.country ancer Let's meet in St Andrews at Summer School this year!

Courses for Dancers Summer School runs for 4 weeks. Come for 1or2 weeks. Week 1: 16th July - 23rd July Week 2: 23rd July - 30th July Week 3: 30th July - 6th August Week 4: 6th August -13th August

• Morning classes at all levels to suit everyone Beginners, experienced dancers and teachers all welcome Optional afternoon activities Editorial Contents

Well , here's your second Sco ttish Country Dan cer! We all breathed 4 News from Coates Crescent a huge sigh of relief wh en so many members e- mailed or wrote Management Board and admin matters to say how much t hey had appreciated Iss ue I . Th ank you to 6 From around the world everyone who took the trouble to contact us. Rea d some of the Reports from all over the world reactions on page 27. 9 Attacked on New Year's Day Everyone knew that there would be hicc ups setting up the Report on the demise of country dancing in schools database so that each member ca n be treated equally and 9 Well-deserved award rece ive Sco ttish Co untry Dan cer by post We hope most of the David Currie, Canberra, in Queen's Birthday Honours problems have been ironed out and t here will be fewer 10 David and Betty Grant house holds rece iving multiple copies - or none' Interview and tribute Th ere have been some wonderful times in the last six months 12 Overheard on the web and some of them are refl ected in this iss ue: our very Chris Ronald on the Strathspey List discussions success ful AG M and Co nference Wee kend ; Au stralia's 13 What does your sporran tell us? outstanding Winter Sc hool; and countless excellent dances, Robert Lachlan on the mysteries of the sporran ba lls, day sc hools and weekend ce lebrations in branches 14 The Glasgow Highlanders worldwide - not to mention all our wee kl y efforts to maintain Alastair MacFadyen on the origins of the dance good turnout. upright posture, and keep smiling! At the sa me 15 Old soldier time, we mark t he pass ing of some of our greatest supporters: Alfred Anderson, dancer and soldier Muriel Gibson, Betty Grant, Mary Currie, Charlie Todd, George 16 The Society on Camera We lls, Be rt Jamieson, and James Senio r. It is inevitable that an Were you there? Are you in it? orga nisa tion, now over 80 yea rs old itse lf, will lose its older 18 The Perth AGM and Conference membe rs and it is ri ght that we honour them and the Andrew Kellett reports on the conference weekend contribution t hey made to t he RSCDS . 19 In our opinion We have an ed itori al policy to present the most positive side Views from the musicians' discussion at the conference of Scott ish country danci ng so that anyone reading the 20 Miss Muriel Gibson magazine who is not a dance r may be instantly attracted. We Tribute to former Society Secretary ca nnot, however, ignore the attacks that are made on us from 21 The Archive outside and it is sa d that on page 9 we report further Press Marilyn Healy gives the background cri t icism aimed at country dancing in Scotland . 22 A branch and a club We hope that you fee l t hat t his is your magazine and we Washington Branch I St Columba's Monday Dancers enco urage you to be in touch and tell us wh at you think and 23 Dancing matters what you want to see in future iss ues. Technique doctor / How to do the tournee In case anyone wonders wh o the Editorial Board is, let us 24 Who's who? int roduce ourse lves ! Profiles of Jim Healy and Mo Rutherford 24 Re-printed From The Reel 1953 24 Programmes From New Zealand to South Wales 25 Letters to the editor Members' views 26 Reviews Book 45 I Masters of Tradition / Music for Quadrilles 27 The new Manual An assessment by Helen Russell Jimmie Hill Andrew Kellett Oluf Olufsen 27 Your reactions What you thought of Scottish Country Dancer 28 The Scroll Awards 7 members honoured 28 Australian Winter School Report from Melbourne 29 Day School Diary All schools from February 2006 - May 2007 30 Obituaries Jean Martin Elspeth Gray Cover picture: Blair Castle, Perthshire, venue of the Winter Sc hool Ball

Editor Contact Publisher Jimmie Hill [email protected] The Royal Scottish Cou ntry Dance Soci ety 12 Coates Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 7AF Editorial Board Advertising Elspeth Gray, Andrew Kellett, Jill Henderson Website Telephone Jean Martin, Oluf Olufsen ji Il.henderson @rscds.org www.rscds.org 013 1 22 5 3854

3 the members' magazine of the RSCDS News from Coates Crescent Elspeth Gray and Irene Bennett outline some of the issues currently under discussion on the Management Board.

Welcome to the news from headquarters June Dick, who has been with the Society dealing with accounts and memberships in this second issue of Scottish Country only two years less than Ei leen, will be and wi ll be secretary of General Purposes Dancer. The first issue of the magazine was retiring in March 2006. Many of you will & Finance Committee. In the next issue, I really well received. However, there have know June. who has been an excellent will be providing fuller details, so that been a few hiccups relating to its 'right hand' to me and my predecessors everyone understands which member of distribution. as well as doing all the administration of staff they need to contact for specific Firstly, and most importantly, please do Summer and Winter Schools, and I am queries. sure you will join me in wishing her, too, not send any queries about distribution, Life members or member data. to the Magazine Editor­ a very long and happy retirement. In distribution of the magazine is not his addition. Suzanne Durrand left us in A letter was sent to all life members with responsibility! We should have a staff October for pastures new. All of these the first edition of Scottisli Country Dancer member identified to deal with these changes, together with the increased asking them to let us know if they wished issues soon. In the meantime. please requirements for updating the database to continue to receive the magazine. We direct any such queries to Elspeth Gray, and other additional work areas, have have had many replies. and have also by post or by email to allowed us to review how tasks and received an incredible number of [email protected] responsibilities are allocated. I am donations towards the cost of continuing pleased to say that two new members of to send the magazine to life members - Mailing you direct staff - Susan Leask and Shona Coyle - over £3,400. As we said in the letter, no In December, we sent to each branch a have now joined us. one in the Society underestimates the list of all their members (annual. long contribution made by life members in so term and life) as held on our database, many different ways . Their generosity in asking them to check and amend as demonstrating support for the magazine necessary. Any members' names that may is very much appreciated. Those life have been missed out first time round, or members who have indicated that they had incomplete addresses, should now do not wish to receive the magazine, or be correct. who have not replied to the letter, have We urge all branches who have not yet been removed from the distribution list passed on their members' data to do so. for this edition. If you know of anyone in in order that all members can be treated this category who would like to have their equally in terms of delivery of this name reinstated, please tell them to let magazine. If you did not receive this issue us know! direct from HO, please tell your branch Additionally, several multi-member you would like to! households wrote to say that they wished to receive only one copy. When the Updating the database distribution lists were prepared for the The process of correcting amendments first edition, we had no easy means of received has highlighted a particular arranging this. It would have meant a problem: there are a number of people time-consuming trawl through all who appear on more than one branch's Susan Leask 18,000+ records on a spreadsheet to list of members! Members of the make the amendments. However. we have Society should pay their RSCDS Sh ona Coyle now added a feature to the database subscription only once, and the branch which will allow us to mark one or more through which they pay it is their members of a household as not wishing 'Primary Branch'. Any other branches to receive a magazine. If you want us to they belong to are secondary do this for you, and we haven't done so memberships, which should not be already, please just send or email us the reported to Headquarters. Branch details. secretaries should ensure that they tell us only about primary members. If you Directory of Secretaries are a member of several branches, please The last Directory of Secretaries wa s ensure that each branch knows whether produced in October 2003 . Last year, we you are a primary or secondary member. had planned to produce a directory, Any change of address should be given which would have been distributed via to your Primary Branch secretary, who branches. However, the staff changes and will then inform us. If you are a volume of work at Headquarters made Headquarters member, inform the the task impossible. At its meeting on 26 office direct at any time. November, the Management Board decided that the days of the Directory Headquarters staff were numbered. It is a time-consuming Well, it's been six months of change! As item to produce. and it has the enormous you will know from the first edition of Susan will be dealing with examinations disadvantage that. the moment it is sent Scottisli Country Dancer, Eileen Watt retired and wi ll be secretary of Education & to the printers, something changes and it in August after 17 years with the Society. Training Committee, while Shona will be becomes inaccurate! As all of the contact

4 details it contains, and more, are Scottish Branch Conference covered in the one hour available, the available on the website, the Board feel In issue I, we mentioned the MB working Management Board will decide the final that is the way forward. We are now group that had been set up to consider list. All suggestions to Elspeth, please investigating making available a issues relevant to Scotland, and some of Website downloadable listing on the website, that the ideas that had come from the group, Some of you may have noticed changes could be automatically updated every consisting of MB members and others. to the way the website looks. Ian time the website is amended. We realise The group has proposed a one-day Brockbank has now succeeded in that there are members who do not have conference in Dunblane on 11 February transferring the site to a different Content access to the internet, but these days 2006 for representatives from Scottish Management System (called Plane, for most people know someone who does. If branches, under the banner 'Lers Dance the anoraks among you!) which will make a member wants to plan a trip and simply Scottish'. Among the topics on the updating easier. We are still working to cannot access the website, they could agenda are: schools and young people; get the site as up-to-date as possible, contact us to ask for a printout from the promotions and marketing; possible although whole areas. such as the section database of branch and affiliated group future projects, including suggestions for dealing with examinations, require a lot a 'Let's Dance Scottish' week; thoughts secretaries for that area or country. of re-writing. However, a great deal of on the role of a national demonstration information is available - in the public Core repertoire team; ideas for Saturday workshops, and area, you will find branch and affiliated The following notice from Jim Healy, other projects. There will be a report on group contact details; a schools and Convenor of Membership Services. was the Conference in the Autumn magazine. training section with details of Summer sent to branch secretaries in October It is important to reiterate that the and Winter schools, including forms for 2005 : benefits that may come from the downloading when available; information "The Society has been continuing to seek the views conference will have a positive effect on on Spring Fling 2006, including an of members on a range of matters . One cause for the whole Society, not just members and application form; details of all the books concern that has been identified in these branches in Scotland. We hope that this and CDs available (an online shop is the discu ssions is the continuing growth in the kind of conference may become a next priority); and a news section. In the number of dances that any one dancer is expected template for similar events elsewhere. members' area (for which you need a to know. This appears to be having two separate Publications and recordings username and password - ask your effects . One is that dance programmes are branch secretary for these, or contact With the publication of CDs for Books 6, becoming more 'regional' with an increasing Headquarters) - you will find Manage­ 15 and 28 in summer 2005, all the ment Board reports; details of the AGM proportion, and in some cases a majority , of Society's recordings that can be digitally locally published dances . The other is that the and Conference Weekend, including transferred are complete. However. 12 summaries of the AGM itself and the in experienced dancer is faced with a much larger books remain to be produced on CD, and 'repertoire' of dances and formations than was the various discussion groups I workshops, they will have to be re-recorded. and past AGM minutes; details of case even a few years ago and that is being cited Membership Services Committee has as one reason we are not attracting and retaining Management Board and Committee scheduled 3 CDs to be produced each members; reference information for new dancers . To counter this, it has been year for the next 4 years, as follows: branches; copies of Newsbriefs; and suggested that the Society should develop a more 2006 - 14, 27, 35 2007 - 7, 13, 34 many other things besides! We are still extensive and settled 'core repertoire' of, say, I 00- 2008 - 8, 11, 20 2009 - 9, 17, 30 developing it, but please use the site, and 150 dances comprising popular classics and Two CDs are to be available at summer send your feedback to the Web incorporating all the major basic formations . It is Administrator. accepted that such a list would, by definition, school and one at the AGM each year. The include dances from sources other than the Formations Index should be ready for And finally something new! Winter School 2006, as will the Pocket Society's own publications . Branches and If you have any questions about the New Edition of Books 42-45 . affiliated groups would be encouraged to ensure Examination Syllabus for the Teaching that some proportion (ideally substantial) of the Annual Conference Weekend Certificate Part I or 2, or are unsure about dances on every social dance programme should and AGM arrangements for the transition from the be taken from the list. This would limit but not: earlier system to the new, contact the preclude the use of 'local' dances and such a list An important element of the Annual new RSCDS Examinations Helpline: would offer inexperienced dancers a defined body Conference and AGM Weekend is the examhelp@rscds .org of knowledge to aim for in the first instance." opportunity for members and branches For those without access to e-mail. the to air questions of interest and have them same service is available by phoning or The initial response to this suggestion discussed in 'The Floor is Yours' session. mailing 'Examhelp', 12 Coates Crescent. has been generally positive and In 2005, we asked branches for encouraging and we are now asking all suggestions, but only one was received. branch committees and individual The Management Board agreed that we Competition result dancers to comment on the suggestion, should, through the magazine, invite What was Janet saying to Ann? including their own nominations for members as well as branches to suggest They've just told me they're going to inclusion in the list. Comments and topics for this session at Conference I come to your advanced class next week! suggestions should be sent to the AGM Weekend 2006. Ideally, there should When a lady tells a man she didn't Membership Services Committee be someone present at the discussion to recognise him in his trousers: through the Society Secretary or by briefly introduce any subject suggested. If This lady is sexually harrassing me! e-mail to [email protected]. there are too many suggestions to be

5 Africa January 2006 the Port Alfred SCD group These include Hong Kong students who Correspondent: Terry Lynne Harris held its biennial Burns night. got hooked on dancing while studying in [email protected] In South Africa the SCD year. like the Scotland; Chinese who have found the bagpipes irresistible; and a range of non­ SCD is alive and well in Lagos, Nigeria, academic year, ends in November I Scots who have homes in Scotland. And with weekly classes and, though the December and in Cape Town, the 8 loca l ju st across the border in Shenzhen a new venue is a private club, new dancers are clubs got together to hold a Tartan Ball . dance group has been set up They have especially welcome. At the last count. the In Johannesburg and Pretoria special arranged cross-bord er transport so that group included dancers of 8 different year-end socia ls were held. they ca n attend dancing in Hong Kong nationalities, all with Scottish roots. and get back to the Mainland the same including one Nigerian. The Caledonian Asia evening - all in keeping with the spirit of Society is also strong in Lagos and holds Correspondent: Arthur McNeill ·one co untry two systems'. Scottish events including regular [email protected] ceilidhs. There have been a number of changes in Australia In Cape Town , South Africa, the Lynfrae Hong Kong, following the return of Correspondent: Sam Heron Club decided to visit McGregor some sovereignty to the People's Republic of [email protected] 200km into the interior 20 club members China. The most obvious has been a The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) .is made the journey and found 14 locals decrease in the number of Scots living often called a 'koala bear'. It is not a bear battling with Strip tlie Willow and The and working in the territory, which ha s but a marsupial. It stands 70 - 90cm and Cumberland Reel. By the end of the dealt a blow to the loca l Scottish weighs 4 - 9kg. Th ere are approximately weekend all agreed that the journey had societies, including the 60-year-old Reel 80,000 of these delightful animals living been eminently worthwhile, repertoires Club. on the east coast of Australia. Recently expanded and friendships made. SCD is a on the way home after a Friday night of great pastime! SCD we and fellow dancers in the car We are to host Marian Anderson's Band following us had to stop to permit a koala in 2006, starting in Cape Town with a Ball to cross a busy road right under our on 9 September. The band will then move noses! The point being our SCD passion on to Johannesburg and Pretoria for a placed us there ; it got us into the similar event the following weekend . We community to meet with like-minded invite dancers from other countries to wonderful people and to enj oy a life that come and see what this great country has many don't experience. to offer and enjoy top class dancing at the Australia being large of size but sparse of same time. We will be happy to organ ise population has many iso lated SCD clubs accommodation and sightseeing trips that are many hours drive from and will ensure you have a warm established clubs and yet the support welcome. If you are interested. email given is first-rate Although not initially Campbell Tyler at [email protected] An unfortunate victim of the exodus ha s Society connected the clubs are taken In September. Pretoria Branch welcomed been the St. Andrew's Ball , which was under the wing of Branch members who Malcolm and Helen Brown (York, UK) for formerly one of Hong Kong's more introduce them to the worldwide family a week on their way to the 2005 glittering occasions, with its highly of SC Dancers. Carloads of city dancers Australian Winter School. Although on sought after 600 tickets. In an attempt to turn up for socials with many being holiday, Malcolm agreed to teach at what popularise the event in the face of falling billeted overn ight. Country hospitality is turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable numbers. the dance programme has been experienced by the city folks and new Day School. Dancers from Pretoria progressively 'dumbed down ', resulting in fri endships are formed . The Society and Branch and the 51 st Club (Johannesburg the sad demise of Petronella this year on SCD is kept alive in the most unlikely Branch) attended and 3 dancers from the the grounds that the dance is too places. difficult! Not surprisingly, for many of the Pietermaritzburg group travelled over 500 In July for Tartan Day ce lebrations we had km specially for the weekend. keen local dancers this was the la st straw severa l hundred people join us in Other events in Pretoria included filming and they are threatening to leave Hong dancing on the grass overlooking the of a Branch class by a TV station for a Kong next November and head for balls river at Southbank (the site of Expo 88) in youth programme and Jane Hewitt in Singapore, Taipei, Hanoi and Kuala Brisbane. We entertained many (Pietermaritzburg) being our guest Lumpur, where. we are rea ss ured, thousands of spectators while an teacher one evening in November. In the Scottish country dancing is thriving. Australian Citizenship ce remony was Eastern Province. the Grahamstown SCD On a positive note, regular classes and taking place in an enclosure. The moral is group and the East London Caledonian social dances are still going strong, and that by joining in the dance, you will Society combined for a social where the members now come from a wider social experi ence a new world and discover your two groups shared the teaching and on 27 and ethnic background than before. own community.

