There is a very rich tradition of dance in Scotland, dating back for hundreds of years. There are also different styles of dancing – these being Highland dancing, which is mainly solo dancing, seen at Highland Games, usually competitive and pretty exhausting. We also have Ceilidh dancing, mostly done in pairs, although occasionally in groups of 6 or 8, depending on the dance and is often danced round the hall – check out the New Year Ceilidh here in the Burgh Hall!
Scottish country dancing fits somewhere in between the two. We mainly dance in pairs within a group of, usually, 8 dancers. There are three main rhythms in our dance – jig & reel, which are both fast and strathspey which is much slower and smoother.
Those of us who take part in SCD (Scottish country dancing) mainly do it because we enjoy the friendship of all the other dancers. We don’t have ‘a partner’ with whom we dance all the time, we swop partners for every dance, so no- one has to come with their own partner. Start dancing and make friends! We also dance because it is fun, always working in a group. It is well recognised that any kind of dance is good for your health and, because SCD is also so sociable, it ticks all the boxes. I don’t think I know of any dancers who suffer from depression; exhaustion is more likely!
Our group here in the Burgh Hall meets on Tuesday mornings, 10 o’clock until 12 o’clock, usually for a session of 10 weeks from the beginning of October and then 10 weeks after Christmas. We have been organising a very successful Afternoon Tea SC Dance for the last couple of years when we have dancing friends from all over the local area joining us. Now that our ferry service is reliable again, we have been joined by about 2 dozen dancers from over the water and as far away as Ayrshire. Some of us go to their dances in Ayr, Troon, Millport & Dunoon, and so our circle of friends grows ever larger. During the year we have several dances in the Helensburgh area which are always very well supported by our local group. For more information on dancing in the Helensburgh area, visit rscds Helensburgh.
If this interests you, please do come along on a Tuesday morning to find out more about it and bring flat, rubber-soled shoes for dancing, for your own safety.
I have been a fully qualified SCD teacher for more years than I care to remember and have taught all age groups, from primary school children to seniors.
Helen Bain
01436 842 695
