Welcome back to a new season of dancing. It's hard to realize that summer is over so quickly.
Our big event during the summer break was our workshop at the beginning of August. Bridgette Hamilton writes:
During this past summer the Branch hosted a dance workshop on the weekend of August 3rd to 5th with the guest teacher being Mel Brisco from Alexandria, Virginia. There were forty-six registered participants, of which a third were from outside the province.
The weekend began with a meet and greet held at Bill and Sue Scott's home on Friday evening. Food and refreshments were brought by the local members and those attending were treated to some good food and conversation.On Saturday, classes were held at Vanier school with sessions being held in the morning and afternoon. The dancers were introduced to some new and interesting dances. Feedback from the participants was positive. Lunch was provided and many thanks to those members who donated soup for the meal. The Saturday night social was a great success. The gym was beautifully decorated and the program was well received. Corryvrecken provided the excellent music and there were enough dancers to complete four sets. After the dance, everyone socialized over delicious food and refreshments arranged by the host committee.
On Sunday morning Noreen MacLennan offered a class in English country dancing. This was very well received and enjoyed by the approximately thirty participants. After dancing a brunch was held for all at Brenda Burness' house in St. Philips. Both the weather and food were excellent and everyone had a very enjoyable time.
During the Saturday sessions a silent auction was held, during which people bid on various items generously donated by members of the Branch. The money raised greatly helped to offset the costs of hosting the workshop and many thanks go out to all who contributed either by donating or purchasing these items.
The Branch's appreciation is extended to Sue Scott and the host committee for all their efforts in organizing the workshop and helping to make it the great success that it was.
Thank you Bridgette.
Since our last newsletter we have danced at MacDonald Drive School to help them celebrate Grandparents' Day. Thanks go to the dancers who helped Noreen cope with a large number of children (very well behaved) - some of whom refused to dance with the opposite sex! This is always fun and a lot of grandparents turn out to watch.
The Demo. Team danced outdoors at Commissariat House, during Scottish Heritage Week, to an appreciative audience. They gave two performances and felt they went well in spite of it being very hot and windy and dancing on an uneven platform.
Fees are $70 for the 14 week fall session and are due now. This includes the annual subscription to Scotland. The "drop-in" fee for out of town visitors and dancers who can only dance occasionally is $5. For fully paid-up members who want to dance the extra night it is $3. New dancers are given a week to try dancing before they are expected to pay their fees.
Name Tags. Anyone who attended the workshop now has a very attractive name tag designed by Elizabeth Green. To help new members would everyone please wear them. Clear tags are available on Mondays.
We have a Branch Representative in Scotland who acts on our behalf at Headquarters meetings etc. His name is Jim Healy from Perth. Recently I came across a story which he tells:
"Teaching at a workshop in France, I had dutifully worked through the parts of the dance, put it together and then called for four couple sets to dance eight times through and named the dance. There were audible gasps from the floor and the head of every French speaker in the room shot round to look at me registering every emotion from bewilderment to open-mouthed shock. it was only when one of the Brits mouthed the question - "Now?" - that I twigged. John Drewry's The Big Grey Man (Ferla Mor) had been heard in French as the imperative "Make love!" (Faire l'amour)."
Caring & Sharing. Penny Gillies and Robert MacIsaac are away for three months. We will miss them both. Penny is vacationing in New Zealand and Australia and Robert is teaching in China. They are both taking their ghillies and Robert his kilt and hope to have an opportunity to dance somewhere. We wish them well and will follow their activities in the next newsletter.
Upcoming Workshops.
The Kingston Branch is holding a workshop and dance 2nd-4th Nov. 2001. Contact Len Walker - Registrar: (613) 548-3157.
The RSCDS Toronto Association is holding a workshop and dance 9th & 10th Nov. 2001. Details are on the notice board. Contact: Norman Wills - Registrar: (416) 447-5444.
The Victoria, B.C. Branch is holding a workshop and dance 9th & 10th Nov. 2001. Details are on the notice board.