We have never experienced a time like this. To help support the worldwide community of Scottish country dancers, we are issuing a series of newsletters to our members and subscribers - Dance Scottish At Home. This will develop and improve as time goes on, and we will be responding to what you would like to see and read. Our aim is to include articles, music, games, podcasts and online classes that will entertain and connect us with our dancing friends across the globe.

You are encouraged to share Dance Scottish At Home with dancers and musicians in your Group, Branch and wider network. We are all part of the Scottish dance family and now is the time to show it. 

Your feedback and ideas are welcome – please click here to share them with us.

To receive this newsletter just scroll to the bottom of the page and sign up to the RSCDS eNewsletter - you will need to enter your full name and email address. All non-members welcome!

Dance Scottish At Home - 2nd October 2020

Welcome to a new edition of Dance Scottish At Home – back with dance puzzles to keep your brain ticking, podcast music to keep your toes tapping and information to keep dancers connecting with the RSCDS.

At Home Podcast

This week’s “At Home Podcast” features two new recordings from the team that brought dancers “A Summer Celebration”, Maureen Rutherford tells us about the band leader John Huband, Ian tells you all about Marches and of course, there’s a new musical quiz to stretch your dance and original tune knowledge.

What's behind the name?

Balquidder Strathspey is a dance with roots back in the 18th century, being taken from David Rutherford’s 3rd volume where it appears under the title the Braes of Balquheder.  The name change was possibly to avoid confusion with the Braes of Balquhidder, published in the MacNab collections.

Virtual Festival 2020

We love the entries we have already received for the Virtual Festival. So far it is quite an international cast, with videos from Russia, the USA, Australia, Ireland, Germany and France. The entries are proof that Scottish dancers really are a wonderfully creative and entertaining lot that can - if needs be - work with just 2 or 3 dancers and still come up with beautiful choreographies. We are also impressed by the stories you have invented and the fun ideas you have had. We have decided to extend the deadline for submissions until 8 October 2020, 5 pm BST, so there’s still time for you to be part of the fun. Come on, give it a go and join the Virtual Festival 2020! It's not about perfection, it's about fun and community.

GET STARTED ON YOUR ENTRY
 
You can look forward to seeing the videos on the RSCDS YouTube channel from 10 October onwards. Then during Global Youth Week (10 - 17 October) you'll be able to vote for your favourite entry. We can already guarantee that this won't be easy! Global Youth Week will also feature new activities on the Young Dancers website - to make up (a tiny little bit) for all the youth workshops and dances that won't take place this year. Also: watch out for a surprise on Young Dancers social media.

The latest online class

Join a different RSCDS Teacher each week for a mixture of basic movements, warm ups, technique and steps to keep you active. Live every Wednesday at 19:00 UK time, the class will give you the chance to dance with RSCDS members around the world at the same time.  *Please note that not all recorded classes begin immediately - skip ahead on the recording to find the start time, or just let it run and enjoy the music!* 

ONLINE CLASS - 14TH OCTOBER 2020

Scroll down to catch up on previous classes.

Dance puzzles

Do you enjoy solving puzzles? This week we have provided 2 challenges to entertain, perplex and intrigue you.

TEACHERS CROSSWORD

JIGSAW PUZZLE

Find the full Dance Scottish At Home newsletter here >

"I greatly appreciate the innovative way that the RSCDS has ensured that we all keep up our dance skills and stay connected to one another throughout this challenging time.  It was a real treat to have Angela teach the class accompanied by her husband, Graham on the piano.

Thank you again to the imaginative team at RSCDS for implementing this social connection for all of us in the worldwide dancing community."

 Helene and Douglas Nelson,  rscdsgleneagles.org