Authority on Scottish dancing pays visit

Press, 15 April 1986, Page 20

Authority on Scottish dancing pays visit

By

CATHERINE HARRIS

“I will now do all sorts of things on the beam in a kilt,” Alastair Aitkenhead announced, looking at a school gymnastics beam. But he was hooted down by women in the hall.

“My name is Olga Korrrbut,” he continued hopefully. However, nimble-footed he might be but a woman reminded him that he still had ahead five weeks of examining and teaching Scottish country dancing in New Zealand.

The energetic vicepresident of the Royal Scottish Country Dancing Society and adance pianist, Kitty McLauchlan, had just completed an all-day workshop at Cobham Intermediate School. More than 60 local dancers in pups, tartans and the occasional sporran, had come to learn from the

Scottish pair. “I am sure it’s the music and it’s also the friendliness of the dancing in a group,” said Mr Aitkenhead, remarking on the number of other nationalities who take up Scottish country dancing. The society which sends examiners to its overseas branches, regularly, has 26,000 members in 22 countries, including such places as Japan and Spain. New Zealand boasts 15,000 members.

Mr Aitkenhead said the standard of dancing he had seen so far was fairly high. He had examined six prospective dancing teachers in Christchurch and would see a further nine in Wellington. The two will visit 18 centres to develop the society in New Zealand and encourage new members. Also in Wellington they

will attend a centennial ball celebrating the birth of the society’s founder, Dr Milligan, who in 1923 put the rules of Scottish country dancing down in print, thus saving a fragmented dance form from extinction. This means that dancers from different countries can all join in the same steps.

Both Scots visitors have been in Scottish country dancing for more than 40 years, but Mr Aitkenhead was quick to point out his colleague’s standing, as Scottish country pianists are regarded as a rare breed. “There’s five or six of me but only one of her.”

It is Miss McLauchlan’s third visit to the New Zealand branch.

The two will give another workshop this evening before leaving for Greymouth tomorrow and then heading south.