Remembering my lovely sister Alana

 My Sister Alana - sweet memories 

In 1989 we had a family holiday in Scotland - in the Highlands with my brother Rory and sister Alana, posing here with Catherine Leila and baby Timothy. We camped, we explored the midges of Skye, we climbed Ben Nevis, we helped our Hanlon friends with a flood in Paisley, we had a wonderful time .... such as I have had with my wee sister Alana since she was born in 1948. She became a nurse, a midwife, a matron, a health visitor and a community leader in Wiltshire, the beautiful county where she lived in a medieval village near Salisbury Cathedral. Alana was a lay pastoral assistant in the Anglican diocese, everybody's favourite aunt and an all-around good Christian person who was loved by everybody. Leukemia got the better of her and she died on October 1st. We shall miss her a lot.

Alana wanted donations to be given to Cancer Research.  

This lovely, warm picture of contentment shows Alana - who was a wonderful cook - celebrating her birthday on 2010 with her dearest friend Louisa, and some "fine cuisine" in elegant surroundings. We pray that her surroundings today are celestial, affording her infinite peace.

Demo-level dancing on a Tuesday night: what a treat !

We had such a GREAT dance evening in Richmond this Tuesday at The Dance Space with its beautiful wood floor - we produced a set of demonstration level dances with wonderful women dancers : Moira and Tina are two of the best dancers I have ever had the joy of seeing, as well as Julie, Susan, Rochelle, Elisabeth, Carol….. and there were five demo-level men dancing: Scott Morrison, John Thoburn, Malcolm Shealey, Bern Runk and the author of that now-famous dancing memoir I DANCE THEREFORE I AM.

Which we proved to be true this evening.  

Janet McCrorie's painting called CLASP illustrates perfectly the fun we had tonight.  

Buy Janet's greetings cards! They benefit the RSCDS and they are fine cards.

We danced some fun and tricky dances including Mrs MacPherson of Inveran; The Clumsy Lover (he was not present on the dance floor this evening, but he obviously liked to set-and-link); Jean Martin of Aberdeen (a lovely Strathspey for a lovely lady); Napier’s Index with its fun reels and 4-bar turns; and others.

The RSCDS Richmond Christmas dance program looks enticing..….. especially when you think who will be dancing there. Plan to be in Richmond VA on December 7th this year !  

Dancing Scottish with a famous Ballerina

Diane Cavero is a star of the Martha Graham Ballet Company in New York, and she has just returned to her family in Europe. A qualified Graham Teacher, a choreographer and Renaissance dance and sword-fighting specialist, Diane came to discover Scottish Dance with us in Brittany. Naturally, she picked up the steps at once. She hears the music so perfectly! If Diane came to St Andrews, she would be in the Demonstration Team after one week: in 2020 perhaps. It is a joy to dance with such talent. After all, I Dance Therefore I Am, and so does Diane Cavero.

More beautiful Janet McCrorie dance pictures

"On your toes" and

and "Pink Mist" - sweet dance movements with whirl and swirl: thank you, Janet

I DANCE THEREFORE I AM -  it keeps me healthy and happy !

Fit & Healthy Scottish Dancing on ICE !!!

Have you admired the Kerr siblings John and Sinead dancing on ice at the 2008 World Championships in Sweden?  If not, don't miss the opportunity - and this is the place to see them Scottish dancing to the music of Auld Lang Syne:

https://www.sunnyskyz.com/happy-videos/7055/Scottish-Siblings-Original-Ice-Dance-Has-Everyone-Cheering-During-The-Routine

Dancing with beautiful women

English country dancers from Sussex came to dance in Brittany - and naturally we danced with them. Do you prefer the elegance of her Lewes dress or the style of my Maclean kilt?

teaching children to dance

Dance is an important part of our culture. Families and communities used to dance every week. We used to create our our entertainment with music and dance and stories. Now we consume, seated and lazy. It is the wonderful experience of dance that gets children moving and gives them the belief that they are beautiful, exciting physical people. Here we are dancing with kids in Josselin.

A second Janet McCrory dance painting

Painted for the RSCDS and reproduced here with Janet's permission.
This wonderful movement is called Birlin' Blue. It could be me and Moira.
I wish it was: Thistle School has just started and Oh! Alas!  I am not dancing!

Stong Arms, Strong Scottish Women

Stories About Strong Scottish Women

My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary.
She said, "I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 160 in seconds."
I bought her a bathroom scale.
She hit me with her gift. One week later my face is still showing the bruises. 

(A friend told me this story. It was NOT my wife. My face is OK - thanks for asking) 

This painting by Janet McCrory is called STRONG ARM and I am grateful for permission to share it with you. Her cards are sold by and on behalf of the RSCDS and her paintings are for sale on her website. I am guessing, but it is probably about HIS arm and not hers. But you never know with a Scottish woman!

