Croydon & District Branch Diamond Jubilee 50th Tartan Ball:The Grandest Ball in the World

Croydon & District Branch Diamond Jubilee

A year after becoming patron of the RSCDS, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth celebrated her coronation and our Branch was founded (originally as the East Surrey - West Kent Branch). This year we both proudly celebrate our Diamond Jubilees. Miss Milligan ’ s attendance at the founding of the Branch – and at some subsequent Day Schools – is recalled by a Founder Life Member as was the Branch’ s running of 14 classes in the early days. Among the many teachers beyond the ken of most present members was a Mr. Innes Russell, who had the distinction of helping to compose The Recent Croydon BranchChairmen - Lto R Tom Dunsmore, Elaine Wilde, Alison Raisin, Christine Evans, Dorothy Pearson, George Ferrier

Reelofthe 51st in a POW camp.

The Branch has always actively participated in HQ activities and committees and enjoyed very dedicated teachers, including Elizabeth Johnston who taught John Drewry and had TheGrandPromenadededicated to her by him; and the late Andrew Gillies, who was a member of Miss Milligan ’ s Boys ’ Demonstration Team before the war. He said that it was the only way he could tour Scotland (fares paid and a shilling pocket money!). A tribute to the high standard of our teachers is that Branch members, past and present, have danced in the MacLennan Scottish Group who perform annually in the Europeade and other International Festival meetings, and in the London Branch Dem team. We also provide many local ‘ entertainment’ dems at Retirement and Care Homes, charitable and similar functions. A feature of very long standing, and still enthusiastically supported, is our weekend school, centred in Eastbourne for the last 25 years, and attracting regular visitors from as far afield as Jersey. We have enjoyed a succession of outstanding teachers drawn Tom Dunsmore(Chairman 1998-2001)

50th Tartan Ball:The Grandest Ball in the World

Ready for the first dance

Wherever there are Scottish country dancers a fancy dress ball is not far away. Balls are a lot of fun and Scottish country dancers do like to have fun.This is especially true of the dancers in Toronto, Canada. Toronto dancers hosted a ball even before we became an RSCDS Branch in 1957. We continued the annual balls as a Branch, then in the 1963-64 dance season we decided to make the Toronto Ball extra special. We named it 'The Tartan Ball' . The venue was moved to the Royal York Hotel, one of the city ’ s most elegant hotels. This past February, we celebrated a milestone, the 50th Annual Tartan Ball, still held at the Royal York (now called the Fairmont Royal York) and still going strong. The ball was a huge success. One visiting dancer called it ‘the grandest Scottish Country Dance ball in the world’ . We advertised this ball in last year ' s Scottish Country Dancer. Almost 400

dancers attended, a quarter of whom were visiting Toronto, some for the first time.The evening started with a reception outside the ballroom where dancers socialised with friends and saw photographs from former balls along with a selection of ball gowns, one from each decade. Then all moved into the ballroom which was transformed into a dining room set for 390 guests. The head table guests were piped in from a wide area, adding to the appeal and success of this venture. Over many years we organised five-day holidays around the country with local trips during the day and SCD every evening, but had to curtail these due to dwindling support. Relations with surrounding groups, affiliated or not, have always been good, and we cemented these at the time of the Millennium by setting up a combined group called The Tartan Jigsaw to reflect our interaction with each other, with a committee drawn from all the clubs to organise a Millennium Ball. Ensuring our events ’ dates don ’t clash has been a spin-off from this. Recent membership peaked at around the 170 mark but, as in so many other organisations, is gradually falling and now hovers around 75. However, we still have an enthusiastic committee, enthusiastic teachers and, most of all, an enthusiastic membership who all joyfully look forward to furthering the aims of the RSCDS for the benefit of following generations for many years to come.

and all enjoyed a three-course roast beef dinner.After dinner, eloquent speeches were given by Margaret Rieger, RSCDS Toronto Chair; Carole Skinner, Society Scroll recipient in 2012;Tim Morrison, Manager of the Hotel; and our Guest of Honour, representing our Patron, the Honourable David C Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. The ballroom was then cleared and all lined up, in fours, for a spectacular Grand March. Dancers soon filled the floor, five lines across and nine sets deep. A splendid evening of dancing followed, to the unique sound of the Scottish Accent. All dances were briefed (but not walked) and gentlemen were permitted to remove jackets.The booking of dances was minimal, so visiting dancers were not excluded. Dancing finished at 1 am and parties continued into the small hours. In the words of a dancer from Scotland, ‘We relished every moment. The evening was magnificently formal without being stuffy. The Tartan Ball surpassed all expectations. ’ We shall be hosting the 51st Tartan Ball on February 22, 2014. Come and find out for yourself. Louis Racic, 50thTartan BallConvenor, Toronto