There were teachers for both the the 'Social' and 'Basics' Scottish Country Dance classes this week, so I with a sigh of relief headed for the Basics class. Maybe next year I'll be ready for Social, but not just yet. After the Circle of Cheer circle dance for warmup, Penny gave the Basics class a good grounding in The Good Time Reel and The Silver Tassie, reel and strathspey respectively. They both have set-and-cross, set-and-cross in lines of three. The Silver Tassie has a rondel, which is very tricky and requires one bar per move instead of the two or four we usually get. We then danced those two with the Social class, and, as is often the case, we did better than they since we'd been taught just beforehand, whereas they may not have danced it for weeks. We all also danced the Round Reel of Eight, an 88-bar square set.
Upcoming events: the demo team is on the program at one of Kittiwake Dance Theatre's anniversary celebrations on Friday April 21st, 8:00, at Kittiwake, 155 Water Street upstairs, public welcome, tickets $7/$5. The AGM is Monday the 24th, 6:00, bring food to share and your own dishes and eating utensils, dancing after if we're not too loquacious. The Spring Ceilidh (ceilidh means "easy dances, inexperienced dancers welcome") is at Vanier School on Ennis Avenue, May 13th at 8:00 pm.