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Last Wednesday at the A.G.M. of the United Scottish Cultural Society proposals regarding the future of the Centre were presented by the Presidents of the BC Pipers Association and the St. Andrew’s Caledonian Society. Now each Member Society/Association need to go back to their Boards and Members to get their views on these suggestions.
Ballater Church
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If you only go to one concert next year and you like fiddle music then make sure you get tickets to see and hear Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Hass on Sunday, January 11, 2015 in St. James Hall, Vancouver. Call the Rogue Folk Club at 604-736-3022 soon as it will sell out.
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The next regular Ceilidh Dance is not until next year –
Friday January 9, 2015 – in the Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver. Start to make plans to come along as we really need all of you. This is a fun and inexpensive way to have an enjoyable evening out with family and friends. Tell at least 2 friends to join you, forward this e-mail to more friends and encourage them to sign up for the newsletter and to come to the Ceilidh Dance. Think of the great exercise you get as well. See below for more information.
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Some really exciting news – thanks to some ground work by a student there is going to be a Scottish Country Dance class at SFU. It will start on January 14, 2015 and be on Wednesday evenings from 7 – 9 p.m. in Forum Chambers. Contact Louise at louisesteinw@gmail.com for more information and please tell all your student friends.
Ballindalloch, Moray
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Well we certainly needed more than an umbrella some days last week.
The rain it raineth every day
Upon the Just and Unjust fella
But more upon the Just because
The Unjust hath the Just’s umbrella
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There is a need for an Editor for the White Cockade as Eleanor has indicated this will be her last year and there is also a need for someone to help with the Facebook page.
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Thanks to Steve at the Celtic Treasure Chest there is now an online list of all the Celtic societies as well as a calendar of events:
List https://www.celtictreasurechest.com/links/index.php
Calendar https://www.celtictreasurechest.com/celticevents/index.php
There are Festive Season specials at The Celtic Treasure Chest’s two stores including some items never stocked before. Check them out at www.celtictreasurechest.com
There is a sale of dance shoes – both ghillies and ballet slippers – www.avriel.com
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The Scottish Cultural Centre is a pretty unique and wonderful asset and space is available for rent to anyone or any group. The Centre does not run itself but is actually run by the United Scottish Cultural Society (USCS). Memberships in this Society are for individuals only and presently cost $10 annually. Membership Application Forms may be obtained either at the Centre or on the USCS website – www.scottishculturalcentre.com . The cost is only $10.
Any person may join USCS and Scottish Country & Ceilidh Dancers are encouraged to show their support by doing so. If any USCS member would like to be more involved, then, Darryl Carracher, the Manager at the Centre, will be pleased to give you further information. We have just finished replacing the roof which was a major expense. We have also just finishing painting and sprucing up the main hall and hope you all like what we have done.
Upgrades to the Centre are also being considered so it is particularly appropriate that dancers join USCS. No final decisions on these upgrades will be made before Members of USCS are fully informed. As noted above a number of proposals regarding the future of the Centre (the building) were presented at the A.G.M. and these will be discussed by each Member Society/Association and will be discussed at future meetings of the U.S.C.S.
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At the Gleneagles Fall dance, which was the tribute to John Drewry, there were some interesting articles and pictures which Simon had put together. He has kindly allowed me to use these in the newsletters so I will post one each week and hope you enjoy reading them. This is week 2 in the series – you can view previous newsletters on the archives page on the website – www.vancouverceilidh.org
John Drewry
John Drewry
John, of many accomplishments
John spent a lot of time hill-walking in the hills and glens and around the lochs of his adopted Scotland. He was also an accomplished photographer and compiled very beautiful colour slide shows of his times and travels in the Scottish hills and moors.
John also had a highly refined appreciation and knowledge of classical music as well as Scottish music, and he set his slide shows to carefully selected and significantly moving accompaniment. He shared these photo / musical evenings with groups and with friends, and I (Simon) watched them in his home when staying there.
John’s cooking was usually part of these evenings, something he had learned and enjoyed at a young age from both his mother and his grandmother, a cheese maker.
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Balquidder from Auchtubhmore Hill
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The next Ceilidh Dance is NEXT YEAR!! Friday, January 9th, 2015. I have tried an experiment and registered with Meetup and more than 20 people have now “joined” and many say they will come to the Ceilidh dance.
Michelle has very kindly made up a Facebook event page for the Ceilidh but you need to “Search for Vancouver Ceilidh on Facebook and “Like” us to receive updates on upcoming Ceilidhs and other events”. Then, if you “Like” the Vancouver Ceilidh FB page (do as described above), you too will receive updates AND be able to share those updates and events on your personal Facebook page to your friends and ask that they “Like” and “Share”, etc.
