News in pictures

On Friday 30May, a Cedar ofLebanon, the tree to markthe retiral ofthe EarlofMansfieldas the Society ’ s President, wasplantedin thegrounds ofhis home, Scone Palace, Perth. The EarlandCountess ofMansfieldwelcomedthe new President, the Chairman, the Chairman-Elect andfourpast Chairmen to the ceremony. BillClementpipedtheparty from thepalace to the grounds to the tune “The EarlofMansfield” . It was a very happy occasion despite the very wet weather. Thephotographshows our President, Dr. Alastair MacFadyen, andChairman, Irene Bennett, withthe EarlofMansfield.

For the Scottishdancing fraternity, the highlight ofLiverpool' s year as European CapitalofCulture was a GrandBallheldin the prestigious St. George ' s Hall. The sight of350people dressedin their finery - kilts andblackjackets for the men anda beautiful array ofevening dresses for the ladies, was something magical. The event was organisedby the LiverpoolandWirralBranches, andMarian Anderson andher Bandprovidedsome wonderful music. DavidHaynes(WirralBranchSecretary)Irene Bennett (RSCDSChairman)Ian Black(Chieftain ofthe Lancashire & Cheshire Federation ofScottishSocieties)andMargaret Palmer (LiverpoolBranchandChair ofthe 2008GrandBallCommittee) were the first line ofdancers in the GrandMarch. 21year oldtwin sisters NiamhandRachelFrielfrom Glasgow Branchsuccessfully completedthe Teachers Certificate at Summer Schoolin 2008. They werepresentedwiththeir certificates by Scotland' s Minister for Culture, Linda Fabiani, at the Dance ScottishWeekReception in Coates Crescent. Congratulations to NiamhandRachel. Are they theyoungest fully certificatedRSCDS teachers andare there any other twin teachers?

Withwinter approaching for most branches cartoonist Alistair Smythreminds us ofthe dedication ofour members. You can see other examples ofAlistair

London Branchlaunchedtheir Dance ScottishWeekevents by dancing an Eightsome Reelat eight distinctive London landmarks. Afullreport ofactivities during Dance ScottishWeekwillappear in the next issue. Don 't miss out on havingyour Branch included. Please let the editor know aboutyour involvement in DSW08.

Photographby Andrew Dunsmore www.picturepartnership.co.uk Since the publication of the revised single volume version of the Miscellany last year, a number of experienced teachers have offered comments on the contents. Some of these comments are personal preferences or teaching points, which are not required in dance instructions, but some of the comments are the sort of teaching points typically dealt with in Chapter 7 of the Manual. A few errors, which, regrettably, are inevitable in this type of project, do require correction.

No. 1 - Abernethy Lassies

Bars 15-16. ‘1st and 2nd couples, giving left hands to partners, turn to finish in original places. ’ Comment: All the correspondents have pointed out that, while the dance can be done as described, it is difficult. Most have proposed a variation on the solution offered in the new 5th edition of TACNotes where the two men begin to dance up or down the sidelines on bars 13 and 14 and then, on bars 15-16, 1st man, giving left hand to his partner, crosses to his own side while 2nd man dances in to give left hand to partner to begin the turn and release hands in time to dance out to place.

No.18 –The Countess of Lauderdale ’ s Reel

This is a reel, not a jig as stated.

No.27 - Glasgow Regatta

Bars 5-8 should read, ‘1st man leads his partner round by the right to set to 2nd woman. ’

No.56 – Miss Betty Boyle ’ s Reel

The customary tune should be The Singing Strathspey(Adam Allardyce) and not We ’ re a ’ nodding, which is the lead tune for Miss Betty Boyle in the Graded Book.

No.73 – The Seagull

Bar 11 should read, ‘1st and 3rd couples dance into the middle and begin to turn ’ Bar 12 should read, ‘1st couple finish facing first corners and 3rd couple retire to places. ’

No.75 – The Thistle

Bars 1-16. The final sentence should read ‘2nd couple step up on bars 11-12’ , not bars 3-4 as stated. And finally . . .

Four Dances 2008

A Trip to Lorient

Ian Brockbank, the deviser of this dance, suggests that bars 1 – 4 of the strathspey would be better danced as advance for one, retire for one and repeat rather than as described in the leaflet.