The Reel; Published by the LONDON BRANCH of the ROYAL SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE SOCIETY www. rscdslondon.org.uk Registered Charity number 1067690 Dancing is FUN.’ No 254 DECEMBER 2005 TO FEBRUARY 2006 LONDON BRANCH [lllll DANCERS 0N SHOW AT THE HllYAl ALBERT HAll AWARD The London Branch Executive Committee is pleased to announce the bestowal of a Branch Award on Ian Anderson Thrower Alan Anderson Iris Our President writes: This auspicious occasion was an exhibition of movement and dance celebrating 70 years of the Central Council of Recreation (CCPR). It was truly a kaleidoscope of colour and [an Anderson. a life member. first joined the Physical form. The Scottish dancers from the London Branch and from Society through the London Branch in 1951 Country dancing display by Branches in the South East of was with the audience. The sheer size since when he has been continuously in the England popular large of the arena at the Albert Hall is to of so the forefront of activities supporting Scottish daunting any group performers, Angela Young, SCD earned much deserved and appreciation for her expert use Country Dancing. His earliest association was as producer, congratulations of the space, and for her imaginative choreography. The Scottish Country Dancers were a member of the much sought after more than to the occasion and deserved their enthusiastic Demonstration Class from 1952 to 1962 during equal really reception. Stoker which time in 1957 he led a team ofdancers from Mary the Class to Holland on a hectic round of performances. He was a member of the Branch Read the full report Executive Committee from 1956 to 1976 and of the Albert Hall again from 1988 to 1996. In those earlier days after the war. the Branch Extravaganza ran highly popular monthly Members‘ Dances at the Royal Scottish Corporation Hall in Fetter on page 2. Lane. Ian ran those from 1956 to 1976. selling Also in this issue: tickets in those by post (obligatory days). P6. Dancing at Summer School refreshments with outside caterers. and arranging P6. Playing at Summer School the MC at dance but one that being every during P8 Obituaries: Brian Hamilton, He was involved in the from period. changeover Jo Wilson, Muriel Gibson, the RSC. Fetter Lane to St Columba‘s Hall in James Senior. Pont Street the Farewell to Fener Lane following P9. St. Columba's at 50. dance in 1973. In addition he ran Weekend P10 London Branch Day School Schools at Pulborough at Easter from 1965 to 2005. 1968 and a Hogmanay weekend in 1966. P10 Entente Cordiale Part 2. Latterly. lan has been promoting the Branch P11 Francis Peacock, dancing through sales in the Bookstall. which he has run master of Aberdeen. since 1988. It is not all mail order. for he P13 London members abroad. transports his ”shop” to dancing events P13 in Troon. throughout the year. Most ofthe work he does on Family dancing PM Robin Ellis' 50 of his own. but he is helped by his wife iris. who years for $00. takes some telephone calls: she also plays a playing major role in the Branch as Archivist. Thrower and much more! Our congratulations to Ian Alan Issue No 255 will be with UK based members by 18th February 2006 unless delayed in the post. Contributions for that issue should be sent to the Editor. Wilson Nicol. 14 Great Woodcote Park. Purley. Surrey CR8 3QS, tel: 020 8763 4173. email: editorn} rscdslondonorguk. to arrive by (Issue No 256 will arrive by 13th May 2006). ROYAL SCOTTISH The Extravaganza EDITORIAL COUNTRY DANCE On Saturday 24th September the Central Council of our readers for Physical Recreation celebrated the 70th Many SOCIETY are familiar with the of its foundation with a mass anniversary display - modem dance The Patron H.M. The Queen by members of its Movement and Dance Division: @ Master a varied programme which lasted more than three Dancing hours and included 27 different items. written for Bill lreland on his retiral Prominent among these was a splendid display of HEADQUARTERS: l2 Coates EH3 7AF. Scottish Country Dancing. promoted by the South- from teaching the Crescent, Edinburgh, Tel: 0131 225 Fax: 0131 225 East Branches and performed by 52 dancers drawn L o n d o n 3854; 7783, e-mail: from those Branches and from other groups in the Demonstration [email protected]. area. Rehearsals were funded by a grant from the Class. It led me to www.rscds.org. Jean Milligan Fund and by generous contributions think about the earlier days of dancing. LONDON BRANCH from the Croydon, London, Oxfordshire and Dancing has been a general hobby of Scots Wells Branches. Lorna was the Hon. President Tunbridge Ogilvie (and others) since around 1700, first among the at the event. Simon Wales Stoker Society‘s representative gentry and subsequently extending to the rest Mary was the linkman between the CCPR Headquarters, of