5 minute read
Work has been continuing for the committees
Membership Services
Peter Knapman, Membership Services convenor
Who would have thought that the world would be such a different place from six months ago? But it is, and just like everyone else MS has adapted, changed priorities, and carried on working in the interest of our members. The planned workload we had at the start of the year, whilst trimmed down a bit, is still being progressed. This includes the next combined volume covering books 39 to 45, updating the formation index and the video project – we have, however, had to delay publication dates. A book of dances for use in schools, at Days of Dance, Festivals and for beginners is nearing completion and, hopefully, will be available when dancing resumes.
The book of dances associated with Sir Walter Scott is also progressing, again more slowly than planned, but as you will be aware the committee’s activities have been diverted into unplanned activities.
Education and Training
Anne Taylor, Education and Training Convenor
During this unusual time all E & T activities have had to be cancelled. No Summer School, no weekend schools, no examinations, no dances, no classes. However, the Committee have been meeting virtually and work has been continuing in several areas.
Firstly, the Teachers’ Register – we have had over 800 Teachers respond to our first request, but we know that many more teachers have not completed the form. We have sent out a second email requesting a few more details of what skills teachers have. We would like to urge teachers who have not completed the initial survey to get in touch with us so that we can continue with this process. Secondly, Children’s Medal Tests have been updated to include some more recently published dances. The strathspey has been brought forward into Grade 4. We are working on suitable music to accompany these changes. Keep checking the website for when these will go live. Lastly, the Core Training for Instructors. This scheme is designed for leaders of social and/or general classes and who do not wish to or cannot work towards the Teaching Certificate Units. Experienced Teachers will be used to guide the trainees who will be known as Scottish country dance ‘instructors’ once they have undertaken the course. The benefits of this course are that no extra travel would be involved (you teach your own class), no examination, and less stress, a small fee, the ability to continue working on own skills, and building up an awareness of music, dance and the history of SCD. We can only hope that we will all be back dancing again soon and that all the plans for the future will come to fruition.
Dance Scottish At Home was an idea that came into being as a result of asking the question: ‘what can we do to keep in contact with our members now that we can no longer meet and dance together’? Andrew Kellett promoted the idea and the first week was an experiment to see what could be achieved. From the response and feedback, I think it has been successful. Interestingly, the content and format of DSAH has not really changed much since week one – the process is a bit slicker as we became familiar with the process. The workload does mainly fall on a few shoulders. I would particularly like to thank Angela Young and Ian Muir for all the work they do in keeping DSAH going. The activities do not, of course, stop with the newsletter but also the weekly classes and the mammoth effort that was put into Dance Scottish, A Summer Celebration. These are difficult and strange times, but I hope you feel that we have been trying to keep you entertained and in contact with fellow dancers. I do hope that some of you managed to join in the interesting and entertaining music workshops that Ian Muir organised during the Summer Celebration week – great fun and very informative.
The music resource section of the website is being added to regularly and the Unit Three resources for musicians and teachers, and should be available by the time you read this. The website will also include some guidance on copyright and permissions.
As Ian Muir demits his position as Music Director, I am sure you will join with me in thanking him for all the work he has ably and willingly carried out during the last six years – thank you Ian.
Youth Services
Joana Stausberg, Youth Services convenor
This summer was certainly different from what we had all expected it to be; so many dances undanced, workshops untaught, tunes unplayed. Then again, so many positive experiences – the virtual classes! And so much musical knowledge gained – the podcasts! In Youth Services we were particularly happy about all the dance stories and pictures that you posted for the Thursday Challenges between March and July.
With the help of our office staff, Youth Services have initiated the GetCreative pages on our website: www.rscds.org/getcreative. Young dancers can enjoy riddles and jigsaws, practise their diagram knowledge, challenge themselves to drawing Rowan with the help of a step-by-step video instruction, or just download some fun colouring-ins here.
Thank you, Katherine, for your beautiful designs and quirky ideas. We are constantly updating the website with new material, so make sure to check it every once in a while. We understand there is a question mark over some of the Scottish schools festivals and big schools days of dance next year. The Aberdeen Spring Fling committee are facing the same challenge – how to plan an event with so many uncertainties? My previous column ended with mentally crossed fingers for the Toronto and Saint Petersburg events in May and by the time the magazine was delivered, the events had already been cancelled. Thank you to the committees who have dealt with the financial aftermaths of the two cancellations this spring. Thank you also to all the dancers who were able to donate their fees. In the meantime, let’s see what the Virtual Festival will bring us – we look forward to some fun videos and some fun.
