sutorius writes to Colin thanking him for his plan and adding, ’I’m really excited over the prospect of my aunt’s dances in truly published form’. Colin’s plan involved locating ex-pupils to gain their recollections of how the dances went; sadly, for various reasons this idea gained no traction. Despite ‘The Collection’ being no further forward Chris and Colin continued

John Wesencraft teaching The Dirk Dance believed 1996.

Photo: Jane Harrison with the idea until 1990 when Colin retired from the project.

Therefore, I have decided to take this forward myself by creating an interactive archive where users can add or amend information, the intention being to make it as complete as possible.

Appreciation This work is a tribute to the following people who have all contributed to the collection: Eizabeth Sutorius of San Diego, Hugh Thurston of Vancouver, Joan and Tom Flett of Sheffield, Chris Brady of Hayes, Colin Robertson, latterly of Oregon, Chris Metherell of Newcastle Cloggies and Mats Melin of the University of Limerick.

Using the Archive The Mary Isdale MacNab Collection webpage has a list of 68 dances with descriptions in original form to view, or an indication where to find descriptions together with, where possible, videos. These include the original nine Sets of dances 1948-1966 (S01-S29), Leaflets (L01-L11), Festival dances (F01-F12) and Typed descriptions (T01-T16). Then there are a further 16 dances (H01-H16) which are incomplete and mainly in Mrs MacNab’s handwriting which I would like to see ‘resurrected’ by devisers familiar with ladies’ step and highland dancing to create a ‘best guess’ dance. You can obtain the original notes for these incomplete dances from RSCDS London Branch at macnab@rscdslondon.org.uk by requesting a particular dance title. Finally, by clicking on the ‘List’ link there are a further 54 dances (M01-M54) simply mentioned by name in historical correspondence, where you may have information to provide.

The Archive would be pleased to receive any additional dance information and any new videos of dances not so far recorded.

I feel privileged to have put together this living archive, with the able assistance of Meryl Thomson, which will, I hope, remain as the ‘wonderful memorial’ expressed by our joint founder, Jean Milligan, whom I too knew for her last five years.

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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

Alderley and District Caledonian Society We are eagerly looking forward to dancing normally again.

Indeed, some of our members have danced modified dances, within the rule of six and with masks, social distancing, and no physical contact or touching, such is their enthusiasm. We have booked our usual weekly class venue in anticipation of the restrictions being eased. There may be a reduction in numbers at first, but we hope that the more cautious of our members return. We will, of course, take the dancing easily to begin with.

Guingamp is awaiting its leaders’ return from the traditional boat festival at Portsoy in Aberdeenshire. Members have been told to study The New Rigged Ship! The Burns Ceilidh group in Pordic, on the other hand, have launched a monthly outdoor ceilidh class, as a first step towards RSCDS dancing. Rules for using halls will probably vary, but dancing will continue!

Robin Poulton

Dance Class in Canberra

We intend to repeat our advertising campaign which was highly successful in gaining new members shortly before the pandemic. Several dances have been arranged with live music to maintain interest and enthusiasm, and I’m pleased to say tickets are going well, indeed better than expected. The future looks bright and assured, and our message is the usual one: ‘Happy Dancing’.

Peter Marshall

Outdoor dancing with Banffshire Branch An outdoor return to dancing event on 25 July took place outside the Sail Loft, Portsoy, on a beautiful sunny day. We had a fantastic afternoon of dance, starting off with a warm-up session led by Anne Taylor. Three sets of dancers followed a super programme led

by Anne McArthur and Alison Smith, easing us gently back into dancing again with a mix of familiar and old favourites and some newer dances.

RSCDS dancers and U3A join together to dance in Canberra Unfortunately, the recent outbreak of Covid in Sydney and surrounds compromised our planned event in mid-August. Certainly, nobody from interstate would have been allowed to attend. However, we had a larger than normal attendance at a class where our regular dancers were joined by members of the local U3A class.

Barry Longstaff

[The University of the Third Age (U3A) is a network of locally run interest groups that provide a wide range of opportunities to come together to learn for fun. (Ed.)]

Delaware Valley Gold Anniversary All lined up in on Portsoy Links Our secretary and Covid officer Liz Bulloch ensured safety guidelines were in place and being followed. It was just wonderful to be able to meet up and dance together again. We couldn’t have been happier and can’t wait for the next one.

Dianna Baillie

Scottish Dancing Restarts in Brittany Breton Branch took a deep Covid-free breath and relaunched in July. Some floors were grassy outdoors and others were inside and socially distanced. In Josselin, a beginners’ class was held on the medieval jousting grounds, led by teacher Anne MacLennan.

Our Branch piper, Jean-Claude Madec played Flower of Scotland, celebrating our first meeting since January 2019. In Lannion, some of our experienced dancers stretched their legs (carefully) on tarmac, and later in a school room. In Port-Louis (beside Lorient on the south coast) Club Cluaran organized a July weekend of dance for beginners, with the group Alba Binhan in Séné near Vannes. RSCDS teacher Anne Dejean, from Grenoble, had to cancel, but Roland Telle very kindly took over, leading a cheerful event, appreciated by all the new dancers. The Swing Yer Tartan group in

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Delaware Valley Branch turned 50 during the pandemic. We planned to celebrate with a weekend of dancing in April 2020, now postponed to 2022! During our Zoom AGM we had a picture tour of all the places in which we have danced over the years: many churches, schools, and even private homes. One response was, ‘I guess to be on the executive committee you need to be able to find places to dance.’

We are producing a book of dances, Delaware Valley Gold (to follow on Delaware Valley Silver). We tried out submissions and gave feedback, and the committee decided on the dances. The book will be available both online and on paper, with music on CD and possibly online.

People often wonder about our name. We have dancers from the three states that meet near Philadelphia: Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The area is drained by the Delaware River, hence the Delaware Valley Branch. Dancing began in a private home with friends who loved to dance together, but the growing group soon needed more space as well as to train teachers.

We hope to start classes again in September and are proud that when we were not dancing, 88% of members renewed their memberships.

Cecily Selling

Forfar RSCDS on the rugby pitch Dancing during the pandemic has been somewhat of a challenge and with no subscriptions coming in, a financial challenge too.

However, the Forfar Branch along with Arbroath Round O Club were successful in obtaining a Voluntary Arts Scotland grant.

This money has enabled us to purchase new audio equipment to allow us to dance outside until such times as we can resume our indoor classes.

Over the years members have participated in many Scottish country dance events: summer schools, weekend schools, and community events such as Highland Games and the Hastings Blossom Parades.

The Club won awards for participating in the latter events with Bruce Fordyce’s ‘Nessie’ float. Here’s to the next 70 years!

