In this issue From the Chair ............................................................. page 1 Monthly Parties ........................................................... page 2 Branch Calendar ........................................................... page 3 Register for the Beginners’ Ball .................................... page 3 Events Elsewhere ......................................................... page 4 A Real Show of Support ............................................... page 7 Volunteers .................................................................. page 10 Class List ................................................................... page 11 v olum e 5 1 n um be r 4 m arc h/ ap ri l 2 01 5 From the Chair by Don MacQueen, Branch Chair It's getting to be that time again! By which I mean our Branch Annual General Meeting—which includes a Branch Committee election—is coming soon. 2015 is an odd-numbered year, so five members' terms are coming to an end (vs. four in even-numbered years). Terms are ending for Don Grant, Don MacQueen, Syl- vain Pelletier, Donna Weidenfeller, and Geoffrey Wood. All have volunteered to run for re-election. But here's the deal: everyone is always welcome to attend and participate in Branch Committee meetings -- but if you want to have a voting say you need to be a Branch Committee member. I have been told we already have one new person interested in running, but more would be great. Ballots are required to be mailed no later than April 17 (15 days before the AGM), so if you're interested, please let me or someone on the BC know of your interest sometime before (preferably well before!) then. We'll ask you for a passport-size photo and a candidate's statement to be included with the ballot. Terms are for two years. In other news, thanks to the Valentines Ball Committee, the Ball program committee, and Fiddlesticks and Ivory (and the sound engineers, and the many additional volunteers, and, and, and...) for a wonderful dance, and for the event-filled weekend recognizing our 50th anniversary as a Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. The Red Thistle Dancers is pleased to announce the launch of our new website which has been redesigned to better support our mis- sion of celebrating & fostering Scottish culture and heritage through the performance of Scottish dance and music. Please visit www.redthistledancers.org, explore our site, share your views and sign our guest book!
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march/april 2015 · REEL & STRATHSPEYPER • RSCDS • SAN FRANCISCO BRANCH 2 May Monthly Party 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 2, 2015 Alameda Masonic Temple, 2312 Alameda Ave., Alameda
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In this issue
From the Chair ............................................................. page 1
R E E L & S T R A T H S P E Y P E R • R S C D S • S A N F R A N C I S C O B R A N C H
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FEBRUARY 2015
Fri-Sun 13-15 Honolulu (HI) Aloha Winter. Sponsored by Hawaii, RSCDS Branch. Registration deadline was Jan. 15. Fri: eve social; Sat: classes, eve ball; Sun: am classes, eve ceilidh. Teacher: Linda Henderson. Music: Humuhumunukunukuapua'a & Strathspey So-ciety Band (Bruce Herbold, Patti Cob, David Newitt, Heather MacKay, + David Mostardi). Casual / semi-formal attire. Fri 5:00 - 8:30 pm: “ Pupus” (light sup-per) & Social dance. Sat: 9-12,1-2 classes. Light brek-fast 8:30, lunch at noon; 5 pm Dinner & semiformal dance. Sun: 9:30-11:30 am Class, 5:30-9 pm Ceilidh. US$160.RSCDS members, $180 non-members. See website for more details. Contact Melissa Lindsay 808-256-3347 [email protected] or Bruce McEw-an 808-538-7707 [email protected]. [www.RSCDSHawaii.org]
MARCH 2015
Sat 14 Lake Oswego (WA) Portland Branch Work-shop & Ball. Sponsored by RSCDS Portland, Oregon Branch. Workshop classes 10am-4pm, Ball 7pm. Teachers: Roberta Gotfried, Bob McMurtry. Music: Deby Benton Grosjean. Cynthia Soohoo. Semi-formal attire. Lunch for dancers, finger food at Ball. US$65. Contact Linda Mae Dennis 360-609-0623 [email protected]. [www.PortlandScottishDancers.org]
Fri-Sun 20-22 Madison (WI) Annual Ball Weekend. Sponsored by Madison Scottish Country Dancers. Fri: Concert 8pm; Sat: Dance Workshop 9:30am, Music Workshop 1pm, Reception and Sit-Down Dinner 5:30pm, Ball 7:30pm, Sun: Brunch 10am. Music: Paul Woodiel (fiddle), Susie Petrov (piano). Contact Nancy McClements 608-233-2956 [email protected] or Ann Lindsey 608-833-7690 [email protected]. [www.madisonscottishcountrydancers.org]
