News in Pictures

In April Hamilton and Clydesdale Branch celebrated its 75th anniversary with a civic reception and then a ball to the music of Gordon Shand and his Band in the Banqueting Hall of South Lanarkshire Council Offices. Provost Russell Clearie presented a rose bowl to the Branch to commemorate the event, which was acccepted by Branch Chairman, Alison Roberts. The photograph shows (left to right) RSCDS Chairman Alex Gray, Kate Gray, Branch Secretary Catherine Valentine, Russell Clearie, Alison Roberts, Jean Macdonald and Branch Treasurer Ian Macdonald.

A small group of The Strath Hunter Junior Dancers in Australia have just completed Level 1 and Level 2 of their Achievement Certificates. Here they are proudly showing their certificates beside the Loch Ness Monster. Nessie looked on while they danced her dance for their Preliminary Level. Other junior groups can find the dance in the Second Graded Book which is now available from Coates Crescent or the website.

Alastair MacFadyen (RSCDS President, with the white hose) and Alan Macpherson (on the right, who devised The President's Quadrille, Book 46 ) with the Summer School week 4 demonstration dancers just after the team had performed the dance in the Younger Hall at St. Andrews. Two of the dancers who gathered from all parts of the globe at the RSCDS Summer School in St. Andrews with the intention of dancing, enjoying the music and making new friends. All this was made possible by an excellent array of teachers and musicians. The evening social dance programmes were challenging but fun and the music course was one of the best so far.

Here's what you had to say about Summer School:

“Thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience” Charles Robertson, Dorset “Best week ever, already making arrangements to return next year” Jack Pressley, North America “Everything A+” Frank Hopper, Newport “Thank you to the organisation, teachers and musicians for a very enjoyable week” Michelle Ots, France “Many thanks for all the camaraderie” Mary McConnell, North Carolina “This course has been wonderful” Matthew Clements, Bath

Why not join us next year and experience all that Summer School has to offer?

STOP PRESS

Summer School 2011 is looking to introduce a youth class for 12-15 year olds. If this is of interest to you, or someone you know, please register now with HQ for more details. Also new in 2011 a taster day for RSCDS members and non-members

Over the Easter holiday approximately ninety dancers from the UK and further afield (including Hawaii) gathered in Ross-on-Wye, England for a weekend of classes taught by Mary Murray from Vancouver. Muriel Johnstone and Keith Smith provided the music and played for a dance and a ball. Vicky Knight (Tunbridge Wells Branch) was full of praise for the whole event and thought Mary, in commmanding form in the photograph above, was great. "You could not always see her as she moved about the hall but you could hear every word."

Newcastle upon Tyne and District Branch is celebrating its 60th anniversary throughout 2010. The highlight has been a ball held in June, where 150 dancers enjoyed super music from

In June Banffshire Branch was aiming to establish a world record for the number of people dancing Strip the Willowsimultaneously. The venue was the harbour at Portsoy, Aberdeenshire. Only a few teams registered in advance, because for many potential participants it was the wrong time (when is it ever the right time?) Nevertheless the organizers decided to go ahead with a pilot project for a future attempt on the record. Branch members drummed up some last minute support, teams fell into place and when Cabrach started to play the music everything just flowed. There was clapping, stamping of feet, laughing, heuching and many happy faces. All agreed that this should become an annual event and one day the world record will be achieved. Meanwhile all proceeds went to the Colin Dewar's Band. The photograph shows Ellen Gregory (on the left) a founder member of the Branch, and June Walker, who has been dancing since 1950, cutting the

Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Photograph by Bill Bain anniversary cake. Other events to mark the Diamond Jubilee have been a reunion for members who no longer get to dances and a coffee morning hosted by the Lord Mayor. The Branch has also published a book of dances and an accompanying CD, plus two new Ladies' Step dances with a CD.

London Branch holds two Family Days a year at St. Columba's Church Hall, Pont Street, Chelsea. In March The Mayor and Mayoress of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, Councillor and Mrs Timothy Coleridge, attended to help celebrate the Branch's 80th anniversary. The children enjoyed a dance class in the morning, a pizza lunch and dancing with their families in the afternoon. The Mayor and Mayoress joined in Cumberland Reel(inset).