Website last revised 08 May 2022
Welcome to the Newark Scottish Country Dance Society
PLEASE NOTE: Covid-19
Lifting of remaining legal Covid restrictions during summer 2021 allowed our classes to begin again! Open windows and doors provide ventilation and hand sanitiser is always available for use during the evenings and members bring a mug for interval refreshments; wrapped biscuits are provided.
Please help yourself and everyone else - do not come to classes if you have any Covid symptoms eg high temperature, bad cough or flu-like symptoms, sanitise your hands when at class and take advantage of the lateral flow self-test kits which are freely available to everyone.
Lifting of remaining legal Covid restrictions during summer 2021 allowed our classes to begin again! Open windows and doors provide ventilation and hand sanitiser is always available for use during the evenings and members bring a mug for interval refreshments; wrapped biscuits are provided.
Please help yourself and everyone else - do not come to classes if you have any Covid symptoms eg high temperature, bad cough or flu-like symptoms, sanitise your hands when at class and take advantage of the lateral flow self-test kits which are freely available to everyone.
Blue Sky, Yellow Sun
Members have recently practised Blue Sky, Yellow Sun, a 4x32 bar strathspey. It was written by Murrough Landon the Saturday after the invasion of Ukraine. He writes “In London the weather was fine. I went out walking but kept thinking of those suffering far away. The combination of the yellow sun in a pale blue sky reminded me of the Ukrainian flag which gave me the title.” Later, Wouter Joubert kindly offered his tune And when it rains... which he has dedicated "in support of peace and to all those who are bullied by tyrants".
Wouter made a 4x32 recording of this (with three other tunes) and this is used in a video of the dance recorded at the weekly class on 22 March 2022. It can be viewed by clicking the link: https://youtu.be/WjlrFvHBcGU
or https://my.strathspey.org/dd/dance/20674/
Wouter made a 4x32 recording of this (with three other tunes) and this is used in a video of the dance recorded at the weekly class on 22 March 2022. It can be viewed by clicking the link: https://youtu.be/WjlrFvHBcGU
or https://my.strathspey.org/dd/dance/20674/
Collingham Young Farmers
|
Our first dem took place since dancing began again after the Covid break when we were invited to join Collingham Young Farmers for their meeting on 01 December. We demonstrated four dances, and helped them try five other dances. There was great enthusiasm, much laughter and lots of smiles during the evening, which finished with them asking us to be in a group photo.
|
|
Newark SCDS 1971 - 2021
A photograph of dancers at our Annual Dance commemorating 50 years since the Society was formed in 1971. A cake was cut by our Honorary Life Members, Sylvia and Godfrey Cozens, and a brief historical background given by our long-standing members Sally Stewart and Pat Harland. The dancing then began again, with the clock ticking towards year 51.
Members' Social 2021
After classes stopped in March 2020, it was wonderful to be able to invite all our members to meet up again before classes begin for the 2021/2022 season.
We have moved to a new location, the Bridge Community Centre, with more space for dancing, better ventilation and a car park.
For the first time, we had live music for the Member's Social, with Iain Carmichael playing his accordion, accompanied by Tom Cord on drums.
Four sets of dancers enjoyed a great evening and our weekly classes have now begun, hoping that nothing will interfere with planned classes, Socials, Dances and Day School.
We have moved to a new location, the Bridge Community Centre, with more space for dancing, better ventilation and a car park.
For the first time, we had live music for the Member's Social, with Iain Carmichael playing his accordion, accompanied by Tom Cord on drums.
Four sets of dancers enjoyed a great evening and our weekly classes have now begun, hoping that nothing will interfere with planned classes, Socials, Dances and Day School.
Scottish Country Dance meets Steampunk!
Members danced in the centre of Newark on August Bank Holiday Sunday 2021 during the middle of a Steampunk Festival.
Garden Dances 2021
Covid restrictions prevented any Garden Dances taking place in 2020. This year's season began with groups of up to 30 being able to meet in gardens, allowing dancing to take place, but staying distanced and therefore not able to use hands for crossing, turning, circles etc and dances are chosen which do not include certain formations such as poussettes. Since legal restrictions were lifted on 19 July, normal dancing has resumed.
Scottish Country Dancing
|
Scottish Country Dancing is a wonderful pastime and is great exercise for mind and body. Although originating in Scotland, you will find clubs and classes in most countries around the globe. Scottish Country Dancing is very much a social activity and, unlike many other types of dancing, dancers are encouraged to dance with different people, so that couples who do come along, will dance mostly with other dancers and it is therefore most definitely not a requirement to come to a class with a partner.
There are three basic types of dances: Reels and Jigs which are fast dances with their own footwork and Strathspeys which are slower and have different steps. There are many thousands of dances and more being written every year, but the vast majority are made up of combinations of a small number of basic formations. Once you have mastered these, you are in a good position to learn to dance a large number of Reels, Jigs and Strathspeys. |
Dancing fun in our new Tuesday evening hall
|
We are a friendly group of dancers and give a warm welcome to new members! Please browse our website to find out more about us, view the diary of our forthcoming events and to get in touch.