Fri-Sun, 20-22 Washington (PA) Pittsburgh 43rd Annual Highland Ball & Workshop Sponsored by Pittsburgh Scottish Country Dance Society. Sat: Class 1-3pm, dinner & dance 6pm; Sun: Class & brunch 10am. Teacher: Ellen Sears. Music: Thistle House. Semi-Formal to Formal attire. Any or all Saturday events: $80,includes dinner; Any or all Sunday events: $20, includes brunch. Contact Arthur McNair 412-915-0585
Fri-Sun, 17-19 Melrose (MA) RSCDS Boston Branch Highland Ball Weekend. Sponsored by Boston, RSCDS Branch. Fri: Welcome dance 8pm; Sat: Re-ception 5:30pm, Dinner 6:30pm, Grand March 8pm; Sun: Brunch 11am-3pm. Welcome Dance musiC: Ed Pearlman (fiddle) & Neil Pearlman (keyboard). Ball music: Frost and Fire: Peter Macfarlane, fiddle, Viveka Fox (fiddle, Aaron Marcus (keyboard), Hollis Easter (flute and pipes). Sunday Brunch music: Dan Wheat-ley and the Gunns. Welcome Dance at different site. See website for ap-plication, dance program, directions. Contact Sara and Ed Pokrass (Co-chairs) [email protected]. [www.rscdsBoston.org/events-HighlandBall.html]
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duced rates for students; prices for individual events. Remit to: RSCDS Sacramento Spring Ball, PO Box 162455, Sacramento, CA 95816.rscds-sacramento.org
Fri-Mon 22-25 Copenhagen (Denmark) RSCDS Inter-national Branch Dance Weekend. Sponsored by RSCDS International Branch. Fri: dance 7:30-10:30; Sat/Sun/Mon: classes 9:30-12:30; Sat eve: ceilidh; Sun eve: Ball. Teachers: Ron Wallace (USA), Jessie Stuart (SCO), Gary Coull (SCO). Music: Ian Muir and the Craigellachie Band. May 26-31: Six-day holiday of Denmark available immediately following the dance weekend. Contact Fred DeMarse [email protected] or Chris Harris [email protected]. [www.rscds-ib.org/index.php/denmark-2015]
JUNE 2015
Fri-Sat, 5-7 Beloit (IL) Midwest Scottish Weekend. Sponsored by Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee Scot-tish Country Dance Groups. Fri welcome dance 8-11pm; Sat classes, Ball, ceilidh; Sun classes 9am-noon. Teacher: Linda Henderson. Music: Katie Mac-Nally (fiddle), Neil Pearlman (piano). US$240. Contact Mady Newfield 630-584-0825 [email protected]. [sites.google.com/site/midwestscottishweekend]
AUGUST 2015
Mon-Fri, 24-28 Wolfville (NS) Scotch on the Rocks. Classes: 9:30am-12.30pm. (classes at Intermediate-Advanced level). Two one-half day excursions. One 1-hour massage designed to help keep one dancing through the years. Teachers: Duncan, Maggie Kep-pie.Music: MiniMacs. Cdn/US $200; Cdn$100 for non-dancing partners. Accommodations not included. Spe-cial rates at Old Orchard Inn. See flyer for further in-formation. Contact Valley Scottish Country Dancers 902-542-5320 [email protected]. [www.vscd.info/2014_SCD_week.pdf]
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2015
Aug 28 - Sept 2 Fri-Wed Salzburg (Austria) SCD Workshop and Tourist Program, Salzburg, Austria. Fri: ceilidh 7pm; Sat classes morn & aft, ball; Sun morn class, optional tour of Salzburg, Mon-Wed optional tourist program. Teachers: Ron Wallace , Jim Cook. Ceilidh music: Liam Smith & his band, Ball mu-sic:Sarah-Jane Summers, Workshop music: Sue Bollans,Silke Groshoz. Meals, snacks, drinks provid-ed. US$255.Contact Regina Freinbichler [email protected]. [www.turnverein-maxglan.at/workshop.htm]
SEPTEMBER 2015
Fri-Sun, 18-20 High View (WV) Scottish Weekend at Timber Ridge Camp. Sponsored by Scottish Week-end. Welcome Dance, classes Saturday morning, evening dress Ball followed by a ceilidh; Sunday morning classes. Teachers: Antoine Rousseau, Janet Walker, Ellie Briscoe. Music :Jim Lindsay. Casual, semiformal, formal attire. US$275. All meals Friday dinner through Sunday lunch, refreshments/snacks. Weekend includes Camp located in beautiful West Virginia mountains.Contact Scottish Weekend [email protected]. [www.scottishweekend.org]
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R E E L & S T R A T H S P E Y P E R • R S C D S • S A N F R A N C I S C O B R A N C H
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A Real Show of Support
by Greg Reznick
In December, I reported that we had received a challenge grant
that would match donations to the Asilomar fund up to $1,000.
