Spring into Autumn!

The smiles and laughter (sometimes almost hysterical!) of Johnsonville Club members and their friends and families on Saturday 5 May at our pre-winter event, certainly proved that dancing is a shortcut to happiness!

Autumn in New Zealand means it’s spring in Scotland so we hedged our bets with the theme of Spring into Autumn. The hall was set with orange flowers made by Kristin decorating a fine selection of tartan rugs on the walls along with drawings of lambs, bunnies and autumn leaves coloured by members’ children.

In costumes of bright spring and autumn colours, we relaxed with mulled wine, fruit punch and nibbles followed by a delicious autumn buffet of hot mains and yummy desserts from Cotti Cafe.

Tutor Rod Downey put together a lively ‘spring and autumn’ programme – Bonnie Lassie Party Dance (March), Spring Rains (J), The Maypole Dance (R), Victorian Style Morris Dance (J), An Autumn Posy (S) and The De’il amang the Tailors.

With great excitement (and with the aforesaid hilarity), we put considerable focus and effort into dancing the World Premiere of Rod’s 96-bar The Maypole Dance (devised especially for the evening) from his Golden Bear Collection.

Then an exuberant melee thronged the floor as dancers experimented with their bells and handkerchiefs before Rod and Kristin demonstrated the moves of the Victorian Style Morris Dance. What an entertaining dance this was – for both the enthusiastic dancers and spectators!

Thanks to President Kristin and Allison for their wonderful organisation, Rod for his well-thoughtout programme, the committee and the merry band who helped out where needed, the willing helpers (Sylvia and Dominic) in the kitchen and Loralee for her event promotion (including finding a beautiful maypole image for the poster).

And thanks to all our members who came along with friends and family and had such fun dancing on this pre-winter night.

The smiles and laughter in the photos here show it all! (All photos by Loralee Hyde except where John Patterson is acknowledged as photographer).