Page 44 - RSCDS Toronto Golden Jubilee Book

dancing
Country Dancing Week Workshop" and several sightseeing events and special evenings. It was a fabulous week of dancing under the expert teaching of Ron Wallace from California leading nine sessions and Veronica Fergusson of Munich joining him for the remain- ing sessions.
After a two-day stop in Amsterdam (for sightseeing and a canal cruise), Valerie Walker and I arrived at Prague's mod- ern airport, August 2. After registration and dinner, we were straight to the opening social dance evening. It was fascinating to dance Joie de Vivre, Seann Truibhas Willichan, and Corn Rigs with Scottish Country Dancers from all over the world! The majority of these danc- ers were not Scots living abroad, but native to their own country, and want- ing to learn Scottish Country Dancing.
The Spirit of
the Dance visits
Northern Ontario
. . . Andrew Collins
We have all danced A Trip to Bavaria or A Trip to Gatlinburg. In 1986 the Finlay Dancers joined a group of folk dancers under the auspices of the Toronto Folk Arts Council for A Trip to Moosonee. The journey began in the parking lot
at the church on the corner of Jarvis and Bloor, where the teams of dancers boarded buses on Friday evening of the August long weekend. We were joined by two Highland dancers, a piper, and the parents of one of the Highland dancers.
As daylight turned to twilight, the
buses thundered up Highway 400 and Highway 11. Our bus stopped at the side of the highway south of Huntsville to pick up one of the Highland dancers. We arrived at our motel in Cochrane around midnight.
On Saturday morning, we boarded
the Polar Bear Express for the trip to Moosonee. The train proceeded north through the poplar forest, rattling along at a leisurely pace and stopping at will to take on and drop off passengers, canoes and other freight. After a five- hour ride we arrived in Moosonee.
On Saturday evening, all of the Folk Arts Council dancers marched down the main street in Moosonee to the skirl
of the piper, drawing an enthusiastic crowd to the show at the high school. On the Sunday we performed across the river in Moose Factory. Our perfor- mances included MacDonald of Sleat, and Ian Powrie’s Farewell to Auchterarder.
We were billeted co-ed in the gymna- sium of the Moosonee High School. Tired from a long day, the gymnasium fell silent. At 7 a.m. the lights came on just as one of the leaders of another folk group emerged from the showers wrapped in a towel, to the enthusiastic applause of all in the gymnasium.
On Monday morning we boarded
the train to make our way south for the show at the arena in Cochrane. The stage consisted of a riser set on oil drums in the centre of the arena. To say the least, it was flexible and bouncy. After witnessing a member of the Ukrainian dance team fall through the stage, we decided to dance on the concrete floor.
We departed Cochrane late in the after- noon, stopping in New Liskeard for a supper break (near the giant statue of
a cow – you are after all briefly back
in farm country!), and at Huntsville
to drop one of the Highland dancers. Weary from the adventure, we spilled off the bus into the parking lot at Jarvis and Bloor at midnight and melted into the night.
Our days included lessons, tours, excur- sions, cultural performances, dinners and dancing. Our final day of the workshop was morning lessons, free afternoon, and a "Czech pub" evening. Our dancers invited the Czech danc- ers to try Scottish Country Dancing
and after quick briefings from Ron or Veronica, we all danced together! How we wished that night would last!
Considering the broad range of danc- ing abilities, we covered a lot of dances during the week. The time went so quickly, but we learned so much, about Europe, about techniques of good danc- ing, about the joys and fun of Scottish Country Dancing.
The "Fuji Fling" – Japan, 1986
Elizabeth Watt & Elma Grech in Tokyo
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