So France has begun a cautious deconfinement, while UK and USA blunder their way forward into more death and infection. But what I wanna know is WHEN can we DANCE again???? Here is an inspired vision by artist Janet McCrorie of "Pink Mist" (this is the Scottish concept of "Mist" and not the German meaning) where I can envision myself as the man in the kilt .... probably a Scottish waltz on an American dance floor with twirling and swirling. And who would be my partner?

Still dancing .... but now I dance in my head

 Gil, Elisabeth, Don and Bern are all great dance friends - despite his choice of tie, Bern is a good guy and a great dancer and you can see him and me dance The Shepherd's Crook on YouTube :

www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5zYM44uwjM

and this was me last year visiting Coates Crescent in Edinburgh, the HQ of the RSCDS. If coronavirus confinement limits our physical dancing, it does not reduce our passion for dancing, nor our dreams of dancing with beautiful women in a great strathspey set. What is a "beautiful woman"? She is a great dancer. Dancing makes a woman beautiful. And a man?

The kilt makes a man beautiful.

the parents of baby Archie deserve a period of peace

Her Majesty the Queen is having a bad week, mainly because the gutter-loving British tabloid press is filled with such obscene people who write such nasty things. Prince Harry and his young wife deserve to be able to sit at home in peace and enjoy their baby. They are being hounded to Canada (lovely friendly, hospitable Canada). I hope they will enjoy their time in Canada, stop reading newspapers, cancel twitter and facebook, and live the life of young parents for a few months. I am so ashamed of the British press - all of it. Leave young people alone to live their lives!
As I say on my book, everything we do should promote "the greatest happiness of the greatest number" = a piece of Scottish wisdom for everyone to enjoy.

Highland Dance is strong and elegant, and quite different from the country dances I most enjoy. I used to enjoy Highland when I still had a youthful spring in my step. Now that I can only lift myself one inch off the ground, I have established the rule that I will demonstrate Highland only to people sitting in wheelchairs. When we raise our arms in Highland, we are imitating the antlers of a great stag - from which it become obvious that this was a male hunters' style of dancing. In this painting, Janet McCrorie shows very well the youth as well as the strength of the dancers. Who are female. In my book I DANCE THEREFORE I AM, you will meet many great female dancers including some who teach Highland and Ladies' Step Dancing which a related genre. So much fun !

I danced with Paris RSCDS at their 35th anniversary Ball. I had a good time, with some great dancing to music played by Parisians led by The Black Bear duet from Brisbane. What a great evening! Merci à nos amis de Paris. I met Antoine Rousseau for the first time, and he is a wonderful dancer! Even when I was young, I do not believe I danced as elegantly as Antoine. Antoine dancing the poussette with Emma was a dream come true! I must definitely return to Paris - where I used to dance in the 1970s with the parents of Patrick Chamoin, both of whom were rigorous RSCDS dance teachers..

 Dancing has started again after the Summer break. Dancing with young people (even with very young people) is not only important, but lovely to do. My book (below) argues that dance teachers should commit to teaching children as well as adults, or they should not receive RSCDS certificates
because we are killing the dance culture that we love if we do not teach our kids. My children Edward and Catherine (shown on the book cover) dance very well. So should all our children.
This book is full of wisdom and dancing, stories and laughter: the perfect gift for your friends.

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 !  

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!

I have been reading words of wisdom on the website of RSCDS Cornwall Branch:
"The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) emphasises the three elements of fitness, fun and friendship that Scottish Country Dancing provides.  Research shows that dancing, and particularly Scottish country dancing, is one of the best forms of activity for keeping the body active and the mind alert. It can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and help prevent or complement the treatment of serious and chronic conditions.  The way to improve health and wellbeing could be just one step away - and what’s more it is fun!"

 It certainly is FUN !!!
These Cornish guys came to dance with us in Brittany last week and THEY HAD FUN !!!!!

A train arriving in Scotland contained a party of three academic men. Looking out of the window, they saw a cow. The professor of ECONOMICS said: "Look, Scottish cows are brown." The professor of LOGIC said, "No: we can see there are cows in Scotland, of which at least one is brown." The professor of MATHEMATICS corrected them both: "My friends, we can say only that there is at least one cow in Scotland, and one side of it appears to be brown."