Easter Weekend in Lawrence, Otago Region, New Zealand Deferral of the 2020 South Island Easter School to 2021 led to a doubling of registrations from all over the country. In the end 74 people with experience from one year upwards came for classes, and even more for the evening dances. Based in Lawrence, a small, historic town (the location of NZ’s first gold rush) there was plenty of community support for the event with saltires displayed in shop windows, large welcoming banners, and great coverage by the regional newspaper. Local halls were not big enough for combined events so the Coronation Hall half an hour away in Milton was used, a wonderful building from 1905, oozing with the confidence and civic pride of the early 20th century. The pent-up enthusiasm after a year of limited dancing gives hope for the future of SCD.

RSCDS Leicester ‘Lockdown Survival’ Forfar dancers not playing rugby! Photo Dave Cumming So far, we have danced on Strathmore Rugby Club pitch in Forfar on 8 June when we had just over 30 dancers. The weather was kind, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable two hours when we met up with old friends, danced to live music, and had an excellent afternoon’s fun.

Our second dance took place in Arbroath on 18 June. I didn’t think our first outside dance could be surpassed but how wrong I was. The weather was warm and calm, and again we had over 30 dancers. The mood, like our first outside dance, was uplifting, and the exertion of dancing after such a long break just added to the fun of the afternoon.

The Covid Year Plus has been an amazing time for Leicester Branch.

We have all learnt new skills and a lot more about each other.

Initially, a few members set up our Set and Link weekly Zoom club and The Quaich monthly newsletter. Contributions for both arrived. The Set and Link team planned a weekly programme, The Quaich team monthly publications, with talks and articles related to Scottish country dancing and music as well as other material written and presented by our members. In Spring 2021 the seven teachers of our Branch presented Zoom talks covering Scottish Dance formations, using cribs, diagrams and videos. All are now accessible on our Branch website www.rscdsleicester.org.uk

Sheena Leslie

Hastings, New Zealand 70th Anniversary The Hastings Scottish Country Dance Club celebrated their 70th Anniversary on 26 June with a dance in St Andrew’s Church Hall.

Present and past club members attended, and we were joined by the New Zealand Branch Vice President Debbie Roxburgh, Paul Roxburgh and visitors from Napier, Taupo and other areas. Music for favourite dances was played by the Cranberry Tarts and the club’s collection of photograph albums was pored over during the afternoon.

Socially distanced Leicester dancers In May we once again met in person in a local hall. Masks were worn on entry. Each dancer moved around their own two metre square, visualising other dancers, walking through each formation and dance. It has been a lot of work, but a great success: members have kept in touch and will shortly be ready to enjoy the delights of dancing in sets again.

Neil McLaren

Melbourne and District Branch - Teaching a beginners’ class in the time of Covid

The Cranberry Tarts provide music.

Dancing in 2020 had only just started when Covid reared its ugly head, Melbourne went into lockdown, and there was no more for the rest of the year. The outlook in 2021 was much brighter, classes resumed, and Melbourne and District Branch planned a six-week beginners’ course, starting in early May, with Patsy Marks as teacher.

We had twelve enlisted, so we booked a small hall and organized

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Hands across in Melbourne helpers. News spread and we found we had underestimated interest as 19 turned up on the day. We moved to a bigger hall the following week and had 25 beginners eager to learn. We managed two classes in our new hall when Covid struck again, sending Melbourne into a snap lockdown, and it was three weeks before we could finish the last three weeks of the course. Surprisingly little had been forgotten and we did not need much revision before continuing. We celebrated the end of the course with a Sunday afternoon social, attended by 50 enthusiastic dancers (the current gathering limit) to our local band – David South, Matthew Robertson and Julia Arnold.

It was a great class to teach, very receptive and keen, and most are continuing to dance with local groups.

Patsy Marks

Moscow Branch Twice postponed due to Covid, the Just Scottish Ball took place in Saint Petersburg at the end of April. Local dancers from the Schiehallion School and Puffins and Muffins Club were joined by guests from Moscow and Veliky Novgorod, dancing to the Saint Petersburg band Celtic City Experience.

Leading down the middle in Nelson

Nelson/Marlborough Region, New Zealand The Nelson/Marlborough Region recently held a weekend school in the alpine thermal resort of Hanmer Springs, situated in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand. It was a popular weekend with 92 dancers from around New Zealand enjoying classes and a dance in the alpine environment, lovely sunny days but good frosts each morning!

Kelly Walker

Ngaio Club 50th Anniversary, Wellington, New Zealand Gold decorations filled the hall for the Ngaio Club 50th anniversary in May. There was much laughter and chatter during the afternoon as past and present members renewed friendships, and shared stories and memories triggered by the great collection of club photos. Our celebrations continued at the Ngaio Town Hall with our anniversary formal dance. The band of Aileen Logie, Hilary Ferral and Jason Morris provided fantastic music for around 100 dancers while the programme reflected the history of the club and included a new five-couple strathspey, Ngaio Gold.

Palmerston Club 60th Anniversary, South Island, New Zealand Palmerston Club in the South Island celebrated their 60th Anniversary on 29 May. The weather was extreme, with flooding preventing some from attending, but there were dancers from Dunedin, Oamaru, Timaru and Christchurch. At present the Club has several young enthusiastic dancers which bodes well. A former dancer of the Club piped in the cake which was cut by members and the current teacher.

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Dancing down the middle in Cheboksary

Sue Lindsay

The 4th SCD Festival organised by the Ufa club, Deer o’Dale, was virtual this year and has become the most numerous not only in participants, but also in the adjudication board. Ten RSCDS teachers from Russia watched and gave feedback on videos provided by 17 teams from Ufa, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Cheboksary, Kazan, Saratov, Samara, Naberezhnye Chelny, Novosibirsk, Perm, Miass, Taganrog, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and Khabarovsk.

Orange County, USA

The Cheboksary 4th Scottish Dance Weekend in June was arranged as a camp at a recreation area outside the city with three classes from three teachers (Evgeny Salmin, Irina Gorelova, Vladimir Garbuzov), a social dance, barbecue party, great company, summer weather on the picturesque banks of the Volga river - a great finale for the unusual season of 2021.

The Orange County Branch is so excited to be able to dance in person again. We began with an outdoor gathering at a local park in May, followed by a backyard Branch AGM in June. Our three weekly dance classes resumed in June, and we had our first monthly dance party of all vaccinated dancers in July. It was a great success attended by the four branches in the Southern California area. We are planning to host the four-branch Interbranch Dance in September, our annual Christmas Ball in December and to co-host a Burns Supper and Ball with the LA Branch in January, all depending on potential restrictions. For now, we are getting our bodies and brains back in shape!