Larks&Ravens - some comments I have received about this contra-dance nomenclature:

from Penny: "Absolutely nonsensical!  Ever since my school days (all girls, of course) whenever I dance with a woman I ask if she wants to be man or woman: no problem. So if men want to dance with each other, fine. Ask the same question. 

End of argument."

from Mal: "I feel so strongly about this that I will give up dancing rather than submit to this bullying.  As you know, I do dance calling so regardless of what the rest of the world does, we will always use the terminology "men" and "women" (or gents and ladies, guys and gals, etc.)  

Have a great day."

 

What is the most beautiful part of a woman's body?

If you are a dancer, it is the feet - obviously ... followed by the smiling eyes.  So look after your feet: wooden sprung floors, gentle stretching before and after dancing, and cool them off in cold water.

I must start reminding people to buy the book I DANCE, THEREFORE I AM. Advertising is beginning this month in the country dance journals. Please tell your networks that it is amusing and filled with wisdom about life, as well as about dancing.

Happy St Valentine's Day to all the beautiful women I saluted in my book I DANCE THEREFORE I AM: in Scotland, England, America, and all over. You know who you are. People who have read the book all over the world also know who you are. I love you all. Thank you for dancing with me!

and here for you is my favorite Limerick from the book:

Catriona, a pretty young lass
Had a truly magnificent ass.
Not rounded and pink
As you possibly think
It was grey, had long ears, and ate grass.

Perfect Valentine gift for the dancer you love

Here is the author, modestly recommending his amusing dance memoir to contra dancers in New York. I do not remember how many CDNY bought one, but that is not because the number was large. I need more readers - and especially more reviewers on Amazon so that we can beat the algorithm.

Scottish fiddler Nicola Benedetti honoured

This New Year 2019 let us salute Ayrshire violinist Nicola Benedetti CBE, who is as good on the Scottish fiddle as she is on the classical violin. Nicola makes classical music modern and fun.

The New Year Honours List is a part of British tradition. It is probably harmless, possibly meaningless: if you know someone, they can recommend you. If not, nothing. Chance and favouritism are the two main motors for honours. Talent too, of course. While it rewards political hacks and wheeler-dealers, the New Year Honours List also allows lowly-but-worthy national servants of the police force, nursing, post office and many other professions to find recognition, as well as stars of music and dance, cricketers, footballers and television stars who regularly feature.

When someone as talented and as interesting as Nicola Benedetti becomes a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE (which is higher than MBE or OBE, but not as high as a Dame DBE), it seems to make the honours system worthwhile.

Keep good posture by dancing

Talking of protecting good posture, here is a story about strong Scottish women:

Our lawn mower broke and my wife kept wanting me to get it fixed. Somehow I always a higher priority, like dancing or playing golf.  Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point.
I came back from golf to find her in the long grass, snipping away with a pair of scissors. I went into the house, and came out with a toothbrush saying, "When you have finished cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway."
I thought that was witty.

The doctors say I will walk again, but I will never be straight and I will always have a limp.

still talking about good posture

A beautiful woman has good posture. The ones who turn our heads are the women who carry themselves like a princess. Girls who slouch look bad. One day I told three young Cambridge dancers: "When you dance, you are all fabulous. But when you stand in the set line, only one of you looks beautiful: I have noticed the other two slouch your shoulders and your allure is gone! Not only that, slouching is bad for your back." 

Back problems are ubiquitous. To avoid back pain in later life, work on your posture when you are still young. The Pilates system (invented by a ballet dancer for other dancers) teaches that the diaphragm and stomach muscles act as a "second backbone" and they help support the back. Standing strong and exercising your stomach muscles simply by holding them in while you stand, will keep your posture good and your back healthy. Here are two young men with good posture and with beautiful dancing partners: Robin and Philip with their lovely wives. Even when we are older, our posture will stay good if we remain conscious of its importance all through our dancing lives.

I Danced in New York last night

Good dancing and good teaching at the RSCDS New York Branch Thursday: thanks for your hospitality guys! Most of my partners had good posture: since that is my obsession of the week. As I say in my book: a good posterior is nothing without good posture. Here are some artistic photos of my dance evening in Manhattan.

A lovely review of my dance book

I just received a lovely message - A BOOK REVIEW - from Katja, one of my former peace building assistants, a talented pianist and brilliant linguist who is now hiding away in Rome with her beautiful new baby boy (he is beautiful if he looks anything like Katja): "The book is really amazing and so sweet, and I am already sad thinking it will be over soon. You should write more of this kind, I wish every grandfather did it for their grandchildren really! Your stories of childhood and life allover the globe are super interesting and the way you describe them, it's just so much fun!! I really miss you, and miss laughing with you."
ONLY $15 for the paperback from Amazon: the perfect witty and quotable Christmas gift.  BUY NOW!

Rennaissance at the Court of Queen Elizabeth

Last night November 30th we presented Renaissance dances of England, France and Italy as members of the court of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I, played by our wonderful dance mistress Lind MacDonald. She is a distinguished dance historian. It was a great show !