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.

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Dance Scottish At Home - 7th May 2021

This issue starts with the “At Home Podcast” featuring chat and favourite tracks from Scottish Dance Band drummer, Malcolm Ross. Then “What’s Behind the Name?” travels to Deeside to investigate three dances with very royal connections. With legend, fairy-tale and daring in “This Week in Scots History” and brain teasers in our Dancing Puzzles, there’s plenty to keep you entertained.

At Home Podcast

Music Director, Luke Brady, is joined by well-known Scottish Dance Band drummer, Malcolm Ross. Listen in as Luke and Malcolm take you through some of the changes across the years to the “Scottish Sound” with Malcolm’s specially selected tracks which include music from Jim Lindsay, Ron Kerr, Lindsay Ross and Bobby Crowe and their Scottish Dance Bands.

What's behind the name?

Three dances for this week’s ‘What’s Behind the Name’ and following the recent death of the Duke of Edinburgh, it seems appropriate that they all have a Royal Deeside connection:  Balmoral Strathspey from Book 22, The Duke & Duchess of Edinburgh from Book 39, and The Royal Deeside Railway from Book 40.

Virtual Spring Fling 2021

On Saturday 24th April, we celebrated the first Virtual Spring Fling with a day full of energetic dancing and fabulous music, a ceilidh dance devising workshop and lots of opportunities to (virtually) meet up with dancers from all over the world. Many thanks to the Aberdeen Spring Fling committee and Branch for all their work in making the day a success. Read the full report here.

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 - 12TH MAY 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    RSCDS BOOKS - PICTURE PUZZLE

RSCDS news

Unit 1 Exam - 26 June
Interested in taking the first step to becoming a Scottish country dance teacher with the RSCDS? If so, Unit 1 is a written paper that tests your knowledge and understanding of SCD, its music and the RSCDS. For more information about Unit 1 please click here. To apply by the deadline of Friday 21st May contact info@rscds.org.

Volunteering Opportunity - Schools Director
The RSCDS Schools Director vacancy is open for applications until the 17th of May 2021. For more information on the Schools Director role please click here.

Virtual Summer School 2021
While Summer School in St Andrews is not going ahead again this year, we are delighted to confirm that we plan to bring some more of that magic to you via the internet instead.  The Virtual Summer School 2021 events are scheduled for Monday 19th July, Wednesday 21st July and Friday 23rd July (8pm – 9.30pm UK time each evening). Keep an eye on the Summer School event page for more details over the coming weeks.

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