Maria Tsvetoukhina

Edie Archibald

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All turn at the Ball

Queen’s Birthday Weekend in Otorohanga, Waikato/Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand Lights in the College Hall, a full car park, laughter, ladies in pretty dresses, men in kilts; a keyboard, fiddle, and the deep, vibrant sound of a viola – ah, Glenfiddle Band from Auckland is playing at the Queen’s Birthday Weekend School in Otorohanga – near the geographical centre of the North Island of New Zealand.

Classes for Elementary, Intermediate, Low Impact and Advanced Technique were taught, and dances at the Ball ‘walked to the brief’ to help the newer dancers. The Ceilidh was superbly MCed by Damon – alias Fred Dagg (iconic New Zealand fictional character), and his mates Bruce, Bruce and Bruce. Folk from town joined in having seen the advertisement in our local paper. We danced to an expanded band – now 7 fiddles and viola, drums, recorder, accordions and keyboards, filling the stage and the hall with fabulous, toe-tapping music: a wonderful weekend of dancing.

Queensland Branch

Kingscliff the event was a ‘Right Royal Weekend of Dance’: dancers wore crowns, tiaras and jewellery on the Saturday night, dancing to the Black Bear Duo. We hope that winter sunshine and blue skies will greet us again next year.

Bryan Hacker

Richmond Branch On 17 July, one of the hottest days of the year, Richmond Branch optimistically organised a Garden Party in the delightful village of Reeth, Upper Swaledale. Dancers from North Yorkshire and beyond arrived with chairs, picnic, dancing shoes and sanitizer to book a shady spot under the trees. The programme took account of social distancing and minimal contact, so formations such as corners and grand chain were out, and dancing round partners instead of turning was encouraged. Dances were familiar and simple. Everyone relaxed and enjoyed conversations with friends last seen long ago.

We admired the garden and scenery and tested our memories with a quiz - no digital input allowed!

Queensland was fortunately not seriously affected by the pandemic early in the year. Our Opening Social was held in Brisbane on 24 April, with conditions associated with Covid regulations. Four sets enjoyed music from the Black Bear Duo; Emma Nixon on fiddle and Iain Mckenzie on accordion. Learning that Iain planned to stay for a few days, we asked him to play at our class on the Monday.

These classes have been very successful in attracting new dancers – especially this one, with Iain playing, when over 40 joined in.

In June, about 50 dancers attended a very successful weekend of dance in northern New South Wales. Accommodation and dancing were by the beach, the sea clearly visible as we danced. Being at

Jim Healy receives his Scroll of Honour from Fiona Turnbull A highlight was the presentation of the Scroll of Honour to Jim Healy, a member of both Perth and Richmond Branches.

Due to the online AGM last year he asked to receive his Scroll at a Branch event and it was presented by Branch President, Fiona Turnbull. Many will remember Jim as Society Chairman, but especially as he encouraged branches around the world to suggest and test dances for recent publications. He was also instrumental in standardising terminology in recent books.

Judging by the many compliments received, this event was thoroughly enjoyed by all and hopefully heralds a return to the dance floor this autumn.

Iain Mackenzie on accordion

Fiona Turnbull

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Dancing Again in San Francisco On 17 June, the San Francisco class celebrated the Solstice by having a dance. It was the first time since March, when everything shut down due to the pandemic. We were giddy with joy seeing each other and so happy to be dancing again. I knew I had been missing dancing but experiencing the sheer joy of it again after 15 months was intoxicating.

A survey was sent out and everyone had been vaccinated so masks were not required. Musicians Patti Cobb on keyboard and Caroline McCaskey on fiddle were wonderful! The programme was easy and familiar. We found that our bodies moved better than our brains! The Laird of Milton’s Daughter caused endless problems but so much laughter. Now we are talking about starting up classes again. I know I can’t wait!

Claire Hunter

First Online Teachers’ Meeting at Tokai Branch

Sydney RSCDS Australian dancers have been lucky so far in 2021, many dancing normally for most of the year. Sydney had a rocky start, with certain suburbs locked down over Christmas and New Year. With only a few delays and cancellations, classes soon resumed. A well-attended Day of Dance in March welcomed dancers to start the season, with ‘minimal contact’ dances. In May we welcomed beginners to an Easy Dance Social. We danced normally (sanitising between dances), enjoyed live music, and even served supper! The next Covid scare necessitated cancelled classes and a rescheduled social.

At the Teachers’ Liaison Group (TLG) workshop, teachers worked in pairs to devise a social programme. The best became the basis for the August Winter Social Matinee. TLG also ran a monthly advanced technique class focussing on the Very Advanced DAA syllabus. Our Unit 5 candidates and tutor are working hard for the November exam and hoping a non-Sydney examiner can attend. A big thank you to all our ‘stooges’.

The biggest blow came in June; we had to postpone our ball due to the Bondi cluster. We rescheduled to July, but another lockdown followed swiftly and classes and the Ball were cancelled and postponed again. Fingers crossed we will be back dancing later this year.

Diana Hastie

Tauranga SCD Club’s 60th Anniversary New Zealand Tauranga SCD Club in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Region turned 60 in 2020. We were to have held a celebratory Ball in June, but instead became one of thousands of Covid casualties.

Undaunted, the Club tried again this year, and succeeded despite a scare when a visitor from Australia tested positive on his return just the weekend prior.

Eighty dancers arrived and dancing got underway to music by the ‘Wild Heather’ band (Lynne Scott, fiddle, Mary McDonald, fiddle, Sharlene Penman, keyboard, and Anne-Marie Forsyth, viola).

A highlight was the band’s ‘hoe-down’ tunes for Polharrow Burn.

The Club reflects with pride on its achievements and looks forward to many successful years ahead!

Life member Betty Clethero cuts the cake.

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Yoshiki Oyama demonstrates the perfect pas de basque

With the spread of Covid, classes were restricted, so the branch committee considered new online activities corresponding to the new lifestyle. As the initial event, the first online teachers’ meeting took place on 29 April over Zoom. Many of our 66 teachers were new to Zoom, so we held a trial session three weeks beforehand.

At the meeting itself, 35 attendees participated, over half of the certified branch teachers.

We began with reports from various regions of Japan, regarding their activities under the pandemic. It was our great pleasure to see each other’s healthy faces for the first time in a long time, albeit through the screen; a precious opportunity for interaction.

The latter half was a study session regarding pas de basque led

by Branch chairman Yoshiki Oyama; handouts with Japanese translations helped to convey it in an easy-to-understand manner.

After having received lots of ideas for future themes, the next teachers’ meeting will be held this autumn.

Tokai Branch Committee

Vancouver Branch What to do when a pandemic forces lockdown was my dilemma in my second year as President of Vancouver Branch. We had attracted more new dancers in 2019 than in previous years. We were on a roll! Enter the pandemic. Wednesday online classes and DSAH newsletters saved our sanity. Yet something local was required.

