Children's Resources The Banffshire Branch has a history of working with children and young people in the local schools . As part o f the 90th anniversary celebrations young people were involved in four days of dance across the Shire. This is a book of dances some written by pupils as part of their work towards RSCDS accreditation, each with an original tune and some resources for young people about the Country, called Banffshire. Frank Thomson recorded music for each of the dances in the 90th Anniversary package for children and young people. Frank was heavily involved in producing the music for the 90th Anniversary dances for children. Frank was also involved in recording and composing 'The Millbank Reel' for the 90th Anniversary dance book and CD.A big thank you to Frank for all he contributes to the Banffshire Branch 1. Highland Games 32-bar jig for four couples in a four couple longwise set 2. The Flying Dolphins 32-bar jig in a square set 3. The Ship of Dreams 32-bar hornpipe for four couples in a four couples longwise set 4. Morrai Jig 32-bar jig for four couples in a four couple longwise set 5. Rothes Castle 32-bar reel in a square set 6. Mosstowie Medley 32-bar strathspey and reel for four couples in a four couple longwise set 7. The Bonnie Viaducts of Cullen 32-bar jig for four couples in a four couple longwise set 8. The Schools Woods 32-bar jig for three couples in a three couple longwise set Highland Games Flying Dolphins Ship of Dreams Morrai Jig Mosstowie Medley Mosstowie Medley V2 Bonnie Viaducts of Cullen School Woods Rothes Castle To Purchase the 90th Anniversary book for Children and Young People The pack costs £6.00 plus post and package UK £1.50 EU £4.50 world £6.00 to order by post: Please send a cheque made payable to RSCDS BANFFSHIRE for the appropriate amount to Dr Anne McArthur 24 Aird Street Portsoy Aberdeenshire AB45 2 RB SCOTLAND Please click email link for further information or help Mail

Balmoral Visit Our most exciting event was in 2009 when the members of the branch travelled to Balmoral to dance for the Queen and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. We were greatly honoured when Her Majesty the Queen kindly invited us to dance for her to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the formation of our Branch. We decided to perform some dances from our 75th Anniversary Book because these dances are all devised by Banffshire Branch members and/or are inspired by a Banffshire connection. The event needed live music and Colin Dewar and his Band (who recorded our 75th Anniversary CD) were happy and able to fit us (and Her Majesty) into their crowded schedule. On Tuesday, 11th August at midday about 40 Branch members and 16 children from local schools crowded onto the coach in Keith. On arriving at Balmoral we all had our photo ID's checked (passports, driving licences, bus passes, etc.) before proceeding to the tea room where we were to perform. We received a friendly greeting from Clare Russell, the Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire. The area for dancing was slightly less than we expected, so we decided to abandon the children's static display during 'We've nae Electric'. We got ready and put on our dancing shoes while the Band finished setting up and we had a quick practice of walking on and off (always more difficult than the actual dancing!) while the Band were changing out of 'just do it' tee-shirts into something slightly more suitable for the occasion. The Dancers and the Band then had a practice. After the practice, with just a few minutes to go we all stood, puffing and hearts beating, in our sets ready for Findlater Castle, waiting for Her Majesty. When she arrived (with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie), our Chairman, Gary Coull, gave a short introductory speech and the music and dancing started. Our programme: Findlater Castle Compliments to Jessie Bain The Homecoming Dance - children The Hills of Alba Gourdieburn Round Reel of Eight - children We've nae Electric The dancing and the music all went well, with nothing worse than the occasional hesitation or poorly-pointed foot (hopefully, She didn't notice!) Her Majesty and the two Princesses appeared to be very happy with our performance. Toe-tapping was observed! Mrs. Jean Mair devisor of 'Compliments to Jessie Bain' presented Her Majesty with Banffshire Branch CDs and dance books. The Royal party then spent a considerable time walking amongst us, talking with us and asking questions. Her Majesty even asked what the floor was like to dance on. (It was hard but not slippery.) We were treated to tea and biscuits and had plenty of time to chatter before piling back onto the coach to return to Keith. It was a highly successful event and, after having danced for the Queen, we are left wondering - what can we do next? .