6 Europe as Burns' night and St Andrew's night. For will be a great in spiration on the Correspondent: Tess Edelman the non-Brits it is also a way of getting to musicianship of both Keith and Bill I [email protected] know Scottish traditions wearing the kilt, eating haggis or singing Auld Lang Syne New Zealand The autumn saw many well-attended are see n as essential parts of the Scottish Correspondent: Marjorie M . Crawford ba lls and workshops in Europe with small dancing 'experience' Like Switzerland [email protected] groups making immense efforts to attract itself, the SCD co mmunity is quite small, Readers might be interested to know that great teachers and musicians and but there is a 'big family' feel to it. compiling programmes appropriate for in 2005, New Zea land Branch published dancers. Local dancers also often offer Japan the 52nd Edition of its annual magazine­ hospitality to visitors. Th e New Zealand Scottish Country Danceri Correspondent: Tom Toriyama We've had ca use to ce lebrate, too, with This year the office-bearers of the [email protected] the appointment of Noe line O'Connor as International Branch were re -e lected Mrs Shigeko Egarashi, Tokyo Branch one of the Society's Examiners; and the confirming the intere st of ex-pats and Chairman, was invited by the publication of Catch tn e Wind by Romaine dancers' desire to have a voice in RSCDS International Folkdance Association of Butterfield in Book 45. affairs. Two IB delegates attended the Korea to teach SCD for the leaders at ACM , representing 11 different Th e 2005 dancing year in New Zea land their Summer Workshop in mid-August. nationalities - a great success ! culminated in the annual Summer School Mrs Park In-Sook, one o f the leaders of in Dece mber/ January in Auckland. The new group in Kiev is actively IFDAK wished to have their teachers Classes from Elementary through to Very supported by individual dancers, the experience SCD and asked Mrs Masanori Advanced were offered (10 classes in all ) Bristol Branch and by the IB. Donations Murata of the Japan Folkdance and Robert Mcowen, Kate and Alex Gray of music, shoes, kilts etc. have enabled Federation to suggest a kee n Japanese accepted invitations to teach. We also this group to get started . SCD teacher when they met in California welcomed teachers from Australia and la st yea r. Shigeko was chosen! She The Turin group donated 600 euros to the New Zea land . Th e Musicia n's Class was attended the Workshop in Chuenchon, 40 Waldensian Church for its work with led by Barbara Mcowen and a highlight miles from Seoul, accompanied by refugees , by orga nizing a cei lidh and on Final Night was when the members of Tazuko Nakata and pianist , Mieko 'potluck' dinner and at the sa me time the Musicians' Class joined the band Murakami. Shigeko taught foot positions, nurturing the social aspects of dance. (Peter Elmes) to play fo r some of the steps and basic formations to 40 dance rs In France, Switzerland and Italy there is a dances. trying SCD for the first time. Before the growing interest in Highland dance and end of the workshop, t o everyone's Our ACM is held during Summer School , several clubs offer Highland I Ladies' step surprise. they could dance Th e Happy and this leads me to so me of the ideas as an altern ative during workshops Meeting , Th e Summer Assembly and Miss which have born e fruit rece ntly. Not all Ceil idh dancing is also very popular. Gibson's Strathspey . Most people could dancers in New Zea land are members of Scottish country dancing is alive and well understand a few words of English as the Society and encouraging membership in Oslo with a group of mixed Shigeko speaks no Korean . So , she had to of the RSCDS is always a challenge. We nationalities. dancing weekly Oslo teach using the international language of now ha ve a 'Dance Points Sc heme', recently had a highly successful dance-demonstration! We hope this will whereby clubs are awarded points for the workshop weekend with the renowned be the first step in promoting SCD in number o f members they have. For teacher Ron Wallace, and musicians Korea. exa mple: (a) annual members ren ew ing James Gray and Keith Smith. their membership (I point); (b) each new On 16 October, the 30th Anniversary Ball member paying an annual subscription (3 In Switzerland there are 6 clubs, mostly to commemorate the first teaching tour points). Dance Points have a value of founded by British expats around 30-50 of Japan wa s held in Tokyo. In 1975 Bill NZ$ I and they can be transferred to years ago The classes are run mainly in Clement wa s first asked by Miss Milligan vouchers which can be spent at the English, although there are other to teach SCD and piping in Japan. Over nationalities in all groups - and they even 330 dance rs from three Branches and Branch Shop. Some clubs also subsidise members who take out (or renew) their sometimes outnumber the Brits! Most of affi liated and non-a ffiliated groups from the teachers are expats too and in a all over Japan congratulated him and his RSCDS New Zea land Branch membership multi-lingual country like Switzerland, wife Atsuko on his great contribution to and in Ca nterbury, the Region also makes holding classes in English is a big the growth of SCD in Japan in the past 30 a contribution in the form of a subsidy advantage, as it makes things easier for years All the dance rs were impressed by Encouragement of younger dancers non-native English-speakers when they the excellent music provided by Keith (he re, Juni or Associate Members) is an go to Summer School in St Andrews or Smith, Hiroko Kokai, Bill and severa l important part of the operation of the other international events. Clubs in Japanese fiddlers. The Ball ended with The Branch . We now have 247 reg istered JAMs Switzerland are usually stri ctly Scottish Duke of Atha/l's Reel. In mid-October, the throughout the cou ntry. A Summer dancing clubs, but dancing is often linked Tokyo area experienced two medium­ School Scholarship is offered each year to other aspects of Scottish cu lture, such sized earthquakes. We hope the shocks for one JAM to attend the School. Our

7 Smiles all round as the legendary Stan Hamilton receives his Scroll. From left: Marie McLennan, Bill McLennan, John Middleton, Stan Hamilton, David Grant, June Shore and fellow bandleader Bobby Brown. own Medal Tests were introduced some Hamilton. Stan made his indelible mark in Vancouver, the stress is on informality: years ago, and a Silver Bar Medal Test on Scottish Country Dance music - and, 'Live music, refreshments and fun-no was held for the first time at Auckland indeed, on our dancing itself - during partner needed, just bring your smiles Summer School. 'Dancing in Schools and the I 960 's, I 970's, and early I 980's. An and wear flat, comfy shoes-kilts Tertiary Institutions' is another project amazing pianist, he was also an arranger, optional.' The cost is low, easy dances are and a trial is already underway in the a researcher, and, above all, a musician taught and beginners are especially Waikato area. with a tremendous knack of appreciating welcomed. Attendance has been as high the 'rightness' of a tune or set of tunes as as 200 . The University of Victoria North America - East Coast relating to a particular dance. His Caledonian Club grew from a chance Correspondent: John Middleton attention to arrangements and tempos meeting on the dance floor 'Tm a [email protected] were legendary and, wherever Stan student at the University of Victoria. I wish we had a class on campus " 'Tm a Greetings from an unusually warm Hamilton and the Clansmen were playing teacher, newly moved to Victoria, looking southern Ontario, not that the weather at a function, you could be sure of a se ll­ for a class to teach." Six years later the has had any impact on our Fall dancing out. Those attending were most Club, led by Anita Mathur. is flourishing activities! privileged to hear Stan play, along with Bobby Brown and the Scottish Accent, and its members take an active part in Classes started off enthusiastically and one of his most recognizable tunes the many dance events. there are reports of very successful first tune for The Hamilton Rant - Dr.Bob A key to success may be recognizing workshops. One in particular, came from Smith. This was a first for many dancers opportunities and that is what Tom and Halifax, NS, where Linda Gaul (Pitlochry) who came to dancing long a~er Stan had Rosemary Read did when they created was guest teacher for a weekend of stopped playing. A great occasion! two SCD courses through which students dancing with participants from all over might fulfil their PE requirements at the province. Lydia Hedge stated that North America - West Coast Western Washington University. Students Linda even had very new dancers dancing Correspondent: Rosemary Coupe who had enjoyed the classes then formed reels of three in very short order while [email protected] the nucleus of a Club which recently maintaining a wonderful. relaxed celebrated its I 0th anniversary. At Iowa Focus on the future: our younger dancers. atmosphere. On Sunday, instruction State University, Victor Raymond has continued for more advanced dancers Many West Coast groups - San Francisco, found a different niche in the curriculum: and, as Lydia said, "We were all able to Edmonton, Sacramento, and Vancouver he teaches traditional Scottish dance as work off the calories BEFORE - run successful children's classes. The part of an honours seminar entitled Thanksgiving Dinners!" Children 's Ball in San Francisco keeps 'Celtic Dance and Culture.' It was with great sadness that we heard of growing every yea r, and the Vancouver Home-schooling has created another Branch organizes an annual Children's Betty Grant's death just before Christmas. opportunity as parents o ~en look for a She had not been in the best of health for Workshop as well as a Bairns' Ball. physical activity to provide the PE some time but to meet her, one would SCD seems to be t he perfect activity fo r component of their children's education. not have guessed that there was anything young adults: it's energetic, social. and One mother approached Ron Wallace, wrong. As usual , Betty (backed up as ever the ideal antidote to exam-induced and the resu lt was the youth class in by David) would quickly bypass any stress. Yet dance groups on campus can Santa Rosa, which according to Gary health questions in order to get to the be hard to sustain, as students have Thomas has 'taken off like wildfire.' really important stuff: Scottish country other things to do. Strong and generous Events like the Santa Rosa Beginners' dancing. The music at her funeral was leaders are needed to keep youth groups Ball bring the generations together and a played by Bobby Brown and the Scottish going, and fortunately in the West and high point for the Iowa State University Accent with some of Betty's favourite Midwest of North America we are blessed Celtic Dance Society is the Twin Cities dance tunes, including the music for with a number of such people. San Failte Ball. which is particularly suited to dances she had devised - Bedrule, to Francisco Branch reports that many beginners. Groups like the University of name only one. Scottish country dancing classes, taught by enthusiasts, Sheena Victoria Caledonian Club also host their will be much the poorer for the passing of MacOueen, Jo Hamilton, Susie Langdon­ own ceilidhs and invite other dancers to this wonderful, quiet, caring, and Kass. Cathy Bertics, Ron Wallace and visit them . gracious lady. Kathleen, are all flourishing. In addition The highly successful Youth Weekend A most joyful event was celebrated at the many youth dance in adult classes as well West, now in its fourth year, is run by Hamilton Branch Weekend during as family classes. In 2005 they celebrated young people for young people - a October with the presentation of the their 7th Annual Children's Ball. magical event which touches us all with RSCDS Scroll of Honour to J. Stanley At Duncan MacKenzie's monthly ceilidhs youthful energy.

8 Attacked on New Year's Day!

Jimmie Hill reports on the Scotland on Sunday article heralding the demise of country dancing in schools.

Wak ing up on January I st this yea r was a sa me challenge . Th e first public co unter­ shoc ked to see th eir and their teachers' sobering experi ence for country dance rs in attack on January 7th ca me from Robbie enthusiasm denigrated in such a way . Scotland . Lu ckily, Annie and I were on the Sh epherd , the host of BBC Scotland's Ta ke Gaelic-speakin g children co me to the Mod every Isle of Lewi s where the Free Kirk ensures we the Floor programme Writing in the Press and year because they are taught to value their ca n't read the Sunday papers till Monday1 Journal. ·o ma bleed wis bilin' (m y blood cu lture. Th ey learn in th eir primary schools Sco tland on Sunday reported that 'traditional was boiling). he poi nted out the th at it is 'cool' to stand in front of the televisio n Scottish co untry dancing is being replaced commitment of MPs in t he Scottish ca mera s and sin g th eir culture to the world . by lessons in hip hop and street dance '. Parli ament to uphold our traditions and Our dan ce tradition is pa rt of what defin es us. SC D was described as one of 'the most culture while at the sa me time committing Hip hop, brilliant and gymnastic at its bes t, is fea red aspects of phys ical educa tion in £ 1.2 million to this hip-hop initiative . Th e not co mmunity dan cin g. It is solo dan cing . Scottish schools' - to be 'consigned to sa me day in the letters column, Myra Our own dan cin g allows children to dan ce with oblivion'. Following a pilot scheme by a McRobbie of Turriff pointed out that you their parents and grand parents at weddings new orga nisation, Scottish Youth Dance, don't see many 40-yea r-old Hip Hoppe rs1 and ceilidh s. Ta ke th e ceilidh out of Sco tland t his modern dance scheme wa s to be rolled Th e fo llowing week Peter Clark of Kinguss ie and we are diminished as a nation. Hip hop has out over t he country. One of the teachers made the good point that a trial project co me and will go. Th e Dashin g White Sergean t invo lved cla imed that pupils did not find it may work in a small area , but for it to be will remain . success ful natio nally, it needs trained 'trendy to dan ce to old-fas hioned Attacks on the RSC DS and country dancing t raditional dance music'. RSCDS Youth teachers. continue. Wh at should our res ponse be? Director, Sue Porter, was quoted as saying On January 8th I thought that t he dance rs of t hat SC D wa s good ae robic exercise . She Scotland would have packed out t he letters made the point t hat SCD is a social and life column in SOS. But no, only one letter and HeUo, Polic.t ? There'S a Qirtg skill as we ll as phys ica l exe rcise. in support of hip-hopl I was lucky enough of youths outs\dt dancing Throughout Scotland the phones started to have the fo llowing letter published on the. Eightsome Reel.and it's ringing and the e- mails started fl ying as January 15th! freaking the hell oot of me. hundreds of us ve nted our fu ry ! Wh at a Any new dan ce initiative in our schoo ls is to be start to 2006! welco med and Scottish Yo uth Da nce is to be In t he next few days, the substa nce of the co ngrat ulated. However, th is must not be at the expense of traditional Scottish co untry da ncin g report was repeated in t he Glasgow Hera ld Yo ur article of Janu ary I st was anoth er blow for and Aberd ee n's Press and Journal. It was one our traditional arts and cu ltu re. of the most comprehensive blows not only We h ve so me of the most brillian t da nces in the directly to country dancing, but indirectly wo rld , so me of the greatest da nce tun es , to everything we as a Society stand fo r. talented teachers and ded ica ted brilliant Fo rm er Chairman, Jea n Martin, makes the traditional musician s. Th e message your article point t hat one of the reasons the Society sent out was that we are all was ting our tim e was founded in 1923 was to save our da nce beca use it is no longer 'cool'. I am sure that the heri tage from being swamped by modern tens of th ousa nds of schoo l pupils who ta ke part da nces , but here we we re in 2006 with the in our co untry dan ce fes ti vals annually are (Cartoon by permission of Scotland on Sunday and Kieran) Well-deserved award The whole Society congratulate David Currie on his award of OAM in the Queen's Birthday Honours. He is pictured with the Governor-General of Australia, Sir Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC.

David Currie, one of the longest-standing Roya l Australian Air Force had se nt him to members o f the Ca nberra and Di strict the UK as a crewman fo r Bomber Co mmand Branch, was invested as a Member of ! he in 1944 . At that time telev ision was yet to Ord er of Australia (OAM) in Se ptember fo r arri ve in Perth and everybody listened to services to the community through Scottish the radio, including two wee kl y half-hour cou ntry danci ng. David's awa rd recognises programmes of uninterrupted Scottish his t remendous se rvice to res idents of co untry dance music. One evening, one of Nursing and Retirement Homes. David has the leading ba nds played for a dance at the orga ni sed nea rl y 500 entertainments at City Hall. David sa t in the ba lcony and these Homes . In Jun e 2005 , at age 82, he watched. He says t he sight from above of decided to retire from teaching in the Burns the sy nchro nous ebb and fl ow of the Scottish Country Danci ng Group in dance rs in Th e Gla sgow Hig hlanders was Ca nberra, after an 18-yea r ca ree r in the job momentous fo r his future life He was so David is an Au stralian born and bred, but impressed that he decided to lea rn . David his Scottish dancing ca ree r started in Pe rth , continues to enjoy Scottish dancing, and to Scotland, in the ea rl y 50s. He was then use it for his dedica ted, public-spirited working for the Perth shire Advertiser after t he community se rvice.