Could Zoom be adapted for a show? Having a history in theatre and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, I could put a show together but did not grow up with technology more advanced than an alarm clock. The debut was October 2020, when up to 80 members joined in and shows in November, December, and March followed. Videos showed dancing at the Highland Games and other events, alongside our demonstration team in Stanley Park. Our historian told of the founding of SCD in Canada and unearthed a video of the 256-some Reel performed to the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band in 1988 – the largest SCD event at that time, which made the Guinness Book of World Records. I interviewed a piper, and an English teacher who taught SCD in Japan. Another teacher challenged us with quizzes. The real crowd pleasers were breakout groups at the end of each show where people could catch up on their lives. Membership numbers climbed by February 2021 to nearly 60% of the previous year’s number, but we can’t wait to return to the dance floor!

Heather Hankin, Past President.

Letters to the Editor Any opinions expressed in the letters below are personal to the writers and do not reflect the views of the RSCDS or the Management Board

Dear Editor Keeping in touch in Covid times

Dear Editor A reason to get out of bed on a Saturday

After such a challenging year I would like to acknowledge those who have gone above and beyond to keep our spirits up whilst being unable to dance. For some years I and a few other Glasgow Branch members have driven to Troon most Mondays for the Ayr Branch summer dancing programmes in May, June, July and August. We were asked if we would like to join Ayr Branch as Associate Members, for the princely sum of £1. A couple of us did, and little did we know what benefits this would afford us.

Since the beginning of the Covid pandemic Wilma Brown, the Ayr Branch Secretary, has been sending out emails. For many months they were daily. Now she has the odd day off!

March 2020 was a strange month, watching lockdowns spread across Europe and eventually arrive in England. I had a couple of things on my mind as I closed my door on the real world for hopefully just a few weeks: to keep fit to give myself a fighting chance should I get the virus, and to keep as much normal activity as possible, but virtual. So, I jumped at a chance email from a friend saying this lady Kate Gentles was running ladies’ step classes online. I can’t say I knew much about it, and wasn’t sure it was really me, but went along (virtually) to try.

These have been no ordinary emails. Wilma has given them great thought and imagination. We have been engaged, entertained, educated, diverted, amused, surprised, never disappointed. Days have descriptors, for example, Sparkling Sunday, Fantastic Friday. Each email has had a theme. One for the commemoration of the day in question or simply just something diverting. Included have been a variety of YouTube clips, pics, quizzes, puzzles, links to music, places of interest, or short notes of interest as pertinent to the day’s theme.

Often educational in themselves. To say nothing of some links to dances for the theme of the day. These dances are danced by a wide variety of worldwide groups, the dancers being of very mixed abilities. Some are demonstration groups and some social dancers, some not so great, but all enjoying themselves.

All are interesting and inclusive, making these clips appeal to all of us from whatever level we approach dancing. Always watching perfectly performed dances can be off-putting. It is great to see so many different dancers in so many places in the UK and around the world. It reminds us of how many folks are affected by this situation, and there is always the chance of seeing someone you recognise!

Those of us who sent in a limerick for National Limerick Day last year won a CD each. There is a link to a daily distraction - compiled by someone else. There is the weekly online class, and sometimes a ceilidh, and a special mention if Wilma knew it was your birthday.

If she wants a day or two off now that things are easing, there is always a note to tell us when to look out for the next missive.

Everything has variety to entertain us and nurture our memory of dancing and the fun we have, so that we can keep going until we return. I feel Wilma has gone above and beyond any expectation from the £1 fee in supporting the membership over such a difficult period. She has received a much-deserved RSCDS Branch Award in recognition of her conscientious efforts to keep our spirits up and to keep dancing at the forefront of our minds. There may be others who have done similar things for their own membership. Like all other dancers, I look forward to returning to dancing when we are allowed but I certainly feel that the gap has been filled and I will end up missing this regular diversion over my first coffee of the day. Thank you so much, Wilma.

Margaret Tough, Glasgow

I’m so pleased I did. At the start it was both a physical and mental workout (why does every move start with B?) and the idea of ‘just moving naturally’ completely baffled my legs, so I was glad there was the option for ‘camera off’ on Zoom.

The community behind the classes and the amazing bonus of getting to know people from around the world was something else I didn’t expect.

As it became clear this wasn’t a short-lived event, Atsuko Clement started a step class too, giving me a good reason to get up on a Saturday morning, and a new group of people to get to know. Over time I’ve built up my dictionary of Scottish step terms in my head, my legs now feel less tied up, and I can start to enjoy the dancing, and the lovely tunes that stick with you for the whole week. We’ve even started a local (virtual) class run by Alice Stainer, which is a great confidence booster as it’s aimed at beginners but helps cement some of the moves for me.

In addition to these, I must mention the amazing Wednesday online Scottish country dance classes the RSCDS have put on for us with so many different teachers. (How did they realise it was my normal dancing evening?). Dancing with ghosts is better than not dancing at all, although Scottish step has a great advantage as it is mostly danced solo. While we all want ‘normal’ back, and I’m looking forward to Scottish country dance classes with real people, I’m going to miss the community and comradeship these Scottish step classes have provided. They have been a real lifeline at times, and to all the teachers and people who have helped or just been a face to chat with, I want to say a massive thank you for everything you’ve done and all the time and dedication you’ve put into it. I look forward to meeting some of you face to face one day.

Caroline Lynagh, RSCDS Oxford

Dear Editor Happiness is getting back to dancing with others Throughout the past 18 months I have tried out various ‘Covidcompatible’ activities to keep me fit and active, but I didn’t stick with any one of them for very long. There was always something missing: there was no music, and I missed the social aspect of a team sport. In the end everything simply seemed to be too boring. Who would have thought that I would consider the panic

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felt during an eight-bar-phrase as it comes to its end without me remembering what comes next to be an exciting thrill? Even the online SCD classes did not satisfy all my needs. I really enjoyed watching them, but I must admit I gave up dancing with seven ghosts after a while – it just wasn’t the same! When I heard a fellow dancer say a couple of weeks ago, “I think we’ll all cry out of happiness when we dance our first ‘real’ rights and lefts again” I knew exactly what she meant.

In the meantime, the Covid restrictions in Germany have eased a bit so we are currently allowed to hold sports events with a limited number of participants, and I was lucky enough to attend a workshop where we had three sets and even live music. I have to say I didn’t cry, but even better: I felt like an excited wee child at a Christmas, Easter and birthday party - all at the same time of course! I have often thought that if we could put all that energy and happiness in jars, preserve and sell it, we Scottish dancers could make a true fortune just by doing what we love so much!

