RSCDS Edinburgh Dancing Forth Winter 2024

Issue 16

January 2024—July 2024

Dance Scottish for fun, fitness & friendship

Celebrating 100 years of RSCDS Edinburgh Branch “Dancing Forth” is the regular magazine of RSCDS Edinburgh. The copy date for the next edition is 1st June 2024 contributions should be sent to: dancingforth@rscdsedinburgh.org

fun, fitness and friendship

Dancing in the beautifully festive Greyfriars Charteris Centre at our Christmas Dance.

Our Christmas dance was a great evening, with fizz and festive fun (see page 4).

Cover photo shows Diane Chatterjee and David Watson (Chairman) enjoying our Christmas Party.

All images are ©RSCDS Edinburgh 2024 unless otherwise stated.

From the Trustees This is the start of a historic year for Edinburgh Branch, as we celebrate our century of dancing. Condensing 100 years into a few words is a difficult challenge, but let’s look back at our early days.

The Branch was originally set up by dancers who were leaders in the traditional culture scene in Edinburgh – Miss Allie Anderson, Lady Dalmahoy and Mrs Florence Lesslie were among our early founders and members. Many of our early teachers also went abroad to help spread the vision of the RSCDS founders to take Scottish country dancing around the world to wherever there were Scots who had migrated, helping to set up new Branches.

HM Queen Elizabeth, then Princess Elizabeth, became patron of the then SCDS in 1947, and was a consistent presence throughout most of this period, arranging for Royal status to be conferred in 1951. She was honoured many times by our Branch in Edinburgh, dancing for her at Holyrood House in the dance of the same name, as well as The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, a dance composed to celebrate her marriage to HRH Prince Philip, then Duke of Edinburgh.

Some of our records from this time are sketchy; however membership of the RSCDS and Edinburgh Branch was 5/- in 1924 and it stayed at this amount until 1967 making £35 today quite expensive! On this note, a small increase in the subscription was approved at the RSCDS HQ AGM in November. We are hoping to work with other Branches to review the subscription fee, and we would love to hear from you if you have any views on this.

It has been great to see dancers taking up our Centenary offer on this year’s classes. We have reduced the price of all classes this term and hope to see many more dancers coming back to the dance floor. Our teachers and musicians all work hard to make sure you improve your dancing in a friendly and relaxed way. If you haven’t been to a class for a while, come along and give it a try. You will be amazed at how much fun you have.

Throughout our Centenary we hope to unite dancers of all ages and abilities from across the Lothians and wider afield to dance more often, and together. We are sure that you will want to be a part of the many activities and events we are arranging for the celebrations.

Happy Dancing!

3 Membership Thank you to everyone who has renewed their membership in our Centenary year, your support is very much appreciated and we hope to see you joining us at one of our upcoming events.

The Trustees of Edinburgh Branch are concerned that RSCDS HQ increased their element of the membership fee by £2. Whilst £2 seems very little in the grand scheme of things, it is a lot of money to add on top of your class fees, dance tickets etc. Also, your £35 fee is split with £26 to HQ and only £9 to Edinburgh Branch.

We know that committed members of the RSCDS can see the many benefits of membership. However to new dancers looking to join our classes for the first time, it can appear to be a barrier to joining in the fun on the dance floor.

Since we returned to dancing post Covid, we have consciously set a lower price for our Beginners classes, and as part of our Centenary offer for our classes (see page 7) this has been opened to all classes. This has seen large numbers of new dancers coming to our Beginners classes, and our challenge now is to keep them dancing.

We would welcome your thoughts about membership of the RSCDS and how this can move into a new Century and also any ideas for retaining dancers within our classes and making Scottish country dancing a life-long hobby.

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Please inform us if you have moved or if any of your contact details have changed

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RSCDS Edinburgh does not accept any liability for goods and services advertised within our pages

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Please contact us if you are a Life member and would like a membership card to ensure your Dancewear discount

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Members can access additional pages on our website: log in details are on the reverse of your current membership card

The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (Edinburgh Branch) is a charity promoting the fun, fitness and friendship of Scottish country dancing since 1924.

Website: YouTube: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: Email:

www.rscdsedinburgh.org www.youtube.com/RSCDSEdinburgh www.facebook.com/RSCDSEdinburgh @dancingforth RSCDS Edinburgh info@rscdsedinburgh.org Join in the conversation

Find us on Facebook; Follow us on Twitter; Like us on Instagram; Watch us on YouTube.