9 tfte members' magazin e of tft e RSCDS David and Betty Grant Two of the Society's most loyal Canadian su pporters. In the autumn Keith Bark interviewed David and Betty Grant of Toronto for this issue of Scottish Country Dancer. Sadly, Betty passed away on 7th December leaving not only a legacy of dances, but a wealth of happy memories for all who came in contact with her. She was a great ambassador for the Toronto Branch. She enriched both the RSCDS and Scottish country dancing. When Keith interviewed 'the Grants', as everyone affectionately called them, it was in the same room at their home in the Forest Hill area of Toronto where Miss Milligan was entertained at a party in 1977. Betty sat in the very chair that Miss Milligan occupied almost 30 years ago. David and Betty danced across Canada, from Halifax to Vancouver. They regularly attended dances and balls in London, Hamilton, Toronto, Kitchener and Guelph. They attended branch classes in Toronto in addition to teaching their own class. For many years they enjoyed St Andrews Summer School and the Society AGM. The highlight of their Scottish country dance career was receiving the RSCDS Scroll in 1999. We extend our sympathy to David and the family. This is their story and also a tribute to a great lady of country dancing.

When did you first start in Scottish country dancing? Bedrule i a tiny little hamlet where Betty's great great grandparents We went to the St Andrews Ball in the Royal York Hotel in Toronto for and their ancestors lived before immigrating to Canada in 1832 and many years. Betty had a cousin who was a medical officer in the 48th 1833. Bedrule means Bed of the Rule Waters and is in the Borders Highlanders, who ran the Ball in conjunction with the St Andrew's between Hawick and Jedburgh. In Bedrule yo u will see a church with Society. The dancing was called highland dancing, but it was what we a large bronze plaque for William Turnbull of Bedrule, Bishop of now call ceilidh dancing. In 1946, before we were married, I was invited G lasgow, who was founder of the University of Glasgow. Betty's great to join Betty for dinner in the officer's mess and then go to the St great grandmother was Elizabeth Turnbull who married Archibald Andrew's Ball. We did the Eightsome Reel, Waltz Country Dance, Dickson and came to Canada with their nine children. Just outside Dashing White Sergeant, Scottish Reform and other dances. The men wore Seaforth, Ontario, Archibald built a settlers cabin which, although heavy shoes, white tie and tails and the ladies wore their furs, beautiful much altered, is still there. The Indians came to see Archibald whilst he was cutting trees down and said he would kill himself the way he evening gowns, jewels and high-heeled shoes. It was the social event of was working, so he got his fidd le from his tent, and played whilst the the year. Then in 1962, one ballroom had people dancing Scottish Indians cut the tree down. Archibald became a member of country dancing. When we saw this, we inquired how we could learn it. parliament for Huron, with 84,000 constituents. We have visited We were told to attend a class at Grace Church the fo llowing Tuesday Bedrule and Betty wrote in the guest book that she had written a and we went early and were hown some of the steps by George dance named after the vi llage because of her fami ly connection. Armstrong, the teacher of the group. Over the years he got me involved Apparently the dance has brought many dancers to the village. in arranging balls and dances and when he died, I was as ked to be the Betty submitted another dance called St Andrews Gardens which was leader of the group. published in Book 35. She also devised A Ring of Friendship and The What is the story behind the dance Bedrule? Meeting Place, derived from a Miss issauga Indian word fo r Toronto. We had been attending Summer School fo r a number of years and Betty Another popular dance of Betty's is Chrysanthemum, written for a wondered how you got a dance published by the Society. We a ked Miss tour of Japan. When John and J'ina Middleton were in Japan G ibson and she said that yo u send it in and it was reviewed teaching, they were taken to several Highland Games. At each one anonymously. She sa id that so many were received that you might never they saw Chrysanthemum being danced. hear back from the Society! Anyhow, Betty had a dream in which she What is your Scottish heritage? devised the dance Bedrule. She woke up in the morning and sa id "I have The Grants came from Southern Ireland around 1830 and settled just dreamt about a dance. Don't speak to me or I may forget it." She near London, Ontario. My second name is Ross after my maternal typed it out and sent it in. About a month later Miss Gibson was on the grandmother, Bessie Ross, from Scotland. I was brought up Scottish. phone and sa id "We want Betty's dance." Betty replied, "That's fine, but Everything we did at home was Scottish, the food we ate, the pictures I would like to provide the music for it." At the time we were dancing on the wall. My mother's influence was greater than the Irish in a class taught by Bob Blackie, another Scroll recipient. The pianist influence on my father's side. My love of music also comes from my fo r the class was Anna Robertson. Anna wrote four tunes called The mother. Her father was the conductor of a military band. But really, Annandale Suite dedicated to her father, Jack Annandale. We sent the my connection with Scottish country dancing is through Betty and tunes to Scotland and the one chosen was published with the dance. that first evening at the t Andrews Ball.

10 Where did you meet Miss Milligan? Milligan to come and be the honoured guest social life as they used to. People would We met Miss Milligan several times at at the Festival. We raised money through practise and learn the dances before attending Summer School and at the Society AGM. functions, including our Tartan Ball , to cover a major event like the Tartan Ball. Miss Our first AGM was in 1973 and Summer her air fa re, but unfo rtunately she couldn't Milligan once said "Now, when I go to a Ball, School in 1974. We planned to attend the come because of the operation on her knees. I watch your faces. I see the real country AGM every five years and Summer School When we first talked to the organisers about dancers and they are not always the people every second yea r, but finished up going to performing at the Festival, they said that they with the most beautiful feet. They are the Summer School every year from 1978 to would give us $5 00 for each evening. We people who feel that it touches their soul. 2003. But, of course, our first meeting with didn't expect anything, so were quite grateful Remember you dance with your soul. You Miss Milligan was here in Toronto. She made for the donation. The next year we told them don't dance with your feet. There are some a number of visits here, one being in 1977 that we wanted $1000 per night and they people that just worship their feet and they when I was Branch C hairman. On that immediately agreed to our request! never get further than the feet." occasion we had a class of 400! It was after she The Festival was like a Military Tattoo with Over the years Canada has become more like had had an operation on her knees and she Highland and country dancing as well as the the UK. When we would dance in towns in Bands and other military displays. The finale needed someone on each arm to hold her the UK, the social dancing was not like that was called Honour the Piper and involved a full while she demonstrated the steps. I brought done by the Society at St Andrews. It was pipe band in the centre playing with the her into the gy m where we had both a piper, more carefree. Our dancing in Canada was of dancers coming on from the four corners to and Stan Hamilton on piano. Miss Milligan a very high standard, more like the Society form a St Andrews Cross and would finish walked round the room waving like the style. Now things have changed. There is less with all 300+ dancers dancing one large Queen Mother. She taught a strathspey and precision in the technique and a more hands round and back. A lot of people were the dancers really danced to their highest carefree attitude. People dance and enjoy attracted to Scottish country dancing through capabilities fo r her. People would really work both dancing and the music, so you do not the Festival. for her; she was a 'no-nonsense' teacher. She want to discourage it. A lot of our teachers are What are your Memories of St Andrews? wanted people to enj oy Scottish country not as particular as in the early days and We both took our certificates at St Andrews: dancing and she was very particular. downplay the importance of technique. You Betty in 1976 and me in 1978. St Andrews, to After the class she came back to our house for have to teach people at the level they are at. us, was like go ing to visit your family. Miss a party and she sat in the very chair Betty is You have to get them to enj oy the music and Milligan always spoke of the family. Members sitting in. A photograph in the book Dance enjoy the phrasing while doing the dance. came from all over the world and we would With Your Soul shows her standing by the Later you can improve their technique and meet many of them each year at St Andrews. piano with Alex Jappy and Stan Hamilton enable them to dance more easily. It is In the e rly days, we were served our meals playing. The party went on until almost and it was relaxing as you could talk with important to do dances that have good music 3.00am. After a few hours' sleep, Bob Blackie to go with the dance. Miss Milligan said in people . and meet n ~ w friends. You were and Ed Jones drove her to New York (a ten­ required to wear shirt, tie and jacket and it 1974 "I still don't think that you are hour drive) where she taught another class. was like a family dinner every evening. Then sufficiently impressed with the importance of She had great vitality, but on the other hand, we would meet outside the dining room in a gaiety. I do see so many demonstrations that I at the airport she would have a wheelchair so room I used to call the Blue Room because it think are deadly dull but well performed. I that she got special treatment! was blue with smoke! used to say to Miss Hadden that we have many performers, but few real dancers." Her We have tapes of talks given by Miss Milligan We used to dance at Summer School in a class comment to teachers was "If you can get your over the years containing pieces of her with other teachers. We were all quite capable wisdom. She was a mesmerising woman. She dancers and the dancing was a wonderful class to laugh, you've got the class with you. wanted people to understand what she experience. The number of teachers going to We lose fa r too many members through the believed in. Lots of stories about Miss that class has diminished because many now lack of ga iety and social communication." Milligan were just not true. Some people go to the Refresher Course fo r Teachers. We What is the relevance of the Society in would say that she had a big stick and hit you did not want to go to the Refresher Course - Canada? on the knees - but she never did anything like we went to dance! We really enjoyed the We need the Society to maintain standards that. She had a gentle nature, but she w~s many years we went to St Andrews. and technique - otherwise dancing, as we stem and she made sure things were followed How has Scottish country dancing changed know it, will slip away until all we have is up. over the years? another form of square dancing or ceilidh You were involved in the Toronto Scottish It is not as vigorous as when we first started. dancing where anybody can get up without World Festival, weren't you? Too many people dance the dances as if they know ing steps or formations. The Society In the 1970's we had a Scottish World Festival are walking. There is also a great proliferation needs to promote the enj oyment of dancing here in Toronto. It was held in the Canadian of dances. You could know all the dances together with phrasing and technique. We National Exhibition grounds each when there were just twenty books. That is need the Society to maintain the standards so August/September. We were in charge of the not poss ible now with 45 Society books plus that we can dance anywhere in the world. It is dancing and 350 dancers would perform each so many other books . Unfortunately though, necessary to have a framework to work within evening in front of a crowd of 20 to 25 it seems, so often, that briefing is not enough. and in joining the Society we are helping to thousand! We had so many bands, Royal Dancers rely on detailed descriptions of the keep alive a tradition. The Society enables us Marines , Pipe Bands fr om Scotland and dances rather than brief reminders. to go anywhere in the world and enjoy Australia that it affected the Pipe Band I think that people don't look on Scottish Dancing. Happiness really IS Scottish competitions in Scotland. We invited Miss country dancing as an important part of their Country Dancing.

11 the members' magazine of the RSCDS Overheard on the web

Chris Ronald of New York gives an overview of what people have been talking about on Strathspey, the website for Scottish country dancers and musicians to exchange information over the Internet. The Strathspey List was set up and is maintained by Anselm Lingnau, in Frankfurt, Germany. You can subscribe at www.strathspey.org.

Last October, we had one of the live liest springing athletic dance that ca lls upon initiated by Pi a Walker, stress ing that disc uss ions I can remember. It was about fancy footwork, pointed toes and turned­ RSCDS- style dan ce rs are of all ages, and etiquette at a dance or Ball . Th ere we re out kn ees.' In the discu ss ion on the that we do have a lot of fun Many comments about whether a man should Strathspey list, a dance r in her 20 s Strathspey Li st subscribers helped draft t he 'escort a woman to her seat' at the end of a mentioned that she' d bee n to many letter, and 4 l of them - from so me 25 da nce; whether dance rs should 'cl ea r the RSCDS-style dances all over Britain and co untries all over the world - signed it, in a fl oor' ; whether there's a probl em of some was 'usually the youngest at the dance by at wonderfully creative action by the Li st dance rs 'h ogging' the top set s; methods least 20 yea rs. At some there will be two or used around the world for counting off sets; three other young peopl e, but out of a hall Frowning at the birlers when to beg in cl apping at the end of a of I 00 dance rs, this is not good for the An other of the yo unge r 'Strathspeye rs' dance; and how to request an encore. I future of RS CDS-style dancing· mentioned that he so metimes liked to birl co uldn't beg in to summari se wh at was sa id, at a dance, but didn't dare to do so at but I'll mention just a few of the comments. Summer School. for fea r of disa pprova l In the so mew hat heated di sc uss ion that The issue of gender followed, it was agreed that only a small . On the gender iss ue, it was pointed out perce ntage of people at a dance would t hat , while some of our dances may date show disapprova l of birls, twiddles and from t he eightee nt h ce ntury. the role of the other ways that so me yo ung dance rs (a nd sexes has evolved, and we do not aim to others) like to 'let their hair down'. But it rec rea te in our balls the social customs of only takes one or two frowns to spo il eighteenth ce ntury Britain . Nowadays, someone's eve ning: a regular contributor to many groups enco urage women to ask men the list (and member of the RSCDS Boa rd) to dance, and often there are no seats for a lamented: 'they constantly and co nsistently wo man to be returned to anyway. One destroy my enjoyment of the dancing with Chris on Strathspey! woman pointed out t hat a man wh o did their tut-tuts and disa pproval of escort a woman back to her seat - or to the Th e disc uss ion cove red some o f the inexperi enced dance rs.' place he fo und her(!) - could find himse lf implied criticisms. Here's an exa mple: without a pa rtner fo r the next dance, all the ·11rece ntly saw a young girl getting as ked to Dance names women having paired off join a set She did so hes itantly as she had A common query on the Strathspey List is only co me to look. She does so me SC D to as k how a dance got its name: two rece nt Etiquette (and) with a little help ca n manage to go to exa mples are Ma chin e without Horses, and It is ev idently acceptable in many places for where she should be. Th e ve ry we ll­ Hoo per's Jig First , Ma chine without Horses. Th e t he da nce fl oor not to be clea red, but for mea ning teacher stepped into the set and list see med to ag ree that. as with many of sets to re-form quickl y after applauding and literally pushed her from behind round in the older dances (a nd some rece nt ones t hanking partners and other members of ri ghts and lefts Th ere was no need fo r this too), the name belonged to a tune before it the set . Someone then as ked who or wh at as we in the set co uld ha ve helped her. Th e belonged to a dance. But what did the tune are we applauding? Th e musicia ns (if any)? teacher wanted it done 'ri ght' and 'proper' , refer to? Some sa id an ea rl y st ea m engi ne Th e other da nce rs? Or perh aps ourse lves, and left one tee nage girl determined that But the majority see med to believe it for getting thro ugh the dance? Thi s led on she is not going to do this aga in . Sh e felt referred to a sedan chair, inve nted around to how to request an encore: 'cl ap more humiliated and SCD - as we kn ow it - has the time the tune is first kn own to have vigorously'; 'stay in sets on the fl oor'; lost bee n publ ished One subsc ri be r suggested 'stomp on th e fl oor' . Oth ers mentioned th e that t he fi gures of the dance might depi ct practice, common in t he US, of waving an Attracting younger dancers the actions of a stea m engine, but others index finger in t he air, to signify 'once and Th e disc uss ion showed a lot o f found this idea fanciful So meone else to the bottom' or 'one more time'. understanding for the co nce rn s being asked if anyo ne kn ew who Mr. Hooper was raised by the young people, and most (as in Hoo per's Jig). One of the list's That Scotsman article people ag reed that a change of attitude is linguistics ex perts ex plained that this A rece nt discuss ion was prompted by an needed in ord er to attract the yo unge r probably referred to a trade, rather than an art icle in the Sco tsman of 15t h November ge neration. On e young perso n stressed: individual Apparently, 'hooper' and Th e art icle opened with the lin e 'Scottish 'it is not ju st up to the branches. It is up to 'cooper' are at root the sa me word, co untry da ncing ca n be anything you make eve ry individual wh o dances to enco urage mea ning someone wh o makes ba rrels (puts of it fo rm al and fastidiously ca rried out. or young people · It was also emphas ized t hat hoops on a tun) Th e sa me subscri be r more free, with the emphas is on fun ' It 'things within the RS CDS are moving in the pointed out that there are a number of contrasted the RS CDS style with ce ilidh ri ght direction', such as with the Easter word s where there ca n be co nfusion about da ncin g, whi ch was portrayed as more School for young people, and that there are a 'ch' so und (e g loch) Strangely, no one popular among young people, more fun , other co untries, such as Germ any, where started a loch ve rsus lock debat e! Ah we ll , and where 'no one gets upset if yo u take a the ave ra ge age of dance rs is much lower eve ry theme has to co me to an end wrong step'. It added that 'the RSCDS than in the UK . Th e discuss ion ended with so metime. t eaches a grey ing group of people a the drafting of a letter to Th e Sco tsman , Chris Ronald. New York

12 What does your sporran tell us? In this second article on the clothes we wear for country dancing, Robert Lachlan writes about fashions in sporrans.

