Scottish Country Dancing is a fun way to get fit and make new friends – all with toe-tapping Celtic music!
We welcome you to our Beginners’ Classes on 12, 19 & 26 February, 7.30pm-9.30pm on Monday nights at Khandallah Town Hall, 11 Ganges Road, Khandallah, Wellington.
Our classes suit all ages from teenagers and upwards. You can get up to 5,000 steps of your daily target for steps in a night of dancing!
First Class: Monday, 12 February
Doors open at 7.15pm. Come along then on the first night to register and be ready to dance at 7.30pm. Pay by cash at the door.
Our tutor Rod Downey will introduce the steps over the three weeks and you’ll be up and dancing during the first evening.
This is social dancing and we all dance together and help each other
No partner is needed – come by yourself or with a friend
Wear soft shoes and light comfortable clothing
Just $5 for each class – pay by cash at the door
FREE for 2023 Johnsonville Scottish Country Dance Club members
Queries
To find out more, contact Robert on 021 163 9649 or email him or Rod/Kristin on 04 478 4948 or email them
Location
Khandallah Town Hall, 11 Ganges Road, Khandallah, Wellington.
Deborah Shuker: Dancing to exercise the body and the mind
Deborah Shuker has been a Scottish Country Dancer for 13 years. Twenty-six years ago, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Eleven years later she had a heart attack, and it was then that she knew she needed to find a fun way to exercise regularly.
A newspaper ad for a Beginners’ class in Scottish Country Dancing at the Johnsonville Scottish Country Dance Club caught Deborah’s eye and in next to no time she was a regular.
‘It’s perfect for me. It’s promoted as fun, fitness, and friendly, and it is all of that. It exercises your body and exercises your mind. And you don’t have to come with a partner. And it’s ridiculously cheap!’
Above, Deborah in the red and white dress dances Lonely Sunday at the 2016 Wellington Region New Dancers’ Celebration, an annual event held in October each year to welcome new dancers into the Scottish Country Dancing community. Longer standing dancers from across the RSCDS Wellington region attend to support their new members at this special occasion, with live music.
Isabelle and Maggie: New dancers in 2020
Isabelle and Maggie with Kristin Downey, President of Johnsonville Club
Two new dancers have kindly shared their experiences of being a new dancer at Johnsonville Club in 2020.
During a mathematics visit to Leeds in July, I took the opportunity to interact with the thriving local dance groups in the Leeds area. Leeds Branch has lots of very good dancers and they are a friendly group to visit.
This is the third time I have been asked to take a ‘Downey Day of Dance’ which is great fun for me (at least) and an opportunity to teach some of my dances, as well as showcasing some other New Zealand dances. I’ve taught previously in York in 2018 and also in 2017.
Rod with dancers from Leeds Branch at the Downey Day of Dance. Photo: Catherine Livsey, Leeds Branch
For my 2023 workshop, I highlighted some of the dances I’ve written for Johnsonville club members (Charles and Tomoko, John Markham, Maggie Boag), and also included dances by prolific New Zealand dance devisers Iain Boyd and Alec Hay.
Generally, workshop participants are quite experienced, but this year some keen younger and newer dancers attended. Once I realised my 7-couple dance Riversdale, was a stretch too far, I modified my planned programme to make it a wee bit simpler. I replaced some of my planned dances with The Coleraine Rant and John Markham’s Rant.
Photo: Catherine Livsey, Leeds BranchPhoto: Catherine Livsey, Leeds BranchDancing Coleraine Rant. Photo: Rod DowneyDancing Coleraine Rant. Photo: Rod Downey
Choosing just the right music for a dance is important to me, and when I can, I try to showcase New Zealand music. This time I used music by Peter Elmes’ Band. In past workshops I have used Peter’s earlier band The Scotsmen and even The Southern Cross Ceili Band, as well as music by Bob Mellis, Jack Seton and David South.
Rod with the class at the Downey Day of Dance. Photo Catherine Livsey, Leeds Branch
Several people at the workshop asked me for information on the music I used on the day, so I’ve included that in the programme of dances done.
Programme – Downey Day of Dance, Sunday 2 July 2023
Hay’s Australian Ladies 4 by 32 R, Alec Hay Book 1 (The Australian Ladies, Jim MacLeod from an old 45 record)
I had meant to also do Iain Boyd’s Dance The Leprechaun with video, which we did at Johnsonville earlier in the year, but ran out of time due to the modified programme. Maybe next time (they have asked me back and maybe I will be travelling there next year).
The White Rose Festival
I also had the great pleasure of attending the Leeds Branch White Rose Festival which has been running since 1953 (early history here).
Rod opening the 67th White Rose Festival 2023
The festival is broken into day-time ‘team-dancing’ of pre-prepared dances, followed by an evening social dance.
Teams choose from a collection of dances selected by a committee and sent out to possible participating groups. The dances are grouped into ‘standard’ dances such as you might meet on an annual dance programme; junior/beginner dances; and ‘demonstration’, more challenging, dances; plus highland dances such as The Shepherd’s Crook, or the Fling.
This year the music was provided by Susan MacFadyen and her Band. Groups practice whichever dances they wish to do on the day, and get up as the particular dance is announced. The idea is that people can practice the relevant dances and this gives them something to be confident about.
Groups seem to love the demonstration dances, some of which are quite difficult, so a real challenge (maybe a ‘reel challenge’). They are too hard for a standard club night or annual dance.
I particularly liked the involvement of the local schools and children, where the teacher would be supervising their groups who have practiced the dances. The festival is totally non-competitive and people seemed to have a whale of a time. Groups were bussing in from quite far.