Events Christmas Dance Great dancing and fabulous music were a winning combination at our Christmas dance.

We danced through the RSCDS Decades as our Centenary events for the RSCDS drew to a close ahead of us moving into our own Centenary in 2024.

Wonderful music from Matthew Maclennan and his Scottish Dance Band kept us on the floor all night long. Theresa MacVarish Clark and Elizabeth Harry were our excellent MCs with lots of patience and clear instructions.

Christmas mince pies and festive fizz at the interval gave everyone energy to keep dancing - from one centenary to the next!

Thanks to everyone who joined us and made it such a wonderful evening.

Christmas Fun at our Party We celebrated the end of 2023, and of the RSCDS Centenary year, with a Christmas party!

It brought together dancers from all our classes from Beginners to Advanced, along with visitors from other dancing groups, and countries from Spain to Lithuania.

There was a mix of country and ceilidh dances, chosen to suit all levels of experience, and it was lovely to share the friendliness and enthusiasm that was generated. The flamboyant energy of some of the newest dancers met the expert skill of members of the Demonstration team teaching the opening movements of the Duke of Atholl’s Reel. The resulting cheerful dynamism displayed in the Dashing White Sergeant has now been watched online nearly 87,000 times – a tribute to all our dancers!

A break for punch and mince pies re-invigorated us for a lively second half, as Matthew Maclennan’s music brought us back to the dance floor. The mixing of classes and dancers, and the Christmas spirit, promises well for new dancing friends in 2024.

Sarah Carpenter

RSCDS Summer School – The Class Musicians’ Course I was one of those fortunate children, raised in Scotland, who learned a little Scottish Country Dancing whilst at primary school and I’ve held fond memories of SCD ever since.

As an adult, I continued to attend ceilidh classes whenever possible, only discovering the RSCDS in recent years. Since 2022, weekly classes have allowed me to learn the steps and formations more precisely. I love the gentle formality and cordiality of Scottish Country Dancing. From beginner through to advanced level, live music was central to every class I attended and provided by fiddle, piano or accordion.

4 As a harpist by trade, a stubborn shoulder injury put any harp playing on hold, but I was managing to potter around a little on the piano and started to consider the possibility of attending the RSCDS class musicians’ course with a view to playing for the occasional SCD class.

The week long course proved invaluable. As a classically trained musician, I knew I was stepping into a very different musical tradition, but quickly discovered that some of the class musicians were also classically trained and had adapted their skills. I knew I was in empathetic company, and any reservations soon disappeared. The course essentially allows you to shadow and observe a number of experienced class musicians at work. Each day I attended classes of a different level of dancing and was warmly welcomed and encouraged by all of the musicians who readily shared their expertise, experience and resources. Afternoon classes provided a chance to look more closely at repertoire, for both step practice and the building of sets in required styles. The social dancing and evening activities provided further highlights of a very enjoyable week.

If you are a keen or capable musician considering the class musicians’ course, I would highly recommend it as a place to begin your journey in playing for Scottish Country Dancing. It was helpful that I have danced for some time, but it is not essential. Many of the class musicians do not dance at all, and there is no test or exam at the end of the week, so you can focus on learning as musicians do, through immersion and from each other, regardless of tradition. If you prefer to relax away from the dance floor, there is always that famous golf course and the historic town of St Andrew’s to explore or a walk along the beach with new found friends.

My attendance at this year’s Summer School was made possible thanks to the Kitty McLaughlin Award. Kitty McLaughlin was herself a music educator and pianist, and her legacy offers scholarships for musicians to attend summer school, providing the opportunity to explore the musical requirements for Scottish Country Dancing.

My sincere thanks go to all the musicians and teachers for their encouragement, special thanks to the Musical Director for his input and for overseeing the course delivery. The week went by all too quickly!

Lynn Collins McDermott BSc. (Glasgow) P.G.Dip.Mus CTABRSM Dancing Achievement Award (DAA)

If you have been wondering how well you dance and would like to take a short course (just five hours) to help sharpen your performance and identify those little places where you still aren’t quite perfect, then the DAA is for you.

If this is something that interests you, then please let us know and we will put plans in place for later this year.

Email info@rscdsedinburgh.org or speak to one of our teachers at your class

What’s on

5

Sunday Socials with Dunedin Dancers— Sundays 4 February and 3 March Craigmillar Park Church Hall, Craigmillar Park, Edinburgh, EH16 5LZ Dancing to Iain MacPhail and Matthew Maclennan Join us for a fun afternoon with our friends at Dunedin Dancers. All ages are welcome at these events, so long as you have a reasonable knowledge of basic formations.

