RSCDS BANFFSHIRE BRANCH
ESTABLISHED IN 1929
Celebrating 95 Years of the Branch
1929 to present day
January 2025 BRANCH NEWS
RSCDS WINTER SCHOOL 2025
16th February to 20th February 2025
Three members of the RSCDS Banffshire Branch attended Winter School this year held in the Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry.
Kate Strathdee, well known Scottish Country Dance Teacher, was on her 22nd Year at Winter School.
The Winter School has classes for all levels of dancers and a superb programme of social events during the five nights of the School.
One of the highlights was an afternoon session held by Jimmy Hill, RSCDS Teacher who taught “The Lancers and The Quadrilles”. Jimmy is an enthusiastic individual with a sound knowledge of this type of dancing from the 17th and 18th centuries. The event was very well received by all who attended.
The finale is the Ball held in Blair Atholl Castle.
The evening started with a warm welcome by a piper and a glass of wine or soft drink, followed by the traditional “Grand March” and then the “Traditional Eightsome Reel”.
The five piece dance band was fantastic with uplifting music played by Ewan Galloway on first accordion for the first half of the evening and Jim Linday on second box. For the second part of the evening Jim took the lead.
Ian Robertson, the Director of Winter School is an exceptional all round musician. His fiddle playing was fantastic along with Muriel Johnstone on piano/keyboard - all accomplished musicians. Ian did a wonderful job as Director.
If you have not been at Winter School before, the dates for next year are :
15th - 20th February 2026.
To find out more about the event – Here – RSCDS Winter School 2026
RSCDS Chair, Gary Coull and RSCDS Banffshire member along with Kate Strathdee, Charly Candia (Management Board rep for Banffshire Branch) and Jim Stott, Chair of RSCDS Aberdeen Branch
CLASSES WITH A DIFFERENCE
The Banffshire Branch introduced
'Classes with a Difference' following a Theme of the teachers' choice. The teachers try and choose dances that are not on the 'Rally/Social Dance programmes'.
We are very fortunate to have 13 Dance classes across Banffshire/North East of Scotland, all taught by RSCDS Banffshire qualifited Teachers and Core Teaching Instructors.
To find a dance class near your - check out all the dance classes available
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
Our next 'Class with a Difference' will be held on the 30 March 2025 in Arradoul Hall, Buckie. Full details of the event can be found here - BRANCH EVENTS
Class with a Difference - 16th February 2025 - by Linda Thomas
The dances were all entitled “Welcome to …” or “Trip to …” and included
Having moved around quite a lot in her life, Linda Thomas chose as her theme the notion of Hello and Goodbye.
Welcome to the Stagger Inn
Welcome to Ayr
A Trip to Tobermory (Drewry)
A Trip to the Netherlands
Welcome to Dufftown
A Trip to Disney
Welcome to Argentina
A Trip to Somewhere Else
A Trip to Timber Ridge
A Trip to Lunenburg (the only dance to include the Hello Goodbye formation)
Twelve dancers had an enjoyable afternoon with some interesting moments and lots of laughter.
Classes with a Difference Sunday 26th January
Theme - BEES & HONEY
The weather was kind and we had a good turn-out of dancers at Spey Bay Hall, who were introduced to another of my interests – Beekeeping!
We began with a round-the-room dance, “Johnnie’s Jig” as a warm up (I was introduced to beekeeping when John got our first colony of bees in 2010). Then a reel, “The Lonely Honeybee” (scout bee returns to the hive and gives her fellow workers directions to a good source of nectar).
After that we went to the apiary to look after the bees as we danced “The Beekeepers Medley” and another reel “Beeswing”. Bees need plants, and plants need bees (and gardens and gardeners), so we danced “The Compleat Gardener”, “Cherrybank Gardens” and “More Bees A-Dancing”.
“The Bees of Maggieknockater” took us back to the apiary for the honey harvest and “The Honey Moon” jig. Finally, when moving bees onto the heather, a beekeeper has to be a bit of a “Highland Rambler”, and so we ended a lovely afternoon.
Report by Dianna Baillie
CTI Teacher of Scottish Country Dancing
The dances –
Johnnie’s Jig, Sheila Gradon (St. Columba’s Book)
The Lonely Honeybee, Dorothy Bell (RSCDS Belfast Platinum Anniversary)
The Beekeeper’s Medley, Trevor Rayner (A Skye Collection 2)
Beeswing, Roy Goldring (Graded & Social Dances 2)
The Compleat Gardener, Irene Paterson (RSCDS Graded Book 3)
Cherrybank Gardens, John Drewry (Bankhead Book 1 / RSCDS 30 Popular Dances 2)
More Bees a-Dancing, Roy Goldring (Graded & Social Dances 2)
The Bees of Maggieknockater, John Drewry (Canadian Book / RSCDS 30 Popular Dances 2)
The Honey Moon, W.E. Allan (Miss Milligan’s Miscellany)
The Highland Rambler, Roy Goldring (RSCDS Leeds Silver Jubilee / RSCDS 30 Popular Dances 2)
Link to you tube - 'More Bees a - Dancing below
The dance is 'More Bees a - Dancing' by Roy Goldring. The music used was from track 4 Dancing on'
Congratulations to Dr Anne McArthur
life member of RSCDS Banffshire Branch
Dr Anne McArthur , RSCDS Banffshire Branch member has been awarded the BEM in the King's New Year's Honours List.
The Citation will read:
Dr Anne McArthur
Committee member, Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. For Services to Scottish Country Dancing and to the community in Portsoy.
Frank Thomson - Accordionist
.The Banffshire Branch was delighted to see Frank Thomson receive the RSCDS Scroll of Honour at the Autumn Gathering in November, 2024. Frank has supported the Banffshire Branch over many years. He came to our rescue as the accompanist for the Dance Section of the Moray Music Festival in Elgin. He continued to be the accompanist for the next six festivals, the latter two run by the Banffshire Branch. When the Branch produced a dance and resource pack for children and young people to celebrate their 90th Anniversary, Frank gave of his time to record the music which is free to download from the website. He also composed some of the original tunes. Frank is our ‘go to’ person whenever we need a musician. We thank him for his support over the years and congratulate him on his award.
Wakefield Nursing Home, Portsoy
Members of the Banffshire Branch danced at Wakefield Nursing Home on 26th February. The staff and residents gave them a warm welcome. Grace Henry, a former Branch dancer now resides there so it was a good opportunity for a catch up.