'Sporran' is Gaelic for 'purse' and is in Loudon Macqueen Douglas. in his Manual extravaganza, but you would be surprised daily use by Gaelic-speakers The sporran. of Scottish National Dress of 1914. writes that to see one at the AGM ball! worn with the kilt. has a long pedigree. the original sporrans were made from the For general dancing and day dress, the Writing his history of the First Crusade skins of wild animals, such as the otter or sporran should be plain and simple. You around 1110, Guibert of Nogent reports, the badger. but 'several historical can splash out on something more 'You might see (the soldiers) of the Scots personages have also worn those of velvet flamboyant for evening dress - fur, silver ... barelegged, with their shaggy cloaks. a or other strong cloth'. He advises that the trimmings, etc. A dress sporran looks out scrip hang ex humeris.· A 'scrip' was a sporran for evening dress should be of of place if you are wearing an open-necked medieval word for the pouch carried by goat's hair with tassles. and the lower shirt in class and a plain leather sporran pilgrims. Guibert also notes that Scots fringe should 'fall below the edge of the would not normally be worn with a Prince wore their scrips 'hanging forward from kilt. about an inch', whereas 'small circular Charlie or Montrose Doublet. their haunches.· Early illustrations of sporrans are more suitable for morning Scots show this simple practical leather wear' . Directions from the Lord Chamber­ Today, if you go into a Highland outfitter. pouch . Here is an example of a sporran lain's Office for Scottish National Dress for you will be spoilt for choice. There are from the 17th century: Levees should be 'full dress white hair black furry ones with white tassles, white furry ones with black tassles; blue. red , After the failed 1745 sporran. silver mounted with tassles·. The Rebellion, the Disarming strap should be patent leather and the green or pink furry ones if you want to be Act of the following year chain silver. more outrageous! It appears that the banned. amongst other By 1936 the Highland outfitters. Stewart sporran has become more of a fashion things, the wearing of Christie and Co. advising lesser mortals. statement than for many years. But don't the kilt or any tartan state that for day dress the sporran should get carried away! The salesman may tell garment. as well as the be hogskin. leather or fur and without you that pink is very popular this year at playing of bagpipes. undue ornamentation. while the evening ceilidhs, but how will it look at the ball! Forcing the Gaels to dress sporran should be white hair. fur or Two further pieces of advice. When adopt a foreign form of dress had far­ leather. silver gilt or mounted. Picture 2 wearing a sporran . make sure it is neither reaching cultural consequences. The Act shows Mr James C. Forbes of Corse, in day too high nor too low. There is nothing was repealed 36 years later in 1782. thanks dress. wearing a fox fur sporran around worse than a sporran hanging down and to the efforts of the Gaelic Society of 1900. flying about. or one so high up it is almost London. Much more common earlier. was the full at navel height! The 19th century saw a new vogue for military hair sporran According to Highland dress after the obese. yet Maxwell & Hutchison, writing in 1958 in magnificently kilted. George IV visited Scottish costume 1550 - 1850. 'it is the army Edinburgh in 1822. Picture I is from an (which) is responsible for perpetuating the edition of The Scottish Gael of 1876 and monstrous horsehair sporrans, with shows two Highland Chiefs. be-feathered shaving brush tassles. which appealed to and with modest fur sporrans. The same the early 19th century gothic taste'. The illustrator shows us (below) 'Purses of the Edwardian in picture 3 gives the Different Regiments', all made of fur and impression. not that he is wearing his high about right low with different arrangements of the 'tassles' clothes. but that his clothes are wearing for each regiment. Tassles were not him! - feather in bonnet and full military­ When buying a new sporran. do try it on arbitrary adornments. style hair sporran reaching below his kilt. and dance some springy pas de basque Picture 4 is our magnificent piper. Alistair steps in the shop. Noisy tassles can be Duthie. at the 2005 AGM with his fine very embarrassing when you are setting example of a military-style sporran. twice' I have even removed tassles which Over the past 200 years, sporran styles made too much noise! have come and gone. At a ceilidh dance So, the message about sporrans is the today you might see a young man wearing same as for hose - the right sporran for I I his grandfather's full military hairy the right occasion!

13 the members' magazine of the RSC DS The Glasgow Highlanders

Dr Alastair MacFadyen, former Society Chairman and Archivist, has researched the origins of The Glasgow Highlanders in this first of an occasional series of articles on our dances.

As it's one of my favourites, I wa s very second . Precisely wh en or by wh om the 'promote a unifo rm method of teaching' pleased to see in the re sults of the rece nt name change wa s made is not certain, but and 'to ass ist Teachers in acquiring a 'favourite dance' competition that Th e the title familiar to us was well established kn owl edge of New Dances'. It may be Glasgow Highlanders appeared in the most by the 1890s. ass umed that the subj ect of this art icle, a popular list at number 7. Th ere are several About his dance. Walter Gillies says , 'It is a dance for a Gl asgow regiment, was t he reasons for its appea l to me. Wh en it little difficult, and requires to be well Sec retary's res ponse to the second of t hese features in a dance programme, the lines of understood before attempting to join in obj ects dance rs progress ing down the hall and back danci ng it. It is danced to strathspey time again. es pecially in a large assembly, is, I all thro ugh · To us this may see m like a The Regiment think, a magnifice nt spectacl e In addition, surprising comment. but as a profess ional In his Manual. Walter Gillies records t hat the vari ous as pects of the dance - its teacher of dancing, he would have bee n his dance was 'made by me for a compa ny history, structure, devi se r, reg imental well aware of the preferences of his pupils of the I 05th Voluntee r Reg iment and association, music and Highland step - all Whilst dance rs o f the late ninet ee nth danced first by them in Glasgow at their combine to pro vide us with a dance which ce ntury continued to enjoy the Highland Asse mbly' Consisting of twe lve compa nies, ha s an interesting background story ree ls with their medley of strathspey and the 105th Lanarkshire (Gl asgow Highland) ree l t empos and the country dances Rifle Vo lunteers was fo rm ed in Glasgow in acco mpanied by the quicker rh ythms of ree l April 1868 and was made up mostly of and jig, their liking for the strathspey ex iled Highlanders res ident in the city. country dances had diminished considerabl y. Thi s fact probably explains why the version of Th e Gla sgow Highlanders included by David Anderson, the Dundee dancing master, in his ball-room guide of c. 1890 states that it should be danced to 16 bars of ree l and 16 bars of strathspey. I am ve ry glad that the devi se r' s ori ginal directions preva iled and achieved general acceptance.

The Deviser Walter F Gillies ( 1851 - 1909) was a well kn own teacher of danci ng on the south side of Glasgow. At the time of his death , it was The Dance sa id that 'the pro fess ion, which he had As one of the few strathspey country dances graced for upward s of 40 yea rs, had lost one still danced or remembered by 1923, it was of its most abl e ex ponents'. As was inevitable that Th e Gla sgow Highland ers customary in hi s pro fess ion. and as should have bee n included amongst the illustrated by a surviving programme of one Society's first pu blished strathspeys (Book of his Children's Balls, hi s teaching covered 2, 192 5) . Surpri singly, sin ce ea rli er printed all as pects of fa shionable dance as well as Wea ring a unifo rm modelled on that of the versions clea rl y indica te 32 bars. it the dances of the Scottish traditions. Like 42nd Highlanders (Bl ack Watch). t he new appeared with 24 bars only (4 bars fo r the so many of his profess ional co lleag ues, he regiment made its first public appeara nce ri ghts and lefts and 4 bars for the Highland was also an accomplished musician and in Gl asgow in October 1868 when the step) . The consequent problem for the was particularl y noted as a corn et , flute and Prince of Wales laid t he foundation stone of music wa s immediately identified and the piccolo pl ayer For several yea rs. he was a the new Unive rsity buildings at Gilmorehill co rrection made in later editions of Book 2. member of the Bute Band in Rothesay, Isle Th e chief fun ction of the volunteer battalions. of which there were ma ny in the Although the dance was probab ly of Bute. wh ere he had a house. nineteen th ce nt ury, was to be prepa red to composed in the 1870s (see below). its first As an adjudica tor of competitive Highland supplement the forces of the reg ular arm y printed ve rsion, as far as I am aware, was danci ng, the se rvi ces of Walter Gillies were in times of war But there was also a strong not available until c. 1880 when the always in demand at Highland Gatherings social aspect to t heir act ivities and it was instructions we re included by the dev ise r, and at Intern ational Ex hibitions held, for quite usual for them to incl ude a da ncing Walter F Gillies . in his Manual of Dancing exa mple, in Glasgow, Edinburgh, assembly in their annual ca lendar of Th e name he gave it was the Hi ghlanders Manchester and Pari s. He was a fo unding events. Country Dan ce, a title which refl ect s, not only member and Secretary of the Scott ish its military conn ections. but also the way in Association of Teachers of Dancing. So far. I have fo und no evidence to which Gillies choreographed his dance. In Fo rm ed in the 1890 s, this was the first such establish prec ise ly at which assembly the it, he amalgamated two Scottish dance orga nisation for profess ional teachers of Highlanders Country Dan ce made its debut tra ditions - the country dance in the first dancing which restricted its membership to Becau se the I 05th was redesignated as the half and the Highland or Scotch ree l in the Scotland . Its first two obj ects were to I 0th Lanarkshire (Gl asgow Highland ) Ri fl e

14 Old soldier

Vo luntee rs in 1880 and as the 5th dance. When re commended by early Alfred Anderson, the oldest man in (G lasgow Highland) Vo luntee r Battalion editions of Boo k 2, it wa s referred to as 'a Scotland, died at the age of l 09 on of the Highland Li ght Infantry in 188 7, it strathspey step'. Th e first detailed November 21st. When his obituaries see ms li ke ly that t he dance was description of it fe atures in Scottisli appeared in the Press, it came as co mposed by Gillies , and first danced at Nationa l Dan ces : A Practical Handbook , news to many of us that Alfred had a regi menta l asse mbly, at some t ime published in Edinburgh in 190 1 by the been a keen supporter of the RSCDS . betwee n 1868 and 1880. Ed inburgh teacher, Jam es Gra ham sley Alfred Anderson was born in Dundee in Membe rs of the Glasgow Highlanders Atkinson Jr In Letter XI of his book, Ladies' 1896. He was called up in 1914 at the age of sa w active se rvi ce in the Boer War and in Stratlispey Steps, he includes instructions 18 and served in the Black Watch in the First both World Wars. In Worl d War I , 11 00 fo r the now well kn own Glasgow World War. He was the last survivor of the men of the reg iment died on the western Highlanders step. Christmas Truce when so ldiers on both front Memorabilia relating to the sides laid down their weapons, sa ng carols ori gin al 10 5th Vo luntee r Battalion and its Postscript and played football together. Wounded in subseq uent history is displayed in the I have an interesting and happy finale to 1916, Alfred was sent home to recuperate. mu se um of the Roya l Highland Fu siliers, my account of Tli e Gla sgow Higlilanders He eventually married and lived in Newtyle Sa uchiehall Street, Glasgow Mrs Ruby Yuille, granddaughter of Walter in Angus and later in Alyth in Perthshire. F Gillies, lives, as did her grandfather, on 1\vo years ago, Joa n Henderson, an RSCDS The Music the south side of Glasgow where she member and former lecturer in traditional Walter Gi llies makes only a brief attends a country da nce class regularly dance at Dunfermline College of PE in reference to music wh en he advises that Cramond, visited Alfred in hi s home. He put it would be ava ilable 'fo r piano and any the secret of his longevity down to keeping other in strument' on application to him. fit and in no small measure to his love of Wh ether or not he se lected the tune now country dancing. He remembered being kn own as Glasgow Higlilanders ca n only be taught by Danci e Reid and that the music was 'very good in those days'. He matter of speculation. While investiga t­ remembered that at least half of the ing the o ri gins of the tune, I was intrigued Dancie's classes were devoted to step by a note which appea rs with an undated practice and that he was very strict - with RSCDS lea fl et for Tli e Gla sgow Higlilanders particular emphasis on posture and the It rea ds as follows: 'Tune Published in a accuracy of foot position. set of Lance rs ca lled Merry Tun es by D Godfrey, 1866'. Having located this set Joan tells of Alfred's own immaculate of the Lan cers, and posit ive ly identified appearance , shoes highly polished and wearing a smart shirt and tie, and his our fa mi liar melody, I was surprised to enviable posture. At the age of I 08 , he held note that it was entitled Hop Liglit Loo . himse lf upright and showed her with small Furt her enquiries have revea led that Hop gestures of the foot and leg what Dancie Ligli t Loo was a ve ry popular ninet ee nth Reid was aiming for. Apparently, Mr Reid ce nt ury refrain wh ich was ad opted then told his dancers never to look down to check and since fo r a va ri ety of purposes - Wh en Mrs Yuille and I first met in 200 1, wh at their feet were doing - they should quadrille, plantation so ng, t rot-past for she was we ll aware of her grandfather's 'feel it'. th e King's Hussa rs, a Welsh folk tune, claim t o Tli e Gla sgow Hi gli landers, but It was common in those days for boys to sit Croen y Dda fad Felan, (co nfirmed by admitted t o having been rather diffident on one side of the room and the girls on the RSC DS membe rs, Heulwe n Hall and Fran about mentioning it I am very indebted othe r. In order to help the boys relax, Dancie Smith) and the t heme music for the well to Mrs. Yu ille fo r her grandfather's Reid would throw a handful of sweeties into re membered Scottish radio se ri es, the biographi ca l details and for the the ce ntre of the room . The boys would all McFlannels. So it is possible t hat Walter illustrations which accompany this run and scrabble to get them . This helped Gillies, persuaded by the appea l and article. the boys get over their shyness! Alfred also appropriateness of tune, did make the remarked on how Mr Reid would insist on ori gin al se lection. In any case, the etiquette. When he announced a dance, the published co llections of dance music, boys would go across the room and ask the Kerr's Co llec tion of Reels and Stratli speys, for Congratulations gi rl s to dance. The boys wou ld then escort exa mple, confirm that by the 1890s t he Ottawa Branch on their 40th anniversary the girls onto the fl oor with each girl placi ng familiar Gla sgow Hi glilan de rs tune was the Two of our oldest branches both their arm on the boy's. At the end of the recogni sed and established accompani­ celebrating their 80th : Dundee and West dance, the boys had to walk the girls back to ment to t he da nce . Renfrewshire their seats. If anyone was not dancing Inverness Branch have 4 sets of correctly, all Mr Reid had to do was tap The Step beginners this year. Well done! them on the shoulder with hi s violin bow. Th e teacher' s instruction "s how me your He was both teach er and accompanist. Thanks Gl asgow Highlanders step" is now One of the last surviving veterans of WWI , immediately understood by many RSCDS Mrs Eileen Watt would like to thank Alfred's life was remarkable both for its members. Th at was not always so . Thi s everyone for their generosity and best length and for his many contributions to his wishes on her retirement. She hopes to step has only acquired its familiar local community It is wonderful that see you all on the dance floor! des ignation over time and, li ke the co untry dancing was an important part of music, beca use of its associ ation wi t h the his long life .

15 Clockwise from top left: AGM dancer, young dancers in Hamburg, Stan and Anne Hamilton, Matthias and Marie at Marie's Wedding, AGM dancers, Coming up the middle at the AGM, Dot Armstrong, Chairman of the Dunfermline Branch with Andrea of Dundee Branch, and Martina of the International Branch.

16

The Perth AGM and Conference

Andrew Kellett, member of the Editorial Board, reports on an excellent AGM and Conference Weekend in Perth.