Centenary Ceilidh with supper— Saturday 24 February Lauriston Hall, Lauriston Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9DJ Get your dancing shoes on - we're teaming up with the Edinburgh Gilbert and Sullivan Society to deliver the ultimate night out celebrating our joint Centenaries.

Whether you love the thrill of the dancefloor or would like a night out listening to some great music from the Clappy Doo Ceilidh Band, we guarantee you an excellent evening of music, dancing and fun. Tickets (£35) include supper and a welcome glass of fizz. BYOB. Nice’n’Easy Dance—Saturday 20 April Greyfriars Charteris Centre, 138/140 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9RR Dancing to Aidan Frost and his Scottish Dance Band, there will be lots of fun for all at our Nice’n’Easy dance. We have a programme of popular dances, ideal for newer dancers as well as those enjoying old favourites. All are welcome!

Centenary Dance —Friday 3 May Lauriston Hall, Lauriston Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9DJ The Atholl SCDC, Dunedin Dancers, EUNSCDS, Morningside SCDC and Trinity SCDC are joining us for a Combined Societies dance to mark our Centenary, dancing to Ewan Galloway and his Scottish dance band.

Tickets for our Ball the following evening are sold out, however we are happy to add dancers to our waiting list.

Centenary Afternoon Tea—Saturday 1 June Walpole Hall and North Lawn, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, EH12 5AW Everyone is welcome to join us for an afternoon of memories, music and dancing. More information to follow in the next few weeks.

Outdoor Summer dancing Saturdays 15 and 29 June, and 13 July North Lawn, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, EH12 5AW Dancing to Roddy Johnston and Seonaid Lynn Join us for summer fun with your dancing friends. This year we hope to have the use of the Walpole Hall should the weather not be kind to us.

Summer Dance—Saturday 27 July Lauriston Hall, Lauriston Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9DJ Dancing to James Coutts and his Scottish Dance Band, this dance is always a favourite on the dancing calendar, especially as we have strawberries and cream as an interval treat!

Our classes for Young Dancers are back at Greenbank Church Hall on Saturday mornings

Join us online and enjoy soft shoe Step Workshops from the comfort of your home

P1 and above

9:30 - 10:15 am

Saturday mornings

10.00—11.30 am UK time

P5 and above

10:15 - 11:00 am

Sunday evenings

6.00—7.30 pm UK time

Find out more at www.rscdsedinburgh.org

19.00-22.30

Lauriston Hall, Lauriston Street

info@rscdsedinburgh.org enquiries@dunedindancers.org.uk info@rscdsedinburgh.org info@rscdsedinburgh.org enquiries@dunedindancers.org.uk secretary@rscds-dline.org.uk info@rscdsedinburgh.org secretary@rscds-dline.org.uk 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org secretary@rscds-dline.org.uk 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org

07505 703828 Elizabeth Harry Caroline Brockbank 19.30-21.30 Marian Anderson 07505 703828 Elizabeth Harry 09.30-11.00 07505 703828 19.00-20.30 Roddy Johnston & Seonaid Lynn Elizabeth Harry Caroline Brockbank 19.30-21.30 Various Trish Paton James Coutts 07505 703828 19.00-20.30 Roddy Johnston & Seonaid Lynn Elizabeth Harry

Trish Paton Ewan Galloway Abbeyview Community Centre, Dunfermline St Mary's Cathedral, North Lawn, Palmerston Place 19.00-20.30 Roddy Johnston & Seonaid Lynn Elizabeth Harry Trish Paton David Anderson Abbeyview Community Centre, Dunfermline Elizabeth Harry 19.30-22.30 James Coutts Lauriston Hall, Lauriston Street

secretary.trinityscdc@gmail.com info@rscdsedinburgh.org info@rscdsedinburgh.org info@rscdsedinburgh.org enquiries@dunedindancers.org.uk weekend@rscdseastlothian.org.uk secretary.trinityscdc@gmail.com 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org secretary.trinityscdc@gmail.com 07804 919866 athollscdc.secretary@gmail.com 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org 07804 919866 athollscdc.secretary@gmail.com

The Walpole Hall, Chester St Reid Memorial Church Hall, West Saville Terrace Greenbank Church Hall, Braidburn Terr St Mary's Cathedral, North Lawn, Palmerston Place St Matthew Hall, Morningside Parish Church Hall Glen Pavillion, Dunfermline St Mary's Cathedral, North Lawn, Palmerston Place

