past events: 2004-05 (autumn)
Christmas and New Year events | SUSCDF | Newcastle Reelers Winter Dance | New Scotland Beginners Dance | Freshers' Weekend
Christmas and New Year events
Photos from the carol service, Christmas party, Night Afore Fiesta and Hogmanay
by Rachel
New Scotland's Christmas events kicked off with our Christmas Ceilidh on Saturday 4th December (well you have to make the most of Christmas!). This was in the Debating Hall in Teviot as usual, and was appropriately busy and festive for a Christmas ceilidh - probably helped by it being a saturday night. The festive element was also helped by the quantities of tinsle and other Christmas decorations being worn, and great music was provided by Charlie Todd and his band.
The following weekend on Sunday 12th December, New Scotland joined Dunedin in our annual outing to the University Carol Concert in McEwan Hall. This was followed by the equally traditional mulled wine and over-sized mince pies in the Chalpaincy Centre afterwards, which put us all in theChristmas spirit (althouigh perhaps 3 mince pies was rather too many!). The following Tuesday (14th) was planned as our yearly skating outing to the seasonal rink in Princes Street Gardens. Unfortunatley we managed to pick the one day when the decorative Christmas trees were blowing across the rink and the German market was in danger of being ripped apart by gusts of wind. Consequently everything was closed! This meant we all had to go straight to the pub, and in some cases off to the cinema in compensation, and re-arrange skating for the following Monday. Luckily the weather was cold and dry on Monday 20th so we did get our skating and a ride on the carousel eventually!
The New Scotland Christmas party was at Friederike and Alex's on Friday 17th December. As usual it was a fancy dress party with the theme this year being 'the letter C'. This produced, amoungst others, a Christmas present, a child (with a very large rabbit), a chameleon (with 11 different outfits!), a couple of carpenters, a criminal, various cats, a cardinal (with a Protestant Bible?!), and a committed Czech couple (this might have been a bit of a cheat except that Martina imported Jan all the way from Germany to complete her costume so we feel suitable effort was put in!). Also on display was an entire gingerbread village with cathedral and numerous houses. This was, of course, made by Friederike - apparently she got slightly carried away with the quantity of ginderbread she made and then simply HAD to use it all!
And then most people went home for Christmas, but many were back in time for Edinbugrh's Hogmanay celebrations. At the Nigh-Afore fiesta we ceilidhed enthusiastically in the pouring rain on George street, took part in (yet another) record-breaking Strip the Willow, were chased by huge and rather stange street theatre characters, and discovered the crepe stall (with some fantastic filling options), before heading off the steam quietly and defrost in the Jekyll and Hyde. Hogmany had its usual New Scotland gathering as well, with peoeple variously going to the Street Party, Royal Mile and the Crags to watch the fireworks. Said fireworks were suitably loud and impressive - Edinburgh does very good fireworks! Happy New Year to all!
SUSCDF 2004
SUSCDF 2004 photos on the SUSCDF website
by Rachel
The Scottish Universities Scottish Country Dance Festival (SUSCDF) 2004 was held in Aberdeen on Saturday 27th November in the St Machar Academy. A coach and several car load of New Scotland made there way north for the evening (or the weekend depending on preference) and there was also a good turn out from the other universities making a pleasantly busy dance with a great atmosphere. The dance kicked off with special guest callers and the first dem - and impressive combination of Highland with the odd bit of Scottish step thrown in - was performed by the Aberdeen University Highland Dancers. New Scotland were up next, the practice paid off and the dem looked polished and elegant - well done all!
After a beautifully presented half-time buffet (see photos), it was time for more dancing and more demonstrations. First after the interval, however was a surprise demonstroation from a very mixed university group attirred in school uniform(!) who successfully twisted and stamped their way through a rapper dem to much applause (apparently in the practice Jen managed to hit Ian with her sword and give him concussion...). Seconf up was Glasgow - who made a point of thanking the people who had stepped in at the last minute to replace unforseen illness/injury victims - and then performed a very complicated reels of four thing. Last up was St Andrews with another very impressive routine this time with some charleston/ragtime/ceroc influenceand some great humour!
