Orange County Ceilidh Newsletter of the Orange County Branch of the RSCDS Volume 39, No. 5 September/October 2021 Visit our website at www.rscds-oc.org

“For naught can cheer the heart sae weel, As can a canty Highland reel” — Robert Fergusson Greetings from the Chair Orange County Classes I hope everyone is having an enjoy- MONDAY able summer and having an opportunity Annex at Tustin Legacy to venture out to restaurants and events, Building E, Room E103 perhaps with a mask on. The Orange County 15445 Lansdowne Rd., Tustin branch is very happy to be holding our three Interm/Adv 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. weekly classes again and attendance has been Bob Harmon: (714) 774-8535 quite good. Bob Harmon was able to arrange WEDNESDAY a new venue for the Monday class (see right), Columbus-Tustin Activity Center so our three active teachers each now have their own class. 17522 Beneta Way, Tustin Our July dance was very well-attended by members from near Beginning 7:00 – 8:15 p.m. and far – we were so happy to see everyone! We had three people Intermediate 8:15-9:30 p.m. from San Diego venture north and several from the far ends of Connie Walker: [email protected] LA County and Ventura County venture south. Walking all the FRIDAY dances worked well for those who could not yet attend a local Columbus-Tustin Activity Center class. We will continue this for our September dance, which will 17522 Beneta Way, Tustin have several fewer dances than usual to allow time for walking. Interm/Adv: 7:15 – 9:30 p.m. Since the Seaside Games in Ventura will not be held this Pat Zschoche: [email protected] year, Orange County will hold a monthly dance on October Note: Classes require enroll- 9th. Also in October will be a Scottish Festival hosted by ment through Tustin Parks and the United Scottish Society at the Great Park in Irvine. Recreation (www.tustinca.org) Planning is underway and they have asked us to provide demonstration and audience participation dancing. The most exciting event in the near future will be the Interbranch Dance on September 25th. Music will be pro- vided by our own local SO-CALedonians Dance Band, who have been practicing regularly through the pandemic and are The Next Big Event now ready to play for our dancing pleasure. We are thrilled 32nd Annual to have a local dance band able to play for us. The program can be found on page 7 and all dances will be walked as Interbranch Dance many times as is needed. I hope to see you all there! September 25, 2021 Classes in other branches are gearing up in the fall, so we are planning to hold our usual Christmas Ball in Tustin Senior Center December and the Burns Supper and Ball together with Live music by the LA in January, barring any unforeseen future shutdowns, so keep your ghillies nearby – dancing has returned! SO-CALedonians Terri Speakman, Chair Calendar of Events (Tentative) Minutes of the COM of August 15, 2021 HERE Meeting Highlights: September 2021 • Vice-Chair’s Report: Any medical claims on our 11 Branch Dance, 7:00 p.m. Tustin Senior Center insturance policy must be filed within 20 days of (recorded music) injury. The policy does not cover dancing in 25 Interbranch Dance, 7:30 p.m., Tustin Senior Center. private homes or COVID-19 (or any other Live music by SO-CALedonians disease). October 2021 • Corresponding Secretary’s Report: Edie 1-3 Tustin Tiller Days with SCD demonstration dancing submitted a short article and a photo of our 9 Branch Beginner Dance, 7:00 p.m. Tustin Senior dancing in Peppertree Park for possible inclusion Center (recorded music) in the next issue of the Scottish County Dancer. 23 United Scottish Society Scotoberfest, Irvine Great • Treasurer’s Report: Current balance in the Park checking account is $9388, the Scholarship Fund November 2021 has $2346. 13 Branch Dance, 7:00 p.m. Tustin Senior Center • Membership: 2021-2022 membership is 32 (recorded music) adults and 31 associate members. December 2021 • It was decided to resume our contributions of 11 Andrew Rankine Memorial Christmas Ball, 7:00 food at monthly dances, with individual portions p.m. Tustin Senior Center, live music by Flindrikin encouraged. THERE • Arrangements for the Interbranch Dance and the 2022 Burns Ball were discussed. ELSEWHERE • We will use the $200 raised from the raffle last October 2021 Christmas to have the SO-CALedonians play at a 29-31 San Francisco Branch Asilomar Workshop and Ball. future branch dance. https://sfasilomardance.wixsite.com/asilomarweek- end. Space still available. The next Committee of Management meeting will February 2022 be held on November 7, 2021. Copies of the full minutes of the meeting are available 18-20 The Aloha Winter Weekend Scottish Country from Recording Secretary Randi Kraemer. Dance workshop, Honolulu, HI. Guest instructor Jeanne Moody, live music by The Humuhumunukunukuāpua’a and Strathspey Society Band. Visit the Workshop 2022 page at RSCDSHawaii.org.