Elizabeth Harry Elizabeth Harry Alex Duncan Ian Coulter Elizabeth Harry Ian Coulter

Alex Duncan 07505 703828 Elizabeth Harry 07505 703828 Elizabeth Harry 07505 703828 Elizabeth Harry Caroline Brockbank Jane Watt Alex Duncan

secretary.trinityscdc@gmail.com Alex Duncan 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org Elizabeth Harry events@rscdseastlothian.org.uk Iain MacNeil secretary.trinityscdc@gmail.com Alex Duncan secretary@morningsideclub.com Sandra Shaw 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org Elizabeth Harry enquiries@dunedindancers.org.uk Caroline Brockbank 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org Elizabeth Harry secretary@morningsideclub.com Sandra Shaw enquiries@dunedindancers.org.uk Caroline Brockbank 0131 477 9734 helenmillar1@yahoo.co.uk Helen Millar 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org Elizabeth Harry secretary.trinityscdc@gmail.com Alex Duncan 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org Elizabeth Harry

07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org

Elizabeth Harry

19.30-21.45 Iain MacPhail

19.30-22.30 Ewan Galloway 18.30-23.30 Iain MacPhail 19.30-22.30 Ewan Galloway 19.30-21.45 Iain MacPhail

09.30-11.00 19.30-22.30 Aidan Frost 19.30-21.30 Various James Coutts/Aidan Frost 19.30-22.30 Sandy Nixon

19.30-22.30 Frank Thomson

09.30-11.00 19.30-22.30 Jim Lindsay 20.00-21.45 Ewan Galloway

19.40-21.40 Matthew Maclennan 19.30-21.30 Various

19.30-21.30 David Oswald

19.30-22.30 Matthew Maclennan 14.30-16.30 Matthew Maclennan David Oswald 19.30 19.30-22.30 James Coutts 19.40-21.40 Matthew Maclennan

secretary.trinityscdc@gmail.com 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org events@rscdseastlothian.org.uk 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org secretary.trinityscdc@gmail.com 07505 703828 info@rscdsedinburgh.org nscds@ed.ac.uk

Alex Duncan Elizabeth Harry Iain MacNeil Elizabeth Harry Elizabeth Harry Alex Duncan Elizabeth Harry

Email

Telephone

Contact

Lauriston Hall, Lauriston Street Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place Inverleith St Serf's, Ferry Road Craigmillar Park Church Hall, 2 Craigmillar Park Mon - AdvBeg; Tues - Beg & Int; Thurs - Adv Craigmillar Park Church Hall, 2 Craigmillar Park

Inverleith St Serf's, Ferry Road Mon - AdvBeg; Tues - Beg & Int; Thurs - Adv Greenbank Church Hall, Braidburn Terr Charteris Centre, 138/140 Pleasance St Matthew Hall, Morningside Parish Church Hall Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry Inverleith St Serf's, Ferry Road

Inverleith St Serf's, Ferry Road Craigmillar Park Church Hall, Craigmillar Park Community Hall, East Linton Inverleith St Serf's, Ferry Road Braid Hall, Braid Road Charteris Centre, 138/140 Pleasance Reid Memorial Church Hall, West Saville Terrace Mon - AdvBeg; Tues - Beg & Int; Thurs - Adv Braid Hall, Braid Road St Matthew Hall, Morningside Parish Church Hall Greenbank Church Hall, Braidburn Terr Greenbank Church Hall, Braidburn Terr Inverleith St Serf's, Ferry Road Barclay Viewforth Church Hall, 1 Wright's Houses

14.30-17.30 Iain MacPhail

19.30-22.30 Susan McFadyen

19.30-22.30 David Oswald 14.30-16.30 Iain MacPhail Alan Ross 19.30

Inverleith St Serf's, Ferry Road Craigmillar Park Church Hall, Craigmillar Park Northesk Church Hall, Musselburgh, EH21 6AG No classes this week No classes this week Inverleith St Serf's, Ferry Road No classes this week Craigmillar Park Church Hall, Craigmillar Park

Club Night Sunday Social with Dunedin Dancers Monthly Dance Children's Classes MID - TERM Adult Classes MID - TERM Club Night Children's Classes MID - TERM Annual Ball Centenary Ceilidh with Edinburgh Gilbert & Sullivan Society