I can only encourage everyone who managed to find a replacement activity they enjoyed during lockdown, not to give up on SCD. Make sure to attend a class, workshop or just a relaxed social dance somewhere. I am sure the spark of happiness you’ll get there will re-ignite the love for SCD burning in your hearts again. Although I knew that I missed dancing very badly throughout the past many months, I only realised just how much I had missed it when I did it again.

Angelika Schmidkonz, RSCDS Central Germany

Dear Editor Dances with reduced personal contact We are looking forward to Scottish country dancing once more, but like many others we want to make dancing together again as safe and comfortable as possible. Outdoors will not be a long-term option for many so we will need to provide good ventilation, hand sanitiser and plenty of space – but can we do anything about choosing dances to minimise the risks from close contact?

An option we are trying out locally is to choose dances where you only take hands with your partner, thus reducing the number of hand contacts significantly and making it possible for dancers to remain further apart. Of the 75 or so dances we have found so far, over half (39) are published by the RSCDS, and others are by major devisers including John Drewry, Hugh Foss and Derek Haynes. There are popular dances like The Montgomeries’ Rant, Catch the Wind, Maxwell’s Rant and John Cass, plus less frequently danced ones such as Braw Sir John and Monica’s Way. We have Crossing the Line by John Drewry and Jennifer’s Itchy Fingers by Derek Haynes. The full list can be found at https:// my.strathspey.org/dd/list/29179/.

Dancers should feel free to use the list. If anyone is interested in helping us to expand it, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Please just email me on danceforfun@btinternet.com.

Ian Stewart President, South East Herts Scottish Country Dance Society

Dear Editor In Praise of Online Step Dancing A few appreciative words from Vienna: l The regular online step classes meant an incredible opportunity to get access to step classes with the extra bonus of having access to videos, which means that the knowledge is preserved for the future. I really appreciated the effort put into teaching the classes because we could dive into step dance without having to travel very far. (Bexi W.)

Dancing with Others!

Dear Editor Promoting the Society As a wee boy Saturday night was Scottish dance music on the Scottish Home Service on a battery wireless and then bed! I started dance classes aged seven but gave up classes at thirteen and went on to have a wonderful time dancing as a teenager, especially when I passed my driving test. In my early twenties I wanted to give something back to dancing and became a Life Member of the Society because it said it was “looking after dancing in Scotland by whatever means.” If only!

I feel that, as a charity for looking after dancing in Scotland, we are not doing enough for dancing in Scotland. How effective are our branches and teaching? But we should also be looking further and wider and have a Society where anybody interested in dancing can find a place. To these ends, I think we should have an external, independent Honorary President to further and promote the Society as required, e.g., a Rory Stewart type!

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l Thanks for the phenomenal ladies’ step classes which are always brilliant and dynamic. (Krishne H.) l Since I was a complete newcomer to SCD in winter 2019, I didn’t have the chance to attend many classes in person when lockdown fell upon us. Saturday step classes helped me to get to know and to keep in contact with dancers from around the world as well as improving my mental health when being restricted and kept from meeting others. (Petra B.) l Atsuko’s weekly class has brought much joy during a time deprived of in-person dance events. She admirably manages to give participants the same meticulous structure, encouragement, and attention to detail as she would if everyone were together in the same room. Dancers needn’t turn their camera on which is re-assuring to less experienced dancers who might not be confident doing ‘double trebles’ and we get both a workout and a challenge for the little grey cells, as well as a sense of community. (Ilana S.)

In the meantime, we look forward to dancing again and wish to thank all those members that made such an effort to keep us informed and together online during this difficult time.

We are grateful for this opportunity to dance online and thank all the teachers and the RSCDS for making this happen. It is reassuring to know that friends in another part of the world are fine, and the music has helped to maintain positive energy during these extraordinary times.

John Carswell, Linlithgow

Ann Murray, RSCDS Vienna Branch

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Reviews Does your branch or club have a new book which you would like reviewed? If you teach a class and are interested in reviewing books from a teaching point of view, please be in touch mag.editor@rscds.org

After the Rain: A Collection of Scottish Country Dances.

Published by RSCDS Belfast Branch.

Belfast Branch have a very good pedigree when it comes to books of dances, having published three books previously, so I was delighted to be asked to review their latest book After the Rain produced during the Covid pandemic. The book was funded by the Arts Council for Northern Island and the Ulster-Scots Agency, through the Ulster-Scots Community Network. The Branch was approached in the midst of the pandemic by the USCN who suggested that if they wanted to consider any project which would help them connect with their membership, and help to keep Scottish country dancing alive, then they would consider sponsoring such a venture. One of the branch members, Patricia Sides from the Castlereagh class, had already devised a dance for lockdown which could be danced either individually at home or in a set. This dance sowed the seeds for a proposal and the result was this book which is a free publication. Hard copies can be obtained with package and postage costs only, pdf copies by email from secretary@ rscdsbelfast.org.

The Well Tuned Piano, Piano Music for Scottish Country Dancing with Don Bartlett Back in the days of vinyl, I acquired an LP by a Canadian band, Don Bartlett and the Scotians Play Favourites. It was a thoroughly good listen and became one of my most used LPs. In 2019, when I was a depute director at Summer School in St Andrews, I was delighted to discover that Don was on the staff, and I had the great pleasure of working with him on the Younger Hall demonstration in Week 4. He chose excellent music, including some of his own compositions, for our set of dances, of which only one had an original tune. He was a real member of the team and his interaction with them was much appreciated by its members.

Don has been using his time wisely over lockdown, and had produced a solo CD, a real toe-tapper. Several of the tunes he used for the above-mentioned demonstration reappear, and it is a genuine pleasure to hear them again.

I particularly like the title After the Rain which I think really captures the spirit of this book of dances. There are 10 new dances all written by members of the branch with some being written during lockdown with suitable titles. All the dances are accompanied with music, with most of the tunes being original and some written specifically for the named dance. The first dance in the book, The Lock-in Dance a 4 x 32 bar jig, which inspired the idea for the book, was specifically written for dancing in lockdown and was devised with a teddy bear as a partner. How many people can remember dancing with a cuddly toy for a partner during lockdown? I certainly can, mine was a koala! This is a great little dance with a super tune written specifically for it

by Nicky McMichan.

Don’s tempo is excellent throughout, and his playing has great lift and drive as his fingers dance over the keys. It really makes you want to be up dancing. All the arrangements on the CD are his own, some of which he has been playing since he started accompanying country dancing in the 1960s and some more recent. He includes no fewer than 19 of his own compositions, but also a range of traditional and familiar melodies, many by weel-kent names like Niel and Nathaniel Gow, James Scott Skinner and others - some sets are all his own tunes, some all traditional, and some a mixture. A particular favourite from among his own compositions is St Anne’s Cathedral, on track 12, which Don also chose as an alternative for the strathspey in the 2019 demonstration.

