News in pictures
16
The RSCDS sponsored the Club of the Year Award at the MG Alba Trad Music Awards at a memorable night in Perth Concert Hall on 4 December 2010. Fraser Maclean and Bob Wares (Chairman and Vice Chairman) were thrilled to collect the trophy on behalf of the Highland Accordion and Fiddle Club, Inverness. The Club has been running for 37 years and usually attracts 150 members to its monthly sessions from September to May. Visitors are always welcome to hear local and guest musicians play traditional Scottish music. The photograph (by Rory Macleod) shows some of the Club’s committee with the trophy.
Kununurra Scottish Dancers in Western Australia celebrated their 10th Anniversary in 2010. The group evolved from Lynette Westwood's classical ballet class when her sister, Kathleen, visited and taught the students a few Scottish country dances. They enjoyed the experience so much that ballet was discontinued in favour of country dancing and some Highland and Ladies' Step dances. Kununurra is a remote commmunity with a transient population but Lynette has been able to keep the group going, supported by occcasional visits from Kathleen and from Angus Henry of the RSCDS Northern Territories Branch.
The RSCDS trophy at the National Accordion and Fiddle Club Festival was won for the second year in a row by Susan MacFadyen. The competition was open to solo fiddlers and accordionists to promote the playing of Scottish country dance music and to encourage musicians to work with dancers for their mutual enjoyment. The photograph (by Alan MacPherson) shows, left to right, Ian Wilson (adjudictor) Susan MacFadyen, Ruth Beattie (RSCDS Chairman) and Alastair Wood (adjudicator).
In November RSCDS West Lothian Branch helped with Whitdale Primary School’s contribution to Kilts for Kids Day, when people across Scotland are encouraged to wear tartan and raise money for Children First, a charity that helps unhappy and frightened children. Over 40 pupils from primaries 6 and 7 danced Dashing White Sergeant and Virginia Reel with enthusiasm, while other classes enjoyed story-telling, the poetry of Robert Burns and street dance. Finally, everyone sang with great gusto Scottish classics such as Three Craws and Donald Whaur’s yer Troosers. Over £500 was raised. Well done.
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