March 1998 Newsletter

[Newsletters] [Next] [Previous] [Home]
With our Annual General Meeting just two months away, the nominating committee, consisting of Brenda Burness, Joyce Manning and Geraldine Robertson, will be looking for people to serve on the new Committee of Management. If you are willing to stand, would you please contact one of these people.

The Demonstration Team performed at the Burns' Supper, along with Corryvreckan. This was a well-attended event and enjoyed by all. They also performed at St. Patrick's Mercy Home, where they were part of an evening's entertainment, including Corryvreckan and Michael Heald, who played the pipes.

The residents of Glenbrook Lodge were, as usual, very appreciative of the many members of our group who danced for them at their Burns' Supper celebration. Michael piped the dancers in and Corryvreckan played for the whole evening. One of our new dancers, Janet McDonald, is a volunteer with Cable 9 television and she had arranged for a camera crew to be there. They were filming throughout the evening, with Noreen giving the history of Scottish country dancing and details of the dances being performed. It was later shown, in a much edited version (about 5 mins.), on channel 9's "Art Forms." It was very good and a number of people have it on video. If anyone wants to borrow a copy, ask around and someone will oblige.

Whilst on the subject of videos. The Branch has a few videos of Scottish country dancing, demonstrating steps and formations. We also have copies of dance instruction booklets. If anyone would like to borrow any of these, please get in touch with Brenda Burness (895-2712)

March social. A reminder of the social at Vanier School on 21st March. If you know you are going to be late for this, or any social, please let someone know, since we must keep the door locked and it is impossible to hear anyone knocking once the music has started. This way we can keep a look-out for you. The fee is $5, payable in advance, or at the door.

Ball or Social Etiquette. There are many different opinions on etiquette but the following is a list of do's and don't's taken from various publications.

  1. Feel free to ask anyone to dance. It does not matter if they are a different level, or the same or opposite sex, or someone you do not know. Ladies, be aggressive - think of every dance as a ladies' choice.

  2. Do try to dance with a variety of different partners. If you're an advanced dancer, invite a beginner for a dance you know is within his or her capacity. Dancing with you may make the beginner's evening!

  3. Do give a friendly hand to your partner as you walk to the set. The dancer who asks a partner to dance should find space on the floor.

  4. Do always join the set at the bottom. Don't barge in above. If you wish to start as 4th couple, ask another couple to switch with you after the set has been formed. If you are joining a square set, make sure the existing sets are full before you start a new one.

  5. The first man in each line, or the first couple together, should count off the sets in their line and then signal the MC as to how many more couples are needed.

  6. Do stay in your lines while sets are forming. Miscounts hold things up.

  7. Listen quietly to the talk-throughs. When you explain to your partner exactly what the briefer meant, the other people in your set cease to be able to hear. If your partner has a question, explain after the briefing or preferably before. If you are unsure of a dance, look for a strong partner for it.

  8. Help. Be aware that most dancers who are lost are on sensory overload. Having 5 other dancers scream directions (whose terminology they probably do not understand anyway) does not necessarily help them get through the dance, much less enjoy it. Non-verbal communication works best (giving them the correct hand, waving, or a gentle tug - beware of the grab, though). If more direction is needed, the simpler the better - "here" rather than "turn your first corner by the right" and if possible, let their partner direct - that is whom they are dancing with and hence tuned in to. Your shouting may just be adding to their confusion.

  9. Relax. No one has yet been shot for giving the wrong shoulder in a dance. While one should be careful about getting into a dance that is over one's head, do not worry about ordinary mistakes; everyone makes them, so simply smile and continue on.

  10. When the dance is over, do thank the set as well as your partner - everyone has contributed to your enjoyment. Make sure you clear the floor between sets and don't form sets until the MC announces the next dance.
Warm-ups. Dancers will have noticed that we are "warming up" again at the beginning of the second-half of the evening. This is important since muscles have cooled down during the break and injuries are more likely to happen. For your own good, please make sure you take part.

For those winter evenings when you've nothing to do!! Try your hand with this quiz. There are many more questions, for future newsletters. Answers at the end. (Published in TACTalk, December, 1997, used with permission.)

Pronunciation: How do you pronounce the bold face words?

  1. The Braes of Breadalbane
  2. Seann Triubhas Willichan
  3. The Reel of Glamis
  4. Miss Nellie Wemyss
  5. Greig's Pipes
  6. The Moudiewort
  7. Duran Ranger
  8. Mrs. Hamilton of Wishaw
  9. The Bob O'Dowally
  10. Menzies Rant

Where (in some detail) are the places in bold face?

  1. The Eight Men of Moidart
  2. The Lanes of Au
  3. A Trip to the Drakensberg
  4. Cadgers in the Canongate
  5. The Foula Reel

Miscellaneous

WANTED - man's kilt, size 30-32" waist. Tartan not important. Please get in touch with Dale Jarvis either at class on Monday night or at 576-2087.

Bridgette Hamilton's family has been very successful in curling recently. Her husband, Wayne, is a member of the provincial winning team who took the curling title in Gander in February. The team participated in the Brier, held in Winnipeg recently. Her son, Brent's team will be representing the St. John's district in the Newfoundland winter games to be held in Labrador City in March. We wish them luck.

Details of Pinewoods and T.A.C. Summer School are on the notice board, along with information of other workshops, balls, etc. Please don't remove these from the board. If you are interested in attending one of the events, speak to Sheila Virgo who has the application forms.

And from Jodie Hébert concerning the Montréal Workshop (June 5-7): I hope you can come! We have great teachers, as usual, and this year we will also have live music for all classes and the Sunday morning teacher's choice session (the Ball too, of course!) It's an anniversary year, so we are going all out to make it special.

Kittiwake Dance Theatre and Linda Rimsay's 20th year Retrospective

It's a gallery of dance representing 20 years of work of Kittiwake's Artistic Director Linda Rimsay. The show includes such popular pieces as Philosopher's Phantasmagoria, Shadows in the Cave, Seven and a half minute solution, and Flickers. Each evening will feature different works. The shows are on Friday and Saturday April 24/25th, 8 p.m. Ticket prices are $12.00 regular and $9.00 students and seniors. See Derek deLouch to reserve your ticket at our group purchase price of $7.50 per seat for either evening.

Caring and Sharing

Joyce Manning's daughter had a baby girl on lst March. Congratulations to Yvonne and her husband, Frank, and, of course, to Joyce.

Answers to Quiz

(1) "Bre-DALL-ban" - 2nd syllable rhymes with "all" not with "pal" 3rd syllable very light. (2) "Shawn Trooz WILL i khan" (kh guttural as in "loch." (3) Glahmz (one syllable rhymes with "alms"). (4) "Weems." (5) "Gregg's" not like the Norwegian composer. (6) "MOW di wort" (1st syllable rhymes with "plough"). (7) "DURR an" (not like the rock group "Duran Duran"). (8) WISH aw (not WHY shaw). (9) "DOO li". (10) "MING-is" (no "z" sound). (11) Moidart is on the West Coast of Scotland between Mallaig and Ardnamurchan. (12) Au is SE of Munich (near Rosenheim), Bavaria. (13) The Drakensberg Mountains lie parallel to the SE Coast of South Africa, about 150 km. inland (near the Lesotho border). (14) The Canongate is in Edinburgh. (15) Foula is a small (approx. 5 km in length) island in the Shetlands.

[Newsletters] [Next] [Previous] [Home]