16/06/2024
There have been no reports for the last couple of months as I have been travelling.
Over the last 2 weeks, Tuesday classes have been small, though as usual, a lot of fun. The advanced class on Friday managed 12 dancers. A number of dances from the new book “The Diak Dances” have been danced on each of the evenings. This collection of dances is dedicated to the memory of J. Michael Diack (1869–1946), who was instrumental in the founding of the [R]SCDS in 1923. The establishment of the Scottish Country Dance Society was thanks to three key individuals: Mrs Ysobel Stewart of Fasnacloich, Mr Michael Diack of the Glasgow publishers Patersons, and Miss Jean Milligan, a lecturer in Physical Education at Jordanhill College in Glasgow. Diack arranged for the two women to meet and from that meeting they decided to proceed with the publication of a book of twelve dances, as well as forming a Society to support the publication. 28 years after the formation of the society, King George VI bestowed the title of "Royal" on the Society in 1951 as a mark of its excellent service to social life in Scotland. (End of history lesson 😊 .)
With 12 dancers on Friday, it was a good opportunity to do Never at Sea and Fire in the Rye both of which are 6 couple dances. There was certainly a sense of achievement after completing these.