Interbranch Miscellany Sale Once again, Anthea Macdonald has taken on the huge task of organizing a miscellany sale for the uncoming Interbranch Dance. You are welcome to contribute items to be sold, Introducing the SO-CALedonians but please only items related to SCD – this This Scottish Country Dance band, led by Martha is not the place to dispose of everything you Matthews and Connie Walker, evolved from Thistle cleaned out of your cupboards during lock- Dubh, which had played for a few dances put on by down. Price your items and bring them to the the SGV Branch pre-pandemic. During lockdown, dance; doors open at 6:30. Everything not sold they practiced online, then in backyards and now are this year will be donated, as the Macdonalds ready to play for our dancing pleasure. The ceilidh have been storing a lot of stuff for years. they hosted on August 14th was well-attended and everyone really enjoyed their music and the dancing. 2 Orange County Ceilidh Orange County Ceilidh 3 Scottish Country Dance from faith through the arrival of the “Scotti” from Ulster to form the Kingdom of Dál Riata around 500 A.D. And, of course, St. Columba and his monks arrived to at Iona (563 A.D.) to establish the most significant ecclesiastical center in Scotland. Raiding Norsemen in the 11th and 12th centuries also left their marks on the It’s said the devil is in the details, but whenever region. Remains of castles and settlements as well as we look at any subject, it is in the details that we place names reflect the Nordic influence of the past discover a whole new world waiting to be revealed. and the lingering effects of the Lordship of the Isles Consider Scottish country dancing. We know what until this ended with Alexander III’s victory at Largs. it is composed of, how each of our dances touches Today, tourism, with the importance of natural other people, and usually is connected to places in environment indicated by 121 Sites of Special Scotland. Let’s explore how the letters of the alpha- Scientific Interest designated within the area, is a bet invoke connections as we attempt to see the strong industry. Additionally, almost 1/3 of the details reveal some interesting aspects of SCD and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Scotland itself. Unsurprisingly, we’ll start with A. area falls within the local authority’s boundaries. In the broad picture, three kings named Alexander Let‘s not forget the argyle style pattern made reigned early in Scottish history. Alexander I “the so famous by the dressing craze in the 1920s and fierce” ruled 1107-1124 and at the same time was 1930s. This popular pattern of diamonds and loz- brother-in-law, father-in-law, and son-in-law to Henry enges derived from the tartan of Clan Campbell I, King of England. Henry married Alexander’s sister, of Argyll and from the patterned socks worn by and Alexander married Henry’s illegitimate daughter. Scottish Highlanders since at least the 17th century. How’s that for cozy relations between the countries? Research on the Scottish Country Dancing Two generations later, succeeding his brother David, Dictionary (and other sites) yielded four devisors’ Alexander II and Alexander III reigned succes- names starting with A. Two—Jean Attwood and sively. The latter was known as Scotland’s Alexander Ron Arrowsmith—should be known to us, judging the Great, assuming the throne as a boy in 1249. Great from the number of familiar dances attributed to things were yet to come as he succeeded in acquiring each. Almost no biographical information is avail- the Western Isles, defeating Norway in the Battle of able, but we can think about their dances we have Lags in 1263 and maintaining general good fortune for included on previous years’ programs. “The Royal the country. Alexander’s accidental death in 1286 led Deeside Railway” –a 32-bar reel—is the most famil- to the interregnum and competition for the Scottish iar dance by Ron Arrowsmith. This was published throne, while during the Wars of Independence, in RSCDS Book 40, and I remember dancing it the House of Bruce was established in 1306. in my beginner years (2007+). Ron also devised a Narrowing our focus somewhat brings us to dance entitled “The Celtic Cross”. Somewhat dif- Argyll, that region on Scotland’s west coast. This is ferent from the one we know by Derek Haynes, this a major part of the western shoreline, for not only dance is a 32-bar strathspey in a