The afternoon continued pretty much as it does today. The numbers gradually increased as teams came from all parts of the country. When the adult teams reached 40 a waiting list was introduced. There was plenty of room for more dancers outside but the room inside was limited. A few years later children’s teams were introduced as many of the schools then had teams they prepared for Children’s Day in Roundhay Park. The maximum number of children’s teams was 27.
Post-covid, not that many but still a lot or people were there.
Normally the ‘prepared group dance’ part of the day is outdoors. However, in 2023 (probably as there was an Ashes cricket match on in Headingley), it rained all weekend. So, we were indoors. The evening dance is more along the lines of a standard annual-type dance (but had 21 dances!).
I was quite struck with the enthusiasm and feel of the whole festival. It might help explain why Leeds remains so strong. Having the practice with the same people would likely make you confident in the dance and maybe more confident to come along. Having schools and teachers involved means that lots of young people attend, and lots of families. It also creates an ongoing relationship with the schools.
The organisation ran like a well-oiled machine, but I guess Leeds have had lots of practice. I kept wondering if something like this could be looked at for the Region or the Branch in New Zealand. It would take a lot of preliminary analysis and a lot of effort the first time. Food for thought.
If you are in the Leeds area, take your ghillies and contact them via their very efficient website. As well as Leeds Branch classes, and day/weekend events, there are nine other local groups.
You can also visit neighbouring York, which is close by, has good dancing and lots of interesting historical places, such as the York Minster. Both Leeds and York are relatively near the Yorkshire Dales (think All Creatures Great and Small) which has many great walks, historical places like castles, and a lovely peaceful ambience.
Kristin and I have found this a wonderful place to both stay and visit, which we have done several times. In 2012 we stayed in the village of Malham Cove and amazingly enough ran into a New Zealand Scottish Country Dancer from Nelson at the breakfast table next to us in our small hotel!
This year, 2023, is the Centenary of the founding of the RSCDS. It is also the 70th Anniversary of the formation of the Wellington-Hawke’s Bay Association in 1953. This was the first Scottish Country Dancing association in New Zealand, which later morphed into the RSCDS New Zealand Branch
See a ‘potted history’ of the Wellington-Hawke’s Bay Association and of organised Scottish Country Dancing in New Zealand from 1953-1978 in this copy of the Foreword to The Morison’s Bush Collection
In 1993, to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Wellington-Hawke’s Bay Association and the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the New Zealand Branch of the RSCDS, dancers gathered in Napier for a Jubilee Weekend from 8-10 October.
Grand March at the 40th Jubilee: Piper Bruce Fordyce. Front row from left: Nancy Baxter, Dorothy Claypole, Peg Hutchison (Wellington Region President for four years in the 1970s), Marion Cunningham, Wellington Region President Carol Smith, Hawkes Bay and East Coast Region President May Brooker, New Zealand Branch President Min Jaeger, Carine Mayhew
Below is a piece about the Jubilee celebrations from the organiser Carine Mayhew extracted from the New Zealand Scottish Country Dancer Volume 41, 1994 p17.
Happy celebrations
1993 was an important for Scottish Country Dancing in New Zealand—it was 40 years since the forming of the first Association of Scottish Country Dance CIubs.
In 1953 the Wellington-Hawkes Bay Association was formed from clubs in Wellington, Lower Hutt. Wallaceville, Hastings, and Whakatane, with affiliated clubs in Napier, Napier Boys’ High School and Paraparaumu.
Also it was the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the New Zealand Branch of the RSCDS. What better reasons could we have to celebrate? On the weekend of 8 to 10 October 1993, dancers from Hamilton to Christchurch gathered in Napier to do just that.
From the Friday night Social Get-together, arranged by Madge Laing, to the Sunday Combined Classes and final lunch everyone appeared to have a happy and enjoyable time. which was the Region‘s aim.
Some 120 dancers from 25 clubs attended. Classes were held on the Saturday with Dianne Murdoch taking the Intermediate Class and Gary Morris the Advanced Class, and on the Sunday morning each took a Combined Class. The fact that eight sets were on the floor at 9.00am to commence the first class was an indication of the enjoyment and enthusiasm.
Gary Morris dancing Alec Hay’s Gary Morris Jig from The Morison’s Bush Collection at the 40th Anniversary in Napier. Photo: A History of Scottish Country Dancing in New Zealand, p151
On the Saturday afternoon four sets of dancers from the Hawkes Bay and East Coast Region gave a display at the ‘Charity Tattoo in the Spirit of Hawkes Bay’ at McLean Park, which was organised and hosted by the Napier Caledonian Society and the Napier City Council.
The dances performed were The Reel of the Royal Scots, The Robertson Rant and the Thirty-two some Reel, which were well received.
However, the highlight was to have the special guests with us who were involved in the forming of the Wellington-Hawkes Bay Association 40 years ago.
These were Marion Cunningham of the then Wallaceville Club (now Upper Hutt), Bruce Fordyce of the Hastings Club, Nancy Baxter (founder of the Napier Club), and Jessie and Les Coe of Morison’s Bush, who arranged the first Scottish Country Dance Ball in New Zealand and hosted the ‘travellers’ at their farmhouse or the barn—wherever there was space to “put a body”!
Mary and Bruce Fordyce from Hastings with, in the front, Jessie and Les Coe and Shirley Doherty (nee Coe) from Morison’s Bush.
Maurice Colbourne, originally from the Hastings Club, was to have attended but unfortunately had to cancel at the last minute. We were delighted to have our New Zealand Branch President, Min Jaeger, with us for the weekend, and also Ian Seton from Tauranga, Jack Seton’s son.