We all know what AGMs can be like and present was reminded of the immense local colour. The fact that consideration conferences. whether political or business. contribution that individual members was given to running more than one RSCDS do not enjoy a much better reputation. throughout the world make. In his address. Conference Weekend in a year suggested Happily, the RSCDS Conference Weekend Stewart paid tribute to Richard Turnbull that this one was a success. Each of the 2005. incorporating the ACM. avoided and Alex Gray, who were standing down as subjects encouraged a lot of members to these stereotypes and proved to be Finance Convenor and Education & speak and the chair of the session. Irene interesting. informative and fun Over 700 Training Convenor respectively, and to Jun e Bennett (Chairman Elect) had to guillotine members attended at least part of the and Eileen who were leaving their posts at proceedings to allow time for the last topic Conference. held at the Bell 's Sports Centre Headquarters. He asked members to be on communication. which of course is a in Perth over the first weekend in patient while new staff found their feet. good thing and we always seem to want

November. with over 400 at the ACM itself. He also urged members to be tolerant of more of it. While this was going on. David These figures are pretty remarkable. It different dancing styles as we try to keep Hall was teaching a class in the main arena would be hard to think of a comparable more young people interested in Scottish for about 200 dancers helped by some organisation where the grass-roots country dancing One of those younger excellent music from Judith Smith and membership takes such a keen and active members, Gary Coull, spoke impressively Gillian Cummins. part in managing its affairs Of course. any on behalf of Banffshire Branch proposing a A few years ago the ACM concluded with a sensible member goes to the weekend for motion to lower the age at which dance on the Saturday night, now the the dancing and to meet with friends. but candidates could sit Part One of the Weekend extends into Sunday morning that doesn't stop him or her following the Teaching Certificate. After a short debate with a range of discussion and practic~I debates and contributing to the many the motion was narrowly defeated, but it groups 80 members attended a workshop discussion groups, both formal and was gratifying to hear that young dancers on 'What Makes a Good Dance' led by John informal. that will help to shape the wanted to become RSCDS teachers. Wilkinson, with George Meikle providing Society's future. The Weekend showed the Accounts were studied, reports were heard, the music. Some of the dances coming out RSCDS to be in good heart. well led, with the election results were announced, of the workshop would be worthy of an enthusiastic and committed member­ thanks were given The business was con­ publication ship. Now that's something in which we can cluded very efficiently in under two hours. Another workshop on 'Music for Dancing' all take pride. D ring the weekend there were other led by Mo Rutherford (Music Director) In keeping with tradition the Weekend opportunities to contribute to debates brought together 40 musicians and opened with a formal Ball. The Bell 's Sports about the Society's affairs The first of these dancers. A lively discussion ensued which Centre is one of the few venues in Scotland was the Branch Forum at 9.15 on Saturday highlighted the interdependence of music that can accommodate almost 700 country morning. Maybe it was the relatively early and dance. A meeting for Youth Co­ dancers. and it was great to see so many start after the ball the night before. but this ordinators. chaired by Sue Porter (Youth members dressed in their finest enjoying was a rather lacklustre event despite the Director) covered some interesting ground the music of Colin Dewar and his Band. To valiant efforts of co-chairs Elaine Wilde including: ideas for establishing youth emphasise the international reach of the (Croydon) and Simon Wales (London) to demonstration teams; training courses on Society, the Ball programme was compiled get discussion flowing On the other hand, teaching Scottish country dance to by the three Branches in Japan. The the absence of strong feelings from the children; family camps incorporating following evening a similar number of floor may indicate that Branches are dancing and other activities; and health dancers packed the floor aga in for an broadly content with the way that the and safety issues associated with running informal dance with Marian Anderson and Society is being managed, and the Forum events for children. her Band, who were on top form. This time did make some recommendations to the As the workshops and discussion groups Newcastle Branch had put the programme Management Board, mostly about concluded, members made their way to together. Both events were spectacular. We outreach. The next session, 'The Floor is lunch parties or began the journey home. might take it for granted, but the sight of Yours·. was an altogether livelier affair. The Each had his or her personal highlight of line upon straight line of trained dancers all later start, the chance for an extra cup of the weekend, but they all shared the moving in unison is really impressive; and coffee and topics for discussion that were satisfaction of contributing to a conference taking part on the dance floor is thrilling about dancing rather than management all that had shown the Society in a positive and inspiring. A memory that will stay with helped It was good that the Management light as an organisation worth supporting us until ... well, at least next year! Board used this occasion to sound out the and developing. Hearty thanks to the Board The ACM itself was well handled by our views of members, and the brief members who had masterminded the Chairman , Stewart Adam, with his introduction to each topic was appreciated. event. and the army of stewards who had customary good humour. Vice President, The question of recapping at dances kept the whole show running smoothly. Peregrine Moncrieffe of that Ilk, recounted attracted a lot of opinions. Clearly A more formal record of the Conference can some of his experiences on the dance floor, 'briefings·. 'talk through' and 'calling· are be found in the members area of the both "elemental and elegant", before becoming more common at Branch dances. Society website: www.rscds.org Copies of presenting the Society Scroll of Honour to Generally, people felt that the proposal for the ACM minutes and the annual accounts this year's recipients. Listening to the a core repertoire had merit, but wanted are available for all members. (More citations for the awards, everyone room for programme compi lers to retain photographs on pages 16 and 17.)

18 Publication of music that School organisers relied heavily on the dances as well as the knowledge needed of Musicians in New Zealand had sent an goodwill of both teachers and musicians. alternative tunes in addition to named e-mail about the proposal not to publish Everyone present agreed that being at originals was questioned It was clear that dance books with music. Some of those Summer School was more than just about musicians should be made aware of the present expressed the worry that musicians playing for. and teaching, Scottish country need to have a full repertoire of alternative would simply play tunes that they liked and dancing It was very much a cultural and tunes. the chosen original might never be played social experience as well as generating It was suggested that it would be useful for The meeting felt the proposed policy lifelong friendships and memories for music course students to 's hadow' should be reconsidered. Jim Healy reported everybody who attended. experienced musicians. This would allow that the main driver behind the proposal musicians to 'complete their apprentice­ was the cost of publishing books of new The cost and make-up of bands ship'. It was agreed that thought should be dances with music - when the vast majority A letter from a band leader raised the issue given to having some form of graduation of the books' recipients were not interested of 'rent-a-bands' - where a small group of scheme following attendance at approved in the music. Everyone agreed that musicians appeared with a number of musicians' courses, thus giving them some • mu sicians playing for dancing needed different bands. The effect was to water recognition for their efforts down the distinctive sound produced by access to the chosen tunes. There was a general feeling that HO should some bands. It was suggested that one of consider organising more courses 'out and the main reason s for this situation was the Format of music about' rather than concentrate solely on failure on the part of some dance At present the music is published in full Summer School and leaving the rest to organisers to pay enough to allow band sco re layout with left hand accompani­ individual Branches worldwide. ments written out in full. The meeting did leaders to retain their own players. As a not like the suggestion that future result. people played with whoever offered The role of the dance caller publications would only show a melody them work. Another reason was the lack of cash available as ticket prices were often One musician raised the issue of the role of line with le~ hand harmonies. A number of teachers as MCs versus dance callers - as people rai sed the fact that. especially very low for an event with live music. Those he had been experiencing a growing trend outside Scotland, musicians who were present suggested that it was a historical for teachers to refuse to act as MCs . As a trying to develop a playing style matter for dancers to want an enjoyable musician, he found this trend worrying. A appropriate for Scottish country dancing evening 'on the cheap' and that it would bandleader cannot perform the entire would not be able to master the art unless take a long time to change this mindset. range of tasks required of an MC as well as full scored arrangements were available to Younger dancers were generally more lead the band. He suggested that there them or at least until they gained some willing to pay higher prices for an evening needs to be a great deal of teamwork experience of playing for dancing The out with live music. between bandleader and the MC, and that general conclusion was that music should all of the 'behind the scenes' work ensured be set out in full score arrangements. PAS Licensing A question was raised regarding the a successful evening for both the dancers Payment for playing legitimacy of using recorded music without and band. There was a suggestion that branches could A band leader had written about the fact a PRS licence. All RSCDS events in the UK that class musicians at Summer School using them are covered by the corporate do more to encourage people to act as MCs were not paid, and the nominal sums paid PRS membership levy paid through by running courses in this area. It was by Branches for classes and day schools. It Headquarters. suggested that HO might consider issuing was made clear that the rates paid for guidelines to Branches as to the role and Branch events are set by individual Musicians' courses tasks to be performed by MCs as opposed Branches and the Society has no control Everyone thought the courses were very to dance callers. A dancer wondered if over them. It was indicated that the main valuable in encouraging people to play for bands wanted MCs or if they considered reas on for the non-payment of a fee to dancing and that the ability of the them to be an annoyance Thi s person had Summer School musicians was historical, musicians attending such courses should, had experience of that sort of attitude. The teachers receiving no payment either. The within reason , not necessarily be a musicians present unanimously voiced feeling of the meeting was that the Society stumbling block. It was noted that if more their support for an 'official MC' to act as a should debate firstly the principle of courses were made available, then more link with the dancer, a controller of payment (or not) and then consider how players may become proficient enough and situations regarding tempo, volume and much should I could be paid In the past. to gain enough confidence to start playing for encores. be invited to teach or play at Summer classes and dances. All present felt it very worthwhile that School was deemed an honour and not The awareness of musicians of the different musicians have this opportunity to express si mply another 'gig' . It was acknowledged skills required to play for classes and their point of view on a regular basis.

19 tfie members' magazin e of tfi e RSCDS Miss Muriel Gibson

Muriel Gibson was RSCDS Secretary from 1975 till 1988. Derek Haynes' dance, Miss Gibson 's Strathspey, ensures that her name will not be forgotten. In this appreciation, Dr Alastair MacFadyen pays tribute to a person whose life was much more than our memories of her. Miss Gibson was born in Glasgow on 29 Nov 1912 and died in Edinburgh on 22 Oct 2005.

Muriel Gibson's application fo r the position of and encouragement. It soon became apparent It's not surprising that someone of Muriel's RSCDS Secretary requested she should not be to me, however, that Muriel was a lady of ve ry abilities should have had a broad range of dismissed 'out of hand on the account of age' strong principles in defence of which she could interests outside her working life. She was a (she was then 63). Fortunately for the be very for thright. Whilst on most matters linguist, a musician, an active member of The RSCDS, the selection panel responded relating to the RSCDS we were in agreement, St. Andrew Society of Edinburgh and, after positive ly and offe red her the job. She there were time when we did not agree. leaving the RSCDS, Secretary of the Russ ian accepted and took up the post in time for the W hilst the reasons for most of those Ballet Society, of wh ich her sister, Mme. 1975 Summer School. The Secretaryship wa disagreements have long since li pped from my Eunice Bartell, was Pres ident and Principal vacant at the time of her appointment. Muriel memory, I do recall one incident. It concerned Teacher. To all of these she applied her had to get to grips with her job very quickly. It the front door of 12 Coates C rescent. After characteristic energy and enthusiasm. soon became apparent that she was more than hearing comments from several members There was yet one more dimension to the life equal to the task and fo r the next 13 years the about the unwelcoming sight of a fi rmly closed of Muriel Gibson and that was her devotion to RSC DS reaped the benefit of her undoubted front door whenever visiting HQ, I proposed all things Scottish and in particular to the administrative abilities. cause of Scotland's political independence. When she joined the RSCDS, Muriel Gibson She was a member of the Scottish National had already completed two very successful Party from an early age and fo r severa l years careers; the first in the regular army, in wh ich served as its N ational Secretary. At the she attained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel; outbreak of war in 1939, like other members of the second in personnel management with the National Party, she was temporarily Ferranti. Not satisfied with retirement at the detained by the police when the patrioti m of age of 60 from Ferranti, she was then party members was in doubt. In fa ct, there wa employed as the first fu ll -time County no one more patriotic than Muriel G ibson. Director of Lanarksh ire Red C ross, a post she T he fl agpole erected in her front garden, and gave up in order to become RSC DS Secretary. on which he proudly displayed the Saltire, was ev idence of this. For visitors, the At the time of her appointment, the RSCDS prominent fl agpole was a very helpful guide to was just beginning its second half-century. It identifyi ng her C ramond home in Edinburgh. was sti ll a growing Society, especially overseas, In appreciation of her services to Scotland , in and the administrative consequence of 1988 she was appointed a Dame Commander increasing membership and activity had to be of the Chivalric Military O rd er of the cottish be borne by the Secretary and her staff. Miss Knights Templar. Milligan was still very active in Society affairs (she died in 1978) and Muriel often said how Muriel Gibson's fu neral service and burial glad she was to have had the opportunity to Photograph (courtesy of Marjorie Crawford) taken took place on Saturday, 29th October 2005 at at the Jean Mi ll igan Memorial Weekend at O ld St.Ninian's Church Yard, Stirling. It was a work with her and to have experienced her Jordanhill College, Glasgo w in July 1986. Miss enthusiastic devotion to the cause of Scottish Gibso n, between Mrs Marjorie Crawford and Mrs moving and fitting celebration of her long and country dancing. I have no notion of Miss Raynor Stratford of New Zealand Branc h, with the very fu ll life . The piper present played Scott then Chairman of the Society, Dr Mac Fadyen. Mi lligan's impressions of Muriel Gibson. I'm Skinner's T he Music O ' Spey , a favourite of sure she was pleased to have an effi cient that the front door remain open during offi ce Muriel's and the tune for the dance which the Secretary in place, but I suspect that even the hour . Murie l was not convinced. But, having late Derek Haynes composed in tribute to her. indefatigable co-founder fo und Muriel's overcome her very reasonable concerns for the In compliance with her own reque t, the piper boundless supply of energy rather afety of her staff by the add ition of a lock to concluded the funeral with Highland overwhelmi ng at times. the inner vestibule door, she agreed . The door Cathedral. All aspects of her life were well represented and several RSCDS members As a member of the old Executive Council and wa opened and has remained so ever since. were present, including the present Chairman as RSCDS Vice-Chairman and Chairman, I Now this may seem li ke a very insignificant and fi ve fo rmer Chairmen. O ur Society i got to know Muriel Gibson well. Like so many achievement. Nevertheless, as I now enter privileged to have been associated with this others, I fo rmed a very high opinion of her Coates C rescent through a welcoming, open remarkable lady and she wi ll long be abil ities and came to admire her many front door, I am unable to resist a silent wo rd remembered with affection and gratitude by qualities - her integrity, energy, efficiency, of self-congratulation and, of course, a RSCDS members. loyalty, enthusiasm and above all her total moment of fo nd remembrance of Muriel. commitment and dedication to all that she T he AGM of 1988 recognised the A final note from Muriel's i ter: undertook. As Chairman, I was particularly indebtedness of the Society to Muriel Gibson "I would like to acknowledge the many notes and grateful fo r her detailed knowledge of the by approving her appointment as a Vice­ cards of sympathy and condolence which I have membership, from its largest branch to its President. She never lost her interest in the received from over 70 RSCDS branches around smallest affi liated group. This fa miliarity she Society, attending AGM until fa il ing health the world. It is comforting to know how much they acquired at the Summer School, which he prevented her from doing so and accepting all have appreciated knowing my sister Muriel, not always enj oyed, and at many UK branch invitations to the Summer School. In the last just for the essentials, but for their functions. In 1986 she carried out a successful few months of her life when, very sad ly, her acknowledgement of the extra personal help , tour of several of the North American mental facu lties were no longer as ag ile and as advice and assistance which it appears she was branches. I valued her advice and during my sharp as they once were, the mention of always willing to donate outwith essential du ties. I C hairmanship, I especially appreciated her someone's name or an incident from the pas t have been dee ply touched by their response and almost daily phone calls to keep me up-to­ was still sufficient to raise a smile and even comforting words , and very much appreciate their date. I shall always be gratefu l for her support some laughter. kindness. Eunice Biedryski Bartell"

20 The Archive

The archive contains books of traditional music and dance in their original printed and manuscript form; books of modern dances, manuscripts, leaflets, printed articles, letters, photographs; items relating to the history of Scottish country dancing and the Society since its foundation and much more. It also includes early recordings of SCD music on vinyl and LP records, more recently on cassette and now on CD. Our current Archivist, Marilyn Healy, tells us more.