square set. It ends does it encompass an area of 691,000 hectares but with a Square Knot version of the knot figure and includes 23 inhabited islands, plus many other dots then a Grand Chain. It sounds really interesting! of land in the surrounding ocean. We’ve all heard Jean Attwood has at least 45 dances attributed to of Iona, Bute, Jura, Mull, Kintyre, and Islay with its her on the SCDDB. I was surprised to find so many famous variety of distilleries. However, the region of hers with which I was familiar. “Butterscotch and holds a significant place in Scotland's story. Kilmartin Honey” is one of Southern California’s favorites since Valley in Mid Argyll comprises Scotland's richest it has been on many programs. How about “Carlin’s prehistoric landscape with a concentration of cairns, Cairn”? We’ve danced that one many times. Even standing stones and other impressive remains, which used it as a demo dance for the major festivals, and it’s have dotted the landscape from around 3000 B.C. still a favorite. She also created “The Falls of Rogie”, As history progressed, Argyll played a key role as the which a group of us learned before venturing to the birthplace of the new Scottish nation and its Christian UK with one of Christine’s tours. Anyone remember 4 Orange County Ceilidh dancing “Roslin Castle” at the San Gabriel Valley Gang the Same Gate dances? That’s another dance devised by Jean Attwood. Recently we have had the pleasure of again Of course, there are plenty of individual dances dancing Herb Levy’s brilliant 32 bar strath- that begin with the letter “A”. I’m not going to spey, “Gang the Same Gate” in class. try to make a boring list of every one. However, One of the wonders of dancing in this age of what about recalling a few favorites selected from internet access and computers is that obscure foreign recent programs? Two old standbys “Alltshellach”, words can be easily translated with the flick of a finger. which is also tied to the region of Argyll as the For example, the meaning of “Gang the Same Gate” original countryseat of the Bishop of Argyll, and is instantly given as “Go the Same Way”. This is liter- “Angus MacLeod” keep us alert and thinking. ally correct as in Scots, Gang = Go and Gate = Way. That beautiful strathspey “Amhuinnsuidhe However, consultation with a Scots dictionary will Castle” also comes to mind. “Asilomar Romantic” reveal that Gang and Gate have idiomatic meanings. For brings us memories from another “A”, Asilomar example, people who think alike or think the same way Weekend each October/November. The reel are said to Gang the Same Gate. A person who thinks “Australian Ladies” always has us hurrying to catch differently, does her own thing or goes her own way is up while “The Aviator”, a jig, sends us soaring. said to Gang Her Ain Gate. In Robert Louis Stevenson’s As we consider the letters and what they rep- short story, “Thrawn Janet,” the villagers describe resent, let us recall details and how all are con- the unfortunate Janet as one who Gangs her Ain Gate. nected: history, culture, and art all interwoven for Janet was an outcast and shunned by the villagers and our enjoyment. Have fun and keep dancing! lived as a recluse until taken in by the local minister. Karen Kerman To follow one’s own opinions is said to Gang one’s Gate. Gang by itself means to go, so to “Go Away” Scenes from the August 14th Ceilidh is Gang Awa. Gang can also mean a journey, a load, put on by the SO-CALedonians a pasture or number of articles. A ganging body is a beggar. A gangrel is a wanderer or vagabond. “There’s a gangrel (roaming) bit in the heart of me”. Gang by oneself is to go mad. To call someone A Gutts and Gangyls A’ means he is good for nothing but eating and walking. Gate is a road or path, one’s gate is the usual path taken, in someone’s gate is to get in the way. Tak the gate is to get on the road, haud one’s gate is to stick to the proper way. Robert Burn’s “Tam o’ Shanter” begins with the line “When Chapman billies tak’ the gate” which means, in modern slang “When peddler lads hit the road or head off home”. As what I hope is an interesting foot note, I was surprised to meet Herb Levy at one of Frank Wu’s Ridgecrest class dances a number of years ago. Levy was going back to New York to live. I wish I had asked him how he came across the phrase “Gang the Same Gate” and used it for a dance title. Was he a member of the LA Branch? Norm McCallum

