Our Memories during Covid 19, starting with someone observing a class for the first time, then deciding to join our club
Upright posture, pointed toes,
Square dances or couples in rows,
Sets of four or sets of three,
Crossing the Line or The Hazel Tree.
Young and old attending classes,
A bit of sweat, steamed-up glasses,
Hands across, hands round and back,
Polharrow Burn, Pelorus Jack.
Now a jig and next a reel,
Forming a star (some say “a wheel”)
Helping dancers in your set,
Some keep up, others fret.
Finding music on the machine,
“It's track 9, you said 13!”
Neither too fast nor too slow,
For our tiring feet down below.
Coffee with cream poured in first
Or weakish tea to slake our thirst,
Biscuits, shorty, jaffas to eat,
Or a slice of cake as a special treat.
Only two weeks till our dance,
Catering called for in advance,
Raffles ready, decor, heating,
Band and callers, sufficient seating.
Guests arriving in best clothes,
Dresses, kilts and tartan hose,
Tying on pumps, faces agleam,
Dancing our hearts out, living the dream!
With programme praised, musicians too,
Let's hope we'll soon meet up anew.
And let our club go on expanding,
Coronavirus notwithstanding.
by Henry S. Mitchell
- - - - -
Upright posture, pointed toes,
Square dances or couples in rows,
Sets of four or sets of three,
Crossing the Line or The Hazel Tree.
Young and old attending classes,
A bit of sweat, steamed-up glasses,
Hands across, hands round and back,
Polharrow Burn, Pelorus Jack.
Now a jig and next a reel,
Forming a star (some say “a wheel”)
Helping dancers in your set,
Some keep up, others fret.
Finding music on the machine,
“It's track 9, you said 13!”
Neither too fast nor too slow,
For our tiring feet down below.
Coffee with cream poured in first
Or weakish tea to slake our thirst,
Biscuits, shorty, jaffas to eat,
Or a slice of cake as a special treat.
Only two weeks till our dance,
Catering called for in advance,
Raffles ready, decor, heating,
Band and callers, sufficient seating.
Guests arriving in best clothes,
Dresses, kilts and tartan hose,
Tying on pumps, faces agleam,
Dancing our hearts out, living the dream!
With programme praised, musicians too,
Let's hope we'll soon meet up anew.
And let our club go on expanding,
Coronavirus notwithstanding.
by Henry S. Mitchell
- - - - -
Poem by Anne Iles
to commemorate the 70th Anniversary
of RSCDS Stonehaven Branch on 13th October, 2018.
September comes and off you go
With polished pumps and cheeks aglow
To set and reel, heel and toe
At the Scottish Country Dancing.
Dances fast and dances slow
Sets of couples all on show
Bow and curtsy, off they go
At the Scottish Country Dancing.
No pianist now like long ago,
The rhythmic beat is canned – Hey ho!
But the beat is right, both fast and slow
At the Scottish Country Dancing.
There’s still the same good teachers three,
All so much younger when teaching me,
There’s Gwynne, Fiona and Linda too
(You quines, the years have been good to you)
Teaching the Scottish Country Dancing.
All fresh of face and nimble too
The answer is of course – what you do
Each Thursday night and other times too,
Teaching Scottish Country Dancing.
There’s cup of tea, biscuits to eat,
Music too with good clear beat,
And even if you have two left feet
You’ll enjoy Scottish Country Dancing.
So let’s enjoy this 70th Birthday treat,
The company’s good, we ate good meat,
Let’s show your pleasure, with your feet,
(Oh I wish, I wish I could!)
And do some Scottish Country Dancing.
- - - - -
to commemorate the 70th Anniversary
of RSCDS Stonehaven Branch on 13th October, 2018.
September comes and off you go
With polished pumps and cheeks aglow
To set and reel, heel and toe
At the Scottish Country Dancing.
Dances fast and dances slow
Sets of couples all on show
Bow and curtsy, off they go
At the Scottish Country Dancing.
No pianist now like long ago,
The rhythmic beat is canned – Hey ho!
But the beat is right, both fast and slow
At the Scottish Country Dancing.
There’s still the same good teachers three,
All so much younger when teaching me,
There’s Gwynne, Fiona and Linda too
(You quines, the years have been good to you)
Teaching the Scottish Country Dancing.
All fresh of face and nimble too
The answer is of course – what you do
Each Thursday night and other times too,
Teaching Scottish Country Dancing.
There’s cup of tea, biscuits to eat,
Music too with good clear beat,
And even if you have two left feet
You’ll enjoy Scottish Country Dancing.
So let’s enjoy this 70th Birthday treat,
The company’s good, we ate good meat,
Let’s show your pleasure, with your feet,
(Oh I wish, I wish I could!)
And do some Scottish Country Dancing.
- - - - -
Nasty Habits
by Pat Batt
I have some nasty habits –
I’ll confess it loud and clear
For that might sound a warning bell
To other dancers here.
I’ve curtsied to my partner
Whilst chatting to a friend –
My partner vainly wondering how
He’s managed to offend.
My hands too low in rights and lefts,
Too high in hands across.
I sometimes have a mental blank
And cause complete chaos.
I’ll own I’ve viewed my partner
With a vague, unfocussed eye
And given absent-minded hand
To drift – unseeing – by.
I’ve danced an eight bar reel in six,
A six bar reel in eight,
I’ve turned and cast too early
And I’ve turned and cast too late.
When slipping in a circle
I have not closed my feet,
My strathspey sometimes scrapes the floor,
My setting is not neat.
My toes have turned both in and up,
I have not paid attention,
And there were other lapses
That it’s better not to mention.
Well, there was one occasion –
It must have been the whisky –
When I danced Bratach Bana
And the others did The Frisky!
Yes, I’ve got nasty habits
And I only hope that you
When reading this confession
Don’t think “I’ve got them, too”!
by Pat Batt
I have some nasty habits –
I’ll confess it loud and clear
For that might sound a warning bell
To other dancers here.
I’ve curtsied to my partner
Whilst chatting to a friend –
My partner vainly wondering how
He’s managed to offend.
My hands too low in rights and lefts,
Too high in hands across.
I sometimes have a mental blank
And cause complete chaos.
I’ll own I’ve viewed my partner
With a vague, unfocussed eye
And given absent-minded hand
To drift – unseeing – by.
I’ve danced an eight bar reel in six,
A six bar reel in eight,
I’ve turned and cast too early
And I’ve turned and cast too late.
When slipping in a circle
I have not closed my feet,
My strathspey sometimes scrapes the floor,
My setting is not neat.
My toes have turned both in and up,
I have not paid attention,
And there were other lapses
That it’s better not to mention.
Well, there was one occasion –
It must have been the whisky –
When I danced Bratach Bana
And the others did The Frisky!
Yes, I’ve got nasty habits
And I only hope that you
When reading this confession
Don’t think “I’ve got them, too”!