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

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! 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

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

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. 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

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

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! 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. John Carswell, Linlithgow

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.) 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.) 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. Ann Murray, RSCDS Vienna Branch