CAMMAC SCD | RSCDSOttawa

CAMMAC SCD Retreat

CAMMAC Scottish Country Dance Retreat

We are back! Join us for a Scottish Country Dance retreat at the beautiful CAMMAC Music Centre in Harrington, Quebec on the weekend of June 13-15, 2025. This is an all-inclusive weekend including room, board, three levels of classes, and a gala dance.

We have three new instructors this year and live music will once again be provided by Atlantic Firth. See below for all the details, including photos from last year's wonderful retreat.

Registration Now Open!

Questions? Contact us at: cammacSCD@gmail.com

The Venue

Facilities

The CAMMAC Music Centre is situated on the picturesque shores of Lake MacDonald. The multipurpose concert hall serves as the primary space and provides an ideal setting, featuring a high ceiling, exceptional acoustics, and a top-quality dance floor. Classes will also take place in the boathouse and other studio spaces. When not in class, enjoy the great tennis court, swim, canoe, or go for a hike.

Guests can enjoy the expansive cafeteria, complete with a veranda that overlooks the serene lake, where hearty and health-conscious meals are served. Vegetarian options are readily available upon request.

Accommodations

Rooms are available in the Main Lodge and Lake House. The Main Lodge is the main building where meals, the evening dance, and some classes will take place. Several rooms boast ensuite facilities, while all rooms are equipped with a washbasin. Access to all floors is facilitated by an elevator. Adjacent to the Main Lodge, the Lake House provides additional rooms offering a slightly more rustic accommodation experience. All rooms in the Lake House are also equipped with a washbasin.

For dancers, the all-inclusive price per person ranges from $395-470 in the Main Lodge and $380-430 in the Lake House, depending on room type. For non-dancers, the rate ranges from $280-320. Details will be available on the registration page.

The CAMMAC Music Centre is located northwest of Montreal, about 1h40min from both Ottawa and Montreal.

Address: 85 Chemin CAMMAC, Harrington, QC, J8G 2T2

How to get there

The Instructors

Andrew Nolan

Originally from London, Andrew learned to dance at a children's class in Isleworth and it has stuck with him ever since. Since gaining his certificate in 2012 while at University in Edinburgh, he has taught as far afield as Sydney to Ottawa as well as in the UK at the RSCDS Summer and Winter Schools. He is active within the Edinburgh Scottish Dancers group and also enjoys playing for SCD.

Tristan Gerrie

Tristan has been active in the Scottish Country Dance community in Toronto for many years. He obtained Part 1 of his teaching certificate at TAC and completed his training in St. Andrews in 2024. Tristan currently co-teaches a Young Adults class in Toronto, and assists with the Tayside group, which is taught by his father, Blair Gerrie.

Robert McOwen

Robert began Scottish country and highland dancing in Berkeley, California in 1973. He received his Teaching Certificate in 1980, and since then has taught at dance camps and workshops across the United States, and in Canada, Scotland, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. Since 1979, he has been an active member of the Boston Branch of the RSCDS.

The Band

Ian Clark, Alastair MacDonald, Karen Steven, John Mitchell

Fresh off the release of their debut Scottish Country Dance album, "Ready, and...", the Atlantic Firth Scottish Dance Band is excited to be back for the 2025 CAMMAC Retreat. Atlantic Firth consists of Alastair MacDonald (accordion), Karen Steven (fiddle), Ian Clark (guitar), and John Mitchell (piano), and, though only formed in 2023, is quickly becoming sought after in the SCD community. The band plays a range of music influenced by their Scottish roots including traditional and self-composed contemporary tunes.

New in 2025: Join Atlantic Firth for a toe-tapping concert in the Main Lodge on Sunday afternoon.

The Classes

Dancing Classes

Three class levels will be offered at the 2025 Retreat. Each level will have a minimum of three level-specific classes (one with each teacher), plus additional combined and optional classes.

Levels:

Essential Skills

This class focuses on core skills like timing, rhythm, footwork, and partner coordination, providing a welcoming environment for those looking to develop and refine their skills. Participants will practise essential movements and learn basic formations commonly used in SCD.

Consolidating Skills

This class is designed for dancers with a good understanding of core techniques who are ready to deepen their proficiency by reinforcing essential footwork, refining phrasing and teamwork, and building confidence with more intricate formations and sequences. Dancers will revisit foundational steps while learning to execute them with increased precision and fluidity, working toward a more polished performance.

Advanced Technique

This class is for dancers who can perform at the highest level of dance, with excellent footwork, handing, and technique and who wish to be challenged further. It emphasizes the nuances of advanced footwork, posture, phrasing, and coordination and will explore challenging formations and complex transitions, honing dancers' precision and responsiveness within a set. This is a high impact and physically demanding class which requires a good level of physical fitness.

Optional Classes

Teachers' class - open to candidates, trainees, instructors, teachers, and experienced dancers interested in teaching
Ceilidh Dancing
Music appreciation for dancers
Should SCD be considered folk dancing?