The more times I read through this book, the more impressed I am at the variety and diversity of the dances. This is a book for all levels of dancer, none of them is particularly difficult although they are not all suitable for less experienced dancers. The music is also very good and the tunes seem well suited to the dances.

I thoroughly enjoyed playing all of them. One observation on the tunes: it is interesting to note that all the strathspeys are pastorals, maybe this is a modern trend? I cannot single out any one dance or tune as a highlight as they all look wonderful, and I will be trying out every single one of the dances as soon as I can.

The CD is also available as a download, but this does not include the booklet, which, in addition to interesting snippets of information about each dance, contains the instructions for four dances not published elsewhere. Copies of the CD are available from TACsound here: https://sound.tac-rscds.org/.

Don is happy to make sheet music for any of his compositions available to musicians, only asking that, if the tune is recorded, he should be credited as the composer, and that he should be sent a copy of the recording. Contact Don at don.bartlett@ veritrack.ca.

David Queen, Ribble Valley Branch

Anne Robertson, Oban and Lorn/Glasgow branch

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Bill Ewan’s Lockdown Sessions: A selection of live music recorded during 2020 As an American relatively new to Scottish music I was hesitant to write about Bill’s CD. Then I was pleasantly surprised by his inclusion of many American tunes of the jazz and big band eras.

These are tunes Bill played on Facebook during lockdown and many may be familiar to you. With production support and encouragement from Ewan Galloway, the idea for a CD that could be used to support the British Heart Foundation was realized. As of this writing Bill has raised £1500 for the 60th birthday of this charity. And yet Bill did not think he would be producing a CD at age 80!

Bill has included tunes from such jazz greats from the 1920s such as Duke Ellington, the originator of big band jazz; Ella Fitzgerald, the queen of jazz, and Stephen Foster of the 1850s, known as the father of American music. There is a taste of ragtime music by Hal Biddy and Kerry Mills. The big band leader and master of swing, Glen Miller’s tune, Moonlight Serenade, is featured. Nashville sound is represented by Jim Reeves. The backbone of jazz is improvisation and true to this style, Bill added his interpretation to the tunes he chose to feature.

As well as American composers, Scottish tunesmiths are very well represented here. Bill himself is a composer – several of his own tunes are here, including Milton Brae for the strathspey Dunfermline to Sarasota, which Bill’s cousin, Margo Priestley, devised for the Dunfermline Branch 90th Anniversary Book. And we have Joe (Mr Piano) Henderson, born in Glasgow, who will be remembered by older readers (myself included), and Felix Burns, born in Perth in 1864, as well as all our regular SCD composers for the set dance tracks.

All in all, a lovely CD which everyone will enjoy listening to!

Donna Weidenfeller Harry Andrews

How times have changed, and for the better! At an RSCDS AGM Forum many years ago, I remember a member having the temerity to mention the words “ceilidh dancing”. This was not well received. The same applied to Reeling: “Why should we help them dance our dances incorrectly?” was the general attitude. So, I was pleased to be asked to review this little eBook

by David Yarwood, who has attended RSCDS classes as well as SCD Groups and London Reels, and is knowledgeable about the different styles of Scottish dancing.

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This is followed by a set of Keith Rose Diagrams, especially done for this Reelers’ version. Then there are Tips, explaining each of the Letter parts, and finally Advanced Tips, such as dancing Doubles in the Duke of Perth, or the Aberdonian for The Reel of the 51st Division and the Inverness Country Dance. After the dances, there is an appendix: Tradition (a little history about SCD and these dances): Figures (explaining the Formations); Glossary; Diagram Symbols (an explanation of Keith Rose’s symbols); and suggested videos to watch.

This eBook is very well laid out, so that it is just as useful for beginners as it is a crib/reminder for dancers going to a ball/ wedding etc. It can be downloaded to a tiny iPod or mobile phone, which can easily be slipped into a sporran or evening bag; the phone probably is anyway! How would it benefit RSCDS members? By dancing the Reelers’ way at a Highland Ball or wedding you will be able to dance until dawn without feeling fatigued. More importantly, if people arrive at your class/group expecting to learn the above dances in an hour or so, rather than explain in a friendly way why it is not possible, you could suggest that they buy this eBook. By inviting them to leave their email address you could keep in touch and encourage them to join your class/group after their Ball/wedding.

WHITE ROSE FESTIVAL

Peter Knight, London Branch

... of Scottish Country Dancing

The 66th annual

WHITE ROSE FESTIVAL

... of Scottish Country Dancing

Saturday 9th July 2022, 1.30pm, Gateways School, Harewood, Leeds LS17 9LE

Scottish Reeling: How to Dance And Enjoy The Eleven Popular Scottish Reels, (eBook Edition

By David Yarwood, £1.99.

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The eleven dances are: The Dashing White Sergeant; Duke of Perth; The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh; The Eightsome Reel; The Foursome Reel; Hamilton House; Inverness Country Dance; The Machine Without Horses; Mairi’s Wedding; and The Reel of the 51st Division. Each dance starts with a straightforward instruction, the difference is that each part is designated by a letter, not the usual “Bars 1-8”, although the bars are explained later.

WHITE ROSE FESTIVAL

Massed General Dancing Demonstration Groups Highland & Ladies’ Step Dancing Children’s Groups Evening Dance Music throughout by Susan MacFadyen & her Scottish Dance Band We welcome full teams of 8-10, but can make arrangements for smaller groups or individuals

Full details from the website whiterosefestival.uk

Sadly Missed We would appreciate it if obituaries for inclusion in the next issue were sent from branch or club secretaries.

Sheila Barnes, Somerset

spent her final days in a care home.

Somerset Branch President, Sheila Barnes, died peacefully in August. Sheila and her husband Harold started the Somerset Branch more than 30 years ago and were joint recipients of the RSCDS Scroll. Their contribution to Scottish dancing in Somerset and previously in Bedford was wonderful. Sheila had not been teaching or dancing for some years but was always very interested in everything the Branch was doing. We will always be grateful for Sheila’s dedication, teaching, friendship and support.

Christine Traynor, Glasgow Branch

Elizabeth Beckinsale, Somerset Branch

Ethel Carlyle, Ayr Ethel first joined Ayr Branch Committee in the late 1960s. She held many roles: teaching children’s classes for many years: as Subscription Secretary, Branch Secretary and dancing in demonstration teams, later organising these teams for local events and trips abroad. Ethel became Honorary President of Ayr Branch in 2007. Throughout her dancing life, she supported local dances, day schools, weekend schools, Summer School, holidays and trips abroad. Ethel was always a wonderful ambassador for the Branch and promoted its best interests throughout her long association with it.

