next Ceilidh Dance – Friday, October 23, 2026 — tickets go on sale online on Maoday, October 19 at:
https://rscdsvancouver.org/events/vancouver-ceilidh-2026-oct/
WHERE IS IT?
I have been sent a number of nice pictures of Scotland but they are not labelled so I cannot give you the location – at least so that I could be 100% certain I have it right. So here is your chance to tell me where this is.
The sixth Ceilidh Dance of the year last Friday gave us a good start to the season with about 111 dancers, including many first timers, enjoying the reels and jigs played by Calanais. It is wonderful to have “live” music and I am so grateful to all the musicians who come and play. It should be noted that we give them a SMALL honorarium but it is not a quarter of what they should be paid. My thanks to them all. We got through quite a lot of dances and I was pleased to see how well everyone danced.
The next Ceilidh Dance is in just over 3 weeks – Friday, October 23 not the last Friday so we don’t clash with any Halloween parties. Hopefully this move away from the last Friday of the month wont matter and you will all come in droves to the next dance.
If anyone has any suggestions or complaints regarding the newsletter please let me know – ceilidh@rscdsvancouver.org ==============================================================
I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it..
– W. C. Fields
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Some music for you to enjoy
Off She Goes in the North – Stan Hamilton Memory Lane 1
NOT SO LONG AGO: Comments made in the year 1955!
It’s too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.
Liathach-in-Glen-Torridon
I had to clear our driveway this week not because of snow but dues to piles of cedar droppings. I filled a large green bin and there is lots more to come down.
The RSCDS AGM and dance is a week on Friday – October 9 – with live music for the dance after the short meeting by VFO.
“I’ve never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body,”
–Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball player.
Lower Largo
For those borh in the 1950’s or thereabouts
COMING EVENTS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS –
See the Coming events tab on the home page
Logie’s Lane, St. Andrew’s
IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER – by Erma Bombeck
(written after she found out she was dying of cancer).Don’t worry about who doesn’t like you, who has more, or who’s doing what. Instead, let’s cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
‘
More music for your listening pleasure
Old Scottish Air, The Lovely Lass of Inverness, John Ellis -A Reel Kick
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After 35 years of marriage, a husband and wife came for counseling. When asked what the problem was, the wife went into a passionate, painful tirade listing every problem they had ever had in the years they had been married. On and on and on: neglect, lack of intimacy, emptiness, loneliness, feeling unloved and unlovable, an entire laundry list of unmet needs she had endured. Finally, after allowing this for a sufficient length of time, the therapist got up, walked around the desk and after asking the wife to stand, embraced and kissed her passionately as her husband watched with a raised eyebrow.
The woman shut up and quietly sat down as though in a daze. The therapist turned to the husband and said, ‘this is what your wife needs at least 3 times a week. Can you do this?’
“Well, I can drop her off here on Mondays and Wednesdays, but on Fridays, I fish.”
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Lossiemouth
The next Ceilidh Dance is on Friday, October 23, 2026 – that is NOT the last Friday of the month.
Please help spread the word about all the Ceilidh Dances as that is the best (and cheapest) form of advertising. Here is a link where you can purchase a ticket online starting Monday, October 19 at 10 am
https://rscdsvancouver.org/events/vancouver-ceilidh-2026-oct/
80 tickets will be sold online then another 80 at the door.
The format for all of the regular monthly Ceilidh Dances will be the same with the class from 7 — 7:45 p.m. and the dance from 8 — 10:30 ish. and all dances will be walked and talked through. The price is only – $20 or $15 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.
Yet another tune
Old Nick’s Lumber Room – Bobby Brown – Ready And!
Lumphanan
For those who enjoy listening to Scottish music, song, banter etc. try https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07y72yv/episodes/guide this is a radio programme hosted by Gary Innis.
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
It really is never too late to come along and join in one of many Scottish Country Dance (SCD) classes and NOW is a great time to do it as all the classes have just started up again. 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 www.rscdsvancouver.org for a list of class locations and times.
For those who don’t know SCD is a fabulous pastime which 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 get the basics learnt 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 also are Branches in Victoria and Seattle).
There are a great many classes and the ones in the Vancouver area can be found at www.rscdsvancouver.org
Come along — check us out — the first night is usually free and thereafter it will average about $10 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!!
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
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just in time for Halloween
Old Spedlings Castle’s Ghost – Gorden Shand – Reels & Wheels
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The next regular monthly Ceilidh Dance will be held on Friday, October 23, 2026 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.
We Really NEED YOUR HELP to advertise the Ceilidh Dances!!!! What a nice way to work off all the Thanksgiving Dinners! It really is good exercise as the some young men found out last Friday. Come to the next dance AND bring al yout friends, spouses, partners, etc. It only costs $20 ($15 for students) – it is worth so much more in fun, exercise and camaraderie. Get your tickets online to be sure you get in!
https://rscdsvancouver.org/events/vancouver-ceilidh-2026-oct/
Don’t forget to check out our website www.vancouverceilidh.org and get them to “subscribe” to the newsletter-it is free!
The schedule for the 2026 and 2027 season shapes up as follows:
All on Fridays of course —
2026
October 23
November 13
2027
January 29
February 26
March 26 – Easter Friday
April 30.
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.
A doctor was addressing a large audience in Oxford… “The material we put into our stomachs should have killed most of us sitting here, years ago. Red meat is full of steroids and dye. Soft drinks corrode your stomach lining. Chinese food is loaded with MSG. High Trans Fat diets can be disastrous and none of us realizes the long-term
harm caused by the germs in our drinking water. But, there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and most of us have, or will eat it. Can anyone here tell me what food it is that causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?”
After several seconds of quiet, a 70-year-old man in the front row raised
his hand, and softly said, “Wedding Cake.”
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Keep sending jokes, pictures and info you wish to have included. Don’t forget to look at our web pages at www.vancouverceilidh.org
Luskentyre Beach, Harris
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 473 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.
Thanks hope to see you at class or somewhere nice. Enjoy yourselves – come Scottish Country Dancing – for it is good for your health and you never know you just might …..!
Looking over Loch Enoch to the range O’ the Awfu’ Hand in Galloway
May your troubles be one, may your blessings be more,
and may nothing but happiness come through your door.
Duncan MacKenzie, ceilidh@rscdsvancouver.org