Today would have been our Annual General Meeting but thanks to Todd’s great management its all done and dusted by email.
Our new Chair, Wayne Greer, has a video message for you. If you use your imagination you can picture Todd at Parkdale United congratulating Wayne on his election, passing the branch chain of office to Wayne and then Wayne giving this address.
Your Executive 2020/21.
Wayne Greer
Chair
Gillian Mandell
Vice-Chair
Phil Worthington
Secretary
Richard Hatherill
Treasurer
RSCDS OTTAWA BRANCH AWARD 2019/2020 DANCING YEAR
Brian Mackintosh
Excerpts from the commendation
Brian Mackintosh, Scottish by birth? No! He was born in Oxford, England. Then his father, bearing that strong Scottish name was born in Scotland. No! He was born in Southern Rhodesia. Thankfully Brian’s Scottish heritage comes from his grandfather and his mother, Jessie Davidson, who was born in Rothes, Scotland.The 1970’s saw Brian moving into SCD teacher training and he was fortunate to study under Margaret Macwaters. In 1973 he obtained his Teacher Certificate and began with a beginner class at Gloucester High School in the east end of the city. Brian has continued to be involved in demonstration and entertainment dancing for events such as Canada Day up to the present day. Brian’s teaching career to date has included all levels of dance. At one time he taught a Social Programme class which featured dances for up-coming socials. Sometime in the 1980’s Brian became involved in providing recorded music for classes. The variety and selection of available SCD music was limited and commercially produced tapes had 6 to 10 tracks per side, with Branch favourites often not available. The length of time it took to find or change to specific tracks made tapes unsuitable for a teaching class. Brian, Eric Clyde and Phil Campbell undertook a lengthy project that facilitated the transition from LP records to sets of Master cassette tapes. At some time in the 1990’s, Brian’s interest in and vast knowledge of SCD music led to him taking charge of setting up and running the sound system for monthly Social dances. He selected most of the music which often included all-time favourites, if not already selected by the teacher who had devised the programme Brian continues to be an active, dedicated member of RSCDS Ottawa. The Branch is richer for his love of SCD and music. His long-time service and commitment to the Branch, has been taken to HQ Scotland and recognized with the Branch Award for the 2019/2020 dancing year. Congratulations, Brian. Well done! Thank-you, from the RSCDS Ottawa Branch.
Also today we have William Williamson from from his home in Amisfield in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. William not only is a great teacher but he also has a wicked sense of humour so I think you will enjoy his warm-ups and cool downs.
He does have some footwork exercises and a dance on the original tape but he wore dark stockings so the footwork is difficult to see on the video.
And finally, the latest RSCDS weekly podcast. It includes music from Don Bartlett , one of the well known Canadian Scottish Country Dance band leaders
Warm-up marches
Warm-up waltz
Cool-down marches
Charlie, Brenda Mackintosh was the first teacher Hugh and I had and thanks to her we have enjoyed Scottish Country Dancing for over 30 years. Two dances I remember learning with Brenda were the White Cockade and the Luckenbooth brooch. She had a Luckenbooth brooch and brought it in to show us to help explain the pattern of the dance. I wondered if you had any videos of either of these dances you could show? Apart from being a wonderful first teacher she was also a good friend to us and many others – she’ll be greatly missed.
I enjoyed being taught by William Williamson at the Duns Workshop in 2013. Music was played by Marion Anderson. A great weekend.