Who has access to it? manuscripts. books and lea fl ets rather t han fo r each Branch. In total t hey occupy nea rl y Th e archive is in the archive room in the merely the title of a book or set of lea fl ets, 22 metres of shelf space. Unfortunately, the base ment of Coates Crescent. An archi ve is so that we ca n locate the ori ginal Branch fil es only date from 1955. Until then not a library an d therefore it is not possible instructions fo r dances. our affai rs we re handled in an offi ce in Miss to 'browse' or borrow its contents. Society Hadden 's home and in I 955, when we members and resea rchers may access it by Recordings moved into Coates Crescent, it was decided writing to me, indica ting th eir area of Record ed music has pl ayed an important not to take many of wh at we would now researc h. Arrangements ca n then be made pa rt in the Society's deve lopment from its rega rd as importa nt record s. We may all to view the material at H.O. I try to answer ea rli est days. Recordings were made of the regret that. but at the t ime the decision was queries se nt in, but ca nn ot ca rry out music for Books I and 2 and sa les of made, t hey we re not see n as important. anyth ing more t han initial resea rch on gramophone record s we re shown in t he Th e Branch fil es we re recently culled of be half of membe rs. 1925 accounts. Th e ea rly recordings, superfluous materi al by Alan Mair and John however, do not appea r to have bee n very Sturrock, and wit h advice from sta ff at the Original aims satisfactory and in 1926, wh en enquiries as Nat ional Reg ister of Archives fo r Scotland , From its ea rliest days one of the aims of the to whether gramophone records for Book 3 we are studying t he best way to store the SCDS was to co llect books, manuscripts would be available, it was agreed to remaining record s to prese rve their and illustrations relating to Scottish enquire wh ether HMV would be prepared to contents and reduce the amount of space country dances. By December 1923, within iss ue reco rd s for the dances. Th e enquiries they take up. a month of the first meet ing in Glasgow, a we re widened an d 6 mont hs later t he Music Resea rch Committee ha d been form ed. By Sub-Committee danced through the What are the future plans? 1929 a su b-committee for resea rch was da nces in Book 3 to gra mophone record s We are at present looking into how t he appoi nted, its dut ies being to 'collect made by the Beltona Company, and the items should be stored - old manilla dances, their history and music and to committee recommended t hat they be envelopes are not conducive to the sa fe record variations of ma nner of performing adopted as the offi cial recordings of t he storage of arch iva l materi al - and we will dances'. Society. Th e Annual Report for 1926-27 short ly be investing in high quality acid­ advised that the record s for the three books free storage materi als. Manuscripts were a great improvement on those first Th e archi ve will be expa nded to incl ude the Most of t he ma nu scripts in t he archi ve are iss ued and we re available from 'a ny agent Minute Books of t he Society and I am trying photocopies of origi nals held in national or of t he Beltona Co mpany at three shill ings, to build a complete co llection of the ea rl y pri vate co llections, but we do have a copy ( l 5p ) for each double si ded record'. We ed itions of the Society's pu blications. of Wa lsh's Co mp/eat Co untry Dancin g- Ma ster have many of these ea rl y reco rd s in t he Surpris ingly, we have ve ry few pre-wa r from 17 I 9. The copies incl ude dance archive. edit ions of books 1- 12 but we need to have descriptions of the I 8th and 19th ce nturies them ava ilabl e beca use t he way in which such as David Yo ung's Co ll ec tions of Coun try The Bulletin interpretations and instruct ions have Dances fo r 1740, Thomas Wi lson's A Th e Bulletin was first iss ued in March 1932 . 'evolved' in the last 80+ yea rs is of interest Compa nio n to the Ballroom and the Ca stle Until the war it wa s a bi-a nnual magaz ine to current and future resea rchers. I would Menzies, Blantyre and Holmai n mss. and included art icles and items of interest also like to enco urage branches to deposit Although the Society has collected dances to members. Following the outbreak of their Minute Books and other records at from its ea rliest days, it was not until I 979 hostilit ies in 1939, with paper ·a ve ry headq uarters both fo r resea rch purposes that the archive was estab lished. Alastair precious commodity', it was iss ued only and fo r sa fe-keeping - particularl y in t he MacFadyen, archivist until I 990, created once a yea r. Betwee n 1939 and 1944 seven abse nce of the record s of t he ea rly yea rs of the first catalogue Frances Gord on bega n Bulletin s were produced, plus a one-page the older branches. to catalogue the record ings. Ala n War Eco nomy Bulletin in 1942 . With the We do apprec iate all the gifts and MacPherson t ransferred t he ex isting exception o f Iss ue No. I we have a donations to t he archive. If you or yo ur cata logue to a database. Jim Hea ly then complete set of Bulletin s in the archive branch have ea rly editions of the books, ove rsaw t he move from t he va ri ous (although we do have a ph otocopy of the copies of pre-wa r Bulletin s - especially Iss ue cupboa rds, fi les or shelves to the shelving first issue). We also have an extensive but No. I - or indeed, memorabilia relati ng to we have now and, with t he ve ry able incomplete set of Bulleti ns ava ilable fo r pre-wa r or post-war Summer Schools, ass ista nce of Ma rga ret Renton and consultation in t he Membe rs' room. please do not thi nk they are of no use and Elizabeth Allan, completed ca taloguing the throw them away, but consider donating co llection of recordings In April last yea r I Branch files them. If we have them alrea dy, we ca n still was appointed. My main conce rn is to Strictly spea kin g, Branch correspondence use them but you neve r know, your copy of expand t he cu rrent catalogue to include, files are not pa rt of the archi ves. but they a book, programme for a long-past AG M eg, the na mes of all dances for which the are stored within it and take up the la rgest ba ll or dance, or Summer School inform at­ in structions are incl uded in t he va ri ous area of storage . Th ere are I 50 boxes, one ion lea fl et may fill one of our ga ps.

21 the members' magazine of the RSCDS A branch

a club

RSCDS Washington Branch "once and to bottom," many of them are Sergeant we re on t he programme every Th ere are lots of 'musts' you should have also Scottish country dance rs. wee k with regular appearances of other on your list for a visit to Was hington, DC: Th ere are several terrific Was hington area favourites like The Du ke of Perth, Hamilton t he Was hington Monument, the wee kend eve nts, which feature day House, and Monymusk . Nowadays, we try to Smithsonian In stitution and Scottish sc hools taught by top teachers from keep pace wit h the torrent of new dances country dancing. Within 50 miles of the North America and Scotland, a welcome - either a good or a bad th ing dependi ng US Ca pitol dome, you ca n dance at least dance on Friday night, and a Saturday on one's memory Wh at we li ke to three nights a wee k, with folks from all night ball. In the spring, when the cherry co nsider as t he success of t he current over t he US and even the world . blossoms are bursting around the Tidal fo rm at owes a great deal to Kirk Elder and Bas in, the Wa shington Branch hosts A SC D music expert, John La urie, who for 35 Dorothy Penders, ori ginally from Dundee Capital Weekend . The Northern Virginia yea rs was both Conve nor and MC. and now a regular Was hington-area Bran ch hosts Argyle Weekend in the fall, dance r, says Th e seaso n runs from October to May: 30 wh en the leaves are at their peak autumn nights of da ncing with a loca l band six "Wash in gton D.C. is so cos mopolitan co lors. And dance rs from both groups t imes a yea r Programmes are devised by It dra ws in dan cers visitin g this great join t he Del aware Valley dance rs to put our tea m of fo ur MCs and alt hough we city for busin ess and pleasure, from all on the Scottish Weekend at Ramblewood, a are not a teaching cl ub, step pract ice is th e other states, Canada and overseas. res idential workshop held at a ca mp in held once a month fo r the first half hour Uni tin g us is this real thrill that one Maryland Da nci ng beg ins at 7.15 and the evening derives fro m Sco ttish co untry dan cing You'll find cla ss sc hed ules and ends wi th an epi logue - a reading, a and its unique st yle of dan ce music inform ation about all of the Scottish hymn and a praye r to se nd us on our way that is loved all over th e world ." country dancing eve nts in the and to remind us who we are and whom Divided only by the Potomac Ri ve r are Was hington area at http://rscds- we serve. Ad mission is free except for two RSC DS branches - Was hington and greaterd c.org. Pl an yo ur next visit around Band Nights when tickets, incl uding Nort hern Virgi nia More than 150 peopl e one of our wee kends. And, by all mea ns, supper, are £6 . are members of groups that meet wee kl y bring yo ur ghillies next time yo u're in In 1950 the Quee n laid the fo unda tion in Bethesda, Gree nbelt, Baltimore, and town, so yo u can drop in on a cl ass. stone of t he new St Co lumba's, wh ich Frederi ck in Maryland , and in Alexandria Ellen Tern es rose to be the very beautiful building we in Vi rginia. Th e Was hington Branch also know today and on 4th December 1955, hosts bas ic classes on Friday nights and St. Columba's Monday the church was opened has started a Sunday children's cla ss. Dancers 2005 was the 65 th annive rsary of our Th is grea t network of Scottish country St Columba's Monday Dance rs or, to use dance cl ub and so we had a Grand Ce ilidh dancing goes back to 1950 and has our offi cia l title, St Columba's Young on 12th Dece mbe r to ce lebrate. A near continued uninterrupted for 55 years. People's Socia l, ca me into being in the capacity crowd of over 170 packed into Harry Ways, a longtime Wa shington dark days of 1940 wh en like many other t he lower hall and danced to the super teacher, remembers one of the highlights town s and cities in the UK, London was music of David Hall 's ba nd . Guests of class history. not the sa fest place to be. Indeed, on t he incl uded the Minister, Revd Barry "In 195 4, Group Captain Da vid night of I 0t h May 1941 St Co lumba's Dunsmore and Dr Hilda Dunsmore, Huxley jo in ed th e beginner class , and Church of Scotland , Pont St, Chelsea, was together with other St Co lu mba's officials shortly thereafter became a teacher and completely destroyed. Having bee n hit by and many dance rs from yea rs gone by, leader. He arran ged th e first teacher a string of in ce ndiary bombs, the ensuing so me of whom made long journeys to be trainin g co urse in th e summer of 1957 fire ca used it to be burned beyond repair with us and re new old friendships. and Miss Milligan 's visit to examine Down , but by no mea ns out, t he It's fair to say that t he appearance of such ca ndidates in the fall " congrega tion, together with other Kirk a large crowd caused slight unease in the All of the groups have several RSCDS congregations, moved to altern ative kitchen, but everyone got a glass of wine preliminary or ce rtificate teachers, wh o premises and the Young Peopl e's Soci al and something to eat, incl uding a piece work to pass on RSCDS standard s and , was form alised at an AGM on 7th October of the mag ni fice nt birthday cake, baked most important, the 'joy of the dance.' 1941 . by Cherry West, which was never Was hington area Scottish country In the early days dancing was fo llowed by expected to stretch to I 70 portions da nce rs are also lucky to have so me of co mmunity singing in 'ca mp fire' style Di vine providence perh aps? t he bes t musicians in the dance and the evenings sometimes included community - Li z Donaldson, Elke Baker, table tennis and other ga mes. By the If you find yourse lf in London on a Davi d Wi es ler, David Knight, to name a mid-50 s, however, the wh ole eve ning was Monday even ing, you can be assured of a few Th ey not only pl ay wonderful tunes give n over to co untry dancing wh en Th e warm we lco me at St Co lumba's. that frequently leave dance rs cheering for Eightsome Reel and Th e Dashing White Bob Harman

22 Dancing matters

Technique doctor The tournee In the second in our regular series a teacher gives some The final 4 bars of this formation are beautiful to watch and dance advice to help us improve our dancing. This time it is Mary if the phrasing of the turning one-and-a-half times brings both Murray of Vancouver Branch. Rather than focus on one men and women, respectively, through the middle covering point. Mary gives us her thoughts first on basic steps then shoulder to shoulder before dancing out to own sides. on formations. I make reference to Lesley Martin's helpful hints in the previous edition of this magazine, as the hands and arms are important Skip change of step factors in all of the above-mentioned formations. I must stress , I always stress the lengthening of the 'reach forward' on the however, that the above comments are made from a personal second beat, as this helps prevent landing on a 'bent knee' and point of view, and whilst the technical elements of Scottish can also eliminate a bouncy effect which often happens in this country dancing provide us with lots of challenge, let us be particular step. realistic in recognising that there are many other features that are just as important as accurate footwork, particularly the social Pas de basque aspect of our activity. I think, without doubt, that all of us who are Try to maintain a good turn-out of the feet to achieve accurate involved in Scottish country dance activities are enthusiastic foot positioning, eg, when extending the foot from 3rd to 4th about our recreational pastime and have made many lasting intermediate position for the final jete. The transference of friendships which have greatly enriched our lives. weight on each beat should be danced as smoothly as possible, without any exaggeration. How do you do the tournee Strathspey travelling step Following on from Mary's comments above, here are the On the third component of this step, I stress a good long step full instructions for the tournee from the RSCDS Manual. forward with the right foot, leaving the !eh leg fully extended This formation is a method of progression in strathspey time. behind before the slow 'pull through' and the final 'soft hop'. This It is danced by two couples and begins on the sidelines. The step requires lots of balance and control to achieve the true pattern is a circular flowing movement. character of the strathspey, which is distinctively Scottish. Steps 8 travelling steps Strathspey setting step No of bars 8 As in the strathspey travelling step, I feel that the 3rd part of the Hands When two hands are given, the promenade hold step requires a fairly long step prior to lifting (not dragging) the is used and when one hand is given, it is at extended foot up to 3rd rear aerial position and ending with the shoulder height with a shake-hand hold. 'soft hop' This movement also requires much practice to attain the desired effect. Bars I st couple dance towards each other, I st man pulling The allemande back his left shoulder to finish facing his own side with At the beginning of this formation , the main objective is to his partner on his right. in promenade hold. 2nd couple achieve a smooth and elegant lifting of the hands into allemande dance towards each other, 2nd woman pulling back her hold by all couples. The same applies to bar 6 when we dance 'in right shoulder to finish facing her own side with her and under' - a gentle turning under the arm provides a more partner on her left, in promenade hold. Both couples pleasing effect to the observer as well as the dancer, rather than are now in a straight line up and down the middle of the the 'jerky' movement that often occurs in this formation. set with the men shoulder to shoulder. The all-round poussette 2-4 Both couples dance round half-way, anti-clockwise, the In my opinion, this formation is one of the most exciting in two men turning their partners across in front of them on Scottish country dancing, especially if the dancers are successful the fourth step so that all are in a line up and down the in forming good diagonal lines at the end of bars I and 4 of the middle of the set, the women facing towards the man's phrase; and experiencing the exhilarating feeling when dancing side and the men facing towards the woman's side of the diagonally out to the sides on bars 2 and 5 - providing the hands dance. and arms are in the correct position, as described in Lesley 5-8 I st couple turn with the Martin's column in issue I of Scottisli Countr!J Dancer left hand one-and-a-half times and then dance The knot out to finish on own side Another beautiful formation which is enhanced by the smooth in second place. 2nd lihing of the arms into an allemande hold on bar 2, and also the couple turn with the covering of the two couples in the middle of the set when turning right hand one-and-a­ by the !eh hand during the last 4 bars of the formation. However, half times and then in my opinion, the 3-couple knot is easier to phrase dance out to finish on Set and link own side in top place After the 2 bars of setting, I have a preference for hands to be retained briefly to assist each other in casting or dancing forward. The photograph, taken from the In practice. I also have the dancers move slightly forward on bar men's side at the top, shows the 3 as they begin 'linking' round each other, as I think this provides positions at the end of bar 1. a more pleasing effect. (Thanks to Debbie, Bob and Jill!) tfie members' magazine of tfie RSCDS Who's who?