Orange County Ceilidh 5 What on Earth Is a Pump Handle Turn? stops learning. I always thought a “Birl” was a whirling motion, like turning about to face your partner as is The Scottish Country Dance Dictionary (SCDD) done in “Castle Douglas”, “set, birl (turnabout), set.” (Copyrighted in 1982 onwards by Reuben In fact, the term “Tulloch Turn” as done in “Spiffin” Freemantle and Laurence Abbott) is a bottom- used to be a birl. In the Collins/RSCDS 1996 reference less source of information about everything and guide to SCD, “Spinning or Birling” are synonymous anything to do with Scottish Country Dancing. and are described thusly, “the dancers’ right arms are For example, it has about 5,000 different dance held in an elbow grip and clasp their left hands-on terms, including descriptions of dances, reels, devi- top, and the dancers pivot together on the spot”. sors and a list of 20 different turning figures such Care must be taken not to confuse Birl with the as a “Birl”, “Gypsy Turn”, “Tulloch Turn”, one similar sounding word Dirl which means to vibrate, simply called a “Turn” and one not so well known, thrill, or shock with a sharp pain as when you hit at least to me, as a “Water Pump Turn” with a your elbow or funny bone, which in Scots description of how to do it is the dirl bane. And in “Tam O’Shanter,” which I am still mulling over. the Deil’s piping made the roof vibrate When I first saw the term, I when “He screwed the pipes and mad them immediately thought of a cowboy skirl, an’ roof and rafters a’ did dirl”. movie with a rusty water pump Of course, one must not confuse, “Birl” sticking out of the dusty ground with “Bourel”. As we have seen, “Birl” can and a desperate, thirsty cowboy mean a number of things whereas “Bourel” with cracked lips pumping the is an invented word, not French as one might handle up and down to produce a think, but an original word created to describe gushing geyser of cool, clear water. the set and turn by M1 and W3 in Jean Martin Did this motion inspire the Water of Aberdeen. Apparently the RSCDS did Pump Turn.? In many years of not want to use the good old “birl” word Scottish Country Dancing, I don’t as it is associated with too much spinning. remember ever having to yank my And a word of caution not to get too partner’s arm up and down like a water pump. Unless fancy when using the word “Bourel” by misspell- it was to shake loose from someone’s vice-like grip. ing or mispronouncing it or you might end up with I will leave it up to the reader to personally review an entirely different word, “La Bourelle”, which the pump handle instructions in the SCDD as I am is French and means the executioner’s wife. none the wiser. My SCD days go back to the 1950s And the next time you use your spinning wheel you beginning with an SCD class in Glasgow on the should consider that it was once called a birl-quheil, Broomielaw on the River Clyde, (I still have a hand (quh… was pronounced “whuh” as in “wheel”). written cue book from that class) and in all years I encourage all Scottish Country dancers to peruse since I have never heard of a Pump Handle Turn. the SCDD. It is a brilliant creation and endless source But how did I come to be chasing down the of information easily accessible on the internet. proverbial rabbit hole looking for a “Water Pump Please note all of its content is protected by copy- Turn” in the first place? That I can blame on being right. I would like to know more about its creators a Scot who loves musing on the meanings of Scots and how it is maintained. A few years ago, I con- words, particularly old words. Take for example tacted the site online as I thought the footnote to the Scots word birl which can mean many things, the “Back O’ Bennachie” should mention that an such as: whirl around, revolve rapidly, dance, the old, yet famous and ever popular Scottish folk song, shrill sound of a whistle, and in piping, a grace- “Oh gin I were where Gadie Rins” has the following note introducing the note A, produced by two rapid lines, “Oh gin I were where Gadie rins on the back touches on G, the lowest note on the chanter scale. of Bennachie”. I imagine the song title inspired the According to Collins SCD reference, the Birl turn is dance name. Gadie is a stream that flows across the made by the partners holding right arms in an elbow base of Bennachie, a mountain in Aberdeenshire. grip and clasping their left hands on top by which Norm McCallum they can safely turn at speed. Dearie me, one never 6 Orange County Ceilidh September Branch Dance 32nd Annual Interbranch Dance September 11, 2021, Dancing 7:00 p.m., Recorded Music September 25, 2021, Doors open for miscel- Tustin Senior Center, 200 C Street, Tustin lany sale at 6:30 p.m., Dancing at 7:30 p.m., Cost: $10 Members; $12 Non-Members Tustin Senior Center, 200 C Street, Tustin Cost: $15 for everyone Newburgh Jig J B Book 48 Live music by the SO-CALedonians Blue Butterfly S I Brooks/Leaflet In Mr. McGregor’s Garden R I Prest/LA 50th The Machine Without Horses J Book 12 Hello-Goodbye S B Book 51 Sugar Candie S Book 26 Anniversary Reel R I Book 36 Mrs Stewart’s Jig J Book 35 Mairi’s Wedding R Cosh Granville Market J B RSCDS/2nd Gr Bk Bonnie Stronshiray S I Campbell/Glasgow Assy Pelorus Jack J Book 41 Farewell to Balfour Road J I Book 52 J.B Milne R Hugh Foss The Paisley Weavers S B RSCDS/3rd Grd Invercauld’s Reel S Book 11 Forty and Counting R A Book 52 The Reel of the Royal Scots R RSCDS/Leaflet

