past events: 2001-02 (spring)
Dunedin Assembly | IVFDF | Newcastle Spring dance | Vicky League dems | St. Andrews Highland Ball | Societies' Ball | Newcastle Festival | Glasgow Annual Dance | New Scotland Annual Dance
Dunedin Dancers Assembly 2002
by Christine
It was a fantastic evening, once again held in the elegant Turmeau Hall at Napier University. The Dunedin Dancers Assembly 2002 was on the 23rd March and the stars of the show were definitely Sandy Legget and his band who provided fast and furious music for the fast and furious dance programme devised by Geeve. Napier's in-house caterers provided and excellent spread and there was a brillant atmosphere all evening. There were many smiling faces and afterwards quite a few sore feet….
IVFDF 2002
by Rachel
This Year's Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival was held in St Andrews over the weekend of 1st-3rd March, and was organised as a 'joint-production' by St Andrews University's Celtic Society and New Scotland. Despite the usual last-minute panics, it all seemed to go very smoothly (although I'm sure the organisers would have a different view!), with workshops available in and astonishing 34 different types of dance, 7 ceilidhs, a Scottish Dance, a Storytelling session, and even a sword-fighting workshop.
New Scotland put on an (/another!) amazing demonstration this time called 'The Pickled Onion' and based on endlessly (?) increasing numbers of people in triangular formation. I shall never forget those 'triangular circles'! It was particularly impressive that so many people who only started dancing in October were able to take part. Well done all!
Many thanks to all who helped organise IVFDF, run it, taught workshops, 'demmed' and played for Dems. It was a great weekend!
Newcastle Spring Dance 2002
by Rachel
Newcastle Spring Dance 2002 photos
If anyone tries to tell you that Newcastle is too far to go for an evening dance and it's not worth it - THIS IS NOT TRUE! Newcastle dances are fun and friendly and well worth the journey. Furthermore Newcastle University SCDS is small and really appreciates lots of people from other universities coming to their dance. Driving through the Borders in February can also be something of an experience!
The Newcastle University Scottish Country Dance Society's spring dance this year was held on Saturday 23rd February and several car loads of New Scotland made our way down for the event. This is an informal event so no need to worry about squashed ball dresses and black jackets in full cars. Unusually!!! the weather was fine for the journey - no fog, no snow, no ice and no rain! The dance was lots of fun, and they even provided us with 'north of the border' dance cribs so we could read the dance instructions - thank you Linda!
Victoria League 'demonstration' ceilidhs 2001/2002
by Marie
The Victoria League is a charity which runs social events for foreign students including days out and evening ceilidhs. For many years New Scotland has helped run the ceilidhs, which are fondly(?!) known as 'Vicky League Dems', in return for a donation to society funds.
This year we did six 'dems' for the Victoria League, who hold ceilidhs in the Chaplaincy Centre for international students. They're great fun! We all get dressed up in kilts (the men) or tartan skirts and waistcoats (the ladies), and show the students how to do some ceilidh dances. Then we dance the ceilidh dances with them, and do some demonstrations of highland and country dances. So lots of good practise for first-time 'demmers'. We had and incredible 17 demmers for the last ceilidh of the year! After the ceilidhs we go to Teviot to relax
The St Andrews Celtic Society's Highland Ball 2002
by Yoshimi
On Saturday 16th February, St. Andrews University Celtic Society held their Highland Ball (annual dance). The Ball was held in the Younger Hall in St Andrews. This hall is famed for its amazingly bouncy floor! It also has a balcony where you can go for good views of the dancing from above. New Scotland took a coach load of people to this dance and we all had lots of fun!
We were welcomed on arrival at the hall by a piper. The dance started with a traditional Grand March forming us into sets of eight for the first dance (very appropriately it was 'St Andrew's Fair'). This year the music was provided by the wonderful Sandy Nixon and his band, and the programme had many of our favourite dances. The dinner is another thing to mention - a hot three-course meal in a separate room; tables decorated with flowers and waitress service.
The atmosphere was fantastic and time flew! The bouncy floor of Younger Hall has to be experienced!!!