Otoño de 2023 Noticias de la sucursal de Banffshire Annual Dance 10th November 2023 Mensaje del Presidente de la RSCDS William Williamson "Fue una gran noche en el Banffshire Dance el viernes por la noche. Una multitud grandiosa y amigable. Gracias a todos los involucrados" William Williamson, presidente de RSCDS 1/2 James Coutts dance band James Coutts 4 piece dance band The Banffshire Branch held their Annual dance on 10th November 2023 in the St Thomas's Church Hall, Keith dancing to the James Coutts 4 piece dance band. A fantastic turnout, 11 sets in spite of the terrible weather. We had the pleasure of the company of the RSCDS Chair William Williamson and his wife Linda along with Gary Coull, RSCDS Chair Elect. Some photographs of last night and a video of Findlater Castle are attached. A great atmosphere and superb music from the dance band. Findlater Castle SCD - video link We had the first of our Sunday classes on 23rd September i n the Institute Hall, Portsoy. We welcomed Angie and Kevin from the York and Humberside Branch who were on holiday at Findochty as well our Banffshire dancers. It was good to see everyone at the start of the dancing season. Anne McArthur chose The Piano Player from the newly published book of easy dances by TAS as a warm up. From the book published for the Centenary Anne chose: The Meeting of the Waters; Something in the Air; Jennifer's Jig; the Willbergs of Rechberg and the Baldovan Reel. Some were favourites from times gone with memories, Something in the Air was new and the group rose to the challenge of the rose formation. Willbergs of Rechberg challenged everyone even Anne but we got there in end… Clase con una diferencia 15 de octubre de 2023 - Kate Strathdee, profesora de RSCDS

Scottish Country Dance class, Huntly Helen Kings and Jason Williamson and Elaine are the contacts for the Huntly class - click on the links below for phone numbers and email addresses. Helen contact by phone contact Helen by email Contact Jason by phone Contact Jason by email Contact Elaine by phone click here Huntly evening class - Wednesday Linden centre, Huntly 2024 Scottish Country Dance classes Resume September 11/09/2024 Follow us on FACEBOOK 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm The Linden centre, Huntly - click here

RSCDS BANFFSHIRE BRANCH 80TH ANNIVERSARY 80th Annversary Dance in Buckie The Banffshire Branch Annual Dance on 13th November at the Fisherman's Hall in Buckie was rather special. The evening started with a drinks reception, giving plenty of time to catch up on news and gossip while, behind the scenes, there was some 'fighting with technology' before the 'slide-show' of the dancing at Balmoral could be enjoyed by all. The dance was very well attended by dancers from far and wide. As befits the Occasion, there were speeches, cake-cutting, a surprise presentation and press photographs. When the formalities had been completed and the dancing started, the music was ably provided by Colin Dewar and his band. Cutting the celebration cake is Jessie Stuart, Jean Mair and Anne McArthur at the 80th Anniversary Dance Anne McArthur presentation for the Branch Award 2009 Anne McArthur receiving her Branch Award in 2009 presented by RSCDS Chairman Alistair McFadyen Branch Award Presentation Amongst those present were RSCDS President Alistair McFayden and RSCDS Chairman - elect Ruth Beattie. Anne McArthur was honoured (and astounded) to receive a branch Award. Banffshire Branch Chairman, Gary Coull, read out the Citation and the award was presented by RSCDS President Alistair Mc Fadyen. A Branch award is not achieved easily. It is given in recognition of an extended period of dedication and commitment to the Branch and to Scottish Country Dancing. Other award holders are Jean Mair, Pat Lemmon, Jessie Stuart and Betty & Walter Rutherford. Everybody agreed that Anne well deserved her Award. She is a former Chairman of the Branch and the Secretary at the time of the Award. She was the driving force in the production of our 75th Anniversary Dance Book and the subsequent CD. she has spent many years teaching and encouraging children and adults. Anne's quiet hard work and dedication has put Banffshire on the RSCDS map.

miltonduff-20th-june-2023.pdf SUMMER SOCIALS 2024 Mulben Summer Socials 2024 Wednesday evenings May 15th June 19th July 17th August 21 st 7.30pm to 9.30 pm £4.00 Miltonduff Scottish Country Dance website - click here Miltonduff Summer Social Dates (all Tuesdays) Miltonduff Hall IV30 8TJ - 18th June (music Susie Simpson), 16th July (music Colin Donaldson), 20th August (music Susie Simpson). All 7.30-10pm, £5, Light Supper, bring own cup.

