Page 13 - RSCDS Toronto Golden Jubilee Book

Mary Rae, Bobby & Joyce Frew
ASTA Beginner Class The exact date of the first ASTA Beginner Class has faded with his-
tory, but it is thought that Bob Blackie started the class at Ray Underhill
School in Streetsville on Thursday nights, September 1988. In 1990, the class moved to the Meadowvale West Church Centre and the night was also changed to Wednesday. It was that year that Mari Thompson started prac- tice-teaching at the class for her prelimi- nary certificate.
The 1994/95 season brought another change when the class moved to the Kinsmen Community Hall, Streetsville. In the fall of 1996 Barbara Bilawey (now Taylor) was invited by Bob to practise-teach at the class. Mari and Barbara continued teaching this class after Bob Blackie’s death in 1998. After receiving her full certificate in 1999, Barbara became the teacher for the ASTA Class.
The ASTA Class continues to dance
in the Kinsmen Hall on Wednesday evenings September to mid-May. With Barbara’s enthusiastic leadership the class has become a fun social event each week, with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The class numbers con- tinue to increase to the point of nearly outgrowing the hall.
. . . Tom Young
Aurora
In September 2000, veteran RSCDS teacher Janette Todd began the Aurora Scottish Country Dancers as a new day- time group in York Region. An Aurora resident herself, Janette recognized that the need for a daytime RSCDS dance venue in her local area, especially for retired folks and stay-at-home moms.
Social Groups
She also knew that a meeting place
for this new group could be made available at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, located in the centre of Aurora, close to the Yonge/Wellington intersec- tion.
Accordingly, Aurora SCD was born. The group meets for two hours every Friday at 10:15 a.m. Two sets are usually in attendance. The Aurora dancers com- prise people not only from Aurora, but also from the Newmarket, Stouffville, and Richmond Hill areas. Many of these dancers are also members of other York and Durham Region SCD groups and have a broad range of experience. At the same time, beginner dancers have
always been welcome and quickly become socially involved.
Janette Todd is delight- ed to be able to con- tinue sharing her con- siderable skills in this setting, especially after having taught (now retired) the Petronella SCD in Thornhill for almost thirty years.
. . . Barry Pipes
Bloorlea
Bloorlea was formed originally as a Beginners’ class in 1966 by Jessie Bryden, assisted by Pat Carter. The class continued until 1977, when Jess moved to Orangeville. Mary Rae re- formed the group under the same name and taught it into the 1980s, when she retired and Jess took over the class once again.
In 1994, Jess handed the reins of
the Bloorlea social group over to Mari Thompson, and then Jess went on to form the Monday morning class at Westacres. Many dancers continued to attend both groups.
Mari relocated the class from Bloorlea school to nearby Bloordale United Church. The class is a mixed group - mainly intermediate dancers, but they willingly accept a few beginners or "lapsed" dancers each year.
. . . Mari Thompson
Calvin
In the summer of 1957, led by Margaret Birnie, Ed Mason and Forbes Brown, a group of fledgling dancers approached the Toronto Branch of the RSCDS
to secure the services of a teacher,
Alex MacGregor. When he left a year later, he was followed by Matthew Sutherland, then Coll Black. In 1960, Iain Macfarlane, who led the group very successfully for twenty years, became the new teacher. When he retired in 1980, Frances Gray took on the job and has been the group’s teach- er ever since.
Janette Todd
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Ed Mason, Margaret Birnie, Forbes Brown, Douglas Smith
For many years the group danced to the live music of a number of musi- cians, including Stan Hamilton, Ed Brydie, Angus MacKinnon, Elma Grech, Anna Robertson, Alex Jappy, Bobby Frew, Larry Pichkol and Don Bartlett. Now, however, like the rest of us, they have succumbed to recorded music. Over the years, the Calvin Group have performed in Gala Days, demonstra- tions at the CNE and SkyDome, military institutions, retirement homes and churches.