A Note from the Editor
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A Note From The Editor It’s another bumper issue of the Alliance News, proving (if proof were needed!) that the SDTA are busy, busy, busy! I hope that you will enjoy reading about this year’s triumphs and some of next year’s big events. The SDTA will celebrate its 85th birthday in 2019! Why not come and celebrate at our President’s Burns Celebration? Please see the advert on page 5 for details on how to purchase your tickets. Our Attitude Dance competition used to be a Cheer/Pom comp but it has grown and developed into an event which encompasses a variety of dance styles and genres. See the article on page 19 to find out more! Interested in entering your students for the Ballet and Theatre Branch’s Dance Challenge? Details are on page 14. Are you a big fan of Strictly? Turn to page 17 to find out what happened when one of our Ballroom branch members went on a Strictly cruise and danced for Craig Revel Horwood! See page 31 for information on the Highland branch’s exciting new Choreography Challenge for pupils of SDTA members. Stroll down Memory Lane with Jack Reavely on page 33 and learn the fascinating story of SDTA founder and Ballroom legend Alex S. Warren OBE. Not sure what GDPR means? Looking for a safeguarding course? Check out pages 6 and 7 for important information for all dance teachers. If you have any dance news that you would like to share via the Alliance News or our social media platforms, please e-mail or post your submissions to us for consideration. Please mark all submissions “F.A.O. The SDTA News Editor”. Finally, I would like to point out that reading the Alliance News is best done with a cup of tea and a choccy biccie…or a mince pie. Just saying. With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year, The Ed 2 Index General A Message from our President Page 4 President’s Burns Celebration 2019 Page 5 Important Information for Teachers Pages 6 & 7 SDTA Highland Scholarships 2019 Page 8 World Cabaret Heat Page 9 Memory Lane, by Jack Reavely Pages 34 - 38 In Loving Memory Page 38 SDTA Diary 2019 Inside Back Cover Ballet & Theatre Branch News from the Ballet & Theatre Branch Page 10 & 11 Stage Festival 2018 Pages 12 & 13 Some Upcoming Events Page 14 Ballet and Theatre Scholarships 2019 Page 15 Ballroom Branch Ballroom Branch Report Page 16 So, You Think You Can’t Dance? Page 16 Strictly Come Cruising! Page 17 Baton & Cheer Branch News From The Baton & Cheer Branch Page 18 Attitude Dance Page 19 Highland Branch 2018 Premierships Results Page 20 & 21 North American Conference & Scholarships 2018 Pages 22 & 23 European Scholarships & Day of Dance 2018 Pages 24 & 25 News From the Highland Branch Pages 26 - 29 Some Upcoming Events Page 30 & 31 Important Information for Highland Teachers Page 32 & 33 SDTA Extraordinary General Meeting Sunday, 3rd March, 2019 SDTA Studios 101 Park Road 2.00pm Please ensure that your subscriptions are fully paid up for entry to meeting. 3 A Message From Our President Fellow members, First of all, I hope you all have a healthy, happy and restful Christmas and holiday season. It is a privilege and a pleasure to bring this Christmas message to you. Since becoming President again in 2017 there have been many highlights, and it seems that not a week goes by in which the Alliance is not either involved in events or driving forward events in the dance world. It’s wonderful to see the branches growing and strengthening their positions in their genres of dance. Of course, none of this work and the success we are seeing in the Alliance can be achieved without the many volunteers we rely on throughout the world. However, there is only so much goodwill to go around, so you are all welcome to put your names forward to help at our events, and we will make the best use of your talents to support the Alliance. So, at this point, my thanks to the many volunteers in all our branches who give up their time to make events a success for all of us. I also have to say a very big thank you to all the branch committee members, branch convenors and branch examiners. Your dedication to the Alliance is appreciated and does not go unnoticed. Of course, the Alliance could not operate without our amazing office staff. A very big thank you from me and from the Executive Council to Jayne, Gillian,Nicola and Laura for the outstanding work you carry out. The feedback received continues to be nothing but praise. Well, Christmas is here again. Relax and have a safe and enjoyable time, whatever you may be doing. I wish you all, and your families, a very merry Christmas and a successful 2019! With best wishes, Gregor Bowman 4 ‘Here’s Tae Us! Wha’s Like Us?’ Come and celebrate 85 years of the SDTA at our President’s Burns Celebration 2019! Saturday, 26th January, 2019 Alona Hotel, Motherwell Tickets: £38 * Adults aged 16 years and over 5 Important Information For Teachers Safeguarding The SDTA Executive Council would like to remind all members of the importance of safeguarding the children and vulnerable adults in our care. For teachers, this means ensuring you have the PVG Scheme Membership/Police Checks in the first instance. Safeguarding training and a Child Protection Policy will also enable you to follow the correct procedures if any child/vulnerable adult protection issues arise and will allow parents/carers to do the same. You can familiarise yourself with the SDTA Child Protection Policy by downloading it from our website. All SDTA teachers should complete a Safeguarding/Child Protection course. You can access the NSPCC online courses at: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/training/our-elearning-courses If at any time you have any concerns or questions relating to child protection or safeguarding, please contact the SDTA Child Protection Liaison Officer - [email protected] All emails will be treated in confidence. Music Licence PPL has joined forces with PRS for Music to make it easier for customers to obtain a single music licence for the playing and performance of music in public. If you play or perform music in your business or organisation in the UK, you will usually need The Music Licence. It will cover you with one licence and one invoice for the use of virtually all commercially released music available. Please go to pplprs.co.uk for details. 6 GDPR The General Data Protection Regulations became law in May 2018. If you run your own business, you should ensure that you are processing and storing information in accordance with GDPR. For further information on GDPR and your responsibilities, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office on 0303 123 1113 or visit their website, www.ico.org.uk The SDTA privacy policy was updated in May 2018 and is available on our website. It describes how the SDTA manage your personal information in accordance with GDPR and your rights. The SDTA is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Our privacy notice will be updated from time to time, so members and customers may wish to periodically review our privacy notice to ensure you are happy with any changes. SDTA Examination Estimate Forms Teachers are respectfully reminded that they must submit an examination estimate form when booking an examination session. These forms have been specially designed to allow the SDTA office staff to process your paperwork in the quickest way possible and to relay necessary information to the examiner. Many teachers are e-mailing their estimates in the form of a letter, missing out necessary information, e.g. examination venue, start time or the standard of Group Performance awards. The office staff then have to get in touch with the teacher again to obtain the missing information, causing a delay in the processing of the examination paperwork and the ordering of any Group Performance awards. Estimate forms for each branch are available on the SDTA website and are made available at branch meetings. Thank you for your co- operation. 7 North American SDTA Conference and James L McKenzie & Elspeth Strathern Scholarships 2019 Seattle, Washington Scholarships October 2019 Dates to be confirmed Conference October 2019 Dates to be confirmed UK & Europe Highland Scholarships and Day of Dance 2019 Alona Hotel Motherwell Scholarships-Saturday 9th November Day of Dance-Sunday 10th November 8 The Scottish Dance Teachers’ Alliance will host a World Cabaret Performer Heat Saturday, February 16th, 2019 in Denny Civic Theatre, Dumbarton CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES: FRIDAY DECEMBER 14th, 2018 See the SDTA website for details and to download an entry form. All enquiries and entries to: Mrs J Sutherland-Archer Lochlorien Borrowfield Cardross G82 5NL 9 News from the B&T Branch Ballet & Theatre A great time was had by all who attended SDTA Ballet Ambassador Scott McKenzie’s classes at our studios in August. Scott is having an extremely busy year with the Vienna State Opera Ballet, where he has been promoted to Demi Soloist. Many congratulations, Scott, and thank you for your inspiring classes! War of the Worlds star Adam Garcia took time out of his busy schedule to visit the SDTA studios this summer. Many thanks to Adam for a fantastic day of tap! Jazzartuk are super-excited about the pantomime season! Oh, yes, they are! They are providing performers for the junior ensembles in the SECC’s Cinderella and Aladdin in Motherwell Theatre.