We went to our Scottish Country Dance Club annual dance in the weekend. Beginners are not encouraged to go to the Saturday night dances in the first year of dancing in general. The idea is that you go to your club nights for the first year and learn the dance steps, and formations, and even some dances. Then when you have gained some base competency, you can inflict yourself on the danceing community at large. Your club's dance is the exception. We have been practicing the same dances for the past four weeks, so our beginner status wasn't such a problem. So we went.
By gum, I haven't had such a good night out for ages. We got to dress up, R more than me as I don't have the gear, but he has a kilt, and wears it with his mess kit. And then we danced with a whole heap of Nice People for the night. No alcohol, but a huge supper, and very delicious too. It is traditional that you don't dance with your partner more than the first and last dance of the night, so we both met new people.
Both of us were stunned at how competent we actually are. Some of the people that have been dancing for literally years don't have any more of an idea what is going on than we do, some actually less. Next year we will definitely be going to more than one formal. And we are seriously Csidering going to the summer school in Hlton especially as we do not have to pay for accomodation - my brother in law lives in Morrinsville, and he might do some of the baby sitting for us too. If we are very nice! The only problem with this plan is that we are going to have to save some money...
Posted by Toni at July 31, 2003 08:18 AM