Band/Musician

Time

Venue

Event

Mar-24 Club Night 2 Trinity SCD Club Sunday Social with Dunedin Dancers 3 RSCDS Edinburgh Monthly Dance 8 RSCDS East Lothian Club Night 9 Trinity SCD Club Weekly Club nights end 11 Morningside SCD Club Family Ceilidh 15 RSCDS Edinburgh Spring Dance 16 Dunedin Dancers Adult Classes end 18 RSCDS Edinburgh Spring Party 18 Morningside SCD Club Weekly Social Dancing ends 20 Dunedin Dancers 20 Greenbank Church SCD Club Club Nights end Children's Classes ends 23 RSCDS Edinburgh Club Night 23 Trinity SCD Club Spring Party 26 RSCDS Edinburgh Apr-24 Club Night 13 Trinity SCD Club Adult Classes restart 15 RSCDS Edinburgh Children's Classes restart 20 RSCDS Edinburgh Nice'n'Easy Dance 20 RSCDS Edinburgh Weekly Social Dancing restarts 26 Dunedin Dancers Pitlochry Weekend 26/28RSCDS East Lothian Club Night 27 Trinity SCD Club May-24 Combined Societies Dance 3 RSCDS Edinburgh Centenary Ball **SOLD OUT** 4 RSCDS Edinburgh Club Night 11 Trinity SCD Club Cluns Nights end 14 Atholl SCD Club Adult Classes end 20 RSCDS Edinburgh End of Term Party 21 Atholl SCD Club Jun-24 Centenary Afternoon Tea Dance 1 RSCDS Edinburgh Summer Dance 8 Dunedin Dancers Children's Classes ends 15 RSCDS Edinburgh Summer Dance 15 RSCDS Edinburgh Weekly Social Dancing ends 26 Dunedin Dancers Outdoor dancing 26 Dunfermline Picnic Dance Summer Dance 29 RSCDS Edinburgh Jul-24 Summer Dance 10 RSCDS Dunfermline Summer Dance 13 RSCDS Edinburgh Summer Dance 24 RSCDS Dunfermline Summer Dance 27 RSCDS Edinburgh

24 RSCDS Edinburgh

Organiser Feb-24 3 Trinity SCD Club 4 RSCDS Edinburgh 9 RSCDS East Lothian 10 RSCDS Edinburgh 12 RSCDS Edinburgh 17 Trinity SCD Club 21 RSCDS Edinburgh 24 New Scotland

Dancers Diary 6

Classes for everyone

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Do you need some help to confidently get onto the dance floor?

What's not intermediate about the Intermediate Class?

Our classes are the best way to learn dancing and dances, and all our teachers support you to dance to the best of your ability.

First a confession. OK, this session I have not yet shown face in class for personal reasons. So, to make amends, I’d like to offer a wee vote of confidence for the Intermediate class.

As well as making sure you go to the right class for your ability there are lots of other ways to learn dances that you might not have danced in class.

Since I started dancing decades ago the classes have evolved, including Advanced Beginners to ease the step up from starting and, lately, the Advanced Class of my youth moved from maintaining experienced dancers' standards to a class for all aspiring to be really good.

All of the dance programmes on our website give you a link to the “Crib”. Here you will find the dance description in words, diagrams and a video (where there is one).

Whatever way you like to learn there is a way for you to visualise the dance, read the instructions, hear the music and watch it being danced.

Step forward Team Intermediate! We meet multiple needs.

We welcome those rising from beginners classes, those (like me) returning after a break, those (like me) losing fitness after Covid, and those (like me) who wish to maintain a dignified (if not perfect) presence on the dance floor.

We are a class, wherein steps and formations are taught and practised but the handy tips and techniques are guided towards making the dancers' task easier. It would be good to see some more faces giving us a try, especially those who thought perhaps that there was no class for them now. They can bring along valuable experience.

Andrew Mackie

Class

Day

Time

Venue

Teacher

Musician

Beginners

Tuesday

8.00— 9.30 pm

Greenbank Parish Church (Upper Hall) Braidburn Terrace, EH10 6ES

Theresa MacVarish Clark

Roddy Johnston

Advanced Beginners

Monday

8.00— 9.30 pm

Murrayfield Parish Church, Ormidale Terrace, EH12 6EQ

Yoshi Shibasaki

Ewan Galloway

Intermediate

Tuesday

8.00— 9.30 pm

Barclay Viewforth, 1 Wrights Houses, EH10 4HR

Andrew Nolan

Seonaid Lynn

Advanced

Thursday

8.00 — 9.30 pm

Murrayfield Parish Church, Ormidale Terrace, EH12 6EQ

Elizabeth Harry

Tim MacDonald & Peter Shand

Our Centenary Offer To kick off our celebrations we have a special Centenary offer for our classes. Everyone is welcome to come along and give any of our classes a try with no obligation to continue.