The Societies' Ball 2002
by Yoshimi
The 2nd week of February is EUSA's Societies week. All EUSA societies have the opportunity to promote themselves and show themselves off with the 'Grande Finale' of the week being the Societies' Ball on the Saturday evening. Many societies takes part in this ball including dancing societies, photo societies, massage societies etc.
This year the EUSA Societies' Ball was on Saturday 9th of February and New Scotland helped organising the ceilidh (despite having two teams away competing in the Newcastle Festival on the same evening!) which was held in the Debating Hall in Teviot.
Michael called the ceilidh dances for everyone - trying to instil some vague order into the lively chaos! We 'demmed' a few country dance, including a medley of Postie's Jig and Blooms of Bon Accord, which the band played faster than we have ever danced before! The band was very good but they were not used to playing for country dancers and did not play a chord at the beginning or our dem dances which caused mild havoc. Ralf also demonstrated the Feileadh Mor (demonstration of the modern and old-fashioned kilt) to much acclaim!!
EUSA gave us free cans of coke for our efforts, which was very nice and even better when we discovered that we could swap them at the bar for beer! The evening was very lively and fun and it was very nice to dance with people from so many other societies who we would not otherwise meet.
Newcastle Festival 2002
by Rachel
Newcastle Festival is an annual competitive Scottish Country Dance Festival in which New Scotland competes every year (and has even been known to win! - the 'Ladies Open' section in 2000). The Competition during the day, which is attended by groups from all over England and Scotland, is followed by a dance in the evening, and the day has a reputation for being a lot of fun.
This year the festival was held at Emmanuel College, Gateshead on Saturday 9th February. New Scotland was competing in 3 sections: two technique sections - Mixed Open, and Ladies Open (with Dunedin Dancers), and the display section - Medley (also with Dunedin Dancers). The Medley had a magical theme, with the Grey Wanderer and his companions appearing at the end (spinning in tall pointy hats has its problems!). Although New Scotland was unplaced in each section, the judges remarks were generally positive (the ladies in the team were particularly amused by the suggestion that New Scotland men 'cannot control their women'!).
As usual the evening dance was hugely fun and just what was needed after all the stresses of competing!
Glasgow Annual Dance 2002
by Rachel
Glasgow Annual Dance 2001 photos
Glasgow University Scottish Country Dance Society's Annual dance is usually one of the smaller annual dances on the 'circuit'; but it is always well worth going along to, not least for the excellent beef stew!
This year the Glasgow Annual was held on Saturday 2nd February at Woodside Hall in Glasgow. New Scotland took a minibus load of people 'across the country' to sample the delights of the west.
The evening was great! Friendly people, a fun program, yummy food, a bar(!), and good music (just one small question though... How long is 'Marie's Wedding'?!). Most of us had to pile back on the bus all too soon to head back to Edinburgh but the lucky few (there have to be some advantages to attending meetings to organise IVFDF 2002!) got to stay for the after dance party, which I believe was memorable (as usual!).
New Scotland Annual Dance 2002
by Stephen
New Scotland Annual Dance 2002 photos
The biggest event of the New Scotland calendar is our Annual Dance, which is also usually the largest dance on the university circuit. It is always a great evening and a 'must' for anyone who can make it. Many groups come from other univeristies - we've had visitors from as far away as Leeds and Cambridge (there is always plenty of floor space to sleep those who need to stay over) - and many old members also come back for the dance and to meet up with old friends (Oxford, London, Switzerland, Germany - its never too far to Edinburgh!).
This year we held our Annual Dance at James Gillespie's High School in Marchmont, Edinburgh on Saturday 26th January. For most people this is the first excuse of the year to get that smart jacket, kilt or ball dress on; and this year, as usual, the 'posh frocks' and kilts added to the great atmosphere of the evening.
This year the band was Gary Donaldson who provided wonderful music. The dance program devised by Seonaid was great fun to dance and had a number of old favourites as well as less familiar dances which also received demands for encours!
During the interval there was the buffet meal provided by current members with its ususal wide selection of choices, and plenty left over for seconds and thirds and for those who felt peckish again a the party afterwards.
The after-dance party, held near the dance venue, was very popular again this year resulting in the traditional challenge of 'how many dancers can you fit in a flat?'. Answer - 'Lost count at about 50!'.
A great evening! Looking forward to next year already...