Altogether a fun evening, a good programme (including a killer Eightsome Reel) and of course, not to forget David Anderson and his band who provided excellent music yet again!
Newcastle Reelers Winter Dance 2004
by Linda
A (somewhat squashed) car load headed south for the Newcastle Reelers dance on 20th November 2004. As usual Alistair Wood and his band provided the fantastic music for us to dance to. The programme was a bit different from previous years with some of the "old favourites" missing - even the band commented on the lack of the Foursome Reel, but it did include Katy and Andrews wedding dance!
There was a very impressive selection of fruit and cakes at the interval along with a never ending supply of tea and coffee. The raffle during the second half caused much amusement when three of the four band members won raffle prizes :-). At the end of the evening everyone said they had had a good time and we headed off to Deb's flat to collapse before heading North on Sunday morning.
New Scotland Beginners Dance 2004
Photos from the dance and the after-dance party
by Rachel
The New Scotland Beginners Dance was held slightly earlier this year (due to semesterusation and consequent changes in the dance calendar) on Saturday 6th November. Due to a very last minute problem with the intended venue at Lutton Place (committeee turned up to decorate at 6:30pm and found others in possession and ensconced for the evening - panic!!!) the dance was in fact held in Kirk O' Field church hall near the Pleasance. Yes the dancing was er... shall we say just a little bit cramped? (11 sets at one point - if you know the hall this may boggle your mind!) - but James Gray and his band provided absolutely fantastic music and the atmosphere was great!
Having each danced and sweated off about the equivalent one of Friederike's chocloate cakes in weight, we all headed to Joel's flat, for much appreciated drinks. Certainly a somewhat different dance and, I have to say, great fun!
Freshers Weekend 2004: 15th -17th October
by Alice
On Friday 15th October, New Scotland members, new and old, gathered outside the Appleton Tower ready for this year's Freshers' weekend trip to Nethybridge. True to Scottish weather, it started raining as we prepared to leave and there was a mad scramble to get the sleeping bags onto the bus before they became wet rags. The organisers' priorities soon became clear when they insisted on putting the booze on first. En route, we made a stop at Pitlochry where the staff of the fish and chip shop looked on helplessly as sixty-odd hungry students piled in and ate the entire week's stock of chips. Then, for the remaining leg of the journey, we were entertained by the many songs known to certain members (where did they learn them all?!). Upon arrival, everyone still had plenty of energy to dance the night away at the ceilidh before falling into bed to snatch a few hours sleep.
Next morning, we were awoken by the dulcet tones (ahem!) of the bagpipes, making sure we were all up in time for breakfast. The said piper narrowly escaped attack by a mob of sleep-lovers, but this didn't seem to deter her from repeating the wake-up call the following day. A morning of country and step dancing workshops was followed by an afternoon (incredibly muddy) walk through the woods, all of which kept us on the move. It was then time to retire to our rooms to prepare for the masked ball. The array of costumes at the ball was quite impressive: 20's flappers, pirates, a homeless tramp, a certain 'artiste' who carried a supply of autographs 'just in case' and even a beautiful home-made ball gown. Freshers were introduced to a spectrum of party games that got more and more dubious as the night wore on, and the party continued well into the 'wee' hours in the hostel bar.
On Sunday morning there was a Highland dancing workshop for those of us with a little stamina remaining and then after lunch it was back onto the bus and on to Edradour whisky distillery. After a tour and sample, there was time for a quick 'car park auction' of the remaining 'goods' left over from the weekend, before we gave our danced-out legs a well earned rest on the journey home. Having all survived their first weekend of non-stop dancing, freshers can now agree with those hardened veterans of the society, who do the trip every year, that Freshers' weekend is definitely an experience not to be missed!
Thanks to everyone involved in organising the weekend, but especially
to Henri for her unstinting efforts to make the trip fantastic!