the population. How did they learn the Hon. Vice-Presidents: and the S.E. Branches Committee, Co—ordinating dances and how to dance in those days? The Mary Barker, Stella Booth, Ellen Garvie. and Angela Young was teacher and choreographer answer in most cases was from Dancing Jenny Greene. Marie Jamieson. for the display. Sandra Smith and Jean Harrison Masters! One of the first and most famous was John Laurie, Owen Meyer, Rosemary Tilden. provided music for rehearsals and Neil Esslemont Francis Peacock centred on Aberdeen in the piped for the actual display. Chairman: second half of the eighteenth century. He is the Rachel The dances performed were The Duke ofAtholl '5 Wilton, subject of our first article in the Dancing 31 London SE10 OLL. Reel, 12 Coates Cresceril, Fifiy Years On and Nice Kemsing Road, Master Series. In London at the of — beginning Tel: 020 8858 7729. to See You at first glance not a very showy group, the nineteenth we had Thomas Wilson but what was really impressive was the century e-mail: [email protected] who a wide range of dance types choreography which used these dances to fill the taught Vice-Chairman Scottish. that whole space of the arena (as few others did) and including Throughout century Jeff Robertson, there were around Scotland -— the Lowe changed orientation almost magically from couples many 57 Beaumont Road, Broadwater, Worthing, in Scott Skinner in dancing round the room, into a six-spoke wheel on family Perthshire, W Sussex, EN 14 8HE. — D G MacLennan in one axis, into another on a different axis with Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh, Tel: 01903 530750. — changed partners and finally into three facing James Neill and Dancie Reid in Angus, the e—mail: [email protected] three for the last dance which finished with small Adamsons in Fife, George Maxwell in East Hon. circles melting into one large circle for the last Lothian, and the Muir family in Lanark to Secretary: Pamela Ellam, eight bars. A challenging routine, to which the mention but a few. They taught both gentry 10 The Drive, Acton, London W3 6AA. dancers responded confidently. holding the floor and folk but in classes. the ordinary separate Tel: 020 8992 8178. patterns well and covering excellently in their lines. fees for the former than for the being higher e-mail: Neil the London Branch was [email protected] Esslemont, piper latter. All taught etiquette of dancing and were in full dress and earned a Hon. Treasurer: resplendent Highland very strict that the rules were followed in their special cheer as he marched off. Simon Wales. classes and finishing balls. It appears that There was a rich variety of movement and dance Flat 6, 86 Worcester Rd, Sutton, figures and timing were more important than on display in the rest of the programme, with Surrey SM2 6QQ. Tel: 020 8643 0952. accuracy of footwork. Dance is a continually participants of all ages from 6 to 76. Outstanding e-mail: [email protected] developing art form and this was reflected in for me was an immensely moving performance by the teachers‘ repertoires, which covered a wide dancers in wheelchairs or carrying other often SUB-COMMITTEES range of dance type and moved with the times. severe handicaps. supported by a team of devoted Youth: .........Andrew Malcolm Ferris Most of the teachers were musicians (fiddlers) Kellett, Lay, and inspiring helpers. At the other extreme was a and were to for their own classes Angela Young large team from the Bromley Valley Gymnastic expected play — Classes: ......................................... Lena Centre, performing breathtaking somersaults and dancing and playing simultaneously there Robinson, Malcolm Ferris Lay, Moira Strutt, feats of balance in tall pyramids to two fizzing was not the benefit of canned music in those Day School: Margaret Catchick, tunes from Chicago. Filling the whole floor were days! Most had bands, usually family Dances:.......... Rachel Catchick, 40 to 50 ladies from the Fitness League, elegant, members. to play for local balls. Bands thought Wilton, Margaret Lindsay Merriman, Moira Strutt, Cherry West beautifully co-ordinated and with lines covered nothing of walking or cycling home ten miles Demonstrations: Jeff throughout, to a big-band recording of Tzcredo or so after the ball: few could afford wheeled Robertson, Angela Young, Joan James Fairbaim” Junction. horse transport. At the start of the twentieth Desborough“, On the whole I found the music disappointing. century Dancie Reid led Reid‘s Orchestra Publicity: .............. Jeff Robertson, Rita Marlow“, most of it was - no harm in Merriman, Wilson Nicol, Inevitably taped great which was the ‘Jimmy Shand’ of its day in Lindsay Moira Strutt, Thomson that, though it did mean that any live music made a Scotland. Meryl for instance our a .. special impact, piper.