Jack, who will be remembered by many, was the prime instigator of the original Association, and who will forget his enthusiasm and wonderful organising abilities. Alma Secker from Featherston was there too, as she was at the first Summer School which was held in Napier in 1953.
Alma Secker, Bruce Fordyce, Nancy Baxter, Ian Seton, Mary Fordyce
Our Guest Speaker at the Dinner on the Saturday night was Bruce Fordyce, who spoke vividly of those early days. May Brooker, President of the Hawkes Bay and East Coast Region, and Carol Smith, President of the Wellington Region, spoke on behalf of their respective Regions.
Bruce also piped for the Grand March, playing a tune called Dancing Years which he had composed especially for the gathering.
The evening was a happy affair, with the MC duties shared between Joy Tracey and Gary Morris, continuing the Wellington-Hawkes Bay theme. Our Anniversary cake, which was made and iced by local dancers VaI Darragh and Margaret Vas, was cut by Min after she had given a delightful speech.
Forty years may have rolled on, but the enthusiasm is still there, as commented on by our special guests. We have much for which to thank them. They introduced us to a wonderful interest and the opportunity of making lasting friendships. Long may we retain these happy associations!
Carine Mayhew 1993
Photos supplied by the Fordyce family, except where otherwise noted
Every now and again the club is approached by a community group to share our love of Scottish Country Dancing.
When we can, we try to accept. It depends on time of year, tutor and club members’ availability, suitability of the venue, and whether we think Scottish Country Dancing is a good fit for a particular event.
With community groups getting back up and running this year following covid, we were contacted by the leader of the Newlands Brownies about getting together to dance on 25 July.
Brownie badges
The focus of the Karori Brownie experience was on finding out about different cultures, with dance as a part of that. Newlands Brownies were looking at dance as a physical activity, promoting good health through fitness.
They were working on a ‘Keeping Safe’ badge, with one of the clauses being ‘Healthy You’, requiring the brownies as a group to try an energetic activity. They decided it would be fun to choose dance as their activity, and Scottish Country Dancing appealed.
The brownie meeting room in the Newlands Community Centre is quite small, so I gathered a group of six dancers, with Loralee as photographer, plus Aileen Logie – who was kind enough to come along with her accordion and play for us.
Tartan and a tintookie
We all turned out in as much tartan as we could muster. Anne M and husband Ed were the stars, Anne in kilt and sash and Ed in tartan trews, formal jacket and bow tie. The rest of us wore kilts or sashes, and Aileen wore her familiar Black Tartan band tabard.
For a bit of fun and nostalgia, I pinned on my Australian Tintookie (sprite) sixes badge from when I was a Queensland brownie in the 1960s. As it turned out, lots of us had been in brownies (Aileen was also a sprite, in Scotland), guides, cubs or one of the brigades.
Dancing
Once all the brownies had arrived and were settled in, Rod did a warm-up for everyone and a quick introduction to the footwork.
Rod explaining footwork during the warm-upRod, Ed, Elizabeth, Maureen, Anne and Kristin demonstrating The Flying Scotsman
With brownies a-buzz, we danced The Flying Scotsman with its steam train-inspired moves and the challenge of making those steam-train whistle noises at just the right time.
The buzzing Brownies casting in The Flying ScotsmanBrownies loving the experience of Scottish Country Dancing
The brownies got a short break while we danced The De’il Amang the Tailors, then were back up to dance The Virginia Reel and Jig to the Music.
Aileen playing for The Virginia Reel
It’s always fun to dance with children, they have so much energy and enthusiasm, but a little tricky at times keeping track of all those buzzing brownies with so few of us and so many of them.
And more
Dancing over, Aileen offered the brownies a chance to play the piano keys on her accordion while she pumped. They were very keen, queuing up for a turn on this unfamiliar instrument, and then on to a (very well-supervised) look at the sgian dubh which Rod pulled out of his sock.
The Brownies loved trying out Aileen’s accordion!
After a very nice thank you speech from one of the brownies, it was time for us all to go home for a well-earned dinner.
Framed by a backdrop of snow-capped peaks in the Seaward Kaikōura mountains with shimmering blue seas at the fore, the recently refurbished Kaikōura Memorial Centre was a perfect spot for the Matariki Weekend School from 14-16 July 2023, organised by the Canterbury Region of the RSCDS New Zealand Branch.
The view from the Kaikōura Memorial Centre—the weather was stunning throughout the weekend with snow topping the Seaward Kaikōura mountains and the sun shimmering on the sea.Built in 1952 as a war memorial with Rolls of Honour for WW1 and WW2, the Kaikōura Memorial Centre has a picturesque view over Kaikōura Beach.
Dancers from Wellington down to Timaru enjoyed dancing on the hall’s beautiful wooden floor during the Advanced Class led by Wellingtonian Damon Collin, two evening functions—the Welcome dance on Friday night and the Saturday Night Dance—and a Combined Class on Sunday morning. The Intermediate Class with Gaye Collin as tutor danced in St Peter’s Anglican Church Hall.
Our leg muscles appreciated the sprung wooden floor at the Saturday Night Dance—here dancing Miss Nidra Aitken, a strathspey devised by Francis Walduck. Photo: Screenshot from Pat Reesby’s video of this dance
Two others from Wellington, Pat Reesby and Margaret Cantwell, were also in the Advanced Class, along with former Ngaio dancer Gaylia Powell who now lives in Christchurch.
Advanced Class: Margaret is fifth from the left with Pat and Gaylia next to her, tutor Damon Collin is in the centre with Loralee next to him. Photo: RSCDS Canterbury Region
Throughout the weekend we had bright sunshine and stunning blue skies. However, the mornings were rather frosty out in the countryside where I was staying. Damon made sure we had an intensive warm-up before stretching our legs out in the first dance of each session.
