SCOTTISH FOLK DANCING

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27985, 4 June 1956, Page 3

SCOTTISH FOLK DANCING

GATHERING AT MOUNT PLEASANT

Scots from as far north as Auckland and as far south as Dunedin gathered at the Mount Pleasant Community Centre on Saturday evening to take part in an evening of Scottish country dancing, arranged and organised by the Christchurch Scottish Society. More than 250 persons were present.

The evening began with the grand march and eightsome reel and included both traditional and more modern dances such as the “Duke of Atholl’s Reel.” “Rakes of Glasgow,” and “Johnny Groat’s House.”

The dancers wore Scottish dress, several men wearing full dress kilts with velvet jackets, lace jabots, and clan kilts, and the women white frocks, with tartan sashes secured at the shoulder with a cairngorm.

The evening was the second of its kind held in Christchurch, the first being held last year when the society returned the hospitality of the Southern Cross Club in Dunedin and, as on this occasion, issued invitations to all Scottish country dancers in New Zealand.

The Scottish Country Dancing Society was formed in Scotland in 1923 so that the traditional characteristics of national dancing might be preserved without variation. The Christchurch society was formed in 1950, and has been instructed by Miss P. M. Gale, who studied in Britain.

The dancing contains elements found in British national dancing and that of the French court, and is allied to that, of the ballet. The music to which the dances are set is designed to stimulate, to help phrasing, and to lead the dancers from one figure to the next, and so to the grand finale. The friendly, social spirit of ' the dancing was characteristic of Scottish gatherings, and it was hoped that it would become an annual event, said Miss Gale.