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Our first 'Class with a Difference' was held in Spey Bay Hall, Spey Bay on Sunday 20th September with Dianna Baillie, CTI Instructor.

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Staying with a ‘Down Under’ theme, most the devisers were from Australia.

 

We were eased in gently with the round the room dance “Be Seeing You” from ‘Beyond the Black Stump’ by Sheila Gradon (NSW) followed by another of her dances “The Jindalee Jig” from ‘Start Dancing’ (originally published in her St Columban Collection).

This was followed by the reel “She’ll be Right” by Pat Charlton (RSCDS Sydney) from ‘Counting Sheep’ – no ‘Lefts’ to worry about in this dance!, the strathspey “The Vital Spark” by Francis Walduck (RSCDS Queensland) from his ‘Dancing Brolga Collection’, the jig “Half and Half” by John Riley ‘Hunter Valley Book’ (NSW) and the final dance before tea break “Australian Ladies” by Bob Campbell (of Canada, but dedicated to a team of dancers from Newcastle, NSW).

Refreshed after our tea we danced the jig “Tamworth Chase” by Sheila Bourne (also from the Hunter Valley Book) and finished with “Orpington Caledonians” (Book 49) devised by John Brenchly, RSCDS Western Australia.

The music (Track/CD)  

  1. The Swilcan (Bk 23) Gordon Shand and his Band

  2. The Jindalee Jig (Start dancing) Ewan Galloway

  3. The Honeymoon (Graded Book) David Cunningham and his Band

  4. Lord Elgin’s Reel (Bk26) Alan Gardiner and his Band

  5. The Ferry Louper (Ready and…) Atlantic Firth

  6. Australian Ladies (Special Requests Vol 6) Colin Dewar

  7. Salute to Lark Hill (The Sunday Class) Marian Anderson and her Band

  8. Orpington Caledonians (Bk 49) Jim Lindsay and his Band

 

It was a fun afternoon. Looking forward to the next one.

Report by Dianna Baillie, CTI Instructor

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NICE & EASY SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE

on Sunday afternoon

15TH NOVEMBER2026

Portsoy Church Centre

Suitable for beginners

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For our next 'Class with a Difference'

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All welcome to attend 

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Branch News - OCTOBER 2026

Class with a Difference

 

Ladies Who Have Influenced Royal Scottish Country Dancing

 

 

My first choice Joanna’s Jig J32 Round the Room dance. Joanna being the wife of the present Chairman of the Society, Gary Coull.

 

Mrs Stewart of Fasnacloich R8x32 and Miss Jean Milligan S8x32 both ladies responsible for the formation of the society in 1923.These two ladies formalised

Scottish Country Dancing and made it accessible to all in ballrooms and village halls, all over Scotland and now world wide.

 

Inverneill House devised by John Drewry in honour of Isobel Stewart, Inverneill House being her family home.

 

My next dance, Miss Muriel Johnstone’s Jig J8x32

Where would we be without the music. Music of people like

Muriel Johnstone who has composed hundreds of wonderful tunes for us to dance to.

 

Lastly Mrs Macpherson of Inveran R8x32 another wonderful pipe tune

composed  by Pipe Major George Stewart McLennan who named the tune after Alice McPherson of Inveran.

 

Kate Strathdee

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