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Branch News

Members of the  Banffshire Branch participated in the 75 Club/Thrift Shop celebrations over the weekend.  The over 60s from Portsoy, Sandend and Fordyce were invited for a tea dance in the Portsoy Church Centre on Sunday afternoon.

 

Frank Thompson provided the music and Branch Dancers led the dancing. 

 

A good time was held by all.

Tea Dance Church Centre, Portsoy.jpg

Classes with a Difference

CLASSES WITH A DIFFERENCE - September 2025 RSCDS Teacher: Anne McArthur A small but enthusiastic group of dancers met in the Institute Hall, Portsoy on Sunday 21st September for the first Class with a Difference of the season - dances from book 54. A Driving Reel proved to be an easy first dance as all dancers knew schiehallion reels. The Tea Pottery was challenging with quick moves, numerous formations and the need to have an alert mind. We achieved it with aplomb. The group liked the strathspey Canadian Landscape, easy to dance if one knows the tourbillon, set and link and espagnole. The group believe it will be popular on the rally circuit. Other dances taught were The Waternish Tangle, Kinclaven Bridge and A Tribute to West Renfrewshire. Anne McArthur

CLASSES WITH A DIFFERENCE  - October  2025 RSCDS Teacher:  Kate Strathdee For this class I chose as a theme “Castles” whereby the divisors of the dances chose to name their dances after a particular Castle. They were as follows : Armadale Castle on Skye   R8x32                 Frans Ligtman Castle Varrick, Tongue       J8x32                  Jean Attwood Ashintully Castle, near Kirkmichael S8x32    Lewis  Derrick Fingask Castle, Rait           J5x32                  Heather Cowan Culzean Castle, Ayr           J4x32                  Jenny Bradley Castle Campbell, Dollar     S4x40                 Peter hastings Findlater Castle, Banffshire R8x32                Bill Forbes Of these dances Castle Campbell, with Highland Schottische Poussette was the one that caused some thought but most of them might be seen on dance programmes in the future. The class finished with Findlater Castle being a favourite here in Banffshire, devised by a “Buckie Loon”  Bill Forbes. Kate Strathdee

HAPPY 90th BIRTHDAY PAT  from the members and dancing friends at RSCDS Banffshire Branch

Happy Birthday.jpg

Patricia Lemmon, one of our life members recently celebrated her 90th birthday. Some of her former dancers took her for an afternoon tea at the Town and County Club in Banff.  A great time was had reminiscing about the ‘good old days’.


Anne McArthur

Pat Lemmon and dancing friends
Patrician Lemmon life member celebrating her 90th birrthday

An afternoon of dancing dances from the Jim Stott Dance collection

Committee members 2025/2026
Left to Right -John Baillie, Dianna Baillie, Alice Archibald, Linda Thomas, Secretary, Kate Strathdee, Vice Chair, (Jim Stott,) Liz Bulloch, Chair, Mavis Macdonald, Treasurer, Anne McArthur, Isobel Turner, Gordon Bulloch

Twenty four dancers arrived at the Portsoy Church Centre on the 1st November to dance some of Jim Stott's Argentine and Japanese Collections.  Jim has taught dancing in South America and Japan.  The dances represent places he has visited and people he has met. Some of the tunes were written by him to commemorate members of his family. 

 

The dances taught from the Argentine Collection included ‘The Road to Cafayete’ a small town high in the Andes near the Bolivian border, ‘Florida Street, Cambio Cambio’ the Main Street in Buenos Aires where people try to make one change money by calling cambio cambio and ‘The Four Spoons’, a standing joke when Mr Stott ate a whole apple pie which he was meant share with his three friends.

 

From the Japanese Collection, Toshogu Shrine and Nikko Falls are to be found around Nikko,  a Unesco World Heritage Site, north of Tokyo.  Also danced were the Koi Medley and Kotuko-in.

Report by Anne mcArthur

Kronach Trip - Banffshire Historic Twinning Association

RSCDS Banffshire Branch were invited to participate in the forthcoming Kronach trip which takes place in  July 2026.  Branch members who have signed up to the event will be demonstrating Scottish Country Dances during the trip - Members are: 
Anne McArthur, Alice Archibald, Alistair Mason, Liz & Gordon Bulloch, Linda Thomas .

The programme of events is not set in stone as yet, but it is hoped that the groups will visit schools, nursing homes, and  hold a ceilidh on the last night.  Watch out for the full programme coming soon...............

Groups attending (71 people)
The Country Quines, Kellas sisters from Keith; the Deveron Singers; The Banffshire Community Band; a team of tennis players from Cullen; a few from the Keith Men’s Shed and Foggie Men’s Shed!   Highland Dancers and Scottish Country dancers from across Banffshire (RSCDS Banffshire Branch)

To find out more about the fundraising events - view
Dance diary page 

 

Privacy Policy can be found here 

RSCDS Banffshire Branch - Registered Charity Number SCO47852

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