Online classes
Each week a different RSCDS Teacher has provided guidance through a mixture of basic movements, warm ups, technique, steps and dances, giving variety across the classes.
Please note that Wednesday 14 July was the last class before the summer break and offered a special extra chat session for RSCDS members around the world at the same time.
Hosted on Zoom, the classes provide live video and instruction, and last approximately half an hour.
Previous classes
Missed a class and need to catch up? View all the past sessions below (the date links through to the class). *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!*
Class |
Teacher |
Content - steps, formations |
Dance |
| 8th April 2020 | Angela Young | Coupe pas de basque; Highland Scottische | General introduction |
| 15th April 2020 | Mervyn Short | Warm ups | - |
| 22nd April 2020 | Dave Hall | Strathspey setting; petronella | The Lea Rig – RSCDS Book 21 |
| 29th April 2020 | Diana Hastie | Step dance | Blue Bonnets from St Andrews Step Dance Book |
| 6th May 2020 | William Williamson | Medley | Cauld Kail in Aberdeen – RSCDS Book 9 |
| 13th May 2020 | Ron Wallace | Solo dance with steps | Merry Meghan – not published |
| 20th May 2020 | Graham Donald | Setting | Bonnie Geordie’s Wig – RSCDS MMM |
| 27th May 2020 | Atsuko Clement | Strathspey and reel setting steps | The Threesome Reel – RSCDS Book 6 |
| 3rd June 2020 | Fiona Mackie | Setting; poussette; arms | Petronella – RSCDS Book 1 |
| 10th June 2020 | David Queen | Step transitions | Jig to the Music – RSCDS Graded Book 2 |
| 17th June 2020 | Debbie Roxburgh | Poussette | Roxburgh Castle – RSCDS Book 6 |
| 24th June 2020 | Rebecca Blackhall Peters | Reels of 3 | Red House – RSCDS Book 7 |
| 1st July 2020 | Sue Porter | Strathspey steps and corners | Invercauld’s Reel – RSCDS Book 11 |
| 8th July 2020 | Trish Nicholls | Step transitions | Espie McNabb – RSCDS MMM |
| 15th July 2020 | Samuele Graziani | Strathspey – Highland Scottische poussette | The Trysting Place – RSCDS Book 35 |
| 22nd July 2020 | Robert McOwen | Strathspey | Hame came our Gudeman – RSCDS Book 30 |
| 5th August 2020 | Andrew Timmins | Quick time changes of feet – coming out of poussette | Glasgow Regatta – RSCDS MMM |
| 12th August 2020 | Alice Stainer | Strathspey inc allemande | Delvine Side – RSCDS Book 2 |
| 19th August 2020 | Andrew Nolan | Set and rotate and handing | A Capital Jig – RSCDS Magazine Dances |
| 26th August 2020 | Fred DeMarse | Jig time steps – link between first and second time through | The Scallywag – RSCDS Book 52 |
| 2nd September 2020 | Margie Stevenson | Jig time | Kiss Under The Stairs – RSCDS MMM |
| 9th September 2020 | Yoshiki Oyama | Corners pass and turn; the knot | Triple Happiness – RSCDS Book 52 |
| 16th September 2020 | Jamie Berg | Warm up and cool down focusing on balance | Dance for one dancer and two chairs |
| 24th September 2020 | John and Ruby Wilkinson | Eva three step to warm up and waltz step | Waltz Country Dance – RSCDS Book 4 |
| 30th September 2020 | Ellie Briscoe | How the music influences the dance | The Braes of Breadalbane – RSCDS Book 21 |
| 7th October 2020 | Gabor Turi | Ladies’ chain and poussette with different phrasing | Teviot Bridge – RSCDS Book 5 |
| 14th October 2020 | Deb Lees | Quick Time – highland steps | Strathspey and Reel dance to use steps |
| 21st October 2020 | Fiona Miller | Strathspey steps – long and short | The Valentine – RSCDS Magazine Dances |
| 28th October 2020 | Katharine Hoskyn | Quick time formations | Formations linked to create a dance |
| 4th November 2020 | Joana Stausberg | Flow of the dance | The Cocket Hat – RSCDS Book 44 |
| 11th November 2020 | William Williamson | Armistice Day | Blue Bonnets – RSCDS Book 3 and The Happy Meeting – RSCDS Book 29 |
| 18th November 2020 | Emma Allsop | Linking steps and transitions | Scottish Reform - RSCDS Book 3 |
| 25th November 2020 | Geoffrey Selling | Ceilidh, reel and strathspey dance walkthroughs |
Kelvingrove Two Step - Collins Book Johnny Groat's House - RSCDS Book 18 Lady Susan Montgomery - Leaflet Dances 1964-1998 |
| 2nd December 2020 | Helen Russell | Strathspey step movement, skills for the dance | Glasgow Lasses - RSCDS Book 34 |
| 9th December 2020 | Marjorie McLaughlin | Corners pass and turn, dance walkthroughs |
The Bob of Fettercairn - RSCDS Book 6 Chased Lovers - World Wide Weavings |
| 16th December 2020 | David Queen | Warm up, rondel, ceilidh, dance walkthroughs |
Hooper's Jig Silver Tassie Flowers of Edinburgh - RSCDS Book 1 Virginia Reel |
| 6th January 2021 | Grace Hill with Jeremy & Zoe | Warm up exercises, dance walkthroughs |
The Kingston Jig Wha'll be King but Charlie - Dances to Song Tunes |