For Jim Healy, Scottish country dancing is not a hobby, it's a Mo Rutherford was born and brought up in Keith in Banffshire. , passion. He was 6 when he first danced at school in Dundee. one of the heartlands of traditional music and dancing Her Social dancing was the usual Gay Cordons and Dashing White upbringing was steeped in dancing. Not on ly did she start Sergeant , although he was also taught the Duke of Perth and Scottish attending classes at the age of 3, her mother taught, and still Reform by his gym teacher, who wa s teaches the Ke ith cou ntry dance universally disliked for his habit of cla ss, and her father, an wielding a large boa rd pointer to accordionist, is the class musician. 'encourage' proper foot pos itions! Her parents, Betty and Walter, were While working in Kuwait in the 80 s, re ce ntly awarded Branch Awards Jim met RSCDS-style dancing. At a from t he Banffshire Branch . Mo St Andrews Night one yea r, much to danced Highland dancing till she the surprise of his wife (current was 17, but music was her rea l Archivist). Marilyn, Jim joined in the interest. She graduated from Duke of Perth, th e Eightsome and Aberdeen University with a B.Mus, Monymu sk. From that moment he then trained as a music teacher in was hooked (as was Marilyn) . Back Dundee, teaching in Kinross and in Scotland Jim became Chairman then Dundee. She is now a teacher of Perth and Perthshire Branch, and of piano in and around Perth , where from then he was well on the road she lives with her bandleader to his current position as Convenor husband, Neil Copland. For over 20 of Membership Services. As years Mo has played fiddle or Conve nor he ha s one of the biggest keyboard in Nei l's band - a family jobs in the Society, complicated by Membership Services Convenor, Jim Healy, with his wife affair with Neil's brother on 2nd Marilyn (left) and Music Director, Mo Rutherford, at the AGM having to commute between his accordion and Mo's sister on pian ~! home in Perth and his day-job as Financial Manager of an It was Christian Catto of Perth Branch who originally encouraged international company in Monaco. Underlying all Jim 's work for Mo to play for dance classes. She first played at Summer School the Society is his relish of the social, mental, and physical in 1987, but found the formality of it all a fairly daunting challenge of Scottish dancing In his own teaching, Jim stresses experience for a young girl in her twenties! Mo is currently Music the effortless elegance of social dancing. He is not a fan of Director of the Society and ha s overa ll responsibility for the demonstration or performance dancing - so mething he finds at music we publish and the music courses we run . She is also an odds with the social roots of co untry dancing in Scotland. extremely enthusiastic dancer. I Re-printed Programmes

From The Reel, London Branch From New Zealand to South Wales The Reel first appeared in September 1951. Here are three Here are two programmes from different sides of the extracts, re-printed with permission, from Issue 12 of 1953. world - one for a ball, the other for a festival. Are they similar to your programmes? Letter from Nancy R. Bartlett I can see no objection to publishing recently composed dances New Zealand Branch of established popularity. Somebody will co llect t hem one day This is the programme for the President's Ball held on 3rd and add them to those we now ca ll traditional. However, I do January 2006. It is customary for the Branch President to choose think a 'probation period' of at least five yea rs would be desirable the programme. to allow for modification or rejection, or perhaps a bit longer to Grand March.The Wild Geese, Gang the Same Gate.Corn Rigs, The allow for expiration of co pyright. Cocket Hat , Seann Truibhas Willichan, Red Hou se, The Happy And they were always sold out! Meeting, Culla Bay , Th e Reel of the 51st Division , Just as I was in the Morning, Monymu sk, Catch the Wind , Mrs. Stewart's Jig, Th e The programme for the Branch Dan ce on 28th November in the Glasgow Highlanders , Fraser's Favourite , The Frisky, Miss Gibson 's Roya l Scottish Corporation Hall in Fetter Lane was : Strathspey, Anniversary Reel. Mrs Macleod, Miss Mary Douglas, Scottish Ramble, Cadgers, Waverley, Lord Hum e's Reel, General Stuart's Reel. Th e Eightsome, Middling, Than k South Wales Branch You, Mrs Stewart's Strathspey, Th e De' il amang the Tailors , the Foursome, This is the programme for the Festival of Scottish Dancing held The Montgomeries' Rant , She's Ower Young to Marry Yet, The Golden in Jun e 2005 . Pheasant and Waltz Country Dance. The Reel of the 5 lst Division, Noah 's Ark , Th e Gentleman , Swiss Ti ckets cost four shillings, ie 20p in today's money! La ssie, St. Andrew's Fair, Th e Belle of Bon Accord , Mairi's Wedding , Bonnie Anne, Gang the Same Gate, J B Miln e, Pelorus 50s humour? Jack, Th e Reverend John MacFarlane , Th e Bees of Maggiek nockater, "Face first corners. No! No! First corn ers! We spent half an hour Th e Border Weavers , Po/harrow Burn, Ouarrie's Jig , Butterscotch on this last week. Now, Mrs Macgregor, who is you r first corner?" and Honey, Alex T Queen, Ian Powrie's Farewell to Auchterarder, "It's Mr Mackay. But he 's no here the nicht. " Neidpath Castle, West's Hornpipe, Th e White Heather Jig

24 Future publishing policy Use of arms came to New Zealand. Here our clubs are Dear Editor Dear Editor social and from within our numbers we choose and groom a set for demos. Our I was disappointed with the plan not to Following on from Lesley Martin's article on emphasis is on fun and friendship I should publish the music with the dance. For the use of arms, teachers may be interested forget about the pub scene. None of our amateur musicians it is always nice to have in the following explanation given to me by dancers would appreciate that. That's for the sheet music and to hear the tune a member of my class who happens to be a rugby fans I was taught in school over played . With the new scheme we will have lecturer in Physics: In a turn, holding the there and think it should be part of the PE to order both the CD and sheet music with partner closer will decrease the radius of syllabus. If they travel. they can pick up new all potential problems with customs duties gyration of the couple, resulting in a drop dances and make friends - not be groomed and exchange rates. Thanks for the in their moment of Inertia - from the for public appearances. Advertise fun and excellent magazine. principle of Conservation of Angular fitness and start socia l clubs - not beside Momentum, this will result in an increase Patrick Capper, Sault Ste Marie, Canada pubs in their rotational speed! Dear Editor Mrs M Maclean , Palmerston , Otago , NZ Margaret Masterton , West Lothian I was sorry to read of the demise of the Tartan hose Pocket Editions. One only needs to look Attracting new dancers Dear Editor round at dances to see the value of the Dear Editor pocket Pillings. Teachers appreciate being Hand knitted kilt socks! I am not a Granny Having read Ian Brockbank's letter in Issue ab le to carry a complete set of books yet, but I do like knitting plain-coloured kilt I, I fully agree with him that for the RSCDS without the risk of a hernia. It puzzles me hose. I would love to have a go at tartan the problem of attracting new members is however to read elsewhere in the magazine hose, but I do not have a pattern for them . not going to go away or be easi ly solved. If any reader could supply me with the that Derek Haynes was able to produce A6 Muriel Johnstone provides part of the instructions, I'd be most grateful. sized books selling for £2 or less and make answer in her answer to the last question of (6 Limefield Rd , West Calder, EH55 8BO) £6,000. Am I missing something? her interview. She says that the key to the Bruce Frazer, Borders Branch future lies in the music and I agree that it is Fiona Gardner, West Calder an important factor. The old man she met E-mail v snail mail New dances from the Borders said "Aye if ye can nae tap Dear Editor your foot tae it, there's nae music in it." Dear Editor I was particularly interested to read the Well. doesn't that say it al!? If there's no Age discrimination? A propos the request 'Reprinted' article by Derek Haynes and felt musical message in the music, it's difficult for a caption to the photo of Ann and Janet myself nodding in agreement. I thought it to dance to it. Some dancers are not to be sent by e-mai l, some of us oldies still was every bit as relevant today as it was in musical. They couldn't whistle or diddle a live in the dark ages minus computers. 1980. Specifically in his 3rd paragraph tune - these people are helped by the Please cou ld you bear this in mind in future where he says 'it is unfortunate that some music to complete the formations in the issues where answers of members' views devisers, in their quest for something new dances. Getting people interested is a are being solicited. and different, seem to take a delight in mammoth problem which must be David How, Strood twisting standard figures and creating addressed frequently many exceptions to the established rules .' David Ross, Kilmarnock Reel of the 51 st One of the newer formations which came Dear Editor immediately to mind was the tournee. It is One copy or two? I was fascinated to read the history of the quite complicated and has to be learned Dear Editor Reel of the 5 lst in the final edition of the from both I st and 2nd places In a mainly We were pleased to receive our first copy of Bulletin . I don't know whether this is an female class or club where one is called Scottish Country Dancer. Congratulations! We urban myth, but I have heard that at one upon to dance as either a lady or a man, the particularly like receiving a copy each, as stage the Germans in charge of the camp formation has to be learned from each of this allowed us to use one copy for our suspected that the formations in the dance four places! I must confess that I dislike classes and one to keep for ourselves - a were a devious way of transmitting vital this formation so much that when a dance wonderful advertising tool to have extra information to the All ies and came close to is coming up containing it, I make a copies for new dancers and non-RSCDS executing the dancers as spies. Can anyone strategic withdrawal to the ladies' room members. shed some light on this? until sets are formed and I can't be cajoled Deirdre McCuish Bark and Keith Bark , Toronto into taking part. Which helps to account for S Govindasamy , Sydney my heartfelt agreement with the last Our emphasis And finally - from Atlanta sentence of the 5th paragraph: 'for many Dear Editor Dear Editor the enjoyment is reduced if they have to do With regard to the letter by Ian Brockbank a lot of homework prior to attending a in Issue I, I notice there is much emphasis Well done, y'al l ' social or ball.' I am not saying all dances on demo dancing and the reaching of high Trish Bolton should be simple, but it is nice to do a standards - not a vote winner - scares dance which 'flows', without too many When writing to the editor, please e-mail people off especially if they think it means mag.editor@rscds. or send your letter to The awkward formations which seem only to appearing in public in expensive outfits. Editor, Scottish Country Dancer, 12 Coates serve to boost the ego of the deviser. When I lived over there I could not find an Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 7AF. Shorter letters Doris Corrigan , Cumbernauld ordinary club and didn't dance again till I have more chance of being published.

25 Book 45 and CD co uples It req uires everyone to be alert. Masters of tlie Tradition is a beautiful collection - one I will play over and over George Meikle and the Lothian Scottish I enj oyed George Meikle's tempos throughout the recording and the again while eagerly awaiting Vo lume 2. Dance Band CD 048 se lection of tunes to fit the dances was Lydia Hedge, Nova Scotia Brancli 45 is the second book wh ere Society Book excellent. For instance, the 40-bar tune members had the chance to try out for Napier's Index fitted the phrasing of the Music for Quadrilles potential dances and provide feedback. dance particularly well. The strathspey Ke ith Smith and Green Ginger Membership Services Committee had tunes were also well se lected to KS CD 012 their input. The result is a variety of accompany the differing style of each Although not a typical Scottish country dances, simple and more challenging, dance; from tunes suitable fo r Highland dance sound, this is an excellent CD . using traditional and new fo rm ations Schottische, to the smooth airs for Tlie The sound quality and tone of the Tlie Sands of Morar introduces the Dream Catclier The tunes flowed instruments is wonderful Keith Smith is 'tourbillon' as a new formation in RSCDS effortless ly from one to the next, wonderful on the fiddle, with his dances. It takes good phrasing to dance maintaining the 'feel' of each dance. I predictable sweet tone. Join ing with the ba rs 17-20, but it fl ows well. The other also enjoyed hearing tunes new to me, as talented fiddle sound of Green Ginger three strathspeys all refl ect their well as some of my favourites, for they make a sound to dance to. formations in their titles. In Double Eiglity, exa mple. in the encore to Preston Mill. the flow of the dance see ms to suffer in Starting with a lively arrangement for Thi s is the last publication in this format. order to finish with the two circles Clutlia, I found myself wanting to dan~e. Book 45 is a strong se lection, so the describing the figure eight, but it is nice and wondering why we, at least in this Society 'new book' goes out on a high note. to see the Highland Schottische area of the States. never do this dance. poussette again. Tlie Sa/tire Stratlispey uses Pat Davoll, Royal Tunbridge Wells Brancli Tlie New Scotia Quadrille is a great 2 x 48 'set and link' in an ori ginal way. Dancers ree l, but my favourite track is the 8 x 32 need to be confident of the form ation Masters of the Tradition, Vol 1 reel for the Quadrille Country Dance . From before tackling it. Tlie Dream Ca tcli er is a Muriel Johnstone the first tune Mrs L. Stewart's Reel (of Ja va) very satisfying dance for me. Don't be put Scotscores SSCD18 by William Marshall to Tlie House of off by the 2 pages of instru ctions! Th e Ju st when yo u thought that Muriel Aucliluncart also by Marshall, I was up on middle 32 bars are simplicity itse lf, but Johnstone had co mposed and recorded my feet. This wi ll definitely become a lovely to dance, with the first and la st 32 everything possible. she has released track used for teaching, often! bars danced up and down and across the Masters of tlie Tradition, Vol. I. This is a The Niel Gow/Robert MacKintosh set for set respectively listening album with a beautiful and the Queen's Quadrille, recently publi shed in Tlie Westminster Reel was already known to unique piano sound - totally passionate, Book 43, will ensure this dance is done. us in the south east of England , and once yet completely in charge of every note. There are two waltz country dances, both the 'set and rotate' has been mastered, is Robert Mackintosh, Niel and Nathaniel from the early I 800's. Ian Thomson's a dance for everyone. As a two-couple Gow. Scott Skinner, William Marshall, and viola makes a wonderful, rich sound for dance, it works we ll even if you don't ha ve Simon Fraser are played with so much the Duke of Kent's Waltz . which just makes full four-couple sets. Alan J Smitli uses soul that I had to stop what I was doing you want to get up and waltz. and rea lly li sten. simple formations and cou ld be used fo r The three full quadrille sets (Paines 1st and teaching as well as a socia l dance. Catcli Th e va ri ed se lections begin with Muriel's I 2tli sets , and Hart 's Lancers) are excellent, tlie Wind is another si mple dance I like favourite, Sir George Clerk of Pennycuick, for what they are - early 19th century the socia l aspect where the woman is played as I had neve r heard it before. quadrilles With a sound and feel we chased by her partner - another dance I was ri veted . She plays familiar dance currently more associate with English reflecting its title. I have found that eve n tunes, like Tlie Lea Rig, Sugar Candie and co untry dance. than what we think of, less experienced dancers naturally cover Jubil ee Jig , but as they were ori ginally and associate as 'Scottish' sounding, as they dance the parallel reels. Napier's composed. Many selections are achingly Green Ginger and Keith have in fact , includes a 16-ba r pattern with 1st Index sad; others are ro llicking fun - making it captured the style and sound these and then with 2nd corn ers. which makes easy to imagine her very live ly se lf on the dances would have been danced to. the whole dance easy to remember. piano bench. Her enthusiasm for this This CD includes some excellent tracks is less traditional, with music is very clearly heard in these Tlie Fai rbridge Reel for Scottish country dancers, and is a no distinct 'dancing couple' Each se nsitive arrangements. As she says in 'must have' if you teach or dance position is different, so it will need the liner notes. 'Here then are tunes Quadrilles. careful teaching The final 8 bars resolve written in the 18th . 19th and 20th the progression. Hopefully, you fini sh ce nturies, mainly for fiddl e, bagpipes or Included are the instructions for all the with your own partner! Finally, the voice. played on the piano - my medium dances, descriptions of the steps and the Society has published its first five-couple for expression of this glorious music.' figures This CD makes me want to have dance. Preston Mill. It uses all five co uples Bill Zobel, Muriel's husband, has an evening of quadrilles. I have my to good effect. eg, in the first eight bars outdone himself as recording engineer evening gloves. do you? and in the double triangles for five on this album. Accolades to him as well . Elaine Brunken, Wasliington DC Brancli

26 My ori ginal edition of th e Manual is heavily appreciation of music. I am sure that the more rece nt publications, including notes annotated in many places, wh ere I have advice to say 'a nimated alligator' to ident ify on da nces from The Scotia Suite. added my own reminders, or reco rd ed the a ree l will be widely used! Th e advice on Th e t hree Appendices are a welcome views of other teachers, so it has bee n an music for 'warm ups and 'cool downs' will addit ion, especia lly Appendix 3, which is a interesting exe rcise to co mpare the new be useful for all dance rs and teachers. very much expanded furth er read ing list. edition with my well-thumbed and note­ One of my other favourite new bits is the Thi s edition of th e Manu al is pa rt of a covered old edit ion. delightful illustration of Th e Triumph on page trad ition of Co untry Da nce Manuals The first and most noticea ble difference is 11 . Some of my personal bugbea rs are also reaching back to Weaver, Peacock and th e new size . Th e 'old' size was co mpact addressed, e g. the reminder that in hands Wil son. Th omas Wi lson, in particular, knew and porta ble, but the new one has the across and back the change of direction is why a manual was necessary. adva ntage , fo r those of us wh o use A4 in middle of t he set. Section 3.2.6 is a new 'It is I beli eve notorious, that if Cou ntry Dancing paper, to be able to kee p teaching not es addition describing the Tull och turn. I t hin k co ntinu es to decline as fast as it has done for and addit ions in the fo lder. the description will be quite hard to follow so metim e pa st, that that once deligh tful amusement for someone wh o has limited experience. Th e addition of the Co ntents at the will shortly dwindle into mere runnin g, an d th at beg inning, with sections and subsections New fo rm ations. such as ree ls of three in beautiful reg ularity of movement , which should for each chapter cl ea rl y laid out, makes tandem, half ree l of three in tandem, set always be displayed in a Co untry Dan ce, be finding wh at you want much eas ier. and link for three couples. the spiral, the perverted into a chaos of riot and co nfusion.' The pa rt icularl y in Ch apter 6 wh en sea rching for swirl, the tourbillon are listed in chapter 6. Treas ures of Terp sichore; or a Co mpanion for the fo rm ations. The page numbering is a most While the es pag nole and bourrell are not Ball room by Tho mas Wilson, Da ncing Master, welcome improvement, as are the section listed, (I pres ume beca use th ey are not 18 16. head ings wit hin the text. Th e index is very explicitly named in RS CDS publica tions) would like to acknowledge t he helpful and I like the italicisation of dance this is a useful update on formations. No cont ri butions to this review made through names and tune names within the text. Thi s doubt lively discuss ion on as pects of the disc uss ions wi t h Geoffrey Se lling, makes it far more rea dable ladies' chain and the strathspey poussette Rosemary Coupe, Morag Nap ier and Peter will continue, but we should rem ember the My main, and most favourable, impress ion Clark. is that there is more emphas is on music in purpose of this edition, which is set out Helen Ru ssell thi s edition. Th e additional in fo rm ation on cl early in the Introduction: 'to provide a all aspects of music in SCD is not confined degree of standardi sation for the practica l to t he chapter on music, Ch apter 4, which is perform ance of the steps, form ations and Check your edition now radica lly different in content, but dances fo und in RSDCS publications ' Wrong in the first printing, and now corrected in the reprint: Page 66: 6.23.2. appea rs in several other chapters. It is Chapter 8, on Notes for Dances, has bee n This should of course read : vita lly important to educa te teachers and updated to include some dances from dance rs to work success fully with earlier books, e.g. St Patric k's Day and Bars 3-4: 1st and 2nd women pass right shoulders while 2nd man dances round the loop by his left. mu sicians and to have a better Dumbarton Drums as well as dances from Your reactions TheWRF

