New Zealand Summer School
Did we enjoy Summer School in Cambridge? With great musicians and teachers, friendly dancers, a lovely venue, tasty meals, and good weather provided, we couldn’t help but enjoy ourselves. The organisers are heartily congratulated for providing a memorable School. So what did we do? Well… We were met at Hamilton airport, and chauffeured to St Peter’s School, Cambridge, the short trip giving us the opportunity to enjoy the rolling green Waikato countryside. We went off happily to class, although we were more sprightly at the beginning of the School than at the end. The teaching staff had devised programmes ranging from gently social to fiendishly challenging. Tutor Antoine Rousseau from Paris Branch had lessons too, in speaking Kiwi. He didn’t pass. We were delighted that Noriel Tarca from Australia was able to join the staff line-up – many New Zealanders know Noriel from Australian Winter Schools. The New
Zealanders on the teaching staff ensured that we brushed up on our technique while learning new dances. Music was provided by Nicol McLaren and Issy Hodgson from Scotland, and New Zealand bands Rose and Thistle, and Wild Heather, joined by members of the music class for a wonderful Big Band sound on the final night. An added musical treat was a visit from Scottish fiddler Iain Fraser, in New Zealand to judge the Scottish fiddle competition at the annual Waipu Highland Games. Congratulations to Lynne Scott, who was placed second in the advanced fiddle section. Iain popped in and out of classes for the two days he was at the School, augmenting the already wonderful music the classes were enjoying. Junior dancers were a joy at the School, taking part enthusiastically in School life, and some found time to take their medal
tests. JAMs were involved in a disproportionate number of items at the Ceilidh, and performed, beautifully, ‘The Magic of Summerschool’ devised by JAM Helen Wyeth (see photo below left). Instead of a Big Day Out, buses provided transport most days to nearby Hamilton, or to the delightful township of Cambridge. For relaxation some made use of the school’s swimming pool, while others gathered at the Happy Hour. Important matters like who had won the lucky draw for a bottle of wine at the Happy Hour were recorded in the daily Bannock Banner. This august publication kept us informed about what had happened and what was going to happen, along with puzzles in case we had some spare time. Evening functions ranged from informal socials to the formal President’s Ball and Hogmanay. The theme of the fancy dress night was, appropriately, 1314, the Battle of Bannockburn, and there were ingenious costumes on display. Spectacular decorations by a very talented local dancer brightened the hall and stage. And there was the occasional after-party. If you do get the opportunity to be part of a New Zealand Branch Summer School, you’ll be glad you did.
Janet Favel
Dancing in New Places: Turku, Finland I was privileged to help Katalin Konya, a dancer from Hungary, with her idea of taking SCD to Finland where no known SCD groups existed… until now. On Friday 16 August 2013, about 90 dancers from 15 countries, from as far afield as Japan and Australia, descended on Turku for a long weekend of classes and dances with Pat Houghton teaching and James Gray and Andrew Lyon as musicians. A subsequent tourist package visited UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Finland and across the water in Estonia where we held a Ball with the Tallinn SCD Group, with superb piano music provided by Sue Bollans of Munich. Back in Turku, the Saturday and Sunday afternoons were free. So we advertised in the local newspaper offering the local population a chance to taste SCD. Indeed 45 people came, and I taught basic dances to an enthusiastic crowd. It is not every day that I am honoured to have James Gray as class musician. Our formal evening dance programmes contained easy ‘Extras’ in case we had nondancers watching whom we could encourage to join in. Those afternoon dancers who came to watch could experience dancing at evening balls with live music and sample what is possible if they persist.
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To assist, Katalin and I shall return on 7–9 February 2014 to enhance their knowledge of the basic steps, formations and dances and answer any questions which may have arisen. To be effective, the interest needed to continue after we left. Fortunately, volunteers did come forward. Hanna Lystimaki has acted as Secretary and Kirsti Nurmela volunteered as teacher. Kirsti runs a dance studio, teaching many dance forms, and has taken on the challenge of teaching SCD from scratch. But once we left they were on their own. Help was needed. I contacted David Quarrie, International Branch Chairman, who cut through the red tape and instantly authorised the purchase and dispatch of basic RSCDS books and CDs. With a deadline to meet before the Turku group met for the first time, ‘Coates Crescent’ acted immediately. With other donations by members of the International Branch, the Turku dancers were launched. But they are isolated, their neighbouring groups being in Tallinn, St Petersburg and Stockholm.
Having danced in every Western European (and all but one Eastern European) country with SCD groups, I am pleased to have helped initiate dancing in a new country. In the words of our teacher, Pat Houghton, ‘There are many Scottish dance weekends and holidays organised every year worldwide. What was unique about the Finland event was taking the new dance experience to the local people and the success of the venture.’ Our next venture is to Zakopane in the Polish Tatra Mountains in May 2014. Could this be the missing Eastern European country in which I have not yet danced? Perhaps I shall be writing of the new Zakopane SCD Club in due course. Watch this space. Jim Cook, London and International Branches