Appropriately, the first dance Damon took us through was Start Your Engines, a jig by American deviser Ellen Ternes. I must admit it took a while to start my engines, both physical and mental!
During our classes, Damon had us focus on our posture, keeping an eye on our partner and watching for cues. There was also an emphasis on phrasing with ‘trying to be in the right spot at the right time’. We practiced this in various formations including:
Making sure we finished the Reel of Four on the Side in John Drewry’s 4-couple jig Macleod’s Fancy (so we could immediately flow on to the next formation)
A new formation ‘D’s in Tandem’ in Gaye Collin’s dance D for Damon (which also included Inveran Reels and a Rondel!).
Dancing the Baby, a flowing square set dance devised by Gaye containing reverse Schiehallion reels kept us on our toes—helped along by Marian Anderson’s music (The Musicians’ Wedding Track 8).
The Welcome Dance programme on Friday night included the popular dances Laird of Milton’s Daughter, Beach Dancer, The Water of Leith, Pelorus Jack and The De’il amang the Tailors. All dances were walked to ensure everyone could participate.
Ably led by Lorraine Whaley from Christchurch, we had a session on Saturday afternoon to walk through some of the dances on that evening’s programme including The Wind Dragon, The Kissing Bridge and Culla Bay.
On the night, The Montgomeries’ Rant, The Braes of Tulliemet, Trip to Timber Ridge and Scott Meikle also proved popular.
Gaye and Damon shared teaching the Combined Class on Sunday morning. A dance of interest for Johnsonville members was the 3-couple strathspey Miss Catherine Morris’s Strathspey, devised by Jason Morris who often plays in the band at Johnsonville events.
Jason taught his work colleagues (five of whom were complete newcomers to Scottish Country Dancing) to dance this in eight weeks! See more about Jason’s feat in Harbour City Happenings March 2021 p6-7
While we were dancing this strathspey, we were challenged by Gaye to ask someone we hadn’t danced with during the weekend for the next dance, just by giving cues with our eyes! Of course, it was a test to see if we had improved our posture and the use of our eyes over the weekend…but some chaos did ensue! I did eventually find a new partner, but had to literally wave my hand in front of their face to get their attention which is not something one normally does on the dance floor!
A tricky dance for our tired minds to handle was The Sleeping Warrior, a 4-couple strathspey by Derek Haynes which includes a mind-scrambling formation called ‘interlocking allemandes’. The ‘Sleeping Warrior’ is the profile of the north Arran hills in Scotland seen from the Ayrshire coast.
We breathed sighs of relief to finish the class with a dance most of us are familiar with—Mairi’s Wedding. Gaye and Damon declared they’d seen definite improvements in our posture and engaging our partner and others in the set with our smiles and eyes. A true benefit of taking part in a weekend school.
Thanks so much to the organisers from RSCDS Canterbury Region for organising such a fun and worthwhile weekend, Damon and Gaye for the time they’d taken to prepare and take the classes, Ian Marshall and Lorraine Whaley for managing the sound system and Su Marshall for video and photography. This weekend of dancing in the beautiful location of Kaikōura was a treat!
A fine way for Scottish Country Dancers to catch-up with old friends and make new (as well as learning more about the intricacies of dancing!) is to take part in Region Weekend Schools.
Often run in smaller centres, weekend schools are fun-filled and lively gatherings jam-packed with dancing and music along with plenty of free time to relax and socialise.
Usually held over a long weekend, the schools are likely to have a range of classes, tutors and musicians from across the country, a Saturday evening dance for all to enjoy and a ceilidh or theme night. There’s also the bonus of taking the opportunity to visit local attractions, explore regional walks, or just try out the coffee at a nearby café.
In early June, former Johnsonville member and secretary Pat Reesby took the opportunity to go to the King’s Birthday Weekend School 2023 in Matangi near Hamilton, hosted by Lochiel Scottish Country Dancing Club. See what Pat has to say about the delights of dancing at Waikato/Bay of Plenty Region Weekend Schools below.
Loralee Hyde
A King’s Birthday Weekend School!
Queen’s Birthday Weekend … a predictable and constant time of year. The Queen’s official birthday, an annual long weekend.
How odd, then, to have the prospect of a King’s Birthday Weekend!
I’d attended several Queen’s Birthday Weekend Scottish Country Dancing schools—in Cambridge, Tauranga, Awakeri Springs, Rotorua … and most recently in Katikati in 2019.
These annual events are organised by the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Region and are always well run and popular. The details vary each year but they cater for dancers at various levels, with a variety of tutors, a formal Saturday evening dance, and a ceilidh often with a dress-up theme. A musicians’ class is usually included, with live music for both classes and evening dancing.
And depending on where the school is held, there are plenty of other things to do. I recommend hot pools!
With increasing age and infirmity I’d assumed Katikati would be my last fling … but how could I resist the novelty of a King’s Birthday school? And so I registered for the 2023 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Region Weekend school at Matangi near Hamilton. And I was glad I did.
In fact I stayed in the Waikato a whole week, visited Hamilton Gardens, admired countless urban cow statues in Morrinsville, took part in ‘advanced low impact’ classes at the school (tutored by Johnsonville member Jeanette Watson) and took my cousin along to the Sunday evening dinner and ceilidh in the Matangi hall.
The ceilidh theme was Royalty but rather than dress up in finery I became Princess Anne in jodhpurs, with an improvised riding crop. Charles was there too, in polo gear.
