RSCDS Brighton Branch

Summer School 20 - 27 July 2003

Back in February I was told that I had been awarded the Pat Harvey Scholarship, which meant the Brighton Branch would pay for me to have a week at St Andrews University, the home of the RSCDS Summer School. I was overjoyed and was very keen to go, even if this meant going on my own. Whilst looking forward to it I was also keen to discover why so many people returned year after year - surely it wouldn't be that good!

I set off early on Sunday the 20th July on what was to be a very long journey. The plane was delayed 11/2 hours, then engineering works on the Forth rail bridge added another couple of hours to the journey time. I arrived at St Andrews at 6pm and so unfortunately missed the welcome speech given by the Chairwoman of the RSCDS, Jean Martin.

As this was the 80th anniversary everyone was invited to the common room for drinks after dinner and it was here that I first discovered the popularity of Scottish dancing across the world. Towards the end of the evening Jimmie Hill (the only person I knew when I arrived at St Andrews) introduced me to another girl on her own from Russia and she introduced me to two girls from Germany, all were my age and in my classes too.

Every morning there were 2 classes which you are expected to attend.

My first class was taught by Jean Martin, the chairwoman of the RSCDS and Fred Moyes played the accordion. During the week we covered strathspey, reel and jig steps, timing, phrasing, covering and many types of formations as well as going through a dance on the evening programme.

My second class should have been with Irene Bennett (on the management committee) however I took the opportunity to realise a childhood ambition and attended 'Introduction to Highland' along with some new friends from class. Taught by Alex Gray (again on the committee) and music by Mike Williams, this class was very hard. We were taught approximately 10 highland steps for the fling, the steps for 'The Waters over Charlie' and also the Highland Strathspey travelling step and reel. Very intensive, very hard, completely exhausting, but excellent fun.

In the afternoons we were free to shop at the RSCDS shop or purchase dance shoes and clothes or even have a massage - all on campus. you could attend dance classes for the musicians to practise or take optional technique classes in country, ladies step, a highland class or a ballroom dancing session or even leave campus and explore the town and nearby beaches. I attended three technique classes where we took steps apart and looked at them in great detail e.g. poussette, Pas de Basque and hello-goodbye settings. Very interesting classes.

I also went to ballroom dancing class and learnt old time waltz, the foxtrot and the Cha Cha but would need a little help to remember them now!

Accommodation is in student rooms with shared facilities, which I must confess I was a little wary of at the start, but it was all women on our floor and most were under 40 and all got on very well. I have special dietary requirements, and was also a little concerned about meal times, but again no problems here either - the choice was marvellous and the quality fantastic, something for everyone.

Evenings were spent dancing again - there were social dances, formal dances and even a Ceilidh. The dances held in Younger Hall, with its superb wooden sprung floor, were out of this world. I don't think I could begin to explain the atmosphere there. I did trick the former club chairman into a dance - asking if he wanted to dance the Silver Tassie and then remembering at the last minute it was actually the Swiss Lassie! Last but no means least, the bands were brilliant - Dave Cunningham's band is the first to spring to mind, but the others were equally as good.

After the Saturday night dance, where the atmosphere was like a huge celebratory dance, a lot of us (including Dave Cunningham) went back to the party room and continued dancing and listening to music until the early hours of Sunday morning.

Unfortunately I managed to damage my Achilles tendon on the Friday afternoon, but my thanks go to Jimmie who very kindly drove me to classes and dances so that I could sit and watch and join in the fun.

In conclusion the week at St Andrews Summer School was absolutely superb. I also have some great new friends from all over Germany, in particular the Hamburg club, and I am hoping to pop over and visit them later this year or early next and possibly even go to the Berlin Clubs 50th Anniversary celebrations and day school with them. I am certain that my dancing steps have improved (although I cant prove this at the moment) and my confidence in dancing definitely has. Thank you to everyone at the Brighton Branch for giving me this opportunity.

The big question is - will I be going again? YES - you just try and stop me.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for my trip to St Andrews, I shall treasure the memories for a long time to come.

Regards

Jennie Kendall

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