Thank you to everyone who contacted us to say how much they enjoyed Issue The White Rose Festival is the festival l of Scottish Country Dancer. Here is a selection of reactions received: of dancing organised by the Leeds Branch. This year it will take place on Packed full of interesting things: Linda • I thoroughly enj oyed reading it. It is much Barnes, Belfast • Looks profess ional, well more appropriate now than a book of new 8th July. written, easy to rea d, entertaining and dances yea r by yea r. Jean Massey, Sheffield • Thi s yea r's will be the 52nd Festiva l. It is info rm ative : Irene van Maarseveen, Pretoria • It's not perfect, but it's pretty good! Charles an outdoors festiva l, in doors if wet. It So mething for eve ryone from raw beg inners Warner, Picton, Australia • It's a real quality in cl udes massed da nces for children and to those of us who have bee n around for a product of which the Society ca n be very adults, demonstrations, Highland da nces while! Don Chitts, Mitcham, Australia • Loved proud . Alan Burn, New Zealand • Bright and and it ends with an eve ning socia l dance. the name and the whole image and the breezy ! June McKay , Paisley • A marvellous Tea ms enter from branches and cl ubs. message is the happiness and joy of publication. Th e co loured ph otograph s are Th e massed da nces are norm ally in pairs: Scottish dancing: Brenda Hinton, Sussex • super and portray our hobby in the best a jig or ree l and a strathspey There are Su ffi ciently Scottish without too much possible way: Ian Auld , Edinburgh • Exce llent four demonstration da nces . haggis or highland bulls! Bill Whyte, France • articles and well put together Christine Looks grea t and ju st wh at members Norman, London • Interesting and thought­ Thi s yea r the Festiva l is dedicated to Roy needed: Fiona Newton, Strathpeffer • Wow' I provoking Margaret Bold, Thornhill • Ca ution! Goldring, who will open it. and the pa rt icul arl y liked the interview with Muriel. Compulsive rea ding! H. Isis Hilton , Sutton programme wi ll sta rt with his Summer Susie Langdon Kass, San Francisco • I am very Coldfield • A brea th of fres h air! Keep it up! Assembly Program mes and entry fo rms impressed . I look forwa rd to getting the Flora Selwyn • And fin ally from Di Rooney , from www rscds leeds org uk or from 0 I 13 next one' Olive Cammidge, New Zealand Cheshire: Fab mag! 28 1 1279 .

27 tfie members' magazine of tfie RSCDS The Scroll Australian Awards Winter School

This year seven Scrolls of Honour were awarded to mark In the northern hemisphere, it may be autumn, but in the huge contribution made by individuals, both to the Australia it's still winterl This report comes from Moretta RSCDS and to Scottish country dancing. Frolley, Melbourne and District Branch. Recipients of the 2005 Scrolls of Honour were as follows with the Australia held its 30th Winter School from 24th September to I st branches which nominated them: October. It was hosted by Melbourne and District Branch at the University of Melbourne's Dookie Agricultural College in northern Johan MacLean, Glasgow Jessie Harper South Argyll Victoria, which had a marvellous welcoming atmosphere to its Marianne Taylor, Boston John Christie, Toronto Scottish dancing visitors. Dookie is a small country town, with the Stanley Hamilton, London, Ontario Mary Ronnie, New Zealand college situated some 15 minutes away in the midst of farming and grape growing land - a peaceful and verdant setting. Bruce Frazer, Berks I Han ts I Surrey Border 240 dancers came from every state in Australia, plus a contingent Johan, Bruce and Jessie were presented with their Scrolls at the from New Zealand, with Helen and Malcolm Brown coming from AGM in Perth, with The Hon Peregrine Moncreiffe of that Ilk doing Yorkshire. All enjoyed a week of dancing to accordion, piano and the honours. The others all received their Scrolls at local events. fiddle. We were woken each morning to the sound of the bagpipes - apart from the morning when we were all woken by the fire alarm! Six classes catered for dancers from advanced to social. plus a children's class. The teachers came from all over: Elaine Brunken from the US ; Jean Dodds from Adelaide; Eric Finley from Scotland; Margaret Johnstone from Melbourne; Anne Kennedy from Sydney; Pam Perkins from New Zealand; and Denice Walter from Tasmania. In her closing speech, School Convenor, Heather Byers, said that with our teachers we had 'hit the jack-pot' .

Our musicians were Neil Copland and Maureen Rutherford from Scotland; Ian Slater from England; and our own brilliant fiddler, Chris Duncan, from Newcastle, Australia. It was a very successful and friendly school and the committee were greatly helped by the dancers of Melbourne.

28 I Day school diary

All branch and club secretaries are Invited to send in details of all schools and workshops direct to [email protected]. Include date, event and teachers. For contact details, please refer to branch or club websites or the Directory of Secretaries. Issue 3 will cover day schools from September 06 till Dec 07 . Please send In your forward dates even if you have not finalised who is teaching. You can add details in the following issue. Compiled by John Sturrock.

Feb 06 31-2/4 RSCDS , Newcastle Spring Fling 26-28 Victoria Branch, Youth Weekend West in Deb Lees. Malcolm Brown , Shona Harper Victori a (BC) 18-19 Tokyo Branch, Workshop Mairi Hand , Fred De Marse, Ruth Jappy Atsuko Clement , Yoshiki Oyama 31-2/4 Helensburgh Branch , Weekend 31-2/4 Washington. DC. Branch, Weekend 18 Vancouver Branch. Workshop Howard Lasnik, Ron Wallace June 06 18 Oxford shire Branch, Day School 2-4 Montreal Branch, W/eekend Workshop Jan et Johnston, Jim Stott, Dennis Tucker April 06 Trace!) Applebee, Pn!Jllis Macculloch , Arthur 23-28 RSCDS, Winter School at Pitlochry Edinburgh Branch. Day School MacNair Andrew McConnell. Helen Russell , Eric Finley , Alison Russell 2-5 Central Germany Branch , Kuckucks- Johan Maclean West Lothian Branch , Day School nest, Weekend School for Teachers 25 London (Ont) Branch , Workshop Anne Smyth 24-1/07 Grenoble, Dance Week Marie Ziccarelli, John Walton 2 The Hague Branch , Day School Ian Barbour Wanda van Taanom March 06 14- 16 Gothenburg Branch. 30th Anniversary July 06 3-4 Sa itama Branch, 5th Anniv. Weekend Weekend School 2-7 Thistle School, Banner Elk, North School Linda Gaul Carolina Peter Clark 22 Argyll (London) Group, Day School 9-16 3l stAustralianWinterSchool 4 Birmingham Branch, Day School John Sturrock, Maureen Hayn es. Anne Carter 16-13/8 RSCDS Summer School at St Andrews David Queen, Julia Baker 22 NW Craven Branch, Day School 4 Newcastle upon Tyne Branch , Day School Catherine Livsey August 06 Helen Frame , Bob Grant 28-29 Portrush Branch 6-13 TAC Summer School, Wilfrid Laurier The Hague Branch, Day School Jenny Greene University, Waterloo. Ontario Wanda van Taanom 28-29 Islay Branch. Weekend Ruth Japp!J , Robert McOwen. Rebecca 10-11 Lorn (Argyll) Branch , 45th Weekend Eric Finle!J Blacknall-Peters 28-1/5 NW Queensland Branch. Weekend School September 06 Jimmie Hill School 28-1/5 tfunich Scottish Assoc. . Spring Course 9 Lochaber Branch , Day School 10-11 St Gi les SCD Group, Alberta, Canada, Linda Gaul Workshop Kate Gra!J 15-17 Queensland Branch, Weekend School Lin Pettengill. Peter McClure 29 Nanaimo SCD Club, (BC) Canada, Workshop 29-1 / 10 Argyll (London) Weekend 11 Somerset Branch, Day School and Ruth Japp!J , Rebecca Blacknall-Peters Jimmie Hill Musicians' Course 30 Ayr Branch, Day School David Hall , Maureen Rutherford May 06 30 Manchester Branch, Day School 11 Hamilton (Ontario) Branch, Workshop 5-7 East Lothian Branch, Weekend in Pitlochry 11 Berks, Hants, Surrey Borders Branch, Oct 06 Day School Linda Gaul 7 York & North Humberside Branch , Day Jan et Johnston , Eric Finley , Alan Davis 5-7 Vancouver Branch, Workshop Ann Dix School 12 Leicester Branch, Day School Helen Russell Mervyn Snort, Doris Buchanan 6-8 Groupe de Danses Ecossaises de Lyon , 14 Stirling Branch, Day School Weekend in Lyon 18 Perth & Perthshire Branch , Day School 14 Ribble Valley Branch, Day School John Wilkinson , Jenny Greene Rachel Wilton 12-1 3 Cumbrae SCD Association, Millport 21 London Branch. Day School 18 Roya l Tunbridge Wells Branch , Day Weekend 27-28 Victoria (BC) Branch , Annual Workshop School Linda Gaul, Jimmie Hill Ruth Japp!J, Bob Anderson Helen Russell, Joan Desborough, Jimmie Hill 12-14 Winnipeg Branch, Weekend 18 Derbyshire NE Branch, Day School Nov 06 Mar!J Murra!J , Liz Goossen Jan et John sto n 3-5 Kingston Ontario 40th Workshop 13 Exeter Branch, Day School 11 Bristol Branch, Day School 18 Paris Branch, Day School Peter Clark Lindsay & Philippe Rousseau Janet John ston 13 Paris Branch . Ladies Step School I 0-12 Croydon Branch, Eastbourne Weekend 19 Paris Branch, Highland School M!Jlene Rousseau, Daniele Landrieau Malcolm Ferris-Lay 13 London Branch, Musicians' School Dec 06 24-25 Orlando Branch, Spring Fling David Cunningham 28-5/01 New Zea land Branch , Summer School Jimmie Hill 19-20 Isle of Skye Branch, Weekend School 24-26 Vancouver Branch, Vanlsle 30th Anniv. Anne Sm!Jtn May 07 Workshop 19-21 Duns and District Branch, The May 18-20 New York Branch, Pawling Weekend 25 New York Branch, Teachers' Workshop Weekend John Middleton 19-21 New York Branch , Pawling Weekend 25 Ca nberra Branch, Day School Jim Lampert. Robert McOwen , Elinor Trish Nicholls. Elspeth Lacey Vandegrift

29 Obituaries Mary Currie, Dundee Branch enthusiasm. He retired in 2002 and in that presented with the first Branch Award of St year the Society published the strathspey Andrews Branch. This honour was greatly It is with sadness that we learn of the death of Mary Currie aged 80 years. She had James Senior of St Andrews. (Alan Mair) deserved, as throughout his life Charlie was always been an active member of Dundee a true ambassador for Scottish country Branch, serving on the Committee more Charlie Todd dancing. (Irene Bennet) than once. Mary's primary contribution was St Andrews Branch in her teaching of children's classes. Not George Wells, Sydney Branch only that but her teaching at the university George Wells died on the 11th January 2006 class encouraged many students to continue aged 88 years. His introduction to Scottish dancing after graduation. Her biggest Country Dancing started in the 1930s when contribution to dancing in the Dundee area some Scouts were invited to participate in a was the setting up and running of the festival of Folk Dancing in Sydney. When summer dances from 1975 until 2000. (David Sydney Branch was founded in 1952, Hollings) George, having obtained his Teacher's Certificate while living and working in James Senior, St Andrews Britain, was one of the two founding James Senior, born in the year the Society teachers. George taught weekly Branch was formed, 1923, died late last year. Born in classes and Teacher Certificate Courses. He Pitlessie in Fife, Jimmy trained as a shoe­ also taught at many day schools and several maker in Cupar, then became manager with Charlie receiving his Branch Award last year Australian Winter Schools. In 1990 he was Norwells in Perth before eventually taking awarded the Society's Scroll of Honour and the bold step of opening his own shop in St Charlie Todd died on 25th August 2005 at continued dancing and teaching for several Andrews in 1960. It was in 1945 that Jimmy the age of 81. He was the teacher of the St more years. first approached the RSCDS with a view to Andrews Branch General Class from 1965 (Keith Napier) improving the quality and range of till 1995, for many of those years also footwear for dancing. Initially this market dancing in the demonstration team. A PE Robert Jamieson, Ayr Branch was exclusively in lacing ghillies but teacher by profession, Charlie trained at Robert (Bert) Jamieson, former chairman of Jimmy's major innovation was the Jordanhill College and was one of Miss elasticated slip-on shoe for ladies, based on Milligan' s 'boys'. He was a wonderful Ayr Branch, was one of the finest dancers of the ballet pump. So popular was the brand raconteur and his classes were interspersed his generation. Bert, a highly respect d that you were likely to see a Senior shoe-bag with anecdotes, frequently about Miss teacher, was part of the RSCDS International in the major cities of Japan, the USA or St Milligan. Charlie was a fine golfer and a Team to visit South Africa in 1960. He died Andrews. Jimmy's contributions to the local popular speaker at Burns Suppers. A few on 25th September. community were many and given with months before his death, Ch arlie was (Oluf Olufsen)

The 52nd annual non competitive WHITE ROSE FESTIVAL ... of Scottish Country Dancing Saturday 8th July 2006 The Gateways School, Harewood, Leeds LS17 9LE

Massed General Dancing Demonstration Groups Highland & Ladies Step Children's Groups Evening Dance

FEATURING THE DA Music throughout by Robert Whitehead and the Danelaw Band OF THE EDINBURGH Ian Slater will play for the children if we have a wet afternoon THE ROYAL SCOTTlS DANCE SOCIETY We welcome full teams of 8-10, but can make arrangements for smaller groups or individuals to join us for a very enjoyable day MO RUTHERFORD AND FRI EN DS Further information and application forms from

ADVA NCE T ICKETS Lesley Tompkins tel 0113 2811279 tickets@ rscdsedinburgh. email [email protected] tel: 07041 323 155 or from the Leeds branch website www.rscdsleeds.org. uk Application forms available early 2006 CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES: 30TH APRIL 2006 www.dancingforth.org

30 GEOFFREY (TAILOR) Kiltmakers and Weavers

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RS CDS New Zealand Branch Inc. Annual Summer School 12'·BRA ~ 2 8 th December 2 006 - 5th Janua ry 2007

Dunedin - b..dinburgh of the 6outh ~ ~' jwt- witlt jYed scdftidi 8~ Come and enjoy dancing. music and fun Celebrate Wogmanay - NZ 6tyle wedMrd~,r July stli to Augud 2-nd

For application forms and further information, contact : 01506 845698 The Secretary, RSCDS New Zealand Branch Inc. P.O. Box 743, Wanganui 5015, New Zealand Phone : +64 6 344 5300 - Fax : +64 6 344 5454 www.scotchhop.co.uk email : [email protected] - Web : www.rscdsnzb.org.nz llm. ::::· ~ l]J'I: .... - - - MANUFACTURER OF SCiiior of St Andrews ------~--

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St Andrew's Shoemakers Ltd (James Senior), Whitehill Industrial Estate, Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland, KY6 2RP tel/fax: 01592 779000 tel: 0870 7542 104 fax: 0870 7542 105 email: [email protected] website: www.standrews-shoemakers.com