Whether you're a seasoned dancer or a complete beginner, we have a class that is perfect for anyone looking to experience the lively and energetic traditional Scottish dances.

All our classes have live music and fantastic teachers who will be thrilled to be passing on their skills and experience to you.

As you know, Scottish dancing is not only a great way to stay active and improve your coordination, but also a fantastic way to meet new people and immerse yourself in Scottish culture. Do share our information with any friends and acquaintances that you think might enjoy it. Then grab your dancing shoes and join us for unforgettable evenings of laughter, music, and dancing.

Keep in touch… you can follow us on Facebook, X (previously Twitter), Instagram and YouTube.

Search for RSCDSEdinburgh or use the hashtag #DanceScottish and be a part of the conversation.

Make sure you’ve signed up to get our regular eUpdates too and keep up to date with all our news and events between issues of Dancing Forth.

From the archives and a new book of dances and music Miss Allie Anderson, one of the founders of RSCDS Edinburgh read about the inaugural meeting of the RSCDS in Glasgow in the Scotsman but it was too late for her to attend. Thinking this was a wonderful idea by January 1924 she had rallied her friends and Edinburgh Branch was founded. Over the next twelve months we hope to bring you many memories from our archives and we are starting with some key highlights which involved Allie.

1926 saw Allie take her teaching certificate, being examined by Mrs Ysobel Stewart and the first President of the RSCDS Lord James Stewart Murray, who became the ninth Duke of Atholl.

The only publication at this time was Book 1, which contained only Jigs and Reels. So there were no Strathspeys included in the Teaching Certificate, despite these being her favourite dance, “providing they are well done and properly danced and not like barn dance jigs”.

Branch classes were in full swing by this time, in the Swedish Gymnasium in Edinburgh. You’ll be encouraged to take your hat and coat off if you come along to our classes today, and there isn’t much opportunity to sit down!

By the 1930s Scottish country dancing was in full swing with regular party nights in the Palais Ballroom.

The dancers in this photo were some of the pioneers of our Branch.

1930 saw a raid across the border as a team travelled to London to compete at a Festival in London. Finding men for the team had been a challenge, but undaunted Allie visited banks and lawyers’ offices in Edinburgh until she found men willing to be trained to dance. We’re not sure how that would work today! The team won and their prize was the Maclachlan Trophy, a 9ct gold enamelled medallion. After many years in a drawer it was donated by Allie to the Branch in 1975 and today it is our Chairman’s Badge of Office.

By 1935 we were running 5 classes a week, and our Demonstration team regularly undertook demonstrations across Edinburgh and the Lothians along with occasional trips to Festivals further afield. By 1938 we had around 2,000 members including local Girl Guides and WRI groups.

8

Turnhouse. The RAF class was apparently better as many airmen had their wives and girlfriends there and they joined in too.

At the end of the war there were many opportunities to showcase Scottish country dancing in Edinburgh and Allie was at the heart of many of these events.

The late 1940s were busy years: a successful collaboration with dancer Mrs Florence D. Lesslie and musician John Robertson saw a new dance The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh being devised to commemorate the marriage of HRH The Princess Elizabeth to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1947 500 young dancers headed to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in July 1948 to dance for TM King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to celebrate a Royal Visit. One of the dances on the programme was The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, performance.

possibly

its

first

public

Miss Anderson, Mrs Lesslie and Mr Robertson, along with a team of dancers, were invited to a Reception and Dance in the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh on Wednesday 2nd March 1949 to mark the occasion of the visit of HRH The Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh to Edinburgh.

Watch out for more from our archives over the coming year.

Are you a budding dance devisor?

To celebrate our Centenary, we are planning to publish a book of new dances and an accompanying CD . We are delighted that the CD will be recorded by Muriel Johnstone, Pete Clark, Peter Shand and Tim MacDonald.

Members and friends of Edinburgh Branch are invited to submit dances for consideration. Your suggestions for music to go with your dance will be especially welcome.

Dances which are relevant to Edinburgh Branch and its members and dancers over the past 100 years are particularly welcome.

Your dance can be old or new but we ask that it hasn’t already been published. It would also be helpful if your dance is already written in RSCDS Standard Terminology. Please ask us if you need any help with this.