Dancing ‘A Reel for Jeannie’ at the ceilidh. All are real-life Jeannies (or Jeanettes, Jennifers and so on). Johnsonville member Jeanette Watson is second from left. Photo: Andy PattersonRoyalty at the ceilidh: Pat as Princess Anne, Lynne Hudson as a Grenadier Guard, Mary as the Queen, Colleen as King Charles in polo gear and Jeanette as a lady. Photo: SuppliedPat with a ‘jigsaw’ cow in Morrinsville. Photo: SuppliedWild Heather—Lynne Scott, Sharlene Penman, Mary McDonald and Anne-Marie Forsyth—played wonderful music for the whole school. Photo: Pat Reesby
Watch the video of Furth o’ Clyde (a Waikato/Bay of Plenty core dance) at the Saturday night Ball—which celebrated Lochiel Scottish Country Dancing Club’s 65th anniversary.
My first weekend school was back in 2000, not long after I started dancing, and it was an Easter school in Kaikoura. A delightful few days of dancing classes, not to mention seafood chowder at the Why Not Cafe. Since then, I’ve attended two or three more Easter schools in Kaikoura, and only an unexpected stroke prevented me from attending one in 2016.
This year there is another dancing school in Kaikoura, this time run by the Canterbury Region during the Matariki Weekend in mid-July … and I’m going! Gaye and Damon Collin, well known tutors in Wellington, are taking classes, along with Su Marshall of Christchurch. Like to come too? Weekend dancing schools are well worthwhile, without the time commitment of a RSCDS New Zealand Branch Summer School.
I’d met Elaine at the King’s Birthday school at Matangi, and she encouraged us Wellingtonians to attend a forthcoming Auckland and Northland Region Labour Weekend School in Kaiwaka, a small town in Northland.
I’ve never been there … surely a long way to go? “Well, I’ve come all the way down to Wellington!” Elaine replied. And it does sound like an interesting—and different—school.
Instead of classes for different levels the weekend will have a ‘Pick and Mix’ approach, with sessions such as Dancing with Soul, Magic Moments in Dance, Dancing with Vitality and Flight and Ageing Gracefully. Musicians’ classes too, and live music for the evening dances from Glenfiddle and Wild Heather. Very tempting!
Wellington-Hawke’s Bay Association 50th Anniversary Ball
in conjunction with
Wellington Region Weekend School: 25-27 April 2003
Formed in 1953, the Wellington-Hawke’s Bay Association was the first Scottish Country Dancing association in New Zealand. This association later morphed into the RSCDS New Zealand Branch
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Wellington-Hawke’s Bay Association, dancers from around the country enjoyed an Anniversary Ball on Saturday 26 April 2003 in conjunction with a Wellington Region Anzac Weekend School at Onslow College.
With Carol Smith as convener (centre in the image below), the weekend school was promoted as:
The Place To Be in April 2003
Highlights of the 50th Anniversary Ball
A programme of well-known dances for all to enjoy
24 sets on the floor
Music from Peter Elmes((Tributes to Peter Elmes following his retirement from playing his accordion for 60 years in Wellington Region and throughout New Zealand, Harbour City Happenings, Volume 21 No. 3, December 2018)), Lynne Scott and John Smith
Floor show prepared by Ian Simmonds((Ian Simmonds retires after 52 years of teaching Linden Club, Harbour City Happenings, Volume 14, No. 2, July 2011))
The 50th Anniversary Ball Programme: Well-known dances for all to enjoy
Below is a piece about the 50th Anniversary Ball by Carol Smith, extracted from her article on the Wellington Region Anzac Weekend School published in Harbour City Happenings Vol 6, No. 3 July 2003, p4-5, with accompanying photos (photographer unknown).
“The Saturday evening function at Onslow College, the Anniversary Ball celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Wellington-Hawke’s Bay Association, was a superb night and it was a wonderful sight to see 24 sets on the floor with so little room between sets. Perhaps a little tight for dancing, but it gave a great atmosphere.”
“From the Grand March to the last dance the hall seemed to be buzzing and although a formal night was also great fun.
It was nice to be able to welcome the NZ Branch President Jenny Kuttel, the Region President Chris Kelly, along with many other Branch and Region executive members and make a special welcome to Bruce and Mary Fordyce. Bruce being the only member of the original Wellington-Hawke’s Bay committee still dancing.
The floor show prepared by Ian Simmonds was great entertainment and it was a delight to see a set of dancers enjoying themselves so much. Thank you Ian and the team for a great effort.
Peter Elmes, Lynne Scott and John Smith provided great music and it just seemed that the dancers and the band sparked off each other, responding to each others enthusiasm.
Janice Henson provided a lovely cake celebrating the 50th Anniversary. All in all a great night.”
The cutting of the cake was shared by Bruce Fordyce (one of the original committee members of the Wellington-Hawkes Bay Association), Peg Hutchison((Peg Hutchison Wellington Region President for four years in the 1970s; RSCDS New Zealand Branch President 1985-1986; RSCDS New Zealand Branch Life Member 1998)) and Gary Morris((Gary Morris Extract from Sociable Carefree Delightful A History of Scottish Country Dancing in New Zealand 1995 p150-151)) (long-time Region tutor and RSCDS examiner).
Lynne Scott, John Smith and Peter Elmes from the band are on the stage behind the group cutting the cake.
