X

Today we again highlight the branch demonstration team in 2012 at Tartan day on the Parliament Hill dancing one of many peoples favourite dances – Ian Powrie’s Farewell to Auchterarder

Also today we have David Queen from his home in Southport England on the weekly online class.  As well as warm-ups, David does very good footwork transitions in both reel and strathspey time. The second reel time video feature some more advanced transitions. I have also included the dance that he finished the online class with that he dances solo.

Next is the link for the RSCDS podcast for this week.

Finally, if you are dancing at home for exercise, and I hope you are, I have a video just to remind you that you should be careful!

There have been several requests to have all the videos you can participate in shown in one post so here it is!

As you probable already know, what I have made available from the RSCDS Online classes is the material I thought was appropriate for all levels of dancers.  Some of the teachers in the online class have covered more advanced topics such as highland dance steps and step dances.  I have included the links to the full classes if you have interest in those topics.

At the end I have also included our own Marion Hamilton and her dancing at home videos.

Week 1 –  Angela Young (Scotland) – Warm ups       Full video

Week 2 –  Mervyn Short (England) – Aerobic Warm ups, Joint Loosening, Muscle Stretching and Cool downs.       Full Video

Week 3 –  David Hall (Austria) – Strathspey Warm ups, Strathspey Steps, Petronella figure.    Full Video

Week 4 –  Diana Hastie (Australia) – Warm ups.    Full video

Week 5 –  William Williamson (Scotland) – Warm ups marches, Warm ups waltzes, Cool downs.   Full video

Week 6 –  Ron Wallace and Garry Thomas(USA) – Step dance.    Full Video

Week 7 –  Graham Donald (Canary Islands) – Warm-ups, Stretches and Pas de bas.    Full Video.

Week 8 –  Atsuko Clement (Japan) – Warm-ups, Cool downs.   Full Video

Week 9 –  Fiona Mackie (Scotland) – Warm-ups, Pas de Bas, Poussette, Petronella   Full Video

Dancing at home –  Marion Hamilton (Ottawa) – Reels, Figures of Eight, More Reels, Poussette

Today we highlight the branch demonstration team in 2012 at St. Stephens Presbyterian church dancing a medley of Deil Amang the Tailors / Joie de Vivre

Also today we have Fiona Mackie from from her home in Dundee in Perthshire, Scotland. Fiona is the next in line of  great teachers in the RSCDS online class . As well as warm-ups, she does very good breakdowns of both the pas de bas step as well as the possette and petronella figures.

And finally, the latest RSCDS weekly podcast and a bit of fun from the 2015 Royal Variety Performance.

Again today we travel the world.

We start in Osgoode for a July 1st event, then to Japan where the RSCDS online class came from this week.  There are excerpts from warm-up and cool downs from the video. The rest of the video covers some simple highland steps if you are interested the link is here.

Then London, UK where Judith Jones has devised a jig for people and pandas called ‘Wuhan Woo-Hoo’. (thanks the Lydia Hedge from Halifax for forwarding this)

The Society’s weekly podcast has a reference our own Phyllis MacCulloch starting around 12 minutes into the podcast.

Finally we have some signs of the times from the U.S.

It’s Friday again…I think.

Today, the first video highlights the demonstration team dancing at the NAC.  See how many people you recognize.  The dance is a choreographed dance named ‘Royal Deeside’ but it starts with a dance you should be familiar with.  What is that dance? Send answers to danceaday@rscdsottawa.ca

The next three videos are taken from the RSCDS online class last Wednesday. The teacher is Graham Donald who is originally from Edinburgh but now lives in Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands..lucky him. I’ve extracted warms-ups, stretching exercises and a breakdown of the pas de bas.

This is followed by a link to the weekly podcast from RSCDS HQ.

Finally, we have two non-dance pieces, one video to remind you of the safety announcement on the planes you’re not flying right now and another virtual choir.

Four years ago tomorrow many members of the Branch participated in a 50th Anniversary event on Parliament Hill.  We had the privilege of dancing to the music of the carillon. 

This event repeated an event held for the branch’s 40th Anniversary.

Today’s the video shows a combination of the dances that were performed on the Hill at both events. We were accompanied in 2006 by Gordon Slater and in 2016 by Dr Andrea McCrady, Dominion Carilloners of Canada

Also there is a video of one of the participation dances held after the demonstration and a slide show of pictures taken at the 2016 event.

And finally a couple of humourous items about you know what.

Today we have another memory from the 50th anniversary ceilidh so we can see ourselves without social distancing in 4BC (Before Corona). This time its the Dashing White Sargeant.

Another well known and talented SCD teacher is featured in the RSCDS online class this week.  It’s Ron Wallace from Santa Rosa, California  I’ve edited down the original video. 

I was wondering if you would like me to consolidate  all the exercise videos on to one page so if you feel in the mood for some SCD exercise there will be a one-stop place for them.  Let me know by adding a comment below or sending an email to danceaday@rscdsottawa.ca .

The latest RSCDS weekly podcast with its weekly offering of SCD music interesting facts and interviews follows.

And finally two corona related pieces looking at the funny side of things.

A day late but I hope you won’t mind.

Firstly we have a bouquet of flowers for all the mothers out there – three dances with flowers in the name.

That is followed by a set dance I devised for my mother, Caroline Inglis,  a strathspey named ‘Caroline’s Fancy’ danced by the demonstration team.

Then a few definitions from a mother’s vocabulary.

Lastly,  staying on the theme of flowers,  we have two posters created by Mary Bridson for the beginners afternoon tea dance in May 2018.

 Brenda Mackintosh

Brenda emigrated from her native Newcastle to Canada in centennial year, 1967, with her friend Vida and they stayed for a short while with Brenda’s uncle, Alex Macwaters and his wife Margaret.

Both girls started dancing at the Macwaters by acting as stooges for prospective teachers at the teacher candidate class that Margaret taught in her basement .  That lead to Brenda attending a SCD workshop weekend in Niagara . On the Monday after her return she was asked by a colleague why she was limping a bit and she explained why and said her colleague should join SCD.  That colleague was Eileen Black.

Brenda decided she wanted to teach and she and Eileen started their training, but before they even got their certificate they started Children’s classes which they both enjoyed.  Once they got their 1st Certificate they started Beginners classes, teaching together and eventually starting their own classes and the Branch began to grow significantly.

Brenda’s talents were endless as she learned to play the guitar and delighted her friends with some of her funny “Jordie” songs.  She was a talented quilter and was still quilting until illness overtook her.  Brenda was also an avid reader; she loved to knit and sew (not just quilts) and enjoyed walking and exercise classes.

She was also a dedicated volunteer and an all-round wonderful friend to many of us  –   Eileen Black

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.

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