Please send your submissions to info@rscdsedinburgh.org by 29th During the war it was decided to keep classes running. Dancers February 2024. This will allow sufficient were told where the nearest Anderson Shelters were but when time for the dances to be evaluated the warning sounded no one left the class. A class was also anonymously and tested ahead of the book started for 200 soldiers stationed in Edinburgh and at RAF and CD being published in the Autumn.

Sadly Missed

9

David Ross We were sorry to hear of David’s sudden passing. David was our Chairman from 1987 - 1990. He regularly taught our classes and was always very involved with our Demonstration team and annual shows, dancing in An Edinburgh Fancy from 1974 and producing Dancing Forth from 2006 - 2008.

Our thoughts are with his wife Barbara.

Here his good friend Bruce Wood reminisces of their early dancing days.

I was very sad to learn of David’s death. Many of us associated with Edinburgh Branch will remember him as the most elegant and precise of dancers – among the best we have ever had. He was also ever dapper and immaculate, leaving many of the rest of us feeling a tad unkempt – well, me, anyway.

What Branch members may not know is how David got into dancing in the first place, and thereby hangs a tale. And this is where David and I share a common history.

He and I have been friends since we were five years old. We met in Primary 1 at Madras College Primary in St Andrews and journeyed from there through Madras College Senior School to Edinburgh University. Indeed, we were the only two from our school class heading to Edinburgh University who weren’t awarded a place in halls of residence and thus ended up in digs together in what then seemed the far-flung wilds of Portobello. They were excellent digs, however, and the happenstance of our being together there has some relevance to the story.

Madras College was unusual in that its first taught modern language was German, not French. The school had a longstanding, successful exchange programme with a school in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, in which David and I participated when we were 16 and 17. The first year we went there to stay with our designated German exchange partners; the next they came to St Andrews. This is relevant because the powers that be (the teachers) decided that this year we would dazzle the Germans with a display of Scottish country dancing. It was a condition of being allowed to travel that we be put through an audition to see which of us might be suitable guinea-pigs to receive intensive training from what was an exceedingly low starting point of galumphing enthusiasm in a Gay Gordons. At this point, step forward Irene Caithness, the wife of a local GP and whom some older members may recall as a doyenne of Edinburgh Branch demonstration team in the late 50s, early 60s. She had volunteered to whip us into shape.

Entering this audition, David and I had no more eagerness nor expectation than anyone else, but we were duly singled out as not having two left feet and the training commenced. And, of course, to our surprise we found that we enjoyed it. I’ve no recollection of what dances we charmed the Germans with – it wouldn’t stretch beyond the Reel of the 51st and the like – but we were hooked. Then, back to those digs in Portobello: David thought he’d give New Scotland, the University’s thriving Scottish country dance society, a try. My focus had been elsewhere but he persuaded me to come along as well, whereupon we arrived in New Scotland fully formed as sort of competent dancers. We became enthusiastic members, each sequentially becoming its President at one point in our university lives. And, as so often with New Scotland graduates, in time we found ourselves gravitating towards Edinburgh Branch, where I’ll stop my story as it becomes familiar to readers.

Farewell, David. I’m sitting here, as I type, wistfully lost in fond memories of good days of yore.

Dr Norman Irons CBE, DL We have been privileged that Norman Irons was one of our Honorary Vice-Presidents for over 25 years. Norman was always very interested in Scottish dancing during his tenure as Lord Provost of Edinburgh when he was our Honorary President. When he stepped down as Lord Provost it was a natural progression that he continued as an ambassador for Scottish country dancing in Edinburgh as a Vice-President. He was always willing to help and delighted when our demonstration team was able to perform at events that he was a part of across the city.

Our thoughts are with his wife Anne, along with his son Kenneth and daughter Elizabeth.

Norman with members of our Demonstration team and then Lord Provost, Frank Ross

Also, sadly missed are: Clare Hunter — Claire spent most of her adult life in San Fransisco but regularly visited her home town of Edinburgh and always managed to time her visits so she could dance with us.

Malcolm Hunter—A past Chairman (1969 – 1972) and dancer in our Demonstration team. Malcolm (Molly) danced in our first “An Edinburgh Fancy” in the old Royal High School in 1954.

Ralph Parkinson—Many dancers will remember Ralph’s beautiful dancing as part of our Demonstration team, he danced in many of our festival shows during the 60s and 70s.

Young Dancers and Demonstration Team News Entertaining young visitors Last term, Elizabeth received an unusual request. Could someone be found to lead sessions of dancing with visiting groups of schoolchildren from Hull?