Highlights of the Anzac Weekend School: 25-27 April 2003
A digital copy of the 2003 Wellington Region Weekend School Brochure. Original printed brochure kindly supplied by Margaret Bailey-Allison
Intermediate/Elementary: Philippa Pointon, Wellington (Johnsonville Club President at the time)
New Dancers: Maureen Robson, Wellington
JAMS: Melva Waite, Wellington
Musicians
Special Guest Musician: Jennifer Foong, Sydney
Other Class Musicians: Merren Simmonds, Peter Elmes, John Smith, Gary and June Stratton
Fiddlers Class: Guest Teacher Cathy Fraser, Australia
Read about the fun of the dancing and social activities at the April 2003 Wellington Region Weekend School in this review by Ellen Bracefield (‘a weekend school novice’), Harbour City Happenings Vol 6, No. 2 May 2003, p3.
A weekend to remember!
Thank you to all those who contributed to the success of this celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Wellington-Hawke’s Bay Association and the Region Anzac Weekend School, particularly Convener Carol Smith and her committee of Eileen South, Shirley Kalogeropoulos, Ian Taylforth and John Gregory.
As Ellen said in her review of this celebration, “Anzac Weekend School in Wellington was the place to be in April 2003”.
1955: Summer Dancing in Percy Reserve, Wellington Evening Post Scottish Country Dancers at Percy Scenic Reserve, Korokoro, Lower Hutt. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002) :Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1955/2562-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22736027
Percy Scenic Reserve has a fascinating history, originally being the site of the Percy family’s mill, established in the 1840s. The family was one of the pioneer families of Petone, with Joseph Percy and (later wife) Anne Maria Welch arriving as settlers in the early 1840s.
Scene at Korokoro, circa 1860s, with Percy’s Britannia Flour Mill. Photographer unidentified. NatLib image
View from the Percy family property (later Percy Scenic Reserve) in Maungaraki, looking south down the Hutt Valley toward Petone, Somes Island and Wellington Harbour. In the left foreground is Percy’s flour mill. Photographer James Bragge, circa 1860s. NatLib image
1902: View of Lower Hutt looking due east from Percy’s Reserve. The edge of Ratanui Tennis Court is at the bottom right. Photo: Barclay Hector Upper Hutt City Library Heritage Collections
From early on, ‘the mill soon became a social hub hosting dances and events.’ Land nearby was later developed as a private garden, and in 1939 three of the Percys’ grandsons gifted the park and its special plant collections to the Crown ‘for the purposes of a scenic reserve’.
‘From the 1950s the reserve was regularly used for a variety of cultural events such as dances and performances.’ Scottish Country Dancing was one of the groups favoured by the Petone Borough Council in those years. (See Hutt City celebrations of Percy Reserve 70th anniversary)
Interestingly there is a family connection to Scottish Country Dancing through past Wellington dancer, Plimmerton Scottish Country Dance Club tutor and later Johnsonville member, Margaret Bailey (now Bailey-Allison).
Margaret tells me her 2x great-aunt was Anne Maria (Welch) Percy, wife of Joseph Percy, who was ‘the mother of all those Percys who didn’t marry, and who bequeathed the family land’. In New Zealand, you never have to look far for a family connection.
The Scottish Country Dancing connection with Percy Reserve began in the 1950s.
1955: A Scottish Country Dancing demonstration
Dancing at Percy Reserve seems to have begun with a Sunday afternoon demonstration in March 1955, at the request of the Petone Borough Council.
Fifty dancers from Wellington district took part, and the white frocks and tartan looked particularly attractive against the background of bush-clad hills. A light mist hanging round the tree-tops only increased the resemblance of the scene to thills of Home.
The NZ Scottish Country Dancer 1955, p 19
Amazingly it was performed before ‘some 700 spectators’, and followed on from a January demonstration on the lawn in the moon-lit Botanical Gardens.
The 1955 season was deemed to be ‘highly successful’ with these two public demonstrations having ‘given fresh impetus to Scottish Country Dancing in the District’. (The NZ Scottish Country Dancer 1955, pp 3,19)
1955-1956: Dancing under lights
By end of 1955, the Petone Borough Council had installed flood lights and a PA system, and offered the Reserve free to the Scottish Country Dance community to dance one evening a week throughout the summer.
Regular evening dancing started on 21 November 1955, broke for Christmas and resumed to coincide with the second New Zealand Summer School held 3-14 January 1956 at Wellesley College, Eastbourne.
On 12 January 1956 at this second summer school, the New Zealand Scottish Country Dance Society came into being, fulfilling ‘a recommendation made some 12 months earlier from the first Summer School’ [held 27 December 1954 to 7 January 1955 at the Boys’ High School, Napier]. (The NZ Scottish Country Dancer 1956, p 11)
What Jack Seton had to say
At that inaugural meeting, dancer and musician Jack Seton was elected the first President of the New Zealand Scottish Country Dance Society. He was also one of three teachers at the second Summer School, and was very excited about summer dancing at Percy Reserve.
Jack Seton MC’ing a Scottish Country Dance. Photo supplied by Ruary Laidlaw
In the Hastings Notes from Affiliated Clubs in the 1956 magazine, Jack writes enthusiastically:
Since I came to lovely New Zealand, I often wondered if I could ever capture the same thrill at a massed display [as he’d experienced at a demonstration at Holyrood Palace]. During the last Summer School, the class together with members of the Wellington and District clubs performed at Percy’s Reserve. The setting, plus the lighting which added colour to the contrast of tartan sashes and kilts against the green sward brought back the same happy feeling, a feeling which made me inwardly proud of the leaders of clubs who have brought our dances to such a high standard of perfection and a love for every member who gave of his best.
The NZ Scottish Country Dancer 1956, p 19
Percy’s becomes an institution
From the 1950s onwards summer dancing at Percy Reserve was part of the fabric of Scottish Country Dancing in Wellington. Some years were better than others weatherwise, with gatherings washed out on occasion.
