From the Chairman by Jim Healy
Kelly’s Kaper in support of the Scottish Television annual appeal for children, as well as in the Flash Mob in Aberdeen. And I know there is even more going on, so let’s trumpet our successes. Travelling around the UK and the Continent in the last few years, I have been struck by the number of new dancers I have met aged between 40 and 60. These dancers have found an activity they thoroughly enjoy but which is not an all-consuming passion. I constantly hear our members refer to the greying of the Society or our members are getting older. And yet, as one veteran band leader said to me recently, “the dancers I see today are still the same average age as they were when I started playing umpteen years ago!” We are fewer, the statistics are unequivocal, but we are renewing. As one member recently said to me, “Why is there so much pessimism in the Society?” Yes, the Society is changing and we have lost members, but it is still lively and developing in many branches. Indeed, reading this magazine in draft, I was struck by the level and range of activities from the many branch reports, including branches around the world who danced
The changes from the past are well-known. Dancers join a social group that meets one night a week. Few of the group members attend social dances. SCD is an activity that you do for a few years, at most, and then move on to something else. Technique is accepted as part of the discipline but, in many cases, it is not high in the ranking of elements that make up dancing; fun and sociability rate much higher. The Society seems to have little relevance to this activity, until the group needs a new teacher. The changes, however, profoundly affect the financing of the Society which has been built on a basis of many members not paying very much, certainly not as compared with other similar organisations. Regrettably, there are no simple answers and the Board has spent a considerable amount of time discussing the implications and ramifications. It is intended that the thrust of these discussions will be rolled out at the Conference weekend for review and comment by the members.
Despite the optimism above, each year sees the passing of some more of the Society’s ‘worthies’. Tributes are given elsewhere but I cannot close without mentioning Alastair MacFadyen. Reading through the many tributes to him, one word came through time and again. That word was gentleman which summed him up perfectly.
Flash Mob in the Union Square Shopping Centre in Aberdeen
Education & Training Committee by Sue Porter, Convenor
The diversity of areas covered by the Education and Training committee means that life is never dull nor without something to do. Since my last report, Ruby Wilkinson has overseen a successful Summer School in St Andrews with increased attendance once more. There was a buzz during a sold-out week 2 and members of the musicians’ course formed the band in the Younger Hall. Thank you, Ruby, for three wonderful years of Summer School. We now welcome Jim Stott who takes over as Director of Schools and look forward to Winter School in 2016, coordinated by Janet Johnston. I am pleased to announce the appointment as probationary examiners of Ellie Briscoe, USA; Douglas Mills, New Zealand and Mervyn Short, UK. Congratulations
to all the candidates worldwide, who successfully undertook teacher training courses this year and thank you to their course tutors, musicians and examiners. Without them, we would not have future RSCDS teachers to encourage us to take part in this wonderful hobby. The Medal Tests for young dancers are as popular as ever. We are currently working to produce a ‘junior leadership’ award to provide an optional link for young dancers between Grade 5 and the first level of the Dancing Achievement Award (DAA). Details will be published on the website when they are confirmed The DAA is beginning to attract more dancers wishing to have their personal dancing assessed. Aberdeen and London branches ran courses in June and more were held at Summer School. Other branches have also expressed interest for this autumn. E&T and Membership Services have collaborated on several one-off projects.
The Unit 2 Examination Prescribed dances have been filmed and will be a useful visual aid for candidates and their tutors. The dances for Book 49 have also been filmed and our thanks go to all the dancers and those who directed them (Jean Martin for Unit 2 and Jim Stott for Book 49). You can find all of these on the RSCDS You Tube channel. The Core Repertoire, which includes dances suitable for consideration when devising dance programmes for less experienced dancers, is being revised. We have also started planning Book 51 of dances suitable for young dancers, see page 7. Scholarships for Candidate courses, Youth and General scholarships to attend Summer School in St Andrews in 2016 are available, details available from Moira Thomson moira.thomson@rscds. org. The closing date for applications for scholarships for Summer School 2016 is Friday 13th November 2015.
www.rscds.org
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