It turns out that a scheme exists to bring busloads of disadvantaged ten year olds away for short breaks they wouldn’t otherwise get, for them to enjoy local experiences in new locations. For the young people destined for Edinburgh, Scottish dancing was felt to be a worthwhile way to spend their time (along with sightseeing) so their group leaders approached the Branch…

Elizabeth recruited Rachel Shankland and me to help out, and so on most Wednesdays in term time between October and Christmas, one or other of us made the weekly pilgrimage to St Columba’s By The Castle to see who awaited us. Numbers varied, as did enthusiasm levels (on the part of the young people and also on the part of their group leaders) and we saw a different group each time, so it didn’t matter if we repeated the previous week’s material.

Despite the challenges presented by the noise levels, the pillars down the centre of the hall, and the coats and sleeping bags liberally strewn around the perimeter, we managed to give each group a good time.

Initial reluctance usually gave way to curiosity and then enthusiastic participation (with even some encores demanded) and there now exists a sizeable group of young Hull dwellers proficient at the Flying Scotsman, the Virginia Reel, Circassian Circle, and some other dances too. They can count to eight and clap in time (sometimes drowning out the music) and have enjoyed sharing in the local culture in between visits to Dynamic Earth, the Castle, and Pizza Express. One girl, however, loudly announced her utter disgust that I didn’t have a Scottish accent.

One of the country’s leading sports injury centres Centre for Sport and Exercise The University of Edinburgh 46 Pleasance Edinburgh EH8 8TL 0131 650 2578 For all sports related injuries, including Scottish country dancing. Facilities open to all members of RSCDS Edinburgh Branch at reduced rates.

Want to advertise in Dancing Forth—contact us at dancingforth@rscdsedinburgh.org

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All I could do was apologise profusely that she had arrived on my week and not that of one of the other teachers!

Caroline Brockbank It was a Triumph!

It was a co-incidence that dancers from our Demonstration team were having one of their regular workshops on the very day the RSCDS celebrated 100 years of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, with the unveiling of a commemorative blue plaque in Buchanan Street, Glasgow on Sunday 26November.

Elizabeth Harry and Moira Reekie already had The Triumph on their programme for the afternoon, and it seemed a great opportunity to take a photo of some of the team ‘in Triumph’ . When planning the workshop, Elizabeth hadn’t realised the significance of the date, and both Elizabeth and Moira were honoured to be teaching and playing on this day.

We are planning more workshops in 2024, so if this is something which interests you please get in touch with us— info@rscdsedinburgh.org Chinese Autumn Lights Festival This was a new venture for us this year and we were delighted to join our friends from the Edinburgh Chinese Arts Association. The festival symbolises reunion and gratitude for a good harvest. Jamie Crawford had everyone tapping along to his piping and led us in a spirited Gay Gordons.

Chinese New Year Come and join us at Chinese New Year on Sunday 4th February, when we will be back dancing at the Mound in the early afternoon. We are looking for dancers who are willing to join us to help show Scottish country dancing as a fun activity. If you think you could manage a Dashing White Sergeant or a Gay Gordons and having something red or tartan to wear, please get in touch. We would love to have you dancing with us as part of this event no matter how many weeks or years you have been dancing.

Iain MacPhail and his Scottish Dance Band Many congratulations to our Honorary Vice-President Iain MacPhail, winning Scottish Dance Band of the year at the 2023 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards.

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Iain collected his award with band members Brian Griffin and Gordon Smith, and we are sure it was a great night for everyone in the band!

We were honoured that Iain accepted our appointed as one of our Honorary Vice-Presidents at our Annual General Meeting in 2023.

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Can you spot Caroline with the children from Hull?

Diane, Kitty and Yoshi dancing in “Triumph”

Help us show Scottish dancing as a fun activity.

Come and dance some simple Ceilidh dances with us on Sunday 4 February.

A Scottish encounter for these Chinese dancers

See Page 8 Lots of fun on Saturday mornings with our young dancers

Iain MacPhail and his Scottish Dance Band winning Band of the Year.

Grand Dance 2021

We had lots of fun in 2023 as we celebrated 100 years of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.

We are now in 2024 and are looking forward to more celebrations as we mark 100 years of RSCDS Edinburgh Branch.

Lots of fun with Dunedin Dancers at our regular Sunday Socials

Summer Dance 2022

©RSCDS Edinburgh 2024 Thank you to the many members who contribute to make each edition of Dancing Forth possible.