In 1971 summer dancing was still going strong, with Lower Hutt Club writing:
This year we were very fortunate with the weather for all eight nights’ dancing at Percy’s Scenic Reserve. On the Hutt Club’s nights, approximately 10 sets turned out for dancing under the stars.
The NZ Scottish Country Dancer 1971, p 36
In 1972, Wellington Club reported that ‘on two of our allotted nights the grass was too wet to allow us to cavort’. But large numbers continued to enjoy dancing at Percy’s throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s.
An exciting development in the 1980s was live music at Percy’s Reserve. Peter Elmes’ notes include a dance programme for 26-1-82 at Percys Reserve and the 1984 Dancer magazine mentions live musicians playing at some of the Percy Reserve nights in 1983.
Little other mention was made in magazines during the 1980s or 1990s. Other events took priority, with summer dancing at Percy’s Reserve having become a normal part of the Wellington Scottish Country Dancing calendar.
Clubs might go into recess for the summer months, but warmer weather never seems to deter the Scottish Country Dancer. Outdoor dancing at Percy’s Reserve during January and February … keeps the fitness levels up until clubs recommence in early March.
The NZ Scottish Country Dancer 1995, p 35
The end of an era
After 1995, I can find no further mention of summer dancing at Percy Reserve in my collection of magazines, and come 1999:
In January/February, outdoor dancing was held at Riddiford Gardens in Lower Hutt – each night being hosted by a different club.
The NZ Scottish Country Dancer 2000, p 25
Summer dancing at Percy Reserve was a feature of Scottish Country Dancing in the Wellington Region for at least forty years – a mighty fine run indeed.
A personal note
Rod and I started dancing in 1991 and we have happy memories of dancing in Percy Reserve in the summer (despite being eaten alive by midges). It was a lot of fun, and we were still young, so dancing on the grass didn’t impact our feet the way it does these days.
Rod became tutor of Johnsonville in 1997 and can remember taking some nights at Percy Reserve in that role, so it would seem summer dancing was still going strong at Percy’s into the late 1990s.
Summer dancing had transferred to Riddiford Gardens in Lower Hutt by January 2000. Harbour City Happenings Vol 2 No.5 November 1999, p6
My attention was drawn to the history of Percy Reserve by past Johnsonville member Margaret Bailey (now Bailey-Allison), when she commented that she had a family connection to the Percy family, who donated the land for Percy Scenic Reserve.
Margaret tells me her 2x great-aunt was Anne Maria (Welch) Percy, wife of Joseph Percy, who was ‘the mother of all those Percys who didn’t marry, and who bequeathed the family land’. In New Zealand, you never have to look far for a family connection.
This seems like the time to focus on Margaret, her many contributions to Scottish Country Dancing, and her connections to Johnsonville Club.
Margaret Bailey-Allison at the 2011 Johnsonville Annual Dance, with John Smith and Peter Elmes from the band in the background. Photo: Pat Reesby
Margaret started dancing in 1959 and is still dancing. In that time she has served on four different Region committees, and danced or taught at Whanganui Girls’ College, St Aidens/Linden, Plimmerton, Johnsonville, Mana Juniors, Whitby, Stratford, Hawera, Schiehallion, Nelson, Richmond and St Andrews. She was also a RSCDS New Zealand Branch JAM (Junior associate member) examiner and Committee member.
In her many years of dancing in the Wellington Region, Margaret served on the Region committee, and was involved in region demonstrations and events. She was tutor at Plimmerton Club, Whitby and Mana Juniors and taught for short periods at other clubs when tutors were away or indisposed.
Margaret second from the right in the Wellington Region demonstration team dancing Crown of Kings at a region event in 1991. Current Johnsonville member Loralee Hyde, is third from the right.
Before becoming a member at Johnsonville, Margaret spent many years dancing at Linden Club, and had often enjoyed the annual Linden-Johnsonville exchanges that were part of the earlier history of the two clubs. Margaret’s records also show she was attending Johnsonville annual dances from as early as 1977!
It was not until the 2000s that Margaret (with husband John Bailey), became a member of Johnsonville Club. At that time she also joined the list of Johnsonville tutors, acting as an alternate tutor (in addition to Philippa Pointon), during Rod’s work trips overseas.
At the 2000 Johnsonville Black and White Annual Dance, Margaret is dancing with Jan Bruce in the top set. John Bailey, her late husband, is leading up the middle in the set behind.
Margaret was a generous mentor to a number of younger tutors. Rod remains grateful for her encouragement and advice, especially in his earlier years as a tutor at Johnsonville. Over the years Margaret has continued to support both Rod and the club by donating dance books, and is currently sorting and sending her collection of dance leaflets in his direction.
In July 2004, Rod devised the dance The Spinnaker Hornpipe in honour of Margaret and John (who then lived at Spinnaker Drive, Whitby). Margaret’s love of energetic dances fitted well with a hornpipe, and with the Gay Gordons Poussette – a new and lively progression Rod devised for the dance.
June 2006: Margaret behind Kristin dancing Rod Downey’s dance Kristin Macdonald’s Strathspey at a Johnsonville Club night when we celebrated Kristin’s 50th birthday
Watch a video taken by Joanne Ang of the Johnsonville dancers above including Margaret dancing Kristin Macdonald’s Strathspey at Kristin’s 50th birthday celebration.
Margaret also devised dances, publishing The Whitby Collection in 1996. Her dance The Three-Legged Cat regularly appears on Johnsonville Club night programmes, together with the photo of her cat Tripod, showing a missing front leg. The Three-Legged Cat was also one of the dances that Rod included on the programme for Johnsonville’s Tribute to Wellington Devisers on Monday 28 September 2015.
