A reminder that tickets are still available from Noreen and Robert for the Burns' Supper on 23rd January at the Legion, Pleasantville. Our demonstration team will be dancing.
Glenbrook Lodge. We have, once again, been asked to dance there on Wed. 27th January at 7 p.m. This is an annual event to which all our dancers are invited, including children. We dance well-known dances and help the residents celebrate Burns' night. A haggis, donated by the St. Andrew's Society of St. John's is piped in and refreshments are served. We each take a small plate of goodies, suitable for elderly people (no nuts).
Talkers' Workshop. Martin is willing to hold another talkers' workshop if enough people want it. This is to help people who might like to talk through dances on Monday nights or socials. This will take place at 8 p.m. on Wed. 10th March at St. David's. Please speak to Martin if you are interested.
Family Night. The date is now set for Sat. 24th April at Vanier School, starting at 7 p.m. Anyone can attend and children are encouraged to come along and dance.
As you know, our Twelfth Night social was held at Macpherson due to a misunderstanding with Vanier. It was well attended and a great time had by all. The refreshments were, as usual, superb. In case there should be problems in future with either Macpherson or Vanier, we ask that if any member knows of a venue suitable for dancing, would they please contact anyone on the executive. It would help if you could find out the cost, parking availability, type of floor and size, and contact person.
Winter School. Scotland has proposed a winter dance school to be held in Feb./March 2000 which would be similar to summer school. If anyone is interested please let Sheila know.
Macpherson car park. Two cars were recently broken into on a Monday night. Please don't leave valuables in the cars and maybe the cars should be parked closer to the road where it is brighter, or even on the street.
Workshop. Our workshop is going ahead the 11/12/13 June. A grant of $200 towards expenses has been received from TAC for which we are very grateful. Full details will be available shortly.
Avalon Waltz. Traditionally social dances end with the last waltz. Since the last waltz is usually danced in couples, we found, due to gender imbalance in our group, that there were few couples dancing. The women did not feel that it was appropriate to dance with one another at this time. However, Noreen wanted all members to be part of this ending to our evenings so the Avalon Waltz was devised by Martin. Now as we conclude our evening of dancing we see a large circle of everyone in the group participating in "the last waltz" and everyone enjoying the lovely selection of waltzes that Corryvreckan plays from their repertoire.
I went in very slowly, feeling shy and oh so small,
The room was full of strangers and they all seemed ten feet tall.
So I sat down rather coyly, on a chair beside the door,
They said, "You'll have to dance, you know; that's what you've come here for."
I said, I didn't know it. They said they'd pull me through.
And then the music started and my troubles started too.
They pushed me and they pulled me and they whispered "four hands across."
Then they said, "set to your corners, change with your partner,
stay where you are, cast off.
They spoke a foreign language which to me seemed awful strange.
Things like allemande, poussette, pas-de-basque and corners change,
They pointed here, they pointed there, which really was amusing.
They made strange squiggles in the air, which were utterly confusing.
I listened to the music but could not get the beat,
My mother should have told me I was born with two left feet.
For I bobbed up as they bobbed down and sometimes vice versa,
My comprehension of the dance grew worse and worse and worser.
And then the big white chieftain, whose name I just forget,
Seemed to think that I was drunk, for he hollered "reel across the set."
Well, I'd always been teetotal so I didn't like it quite,
But the others all were doing it so it must have been alright.
They said, "Don't look so worried. Cheer up. Relax, let go."
So I danced with a gay abandon, right on my partner's toe.
They turned me and they swung me and they hauled me back in line,
But they smiled on me quite kindly and said, "You're doing fine."
Well, I'd laddered both my nylons and my right leg had gone lame,
But I gave a ghastly grin and said, "I'm awfully glad I came."
They said, "This keeps you fit, you know." I said, "I'm sure it does."
I knew my back was broken but I couldn't make a fuss.
For when people's hearts are kindly, you leave some things unsaid.
I just screwed my arms back on again and staggered home to bed.
Now my doctor's optimistic, says I'll soon by right as rain.
So when I'm out of hospital I'll be Country Dancing once again.