Thread
Index
open meeting in Edinbugh
Robert Lambie
April 19, 2013, 2:36 p.m. (Message 63968)
The aims and objects of the RSCDS are stated to be all about "Country Dancing as danced in Scotland", which means a certain amount of difficulty for anyone who would wish to alter that. I would love to see the RSCDS paying some attention to the styles "BM" - Before Milligan, and thus before 1945. I like her strathspey particularly, and would not wish to see it lost, but I also like the old style for old dances. Monymusk is a fun dance at the old speed, but not as enjoyable at the modern speed.
Yup! I hope to see you there. > From: xxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx > To: xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx > Subject: RE: open meeting in Edinbugh > Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:45:39 +0100 > > Hope you r attending - > > pia > > -----Original Message----- > From: Robert Lambie [mailto:xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx] > Sent: 19 April 2013 11:37 > To: xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx > Subject: open meeting in Edinbugh > > The aims and objects of the RSCDS are stated to be all about "Country > Dancing as danced in Scotland", which means a certain amount of difficulty > for anyone who would wish to alter that. I would love to see the RSCDS > paying some attention to the styles "BM" - Before Milligan, and thus before > 1945. I like her strathspey particularly, and would not wish to see it lost, > but I also like the old style for old dances. Monymusk is a fun dance at the > old speed, but not as enjoyable at the modern speed. > >
I am afraid that Robert has misquoted the aims and objects of the RSCDS, on two counts. If he had checked first he would have seen that what for some organisations are "aims and objects" are now, for the RSCDS, in line with current practice, "Purposes" which read: "The purposes of the Society shall be to advance the education of the public in traditional Scottish country dancing", then going on to sub-clauses describing how this may be effected. For the past ten years at least my understanding is that the Constitution has not referred to "Country Dancing as danced in Scotland" as either under the "Objects" (incidentally with no reference to 'Aims') or in the current terminology, the "Purposes". Andrew Smith, Bristol UK
Andrew Smith wrote:
> For the past ten years at least my understanding is that the Constitution
> has not referred to "Country Dancing as danced in Scotland" as either under
> the "Objects" (incidentally with no reference to 'Aims') or in the current
> terminology, the "Purposes".
The »country dances as danced in Scotland« thing was part of the Society's
aims when it was newly founded in 1923. Somewhere down the road – rather more
than 10 years ago – it got changed to »Scottish country dances«.
It is well worth considering that the Society started as a »Scottish« (as
opposed to English) »country dance society« – the English already had one in
the form of the EFDSS, of which the two intrepid ladies apparently didn't want
to become the Scottish arm. Given that SCD is now an international, rather
than Scottish, concern it makes sense to think of the Society as the Royal
»Scottish country dance« society, promoting, not just in Scotland but
everywhere, the style of dance imported into Scotland in the 18th century,
kept alive during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and reinvigorated and
endowed with international appeal by the (R)SCDS in the latter part of the
20th. It is up to us in the 21st century to make sure that SCD stays fun,
international, and welcoming to everybody everywhere. Scotland is a fine place
but keeping SCD just for the Scots would be a terrible waste!
Incidentally, would anyone here who actually went to the meeting be prepared
to summarise for us what happened? Pia? Robert?
Anselm
--
Anselm Lingnau, Mainz/Mayence, Germany ................. xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Simple is better than complex. Complex is better than complicated.
-- Tim Peters, _The Zen of Python_
Sorry Anselm, I should have done this on Monday, but work commitments
made me prioritise otherwise. I am sure that others will add to my
very short report.
Incidentally, would anyone here who actually went to the
meeting be prepared to summarise for us what happened? Pia?
Robert
A group of 20+ met on Saturday. The reason that notification was late
was that the notice sent out three weeks earlier, was not picked up by
most people - including me, so what was broadcast was the reminder.
The attendees from all parts of Scotland were all interested in
various areas of Scottish dance - SCD, Step-dance (percussive),
Historical, Ceilidh, Performance, Archives, etc. and a few musicians
also attended. All this made the meeting interesting to chair - the
chair was shared by Fiona Campbell and myself. The meeting was very
relaxed and informal.
After introductions, The chairs explained the background to the
recommendations, which were all adopted, what the working group had
been doing i.e. assembled a draft constitution and come up with said
recommendations. We then went on to discuss the way forward - how
now to practically start a membership organisation, and it was agreed
to set up a steering committee, whose remit was to shorten the draft
constitution to a workable and practical document suitable for the new
forum. Furthermore, this steering committee would discuss membership
fees and other relevant material to suggest to a general meeting.
The formal minutes will be distributed and I will send them to Strathspey.
It was interesting to hear how many of the participants started
dancing SCD and then life took them in other dance directions. The
RSCDS was represented by Elisabeth Harry, Andrew Nolan, Jimmy Hill and
myself, so I imagine that 4 sets of reports will go to Elisabeth
Foster who seem to have asked most of us to keep her in the picture.
Pia