Ceilidh Dances are great ways to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries etc. Invite all your friends to come and join you at the Ceilidh. You are welcome to bring your own cake and we’ll even sing for you!!
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You can join the e-mail list of the SFU Scottish and Celtic Society; the club connecting you to all things Scottish and Celtic at SFU and the community. As members of this mailing list, you will receive updates on events and learning opportunities. All are welcome to participate and enjoy. Facebook Group: As of today, our new Facebook Group is launched and available to join. It is an ‘Open’ group. Anyone can join and invite their friends. We will create Facebook ‘Events’ for all our occasions. Join today at this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/451447541666799/
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Some fun and interesting sites: – note if you have a link to something you think others would enjoy please forward them to me.
Talented trainer and talented dogs – half time show at Eagle’s Game 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=txiR7oEVGd0
Ciceret Bracelet
Wow, a far cry from our first computers, laptops, tablets and iPhones in such a short time.
The Cicret Bracelet: Like a tablet…but on your skin.
The next Ceilidh Dance will be held NEXT YEAR on Friday, January 9, 2015. Same time, same place, same price (so long as there is a big attendance), same amount of fun and entertainment. Now it is up to you all to help by planning on coming along and bringing loads of friends, family, acquaintances, etc. We need to improve the attendance to make the dances financially viable. Please do your best to spread the word. Let me know if you would like a poster to put up.
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Subscriptions are up by another three to 346. At this rate it will take 18 weeks before we get it back to 400 so I really need your help to get the subscriptions back up again. Thanks for all your support.
Please pass along the website to your friends and ask them to subscribe – it is free!! www.vancouverceilidh.org At time of writing this last week’s newsletter was opened by 224 subscribers or 65.3% of the total list. I know some of you prefer to go to the website and open the newsletter from there so the number is probably much higher. Please keep opening the newsletter!!
Any and all comments and suggestions are welcome.
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Events happening in the immediate future include the Betwixt and Between Dance on the 27th then there is the Ceilidh Dance on January 9 and Alasdair Fraser in concert on the 11th.
Please see “Coming Events” below for all information.
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If anyone has any suggestions or complaints regarding the newsletter, please let me know – ceilidh@rscdsvancouver.org Please do not complain to your server that this is junk mail. There is a link on the e-mail should you wish to unsubscribe.
COMING EVENTS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS: Note: Please check list of classes for all start times and locations.
| 2014 | |
| Dec 27 | Betwixt & Between Social Dance 7:30 p.m. Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver with music by Mary Ross. FREE for all RSCDS members! Others $15 |
| Dec 31 | Vancouver Island Scottish Country Dance Society potluck dinner & social — viscds@shaw.ca or 250-598-0207 |
| 2015 | |
| Jan 7 | White Rock’s first class in 2015 |
| Jan 9 | Ceilidh Dance at the Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver – no partner or experience required – live music with Calanais – refreshments available – class from 7 – 8 p.m. followed by dance from 8 – 11 p.m. – all dances walked, talked and called – admission at the door $10 (students $8) |
| Jan 10 | Bellingham Social |
| Jan 11 | Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Hass concert in St. James Hall, Vancouver at 8 p.m. Rogue Folk Club – 604-736-3022 |
| Jan 14 | A new SCD class at SFU Wednesday evenings 7 – 9 p.m. Forum Chambers contact Louise for info at lmsteinw@gmail.com |
| Jan 17 | Branch Burns Supper – Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver – Bar 6 p.m. Dinner 7 p.m. Music for dancing by the Vancouver Fiddle Orchestra – Tickets $55 – gillibeattie@gmail.com or 604-224-6751 or online with PayPal at www.rscdsvancouver.org |
| Jan 24 | Tam O’Shanter’s Burns Supper – “RANTIN’ ROVIN’ ROBIN” Note: Tickets are going fast; there are only a few left so call NOW.The Tam O’Shanter Dancers are hosting their 21st. annual Robert Burns Dinner/Dance Sat. Jan. 24th 2015 at the Star of the Sea Hall, 15262 Pacific Ave. White Rock. Doors open 5:30, Dinner 6:30, Entertainment 8pm, Ceilidh Dancing 9pm Tickets: Adult $55 Children 10 & under $30 Call: Janice 604-536-7660, Cheryl 604-535-8949 |
| Jan 28 | White Rock’s Robbie Burns party |
| Feb 6 | Ceilidh Dance at the Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver – no partner or experience required – live music with Calanais – refreshments available – class from 7 – 8 p.m. followed by dance from 8 – 11 p.m. – all dances walked, talked and called – admission at the door $10 (students $8) |
It was a week where we had a puff of wind and some heavy rain but we are really fortunate where we live as this blest corner of BC has not been hit with any major weather disaster. So we have to put up with some short power outages (if they had put these wires underground a long time ago a lot of money would have been saved!!) but that is a minor inconvenience. It shows how much we rely on electricity though.
