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 sign up here. All non-members welcome!

Dance Scottish At Home - 18th June 2021

This week we’re off to visit a castle in “What’s Behind the Name?” as well as delving into the mysterious word of Scottish crime fiction, while “This Week in Scots History” investigates a bridge rebuilding and the founder of a global broadcaster.

At Home Podcast

Luke brings a Summer themed “At Home Podcast” with a quiz featuring music and dances to bring back memories of Summer Schools past and those to come including the 2021 virtual Summer School. Enjoy Neil Copland and his Scottish Dance Band with their RSCDS recording of Summer Assembly before testing your Summer dance musical knowledge.

What's behind the name?

Located on a knoll, with a commanding position overlooking the River Tweed, Neidpath Castle can be found about a mile east of the market town and royal burgh of Peebles. 

Global youth

• How do you put Scottish dancing in a nutshell for people who haven't had contact with this best of all pastimes yet?
• How do you bring across the joy you experience?
• What do you say about music and instruments, what about dance styles, formations, steps?
• Which events do you talk about?
• What would you say about clothes, and which parts of the history of Scottish dancing and the RSCDS would you focus on?

At the Youth Services Committee, we are currently making up our minds about this question. We want to present Scottish dancing in a nutshell to children around the world: dancing friends-to-be, so to speak.

This task is lovely because we're considering the 'how' as much as the 'what', leaving room to get creative and come up with crafts activities, riddles and small challenges around the topic of Scottish dancing. And since it's such fun, we'll leave you this question as food for thought - if you come up with some good ones, feel free to send them in to DSAH and we’ll include them in the next issue. 😊

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 - 23RD JUNE 2021   ALL ONLINE CLASSES

Dance puzzles

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

JIGSAW PUZZLE    CASTLE DANCE ANAGRAMS

RSCDS news

Volunteer Opportunities

Without our dedicated volunteers, the running of the RSCDS would not be possible. Please click on the links to find out more about the current Management Board and Management Committee vacancies.

Lots of RSCDS books and recordings have been mentioned throughout this issue of Dance Scottish At Home – Neidpath Castle in RSCDS Book 22; Book 9 and Book 44 in the Year of RSCDS Books; Book 8 and Book 45 in the Crossword Solutions; and the RSCDS Children’s Book and Collins Little Green Book in the RSCDS Online Class. Click on the links, find the products in the shop and find the perfect present for a Scottish country dancer!

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