Watch this video of The Three Legged Cat from Pat Reesby, filmed by John Patterson at the Tribute to Wellington Devisers in the Johnsonville School Hall in 2015.
There is much more that could be said, but why not say it in pictures.
Check out the gallery of Scottish Country Dancing photos of Margaret from 1987 to 2016, put together by club photographer Loralee Hyde.
1987 4 July Wellington Region Ball team. Simon Collin, Doug Miller, Andrew Reid, Tim Haskell, Carol Wallace, Jeanette Watson, Noeline O’Connor, Margaret, Maureen Robson. Photo: Supplied
1987 4 July Wellington Region Ball demonstration. At the right, Margaret dancing with Doug Miller. Photo: Supplied
1990 Wellington Easter School demonstration with Margaret fifth from the right. Other dancers include Lynne Hudson, Murrey Totton, Ian Simmonds, Noeline O’Connor, Iain Boyd and Margaret Schicker.
1991 20 April Wellington Region Happyning Demonstration Team. Brian Richards David Holland, Margaret, Margaret Schicker, Loralee Hyde and Bruce Chapman with tutor Ian Simmonds.
1991 20 April Wellington Region demonstration, dancing Crown of Kings
1993 Wellington Region teachers at the Top Hat event. Margaret is fifth from the left in the back row.
1999 At a dance in June, Margaret is dancing with Philippa Pointon, Ian Taylforth, and Bronwyn Maysmor
2000 Johnsonville Black and White Annual Dance. Margaret is dancing with Jan Bruce. John Bailey, her late husband, is dancing in the set behind.
2006 Wellington Region Hogmanay, Onslow College. First foot Selwyn Ng, Margaret as MC, Wellington Region President Bernice Kelly, piper Ross Edwards.
2007-2008 Wellington Summer School Yellow and Black Night. Kristin Downey, Philippa Pointon, Margaret
2008 Wellington Region Hogmanay, Onslow College. Margaret as first man in the bottom right set. Rod Downey as MC.
2010 Wellington Region Hogmanay, Newlands, organised by Johnsonville Club. In the centre, Margaret is applauding The Triumph
2013 Wellington Region Hogmanay, Crofton Downs Primary School. Margaret clearing up rubbish. Photo Pat Reesby
2014 Wellington Region Hogmanay, Ngaio Town Hall. Margaret dancing in the top set next to Kristin Downey.
2016 Johnsonville 50 Golden Years Celebration Margaret with her sister Joan. Photo: John Patterson
2016 Johnsonville 50 Golden Years Celebration Margaret with Lynne Hudson
2016 Johnsonville 50 Golden Years Celebration Margaret with Pat Reesby in the Grand March
2016 Johnsonville 50 Golden Years Celebration Margaret dancing Glen Mor in the top set
2016 Johnsonville 50 Golden Years Celebration Margaret being presented with a golden polyanthus plant for her time as Johnsonville tutor for various periods during 2004-2007
2016 Johnsonville 50 Golden Years Celebration Margaret at the back left at the Sunday brunch at Zealandia
A big part of the fun and friendship of Scottish Country Dancing is seeing the welcoming, smiling faces of dancers at Johnsonville Club or at other clubs in our region.
An added bonus of being Scottish Country Dancers is that we also get a great welcome when visiting clubs across New Zealand.
As well as the opportunity to make new friends, visiting other clubs gives us the chance to catch-up with old friends (perhaps those living in places where we’ve danced previously or dancers we’ve met at weekend schools like Hanmer Springs in July 2021 or at Summer Schools such as the 2022-2023 Auckland school).
When I lived in Hamilton in the early 1980s, I danced at Lochiel Club. While visiting my sister Karen in Hamilton in early April (she has danced at Lochiel for many years), we went along to the Tuesday club night. Old friends I caught up with who I had danced with all those decades ago included Ruary Laidlaw and Robyn Howes. A rotation of people including Ruary and Robyn taught the dances during the evening.
To accommodate a number of new dancers from Lochiel’s beginners’ classes this year, easier dances featured on the first half of the programme, including Allemande to Go, devised by Gaye Collin from the Wellington Region for teaching the allemande to newer dancers.
In April last year, I had a great tour of the south of the South Island—to Dunedin (where I danced at Ceilidh Club), down the Catlins, over to Stewart Island and then across to Milford Sound and Te Anau. The participants in our small group from around New Zealand included Margaret from Hamilton.
Margaret started Scottish Country Dancing in February this year, taking part in Lochiel’s Beginners’ Classes. It was wonderful to dance with her as a ‘newer’ friend!
Dancing Allemande To Go with Margaret. Behind my left shoulder is tutor Ruary Laidlaw who introduced the allemande as a new progression to the beginners. Photo: Karen Hunwick
I’ve always liked the dance The Old Man of Storr as it brings back memories of the Isle of Skye which I loved visiting in 1979. The Storr is a steep rocky hill on Skye, with weirdly shaped rock pinnacles. One of the famous pinnacles is called Old Man of Storr.
The Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye. Photo: Aaron HunwickDancing left hands across in The Old Man of Storr with an ‘older’ friend Robyn Howes at the left and a ‘newer’ friend Lesley at the right, who I met at the Hanmer Springs weekend school in 2021. Photo: Karen Hunwick
This was a lovely relaxing evening of fun and friendship. Thanks so much to Lochiel Club for your welcome and for the opportunity to dance with old friends and to meet new ones.
Next time you’re travelling to a different part of New Zealand, take a look at the RSCDS New Zealand Branch club directory to see what club is dancing near you and pack your shoes! It’s lovely to have fun with more of the Scottish Country Dancing family wherever you go.
