Scottish Country Dancers Issue 30, Spring edition

Message from the Chairman

Following the deadline for this issue of the magazine, the worldwide impact of the coronavirus has become apparent to us all. Every branch and every member has been affected by it. Classes and dances have been cancelled and there is uncertainty over when they can resume. This year’s Summer School in St Andrews and Spring Flings 2020 in St Petersburg and Toronto have been cancelled. Go to our website for more information.

Your branch committees have had to make some difficult and unwelcome decisions, and they will be anxious about plans for the coming months. The health and well-being of all dancers and musicians must take priority, so I want to thank committees for their responsible behaviour, and at the same time encourage them to prepare for a time when dancing resumes.

We are a dance and music organisation, and we are also a fantastic social network. We cannot meet to dance but we can stay in touch, and for some members that will be very important. In the weeks ahead website updates, e-mails, social media, telephone cascades within branches and among classmates will be a real help in these difficult times, and they will sustain our enthusiasm to get back to dancing.

I also wish to thank our office staff, who are working remotely, for their continuing hard work. Regular e-newsletters will be issued to keep you informed and entertained. Enjoy this issue and by the time you read the next one, I hope we are all able to enjoy dancing together. In the meantime, stay safe and stay in touch.

Andrew Kellett, Chairman

Editorial

With none of us dancing at the moment, the Editorial Team hope that you will enjoy reading about dancing. Our front cover reminds us of our roots in Scotland’s social dancing. It shows Sir John Halkett of Pitfirrane, near Dunfermline, watching approvingly as some of his 14 children show off their dancing with his eldest daughter accompanying them.

Muriel Johnstone, whose name is synonymous with the best of our country dance music tradition, tackles an issue which many people have strong views on – the ‘original tune’ debate. Marjorie McLaughlin of San Diego takes us back to the source of one of our most loved dances, Red House. John Bertram of Medicine Hat, now in Calgary, has a famous ‘dancie’ ancestor. John himself once danced with our Patron, Queen Elizabeth. Jim Stott, with his long career in education, is a very appropriate person to write the Opinion piece. He defends the teaching of technique and has some challenging things to say about the future of country dance teaching in Scottish schools.

I would like to encourage you all to keep sending in articles, reports, letters to the editor, and anything that you think might be of interest to your fellow members everywhere.

Jimmie Hill, Edinburgh

Editorial Team Caroline Brockbank, Helen McGinley and Jean Martin.

David Allan, Sir John Halkett of Pitfirrane, 4th Bart (1720-1793), Mary Hamilton. Lady Halkett and their Family. National Galleries of Scotland. Bequest of Miss Madeline Halkett of Pitfirrane, 1951.