Wilma Brown, Ayr Branch Secretary

Alexander Leslie Cumming, Canberra Les lived his life to the full, never shying away from a challenge, and with an insatiable sense of adventure. As a young man he lived in Hopeman, Scotland, near Madelina MacPherson whom he married in Frankston, Victoria, in 1962. They later moved to Canberra where their three children were born. Dancing was in his blood; his graceful movements and light-as-air step were evident in his every move. Les was one of ‘Miss Milligan’s Boys’ and toured with the International Team to South Africa and across Europe, promoting Scottish country dancing and winning worldwide acclaim. In 1996, he was presented with the Society Scroll. Shortly after being appointed an RSCDS Examiner, Les helped set up training sessions for would-be tutors, giving encouragement and correction in a gentle manner whenever necessary. Les’ generosity and his warmth and joy colour all our memories.

Madelina, Scott and Doreen Cumming, Canberra and Keith and Morag Napier, Sydney, Australia.

Pam Gillies, Glasgow Pam and I met at a dance class as children and remained friends.

She was always a busy person, working in the NHS, dancing, leading Girl Guides, baking and decorating celebration cakes, and looking after her husband Angus, two large dogs, and a garden. Pam taught a Branch class, danced in the demonstration team and was a member of the committee. She became Social Convener, Vice-Chairman then Chairman 1995-98. In 1998 Glasgow hosted the 75th Anniversary of the RSCDS. Pam was deeply involved in all the arrangements yet still found time to devise The Glasgow Anniversary Jig for the Branch Book that year. She was a weel-kent and friendly face at Branch functions and at Summer School and also served on the Membership Services Committee. Sadly Pam developed Alzheimer’s and

Bill Hamilton, Edinburgh Bill was involved in Scottish country dancing most of his adult life and was well known in Edinburgh and the surrounding area.

He was a member of several clubs including the Atholl and Trinity, serving on the committees in various roles. He formed the Thistle SCD Club in 1961 and he, along with his wife Helen, whom he met there, and members of the club, ran the New Year Dance from 1976, raising over £34,000 for charity. Along with a few other dancers he was a member of a committee which lobbied and saved SCD in Princes Street Gardens after Edinburgh Council decided no longer to hold the event. Bill devised many dances, but he will be best remembered for the jig Ian Powrie’s Farewell to Auchterarder to the music composed by his long-time friend John McGregor. Bill did not enjoy the best of health during the last few years of his life but that did not stop him keeping up to date with his two main hobbies - SCD and speedway.

Margaret Harris, West Lothian Branch Chairman

Jean (MacLellan) Hamilton, Toronto In 1966 Jean and Gordon Hamilton emigrated to Toronto and began a lifelong association with SCD. Jean danced with Bob Blackie’s Lothian Dancers, participating over many years in the Toronto Festival of Culture. She danced throughout Canada and the U.S.A. and frequently attended St Andrews Summer School. Jean, a kindergarten teacher by profession, received her Full Certificate at TAC in 1980. She taught the Erin Mills Class from 1980 until 2020, Toronto Branch technique classes at several levels and a demonstration team for over 20 years, as well as workshops in Ontario and beyond. She was particularly encouraging to beginners, emphasizing that this was social dancing, and everyone should go home feeling they had had fun! Jean served on the Toronto Teachers Panel and on Branch sub-committees. She was a founder member of the West End Workshop committee and involved in the West Toronto Ball. She was instrumental in organising local New Year’s Eve Balls as well as participating in mass dance events at the Toronto Skydome and the Canadian National Exhibition. In 2008 Jean and Gordon were awarded the Branch Award and in 2011 Jean received the Society Scroll of Honour.

Deirdre MacCuish Bark, Toronto Association

Brian G Harry, Edinburgh Brian was introduced to Scottish country dancing at primary school in Ayrshire. On returning to the UK from Cyprus to join the wines and spirits trade, he joined dance groups in Buckinghamshire and London. He attended Summer School for many years, taking his teaching certificate there in 1974 and becoming one of the youngest RSCDS teachers at that time, travelling around the world. Brian moved back to Scotland in the late 80s and danced for many years in the Edinburgh Branch demonstration team where he met his wife, Elizabeth. He taught many levels including demonstration teams and examination classes, but his favourite was the beginners’ class. Brian served for many years on the Executive Council and General Purposes

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Committee, was a past Chairman of Edinburgh Branch and looked after their archives and demonstration team until his sudden passing in March 2021. He is remembered as a kind and compassionate teacher and a true gentleman on the dance floor.

Christine Lawson, Edinburgh Branch

Jaap Hellinghuizer, Netherlands Jacob Pieter Hellinghuizer (Jaap) began Scottish country dancing in the 1960s in Den Haag. He was in a group of excellent young dancers who took their teaching certificates at St Andrews Summer School. A strong, stylish dancer who particularly liked strathspeys, he was also a very good Highland dancer.

Moving to Geldermalsen, Jaap began a new dance group, The Swilcan. Jaap also taught day schools and weekends for the Netherlands Folkdance Society, Thistle Club Eindhoven and the Nunspeet Dance Weekend. With his individualistic teaching style, strong voice and good demonstration skills he achieved much. He loved Scottish music, especially dance music, and would always show his appreciation. Jaap was kind and helpful and very sociable, and could hold discussions in several languages with people from different backgrounds. An electrical engineer by profession, he worked for the Dutch national railways until retiring with deteriorating health. He never lost his love of and interest in SCD. Margaret Lambourne and Bas Broekhuizen, Utrecht

Janette McSporran, Dunfermline With both parents closely tied to Miss Milligan and the early days of the RSCDS, and having danced since childhood, Janette was one of the few members of the Society who could remember dancing in the pre-war period. Her knowledge of the Society and its personalities through the years was extensive, and she discussed many of her experiences, including playing at Summer School and dancing in the International Team, in an RSCDS Magazine interview in October 2019. Janette’s encyclopaedic memory for dances and tunes, her unending knowledge of Dunfermline Branch history and, most of all, her warmth and welcome to anyone who graced our dance floor, will be much missed. At her family’s request, donations in memory of Janette were directed to the Jean Milligan Memorial Fund, raising £400 to support ongoing education within the Society.

Amy Drysdale, Secretary, Dunfermline Branch

Gunnar Numeus, Gothenburg Gunnar Numeus was one of Gothenburg Branch’s teachers and a long-term, very active Branch member. He raised the standard of dancing through his precise teaching, trained demonstration groups, and led weekend courses. He devised several dances for Branch members celebrating significant birthdays and for special events held by the Branch. Gunnar strongly advocated uniting the Scandinavian dance groups. He regularly led weekend dance courses in Gothenburg, Stockholm and Copenhagen, which were often also attended by dancers from elsewhere. I remember one course where he taught only fugues. The whole class was ecstatic when the set danced Fugal Fergus without any mishaps! The last dance course Gunnar led was in September 2017. The final dance was The Melbourne Races and all participants, wearing hats of their choice, galloped around the set. What joy he brought to the group.