Scottish Country dance class, Keith Contact Kate by phone, click here Kate Strathdee, RSCDS Teacher Centre front Keith Scottish Country dance Class St Rufus Church Hall, Keith New Session 2024 Thursday 19th September to Thursday 12th December 2.024 2025 Session Thursday 9th January 2025 to Thursday 3rd April 2025 St Rufus Church hall

Scottish Country Dance class Turriff Contact Alice by phone click here Alice Archibald is the class teacher for the Turriff Scottish Country dance class To find out more about Alice and her experience of Scottish country dancing Click here Tuesday evening dance class St Andrews Parish Church Hall, Turriff 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm 2024 Dates Tuesday 10th September to Tuesday 10th December 2024 2025 Session Tuesday January 7th 2025 to Tuesday 1 April 2025 Telephone Alice Archibald on 07484837740

80th Anniversary of the Banffshire Branch The Banffshire Branch Annual Dance on 13th November at the Fisherman's Hall in Buckie was rather special. The evening started with a drinks reception, giving plenty of time to catch up on news and gossip while, behind the scenes, there was some 'fighting with technology' before the 'slide-show' of the dancing at Balmoral could be enjoyed by all. The dance was very well attended by dancers from far and wide. As befits the Occasion, there were speeches, cake-cutting, a surprise presentation and press photographs. When the formalities had been completed and the dancing started, the music was ably provided by Colin Dewar and his band. Cutting the celebration cake is Jessie Stuart, Jean Mair and Anne McArthur at the 80th Anniversary Dance Anne McArthur presentation for the Branch Award 2009 Amongst those present were RSCDS President Alistair McFayden and RSCDS Chairman - elect Ruth Beattie. Anne McArthur was honoured (and astounded) to receive a branch Award. Banffshire Branch Chairman, Gary Coull, read out the Citation and the award was presented by RSCDS President Alistair Mc Fadyen. A Branch award is not achieved easily. It is given in recognition of an extended period of dedication and commitment to the Branch and to Scottish Country Dancing. Other award holders are Jean Mair, Pat Lemmon, Jessie Stuart and Betty & Walter Rutherford. Everybody agreed that Anne well deserved her Award. She is a former Chairman of the Branch and the Secretary at the time of the Award. She was the driving force in the production of our 75th Anniversary Dance Book and the subsequent CD. she has spent many years teaching and encouraging children and adults. Anne's quiet hard work and dedication has put Banffshire on the RSCDS map. Group photograph and On with the dancing celebrating 80 years of dancing for RSCDS Banffshire Branch