Well, Asilomar Weekend fans met that challenge so quickly that
the donor offered another $1,000 grant. Again, the outpouring
of support was overwhelming. By the time December was over,
we had received over $4,000 to add to the $2,000 challenge. At
this point we have raised over $10,000 to support the Asilomar
Weekend with supporters from afar joining members of the San
Francisco Branch to help ensure that Magic of Merrill will con-
tinue.
This is no small feat. Organizations such as ours struggle to find support. KQED subjects us to pledge drives twice a year. And,
no matter the size of their endowment, our alma maters continue
to ring our phones during dinner. But, for the Asilomar Week-
end, all we have to do is ask. I think I know why: there is noth-
ing like it, anywhere in the world. When you combine the loca-
tion with the classrooms and the magnificent Merrill Hall, to-
gether with unbelievably good music and great teachers, deliv-
ered with an attention to detail by a dedicated team of volunteer
committee members, it’s easy to see why it’s the Gold Standard
for Scottish Country Dance weekends. And that’s why so many
of us are intent on seeing it continue.
You might be asking what we are going to do with these dona-
tions. The first is a little old-fashioned marketing. (Well, it’s not
all old-fashioned.) Like placing an ad in the Scottish Country
Dancer, the magazine that is produced by the RSCDS. Because
filling the Weekend will make it much easier to make ends
meet. And who doesn’t want to spend some time in California?
The Monterey Peninsula and the Bay Area get millions of visi-
tors from all over the world every single year. Why not include
a wonderful weekend of dance in a California vacation?
But there’s more. The Asilomar Weekend website has received
a brand new look. (Check it out at the link in the ad on this
page.) Once again, it’s the volunteers that make the difference . Charlotte Greig is contributing her marketing prowess to pro-
duce ads and web pages, both on the Branch website and on
Facebook to let the world know about our wonderful weekend.
We are lucky to have her! Thanks, Charlotte!
We will also use the funds to ensure that we can retain our com-
mitment to excellence when planning the event. Financial pru-
dence is a must; we can’t count on increased attendance until we
see it happen. But starting with your generous support at the top
line makes budgeting easier. And a great weekend with great
marketing is sure to be a great success.
I bet you’re wondering what more you can do. First and fore-most: be an Asilomar Ambassador. Let others know about the
Magic of Merrill when you’re dancing elsewhere. There is no
better marketing than word-of-mouth. We’re counting on you to
spread the word.
Second, watch for Asilomar Events throughout the year. We’re
planning a series of house concerts to benefit the Asilomar
Fund. Great music and good company.
Finally, sign up, come on down to Pacific Grove, and have a
great time!
The Reel & Strathspeyper is a bi-monthly publication of the San Francisco Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, a
nonprofit educational organization. Access to online editions is a benefit of Branch membership. Printed copies are available by
subscription. For change of email or mailing address, please contact Gary Thomas 707.235.5423, [email protected].
The editor reserves the right to reject, alter or edit any material submitted for publication for reasons of taste, space, style, or clarity. All materials for publication should be submitted on CD-R in a word processing format, or sent by e-mail prior to the deadline (the
1st of even-numbered months). Exceptions may be made for last-minute notices, or on a space-available basis, when the editor is
notified prior to the deadline.
Editors of other newsletters may use or adapt any materials in the Reel & Strathspeyper unless a specific copyright notice is
included. Please credit author and original source.
Editors ................................. Greg Reznick, Olga Reznick
Design...................................... Mary Margaret McMurtry