New Year Jig J B Book 51 The Laird of Milton’s Daughter J Book 22 Ramadan-ce R I Drewry/Turkish Set Miss Milligan’s Strathspey S RSCDS/Leaflet Glengarry Homestead S I Brenchley/Kangaroo Tribute to the Borders J RSCDS/Leaflet The Starry Eyed Lassie J I Book 23 Flowers of Edinburgh J Book 1 The Reel of the Royal Scots R B RSCDS/Leaflet

October Beginner Branch Dance October 9, 2021, Dancing 7:00 p.m., Recorded Music Tustin Senior Center, 200 C Street, Tustin Cost: $10 Members; $12 Non-Members

New Year Jig J B Book 51 Bonnie Stronshiray S I Campbell/Glasgow Assy The Provost Wynd R B RSCDS/2nd Gr Bk The Orchards of County Armagh S I Anderson/Platinum Mrs Stewart’s Jig J B Book 35

Granville Market J B RSCDS/2nd Gr Bk The Lass of Richmond Hill R B RSCDS/2nd Gr Bk The Lincoln Imp J I Bark/World Wide Seattle Landing S B Vandegrift/Leaflet The Irish Rover R I Cosh/22 SCDs

The Legacy J B Goddard/Pinewood Ramadan-ce R I Drewry/Turkish Set Miss Jane Muirhead of Dunsmuir S B Winter/SF Jaywalking J A Tyler/So. Africa Flowers of Edinburgh R B Book 1

Orange County Ceilidh 7 OC BRANCH SCHOLARSHIPS Applications are available on the branch website Revised 2020 and at branch dance classes. Applicants must provide information on how the funds will be used and The Branch has established a scholarship fund will need to provide documentation of attendance. to encourage the development of Scottish Country Requests must be received at least 30 days before the Dancing teachers, dancers, and musicians in Orange funds are needed. Awards will be limited to a total of County, and to provide $500 a year. Requests and awards will be confiden- opportunities for Southern tial. Scholarships will be granted without attention to California Scottish Country race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, Dancing dancers to experience color, nationality, ancestry, age, or place of origin. high quality live music both The dance scholarship is as listeners and as dancers. in honor of Orange County To be eligible for a dance Branch founding member and scholarship, the applicant long-time dancer Dorothy must be a current member Craik. The musician scholarship of the Orange County is in honor of Andrew Rankine, Branch and be presently attending class regularly a noted accordionist, com- for at least one year. Preference will be given to poser and renowned Scottish applicants interested in pursuing teacher training. Country Dancing band leader. To be eligible for a musician scholarship, the If you are interested in applicant must be a resident of Southern California, applying, send your application to Scholarship have demonstrated an interest in playing Scottish Committee, c/o RSCDS-Orange County Branch, Country Dancing music, and should play an instru- P.O. Box 26271, Santa Ana, CA 92799 or email to ment relevant to Scottish Country Dancing, such as chair Terri Speakman at [email protected]. accordion, fiddle, keyboard, piano, recorder, etc.

If not deliverable, return to: The Orange County Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society P.O. Box 26271 Santa Ana, CA 92799

Volume 39, #5, September/October 2021 Editor: Terri Speakman Email: [email protected]

Thanks to all contributors!

THE ORANGE COUNTY CEILIDH IS PUBLISHED 6 TIMES PER YEAR.

Deadline for the November/December Ceilidh is October 1, 2021.