It was also a week where classes ended for the December break and Parties started instead!! Classes will all resume again in January so please come along. The Dem Team had fun dancing at the Dundarave Festival of Lights in West Vancouver Saturday, (it was cool but dry) and we had a great response when we did 3 audience participation dances – we may even have got a few folk interested in coming to classes in West and North Vancouver.
I was at a 15th Anniversary of a Scout group last night along with about 250 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Rovers, Officers, Parents, etc. They had a busy night with dinner, award presentations, etc. but they did take time to learn and dance at least 4 Ceilidh Dances. It was great promotion into a younger crowd even if none of them were Scottish.
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Bantaskine Park
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Come Scottish Country Dancing – it is lots of fun. Just ask anyone who came along to the Dancing in the Park. We had great audience participation so I hope you will all come along and join one of our great classes or at least come to one of the Ceilidh Dances.
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Beauly
The next Ceilidh Dance is not until next year – Friday, January 9, 2015 with live music by Calanaish. You still have time to spread the word about all the Ceilidh Dances as that is the best (and cheapest) form of advertising. It is great exercise and fun, for all ages, too.
Here is a link where you can watch a short video of a Ceilidh Dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MvUwZnY9Ms and here is a link to the Facebook advert: https://www.facebook.com/events/597360563665264/597360566998597/ The format for all of the regular monthly Ceilidh Dances will be the same with the class from 7 – 8 p.m. and the dance from 8 – 11 p.m. and all dances will be walked and talked through.
They are all held at the Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver. The price is only – $10 or $8 for students which, for what you get is a super bargain – everyone is welcome. No partner is required and you should wear FLAT, comfy shoes and loose clothing. Children are also welcome but should be prepared to dance with other people as some of the dances require a change of partner. Don’t forget to bring a few extra $$$$ to help defray the cost of the refreshments which are otherwise free.
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The Branch has opened a Facebook Page at “RSCDS-Vancouver” – check it out there are some good pictures etc. www.facebook.com/rscdsvancouver. There is a link on both our website www.vancouverceilidh.org and the Branch website www.rscdsvancouver.org
This is a really good time to come along and join in one of many Scottish Country Dance (SCD) classes as they will be starting up again in the New Year. You will be made very welcome. Many classes have a policy that the first night is FREE! Plan to come along to try out a class next week. There are classes all around and on different nights so GIVE IT A GO! Go to either www.rscdsvancouver.org or www,vancouverceilidh.org for a list of class locations and times.
For those who don’t know SCD is a fabulous pastime (much better and lots more fun than golf!!) and is super exercise for body and mind. SCD is, naturally, rooted in Scotland but there are groups in almost every country so you can learn here and then dance with other groups when you vacation or travel. SCD is not to be confused with Highland Dancing which is more solo dancing. SCD is usually done with a partner in groups or sets however you do not need to come with a partner. It is more akin to Square Dancing.
It takes a year or two of classes, workshops, etc. to learn the basics then you can hone your skills in advanced classes. You start by learning the steps and formations. Dances (of which there are over 13,000) are made up of these formations so a good grounding will give you the ability to learn a new dance fairly quickly. SCD has its HQ in Scotland and is known as the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) and there is a Vancouver Branch of the RSCDS under which there are many clubs throughout the Province (there is also a Branch in Seattle).
There are a great many classes and the ones in the Vancouver area are listed below. Come along – check us out – the first night is usually free and thereafter it will average about $6 a night and that’s for a 2 hour class! You will find many friendly people who will be eager to help you and welcome you to their club. You never know you actually might like it!! Check the list of classes at either at www.vancouverceilidh.org or www.rscdsvancouver.org.
Note that the latter website has the latest updates to temporary changes to times and locations
as well there are classes all up and down Vancouver Island, a number of the Gulf Islands, the Cariboo, Okanagan, etc. etc. and there are various groups all over this great Province, Country, World and who knows where else! Check the Branch website for all these details – www.rscdsvancouver.org
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Wish I’d Said That!
Lawyers believe that a man is innocent until proven broke.
~ Robin Hall
Kill one man and you’re a murderer, kill a million and you’re a conqueror.
~ Jean Rostand.