Thank goodness that I am an Historian and a happy SCOTTISH DANCER.

The best place for a holiday and for dancing: St Andrews, Scotland

St Andrews, Scotland is the best place to dance AND the best place for golf: a choice of nine courses to play in site, and dozens more in the towns all around.  Beyond the Royal and Ancient Golf Club on the right (the Home of Golf) is the sea and two miles of West Sands. Fabulous swimming, wonderful walking. but beware of stupid  English tourists. Here are some of their complaints:

1. "On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find 

that almost every restaurant served curry.  I don't like spicy food." 

2. "They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach.  It was 

very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax."  

3. "We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the 

taxi drivers as they were all Spanish." 

 The beauty of Scotland is most perfectly captured by the rainbow across Skye above, Scottish tartans, Scottish dancing, and my lovely dancing children below (20 years ago, I should add).

Still fit and healthy and still dancing, but I do need a haircut

Like my new hat, though :  it suits my new hair styling

Keep fit and be grateful for good health

Perks of reaching 60 or being over 70 and heading towards 80! 

1.      Kidnappers are not very interested in you. 

2.      In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first. 

3.      No one expects you to run—anywhere. 

4.      People call at 8 PM and ask, "Did I wake you?” 

5.      People no longer view you as a hypochondriac. 

6.      There is nothing left to learn the hard way. 

7.      Things you buy now won't wear out. 

8.      You can eat supper at 5 PM   . 

9.      You can live without sex but not your glasses. 

10.   Your supply of brain cells is finally down to manageable size. 

11.  You can't remember who sent you this list. 

Happy birthday, Philip ! We used to dance together .....  hope you are still dancing and keeping healthy!

Dancing is the best exercise for MIND and BODY and SPIRIT.   There is no better way to keep fit in mind and body, than dancing. The first benefit is that dancing is FUN, relaxing your body and spirit. You can be a teacher, or simply soak up the joy of dance. Research shows that dancing is the best medicine against senility and Alzheimer’s. Fusing music with movement keeps the mind and body in sync; Scottish steps and formations strengthen memory, improve balance and poise.


This link gives an example of ordinary people having a great time at a CEILIDH (fun and games):

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMQkjYxS67fRfVffQOXxizqAx5xr6xIXu6PGAHx8dnskdr7vQrM18kEmpDrCs1PVA/photo/AF1QipOuUe1CdFD4VPsIqoglV6oYwVAe5HqUovUJ4WQc?key=LWJkMmlCaXctOXVQVkZIdVdLeU0xUEo3REdmY1dn

Dancing is so much safer .... and healthier ....

Three deaths in an hour - they would all have been alive if they had been dancing

Saint Peter is seeing all of the new arrivals trying to go through the pearly gates in Heaven. The first applicant of the day explains that his last day was not a good one.

"I came home early and found my wife lying in bed with no clothes on. She claimed she had just gotten out of the shower. Well, her hair was dry and I checked the shower and it was completely dry too. I knew she was into some hanky-panky and I began to look for her lover. I went onto the balcony of our 9th-floor apartment and found the guy clinging to the rail by his fingertips.

I was so angry that I began bashing his fingers with a flower pot. He let go and fell, but his fall was broken by some awnings and bushes. On seeing he was still alive I found super human strength to drag our antique cedar chest to the balcony and throw it over. It hit the man and killed him. At this point the stress got to me and I suffered a massive heart attack and died." Saint Peter thanked him and sent him on to the waiting room.

The second applicant said that his last day was his worst..."I was on the roof of an apartment building working on the AC equipment and I stumbled over my tools and toppled off the building. I managed to grab onto the balcony rail of a 9th-floor apartment but some idiot came rushing out on the balcony and bashed my hands with a flower pot.

I fell but hit some awnings and bushes and survived, but as I looked up I saw a huge chest falling toward me. I tried to crawl out of the way but failed and was hit and killed by the chest."

Saint Peter couldn't help but chuckle as he directs the man to the waiting room. Saint Peter is still giggling when his third customer of the day enters.

He apologizes and says "I doubt that your last day was as interesting as the two fellows that arrived here just before you."

I don't know" replies the man. "Picture this, I'm naked, hiding in this cedar chest.....

Portrait of a lawyer