WELCOME The RSCDS has brought out a new downloadable Welcome Guide for new members. It's full of helpful information and existing members may find some of the content interesting too, such as the page of Useful Information Links. If you'd like to have a look, the Welcome Guide can be downloaded here The latest Dance Scottish Together can be found here Winter News January - March 2024 21 January 2024 Class with a Difference By Anne Taylor and Dianna Baillie A brief lull between severe weather warnings (the snow had disappeared overnight & storm Isha wasn’t due till evening) meant the class at Spey Bay was good to go. Anne & Dianna took it turn about to teach the dances (which all had ‘New’ in the title, as it was the first class of the New Year). We started off with ‘The New Forest Circle’ (New Forest SCD) as a warm up, then Newburgh Jig (Bk48). Anne took us through New Abbey (Roy Goldring) where we were encouraged to cover across all the sets and New Amsterdam (Chris Ronald, Big Apple Coll.) had a couple of new formations there to challenge us - a very enjoyable dance once we got it. The Newholme Jig (Ian Barbour, Magic Medicine), followed by ‘A Guid New Year’ (Maggie & Duncan Keppie) taught by Dianna and Anne finished off with ‘Ways in New Hall’ (Bk42) then ‘The New Opera’ (John Drewry, Australia Bk.) Ladies’ Chain, Espagnole, S et and Rotate, Rondel. The new ones - Celtic Cross Progression, Swing Corners and a modified Corners Pass and Turn (half turn & twirl instead of Turn) were formations covered. A very enjoyable afternoon had by all and can’t wait to see what Bill and Rosemary have in store for us next month. Class with a Difference 18th February 2024 RSCDS Teachers, Bill & Rosemary Legge We had two three couple sets and we danced to make it a seven. Our theme was "Something old and Something new" Our dances were - Scotch Mixer The Waggle o' the Kilt Toast to the Mousies Mathilde is a Delight Chased Lovers Scottish Reform The Riverside Report by Bill Legge The dates for the next 'Class with a Difference' can be found here Estonian Visitors to Banffshire Estonian Dancers come to Portsoy Eight young dancers and four adults travelled from Avinurme in Estonia to Portsoy this week. It was a second visit for three of them. They had travelled to Riga, flew to Edinburgh and bused to Aberdeen. Anne McArthur picked them up there and took them to Portsoy with a stop to visit Delgaty Castle. The dancers stayed in the Sail Loft in Portsoy overnight. They had a hectic schedule sampling the delights of Bonnie Portsoy. There was pizza, fine pieces and a ceilidh with some members of the Banffshire Branch and Anne McArthur's Dancers on Wednesday night. Thursday was a beautiful sunny day although very cold and windy. The dancers were accustomed to the cold as they live near the Russian Border but the wind from the North Sea was something else. The group visited the Salmon Bothy Museum, walked around the historic harbours then headed to Soy Kilts where Moira showed them how to make a kilt. After a very informative visit it was off to Portsoy's famous ice cream shop, the gift shop and Portsoy's Harrods of the North - the Thrift Shop. In the afternoon Anne McArthur taught the dancers the highland fling and the sword dance with some of her little dancers then it was a visit to Hook, Line and Sinker for a fish and chip supper and back on the minibus to Aberdeen. Ceilidh night Ice cream delight Kilt making Harbour walk Happy travellers Harbour Walk Estonian Group February 2024 Estonian Visitors News March 2024 Class with a Difference - 17th March 2024 by RSCDS Teacher, Isobel Turner RSCDS Banffshire “classes with a difference”, Sunday March 17, 2024, 2-4pm Arradoul SWI hall, by Buckie March 17 was a beautiful warm spring day; thank you to the 15 people who gave up the chance of being out in the sun and instead came along to the class. With myself that gave us the perfect number for 4-couple sets. I chose “valleys” as the theme for the day, including glens, straths, vales and dales. We started with “Glen Janet”, an easy jig from Newfoundland and a slight cheat as “Glen” in this case is a man’s name, Glen and Janet being a couple. We then danced “Ellwyn’s fairy glen”, an older reel by John M. Duthie not often danced these days, and we followed that with “Strathaird”, a strathspey for 4 couples from the Sheffield “Second sheaf” collection. The next two dances were a bit more challenging, the reel for 4 couples “Glens of Angus” from Book 23 and “Gladys McDonald of Glencoe”, a John Drewry jig from the Aberdeen 75 th anniversary collection. The next dance, rather easier, was again from the Sheffield “Second sheaf”, “The Don Valley Reel”. “Strathmore”, a 4-couple strathspey from Book 43, was quite tricky but could be danced just twice through and we were able to finish with another simpler reel, “Snowdrops in the glen” from the Glasgow 90 th anniversary book. Well done to everyone who attended and persevered with some of the more difficult dances – I hope you all found it was worth missing the sunshine! Isobel Turner

Mail 75th Anniversary Dance Book and CD In 2004 the Banffshire Branch of the RSCDS published a Jubilee book of locally inspired dances to celebrate 75 years of Scottish Country Dancing in Banffshire. The book contains 12 dances together with 12 tunes, illustrations and notes. The dances are as follows: Findlater Castle (R8x32) Compliments to Jessie Bain (S4x32) The Birlin' Birkie (J8x32) The braes of Strathlene (S8x32) Travelling to America (R8x40) Gourdieburn (S3x32) The Glenrothes (J4x32) Moranbank (S8x32) We've nae Electric (R5x32) A Glint of Gold (S4x32) The Tripitup Troupe (J8x32) The Hills of Alba (R4x32) You can download a free copy of the RSCDS Banffshire Branch Jubilee Book as a pdf file and save it on your device and/or print it. 75th banffshire_book.pdf A' the best fae Banffshire - 75 Years of Scottish Country Dancing £10 for CD plus post and packing CD Launch 30 June 2006 The CD contains music for all the dances in the book, together with a couple of 'encores' and extra dance sets. The music is perfectly suitable for dances which are not in the book. To order By post Send a cheque made payable to RSCDS Banffshire f or the appropriate amount to Dr Anne McArthur, 24 Aird Street, Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, AB45 2RB Scotland T o pay by BACS Sort code: 80 06 66 Account Number 00471060 For postage add the following costs: UK £2.00 EU £4.50 World £6.00 EMAIL ENQUIRIES CLICK BELOW Mail

Scottish Country dance class, Dufftown Contact Kate by phone click here Mortlach Memorial Hall - directions click here DUFFTOWN SCD CLUB Kate Strathdee, RSCDS Teacher TUESDAY evening class Dufftown class Mortlach Memorial Hall, Dufftown 2024 Classes will resume in September 2024 Tuesday 17th September 2024 to Tuesday 10th December 2024 2025 Tuesday January 7th 2025 to Tuesday 1 April 2025 Contact Kate for further information Follow us of Social media click the link to Facebook below Phone