| 13th January 2021 | Barbara Johnston | Warm up, resistance exercises, strathspey, dance walkthrough |
Braveheart (adaptation of ceilidh dance) Midsummer Common - Book 49 |
| 20th January 2021 | Zsofi Jozsef | Warm up, strathspey transitions, dance walkthroughs |
The Gay Gordons Byron Strathspey De'il Amang the Tailors |
| 27th January 2021 | Alasdair Gray | Formations, strathspey travelling movement, high cuts (Highland steps) and plié | |
| 3rd February 2021 | Kate Gentles | Warm up, ceilidh, pas de pasque with change of foot, slip step into skip change, dance walkthroughs |
Elephant Walk La Flora |
| 10th February 2021 | Moira Korus | Warm up, ceilidh, pas de pasque with movement, dance walkthrough, cool down and stretch |
And for the Young Ones - Book 51 The Ullapool Ferry - RSCDS Book 52 |
| 17th February 2021 | Louise Msika | Ceilidh, step practise, Schiehallion Reels, dance walkthrough |
Festival Interceltique - Four Dances for 228 Bon Viveur - RSCDS Book 52 |
| 24th February 2021 | Zsolt Molnar | Warm up, dance walkthroughs, Scottish country dance diagram explanations, cool down and stretch |
The Loch Ness Monster, Jig to the Music, Granville Market - RSCDS Graded Book 2 Catch the Wind - RSCDS Book 45 |
| 3rd March 2021 | Ramona Rank | Warm up, strathspey steps, setting steps, set and link for 3, dance walkthroughs, cool down |
Wednesday Welcome Gang the Same Gate - RSCDS Book 36 |
| 11th March 2021 | Andrew Smith | Focus on use of piano music in SCD, low impact walking steps for less able dancers, pas de basque, strathspey, dance walkthroughs |
The Old Man of Storr Whiteadder Jig |
| 17th March 2021 | Alan Twhigg | Warm up to La Bastringue, dance walkthrough, cool down |
La Bastringue Miss Eleanor - RSCDS Book 49 |
| 24th March 2021 | Carol-Ann Knox | Warm up, pas de basque for beginners, dance walkthroughs, cool down |
Bramble Circle Mountain Stream The Sandal - RSCDS Book 19 |
| 31st March 2021 | Katherine Uren | Warm up, pas de basque setting steps, dance walkthroughs |
The Reverend John MacFarlane - RSCDS Book 37 The Conical Chronicles |
| 7th April 2021 |
Mervyn Short Dave Hall |
Posture and alignment, warm up, joint mobilisation, pas de basque, hello goodbye setting, dance walkthrough | College Hornpipe - RSCDS Book 20 |
| 14th April 2021 | Valeria Corradin | Warm up, Highland setting steps for Eightsome Reel | |
| 21st April 2021 | Olga Ivanova | Ballet warm up (with guest teacher), strathspey, dance walkthrough | Inspiration |
| 28th April 2021 | Jim Stott | Hornpipe warm up, strathspey travelling steps, dance walkthroughs |
Anne McArthur Good Hearted Glasgow - Collins Little Books, Scottish Dance High Country Mixer |
| 5th May 2021 | Lorna Valentine | Warm up, pas de basque, rights and lefts for 3 couples, the spoke, dance walkthroughs |
Johnnie's Welcome Hame - Book 32 Neil M Grant - Book 49 |
| 12th May 2021 | Xiaowen Yu | Warm up, dance walkthrough, waltz |
Nice to See You - Book 40 Spring Forward, Fall Back |
| 19th May 2021 | Fiona Grant |
March warm up, pas de basque, set and turn corners in reel time |
Eva Three Step - Ceilidh dance in Collins Little Book of SCD Mrs McLeod - Book 6 Monymusk - Book 11 |
| 26th May 2021 | Jeanne Moody | Warm up, skip change of step practise, figure of eight, the celtic reel, dance walkthroughs, cool down |
Lady Catherine Bruce's Reel - Book of Graded Scottish Country Dances The First Rain of Spring - RSCDS Book 49 |
| 2nd June 2021 | Heather Cowan | Warm up, dance walkthroughs |
Dan: The Dancing Rhino The Queen City Salute - RSCDS Book 37 |
| 9th June 2021 | Heather Hodgson |
Warm up, phrasing dances, set and link, dance walkthroughs, cool down |
7th Wonder - Pretoria 40th Anniversary Book 12 Coates Crescent - RSCDS Book 40 |
| 16th June 2021 | John Carswell | Ceilidh dance walkthroughs |
Jacky Tar Two Step The Gypsy Tap Come Under My Plaidie Orcadian Strip The Willow The Social Swing |
| 23rd June 2021 | Jane Rose | March warm up, movements, step practise, formations, dance walkthroughs, cool down |
Bonnyton Woodie - The Imperial Book Vols 1-3 A Strathspey for Mervyn - The Imperial Book Vols 4, 5 & More |
| 30th June 2021 | Linda Harley | Warm up, dance walkthroughs, skip change of step, rights and lefts, cool down |
Prince of Orange - RSCDS Book 6 Domino Five Clydeside Lassies - Miss Milligan's Miscellany of Scottish Country Dances |
| 7th July 2021 | David Queen & William Williamson | Warm up, strathspey sets, petronella turns, pas de basque, dance walkthroughs |
Miss Catherine Ann The Montgomeries' Rant - RSCDS Book 10 |
| 14th July 2021 | Angela Young |
Highland Fair - Book of Graded Scottish Country Dances Anna Holden's Strathspey - RSCDS Book 42 Tri-Mariner - RSCDS Book 48 |