FROM THE CHAIR
Happy New Year to everyone and welcome back to another term of Sottish dancing! What better way to beat the winter blues and shed those few extra pounds put on over the festive season than by turning out regularly for a dance session on Monday or Thursday evenings.
Those of you who attended our Twelfth Night Social will know what a wonderful evening we had. The Vanier gym was softly lit with Christmas lights. Tables with candles and nibbles made for a comfortable evening for our guests or dancers who needed a breather and Corryvreckan, as always, made the occasion with their live music. Margaret Connors did a fine job with the programs and dance books, Phil Hanley helped to M.C., Brenda brought along the nibbles and Sue the tables. Thanks to all of you. Our thanks also go out to Bill and Sue Scott - and their new dog - who opened their home to us after the dancing, for drinks and nibbles. Three roaring log fires really added to the sense of warmth and festivity.
There are various upcoming events, dealt with separately in this newsletter. I would like to stress, however, that we will be looking for volunteers to help with our upcoming workshop in August. If you can help, please let one of the Executive know.
In the meantime, I wish you all a happy year of dancing - and don't forget to point those toes!
Pat Rivers
Chair.
I have now taken over the newsletter again since Sue Scott is so busy with work and away from St. John's so often. If anyone would like to take this job on, please talk to Pat or me (Brenda) and we'd be happy to fill you in.
BURNS SUPPER is coming up soon - January 24th at 7 for 7.30 p.m. at Mary Queen of Peace Parish Hall. Robert has tickets to sell, costing $35 each. This is a great evening with dinner, speeches, demonstration by our demo. team as well as a demonstration by highland dancers. The St. John's Pipe Band will be playing and there will be ceilidh dancing led by Noreen and Martin. We hope many of our dancers will attend. The speakers this year are:
The Immortal Memory: Mr. Pete Soucy (a.k.a. Snook)
To Scotland: Mr. Dale Jarvis (who used to dance with us and does the Haunted Hike)
To Newfoundland: Dr. Roberta Buchanan
To the Lassies: Dr. Doug. Bell
At this stage, I think the following is appropriate. One of Pat Batt's Party Pieces. Pat Batt is a lady who used to make up poems, all to do with Scottish country dancing, and sell them in aid of the North London Hospice. She has contributed over 2000 pounds sterling to this hospice.
JANUARY 25TH
There's a lot can be said about young Robbie Burns,
And some of it quite unrepeatable.
But if you could understand all that he wrote
His poems, they say, are unbeatable.
But as for his love life!! - I'd rather not say! -
Though it must have seemed sweet at the time
To have declarations of undying love -
Untrue - but in glorious rhyme.
And if you like haggis - then Burns is your man!
With tatties and neaps it is eaten,
And, starting with Robbie's well known "address,"
The meal, I declare, can't be beaten.
So three cheers for Robert - I hope that he knows
That on Jan. twenty-fifth every year
You'll find Burns' Night suppers all over the world -
And I'm happy to join in one here!
GLENBROOK LODGE evening is also coming up on Tues. 3rd February, starting at 7 p.m. For our new dancers, this is an evening where we help the residents celebrate Burns Supper. All our dancers are welcome, as well as children. It is an evening of easy dances and we usually have a couple of the members of Corryvreckan playing. The haggis is piped in and we are asked to bring along a small plate of goodies, suitable for elderly people (no nuts, marshmallows or toffees).
A few of our dancers, including some of the demo. team, entertained the seniors at MASONIC PARK Seniors' Home on Friday 16th Jan. They are always very appreciative and it is a yearly visit for us.
KUBAN APPEAL. On Mon. 16th February we are going to have a fun evening of dancing, with a combined class, as a fundraiser to help send one or possibly two Scottish country dancers from a remote area in Southern Russia to Summer School in St. Andrews, Scotland. An appeal went out from H.Q. in Scotland to all branches to support this and we have decided to do so. Scottish country dancing is relatively new in Russia but those who do it are very keen. We will do easy dances with a theme. Penny will give us details later. Donations can be anything from $1 - $1000 or nothing at all. There was an article in a Bulletin a while ago related to Scottish dancing in Russia. If anyone happens to have kept it, could you let me (Brenda) have it. There is a website on which you will find pictures and information (in Russian).
WORKSHOP. Plans are well under way for our workshop to be held August 6-8, 2004. Please keep this weekend free for we have Elaine Brunken from North Virginia, who is a well-known Scottish country dance teacher, coming to instruct us. This is Pat Rivers' bit - "Brenda Burness will be hosting the Sunday Brunch again this year and as those of you who have attended before will know, this, in itself, makes attending the workshop worthwhile!" Flattery will get you everywhere, Pat! Seriously, we would like as many of our dancers to attend as possible. Application forms are available from Pat.
FAMILY NIGHT. We are thinking of holding a family night social in the near future. This is a time when our dancers can bring along any of their children, grandchildren, anyone at all who might like to try dancing. The dances are aimed at including the children and usually it is a fun evening. Let us know if you are interested.
DANCE SHOES. There are a number of places around St. John's selling dance shoes, usually jazz shoes but some members prefer these instead of the gillies. Check the yellow pages. Gillies are available from BRIO in Halifax - 'phone # 1-800-473-1741.
BRUNCH AT BRENDA'S. I would like to thank all those who were involved in the dance dedicated to me, especially Jo and Bruce Shawyer. For those who weren't at the Twelfth Night Social, Jo had devised a dance and Bruce had put it to music. We, at Monday night classes, knew it as B & B! What deceit! At the social I was presented with a lovely copy of the dance and a framed copy of the music. Thank you everyone. I really appreciate this and was completely taken aback.
CARING & SHARING. We had a Christmas card from Joan Basic thanking us for the get-well card we had sent her. She sends her good wishes to everyone and hopes to be dancing in the not too distant future. She was hoping to go to the Twelfth Night social as a spectator but unfortunately had the flu.
UPCOMING SCD EVENTS
February 7, 2004: Ottawa Branch Workshop, contact Bill Somerville at: billsome@ca.inter.net
February 21, 2004: Tartan Ball, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto, contact Ann Campbell at: acampbell@idirect.com
June 4-6, 2004: Montreal Workshop, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Montréal, Québec contact: weekend@scdmontreal.org
July 28-August 1, 2004: ISCDS, Halifax Nova Scotia contact Lydia Hedge at: lydiahedge@accesswave.ca