Having more money doesn’t make you happier. I have 50 million dollars but I’m just as happy as when I had 48 million.
~ Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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For upcoming events see www.vancouverceilidh.org and www.rscdsvancouver.org.
Other announcements etc: Seattle Branch – info at www.rscds-seattle.org
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The next regular monthly Ceilidh Dance will be held on Friday, January 9, 2015 in the Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, (73rd & Hudson which is between Oak & Granville), Vancouver, We need everyone to help us get as many new comers (as well as former Ceilidh Dancers) as possible to come and join us. The Ceilidh Dances are a great way to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Invite all your friends along. Contact me if you will have a group of 12 or more and we can give them a discount!!!
We Really NEED YOUR HELP to advertise the Ceilidh Dances!!!! It only costs $10 ($8 for students) – it is worth so much more in fun, exercise and camaraderie. Use any access to free adverts etc. You can also use things like the YouTube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh2HV3OPBgw or the Face-book page https://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=116203315&k=Z5C5Y4TZPT6G6BD1PKZZTWQQQ6BAW26L34AV&oid=164741310207760 https://www.facebook.com/events/597360563665264/597360566998597/ Suggestions to improve our advertising are always welcome. Don’t forget to tell them about the website www.vancouverceilidh.org and get them to “subscribe” to the newsletter.
Most of you have been to at least one Ceilidh Dance so you know how it goes. You don’t need a partner; you don’t need any experience; you should wear FLAT soft soled shoes; we walk, talk, and call every dance and you should come to have fun and have a good evening of exercise and entertainment and maybe even to learn! There is a FREE class from 7 – 8 p.m. and the dance from 8 – 11 p.m. with music by Calanais. Remember to bring some extra cash so you can make a donation towards the cost of the refreshments. Without these donations we will have to increase the price of admission again!!
The schedule for the 2014/15 season shapes up as follows: All on Fridays of course —
2015
January 9
February 6
February 27
March 27
April 24
Come along and get some great exercise while also having lots of fun. We hope to have lots of new Ceilidh dancers and we might even have Louise to help with the calling. Remember to bring your smiles and wear flat shoes. Please do your best to assist us in letting as many people know as possible. Use Face-book, e-mail, telephone or even word of mouth and tell everyone you know what a fun night it is.
We need to attract students from Universities and all colleges. Somehow we have to get word out to these students. Please do all you can to help us. Come one, come all to the same place (Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver) and the same time (7 p.m. for the class and 8 – 11 p.m. for the dance) and the same amazing price ($10 or $8 for students.) You should check the website – www.vancouverceilidh.org – from time to time as you can find various pages listing “Ceilidhs and Events;” Classes:” Duncan’s List;” etc. On these pages you can check all the upcoming events, where all the classes are located, times, etc. and some places to find Scottish things or some local trades, etc. I will continue to highlight the more current events in each week’s newsletter but, as stated, the calendar of all events will be available on the website.
You should also have a look at the Vancouver Branch website from time to time – www.rscdsvancouver.org – as there is always useful information on it and it is a very good-looking site.
If you have any questions regarding the Ceilidh Dances send them to me at ceilidh@rscdsvancouver.org
Please check the website – www.rscdsvancouver.org for updates, pictures and news. Dance – it is good for your health.
Keep sending jokes, pictures and info you wish to have included. Don’t forget to look at our web pages at www.vancouverceilidh.org If you know of anyone who would like to be on the mailing list please send them the web address – www.vancouverceilidh.org and ask them to subscribe.
If anyone has good pictures from the Ceilidh Dances please send them to me so I can put them on the web page.
If you have any announcements please send them to me preferably in Word; Times New Roman 12pt format with a layout similar to the one used in this newsletter. I occasionally hear of an event somewhere in our beautiful Province, on the Island or in the Interior, but don’t know all the details. This newsletter reaches out to some 346 subscribers from all over the Province, Country and to many other countries as well, so please send me the details of your event and I will only be too happy to include them.
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Two blondes were going to Disneyland . They were driving on the Interstate when they saw the sign that said Disneyland LEFT. They started crying and turned around and went home.
Two blondes living in Oklahoma were sitting on a bench talking, and one blonde says to the other, ‘Which do you think is farther away… Florida or the moon?’
The other blonde turns and says ‘Helloooooooooo, can you see Florida ?????’
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Beinn Alligan
Enjoy yourselves – come Scottish Country Dancing – for it is good for your health and you never know you just might …..!
See Coming Events on the website for info – www.vancouverceilidh.org
Ben A’an
May your troubles be one, may your blessings be more, and may nothing but happiness come through your door.
DUNCAN ceilidh@rscdsvancouver.org