Scottish Country Dancing Questions

[Pleater]

We used to do Scottish dances at school - the teacher was always telling us off for grinning, laughing and generally having fun.

Weell excuuuuse meee - I thought that was the whole idea of social dancing, not to prance about in deadly solemnity.

We only got to do the reels and other multiple dances though - for some reason she thought jigs were not what polite people did. Raising arms when setting was not allowed either.

Whooping or other sounds of exhilaration were naturally an anathema.

Some folks just do not know how to have fun.

[McMurdo]

Pleater

I guess I am lucky, my instructor was laughing as hard as anyone else, and she described it as a social dance to be enjoyed and had fun with, so that is what we did. It was a great night I am glad I have proper shoes now, so it should be more enjoyable next week.

[Panache]

We used to do Scottish dances at school - the teacher was always telling us off for grinning, laughing and generally having fun.

Laughter and smiles seems to be a rather large component of the classes I attend.

Cheers

Jamie

[Hamish]

We used to do Scottish dances at school - the teacher was always telling us off for grinning, laughing and generally having fun.

Weell excuuuuse meee - I thought that was the whole idea of social dancing, not to prance about in deadly solemnity.

We only got to do the reels and other multiple dances though - for some reason she thought jigs were not what polite people did. Raising arms when setting was not allowed either.

Whooping or other sounds of exhilaration were naturally an anathema.

Some folks just do not know how to have fun.

No disrespect but I think the style of dancing you describe here, Pleater, is more commonly known as 'reeling' - a fairly uncontrolled form of Scottish Country Dancing more suited to wild parties! I have been a SC dancer for over 57 years (although I am no longer able to partake) and, whilst the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society can be a little po-faced at times, the style of dancing it advocates does suit very many people the world over. Having fun does not necessarily mean exhuberant yelling, whooping, spinning and throwing your partner across the hall - which I have witnessed more than once. There is a great deal of fun, satisfaction and enjoyment to be had from performing a dance elegantly, courteously and with decorum. Reels, jigs, strathspeys, schottisches - they are all fine and perfectly acceptable nowadays in polite society!!

The raising of arms belongs in the world of Highland Dancing rather than Scottish Country. The Foursome Reel and Reel of Tulloch are probably the only dances I remember performing at Scottish Country Dance events where arms were raised.

[Hamish]

Glen, I am delighted that you have been 'bitten' and I am sure you will have years of enjoyment (and good exercise) with SCD in the years to come. I do so miss my weekly fix as I have not really been able to dance for several years now, but I have the happiest of memories of social evenings, classes, demonstrations and Grand Balls over the years. As long as you know your rights from your lefts you will be fine

You have obtained your dance ghillies before I could advise you - but you have opted for one of the best makers, James Senior who, I believe, are located in St. Andrews, Fife. For many years, mine were made to order by Bobby Munro who was himself a beautiful and very talented Highland dancer. He is sadly no longer with us, but one of his 'apprentices' still makes the shoes here in Sussex.

Comments have been made about rubber soles on ghillies. I always had two pairs with me when attending unfamiliar venues, or when giving demonstrations on grass. One pair, those most used, had leather soles but occasionally a dance floor can be very slippery indeed - as can wet grass - and my second pair, with non-slip rubber soles, prevented many an embarrassing fall.

Enjoy!

[mkmound]

. . .

Comments have been made about rubber soles on ghillies. I always had two pairs with me when attending unfamiliar venues, or when giving demonstrations on grass. One pair, those most used, had leather soles but occasionally a dance floor can be very slippery indeed - as can wet grass - and my second pair, with non-slip rubber soles, prevented many an embarrassing fall.

Enjoy!

The related consideration to the leather sole / rubber sole / slippery floor issue is the venue . . . for several years, the dance studio used by my home SCD class here in Dallas allowed us to put rosin on our shoes to deal with the sometimes-slippery wooden floor. On a couple of occasions when traveling to the San Francisco area, I attended a class in a venue where rosin was not allowed -- I had leather-soled shoes, and it was terrible . . . I was slipping all over the place.

The regular members of the class used the rubber-soled shoes, or added something to the soles. If I remember correctly, some of them got a standard silicone-based caulking compound and applied to the soles.

[Panache]

...The regular members of the class used the rubber-soled shoes, or added something to the soles. If I remember correctly, some of them got a standard silicone-based caulking compound and applied to the soles.

Many members of the San Jose class use something like that for the dances.

Cheers

Jamie

[Andrewson]

I've been Scottish Country Dancing regularly (now at least twice a week) for about 18 years and I have always bought my dancing shoes from my clansman Billy Forsyth (www.billyforsyth.co.uk). I normally buy the highland dance ghillies rather than what he describes as country dance shoes and when he introduced shock absorbing soles for these I upgraded to this version for extra protection to feet, knees and hips. I certainly don't regret doing this. I find them much more comfortable. They have seen me through 20-dance Balls, dancing on grass and on concrete with ease.

I notice he has just introduced a (very) colourful range so you could match your shoes to your kilt - that is if you have bright orange, bright blue, bright red or bright yellow in it. Come to think of it, the yellow ones would really set off a loud MacLeod

As to the original question about kilts for dancing, I do normally wear PV for class - for practical (cleaning) reasons as much as for coolness. I have found my 13oz more comfortable in crowded Ballrooms but, to be honest, it is the rest of the gear - full PC with waistcoat - required in these more formal situations that brings up the heat problem. I have worn 16oz to these and not noticed a great difference.

[Andrewson]

Oh, and I meant to add to my post above, that although I am a fully paid up member of the RSCDS (Royal Scottish Country Dance Society), I definitely subscribe to the "we do it for fun - it is social dancing" school rather than demure precision at all times. It is not that I don't get extra satisfaction out of getting it right, it is just that I enjoy a set that is prepared to laugh and have fun to one in which everyone is concentrating so hard on not making mistakes that they forget the point of doing the dance in the first place. As I'm sure you'll discover, most SCDers are very sociable and really do like to see others enjoying the dancing as they do.

[Hamish]

I've been Scottish Country Dancing regularly (now at least twice a week) for about 18 years and I have always bought my dancing shoes from my clansman Billy Forsyth (www.billyforsyth.co.uk). I normally buy the highland dance ghillies rather than what he describes as country dance shoes and when he introduced shock absorbing soles for these I upgraded to this version for extra protection to feet, knees and hips. I certainly don't regret doing this. I find them much more comfortable. They have seen me through 20-dance Balls, dancing on grass and on concrete with ease.

Had such shock-absorbing ghillies existed in 'my day', my feet and legs might not be in the condition they are now! By the way, from his website, I get the impression that Billy Forsyth's country dance shoes are for the ladies - men usually stick with the ghillies, I think. Most of the ladies I encountered during my dancing career wore soft ballet pumps for SCD, but nowadays dancers have all these choices!.

I notice he has just introduced a (very) colourful range so you could match your shoes to your kilt - that is if you have bright orange, bright blue, bright red or bright yellow in it. Come to think of it, the yellow ones would really set off a loud MacLeod

Hmmmn! Flambouyant and colour co-ordinantly conscious I may be, but I certainly would have drawn the line at wearing coloured dance shoes! I fear for the youth of today!