Scottish Dancing Professor’s Hobby

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29222, 4 June 1960, Page 2

Scottish Dancing Professor’s Hobby

A Canadian professor of mathematics with the unusual hobby of Scottish country dancing arrived in Christchurch last evening. He is Dr. Hugh Thurston, head of the department of mathematics at the University of Vancouver, whose New Zealand visit has been arranged by the New Zealand Scottish Country Dance Society.

Dr. Thurston said he was surprised at the popularity of Scottish country dancing in New Zealand. “You have more clubs for the population than we have in Canada,” he said. Dr. Thurston belongs to three clubs in Vancouver. His interest was first aroused when he was teaching mathematics in England, and heard a teacher of Scottish dancing give a lecture-demonstra-tion to a ballet club. “Most of the lecture came out of her imagination,” said Dr. Thurston. Finding that there were no available reference books on the subject, he set himself the task of writing one.

The result was “Scotland’s Dances,” now a recognised reference text.

Of Scottish dancing in New Zealand, Dr. Thurston said: “It is similar to Scottish dancing anywhere outside Scotland.” This was because the old tradition of dancing in Scotland existed side by side with the Royal Scottish Country Dancing Society, which laid down, precise rules for dances. “This means that wherever you go in the world, you will be able to do the dances,” he said.

The traditional style was more natural, and in many ways more enjoyable, but it was liable to deteriorate into something resembling a Rugby match, he said.

A strong tradition of dancing was also held in Nova Scotia, said Dr. Thurston. Nova Scotia had preserved many old traditions that had since died out in Scotland. Country dancing originated in England, he said. It spread to Scotland, and survived there long after it had died out in England. “Now wherever you find Scotsmen, you find Scottish country dancing,” he said. It was a very sociable “sport,” in contrast to Highland dancing, which was only presented as a display. The Royal Scottish Dancing Society had published 200 dances which were now danced all over the world. There were also some modern dances, not recognised by the society, out very popular among its members, he said.

New Zealand’s societies were particularly fond of these modern dances, said Dr. Thurston. At least a dozen of them were composed by New Zealanders.