Nigel Nicholson, Gothenburg Branch

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Marjorie Amelia Oliver, Bundaberg Marjorie started dancing in her twenties when Miss Milligan visited Darlington with the aim of encouraging people to enjoy Scottish country dancing. She danced at Darlington Thistle Club with Mrs Fenby, then at Stockton-on-Tees with Laurie and Bessie Kemp, became a life member of the RSCDS. She and her husband Carl passed their love of dancing on to their daughter Janet. After Carl retired, they emigrated to Australia to be with their daughter. They attended classes at Maryborough, travelling 90 minutes each way. In 2002 she became a founding member of Bundy Scottish Country Dancers. She was still dancing at 91, but as her health declined, she would enjoy the social night out, helping out behind the scenes watching the dancing and listening to the music.

Janet Oliver, Bundy Scottish Country Dancers, Queensland

Colin Robertson Colin began dancing aged seven, at the Reading St. Andrews Society. He was a talented country dancer and competed in Highland dancing. In addition, he was a drummer in the Reading St. Andrews Pipe Band and sometimes provided music for his classes on his tin whistle. Colin taught me Scottish country dancing in the early 1960s when I joined The Reivers – people who were not necessarily already good dancers, but Colin encouraged them to dance to the best of their ability and perform some complex choreography. At that time, he also ran the Reading University SCD class. In the early 1970s, Colin and Lewis Innes started the Scottish National Dance Company. This gave Colin a troupe of good dancers who enjoyed performing his imaginative choreography, both country and Highland. For a few years he also guided The Strathreelers, who danced in competitions in the south-east of England, and at the Edinburgh Festival. Colin married an American fiddler, Terie, and in due course they moved to Oregon where Colin continued to teach and maintained his interest in dancing. Some of his research can be found, for now, on his website: www.colinrobertson.net.

Joan Desborough, London Branch

June Scott, Kingussie June gained her P.E. Teaching Qualification at I. M. Marsh College of Physical Education in Liverpool in 1950, and the RSCDS Teaching Certificate in 1953. She taught all ages of pupils and presented teams in Festivals. She auditioned and was selected for the International Demonstration Team in 1955.

Whilst in East Lothian she successfully presented candidates for the Teachers Certificate and was appointed an adjudicator for the Society. On moving to Kingussie she joined Inverness and District Branch. For 19 years she taught and inspired the Nethy Bridge Class and in recognition of her enthusiasm and commitment to the class John Drewry composed the dance Nethy Bridge. She was equally supportive of the Badenoch & Strathspey Music Festival, serving as a committee member for many years. In 2008 June was awarded the Society Scroll in recognition of her 50 remarkable years of teaching Scottish country dancing.

Irene Whyte, Inverness and District Branch

Dancers’ Diary The Day School Diary is compiled by Ian Brockbank. Please send details to ian@scottishdance.net. Issue 34 will cover events from April to December 2022.

October 2021

July 2022

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3–10 Blue Ridge Scottish Dance School, Boone, NC, USA

York & N Humberside Workshop, York, UK Exeter Afternoon School & Evening Dance, UK Sheffield Day School, UK London Day School and Musicians’ Workshop, UK

November 2021 5-7 RSCDS Autumn Gathering, Perth, Scotland 12-14 Croydon and District Weekend School, Cumberland Hotel, Eastbourne, UK 13 Bristol Day School, St. Peter’s Hall, Henleaze, Bristol, UK 20 Norwich Day School, Trinity United Reformed Church Hall, Norwich

December 2021 3-5 VIII December SCD Weekend in Portugal, Curia, Portugal 28-5 Jan 2022 New Zealand Summer School, Christchurch, NZ

February 2022 4–6

York & N Humberside Weekend School, Harrogate, UK

5

Carlisle and Border Day School and Dance, Longtown CC, Carlisle, UK

20-25 RSCDS Winter School, Pitlochry, Scotland 18-20 Hawaii Aloha Winter Weekend, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA 18-20 Isle of Wight Weekend School, Shanklin Hotel, Isle of Wight, UK 19

Leeds Musicians’ Workshop, UK

19

Oxfordshire Day School, UK

March 2022 11-12 Oban and Lorn Branch 60th Weekend School, Oban, Scotland 12

Dundee Half-Day School and Dance, Dundee, UK

11-13 XXVII Iberian Scottish Country Dance Weekend, Évora, Portugal 12

Derbyshire Northeast day school/workshop, Coal Aston, Derbyshire, UK

18–19 Atlanta Branch Spring Workshop, Cartersville, GA, USA 19-20 Pittsburgh Highland Ball and Workshop, Washington, Pennsylvania, USA 19-21 Tokai Branch 25th Anniversary weekend, Hamamatsu, Japan

April 2022 23

Cheltenham Day School, UK

May 2022 6-8

First BENELUX dance weekend, Retie, Belgium

20-22 Duns May Weekend, Scotland

9

Leeds Branch White Rose Festival, UK

22-24 TAC Teachers Conference Weekend, Calgary, USA 24 -31 TAC Summer School, Calgary, USA 17- 31 TAC Teacher Candidates Courses for Units 2, 3 and 5, Calgary, UK For other events please check l

Worldwide: http://www.scottishdance.net/events/

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Scotland and Cumbria: https://scotdancediary.co.uk/

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Europe: http://www.celtic-circle.de/events.html

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Canada and USA: https://intercityscot.org/eventList.php

The diary of events throughout Scotland (and over the border in Cumbria) has a new web address: https://scotdancediary.co.uk/. All local groups can send information for inclusion to scotdancediary@gmail.com.

If your group has a website, please link to the web address above or change it from the previous one. Dancers particularly appreciate a link to a website with a programme and dance cribs. If your group does not have a website, there are instructions on how to get your programme online. The diary helps groups to plan events so that clashes can be minimized, and some dancers use it to plan their holidays in Scotland!

Leeds Branch Annual

Musicians’ Workshop Saturday 19th February 2022 at St Chad’s Parish Centre, Otley Rd, Leeds LS16 5JT

Workshop: 9.30 - 4.30 Tutor: Sandy Nixon (all instruments welcome; lunch included) followed by RSCDS Leeds Branch evening social dance at 7 pm, when the Workshop participants will provide the music.

Application form and enquiries from the organiser Heather Foote at heather@feete.org For further details see the website rscdsleeds.org.uk

20-22 Pawling Weekend, Berkshire Hills, Copake, NY, USA

June 2022 10-12 Midwest Scottish Weekend Workshop, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, UK

www.rscds.org

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GIFTS FOR THE SPECIAL MOMENTS IN