Page 64 - RSCDS Toronto Golden Jubilee Book

Connections
Janette Todd
Janette Todd first picked up Scottish Country dancing in her native St. Andrews, Scotland, where country dancing was part of the curriculum at public school, and hasn’t stopped. Her first teacher, Miss Irene Grant, now Mrs. Caithness, was "an exquisite dancer, she had a way of inducing ungainly little girls to feel as though they were floating with her. I always aspired to be Miss Grant". The two still keep in touch. Georgina Finlay and Janette both danced at Madras College when Miss Grant taught Phys Ed.
"Life for me has been filled with danc- ing. During the 1940s, I was a stooge for aspiring students at St. Andrews Summer School and it was then I decided that I too would teach. I was very fortunate to have Miss Milligan adjudicate both my Preliminary and Full Certificate. No one was more surprised than me when I passed both the first time. SCD has opened many doors to a lifetime of meeting fascinating people and a great deal of fun. Oh, those dancing weekends when I truly was
in a magical place! Luckily, I had an understanding husband and four chil- dren who allowed me to escape from being "an everyday housewife".
Besides being a member of Grace Harris’ McLeod Dancers "for many wonderful years", Janette taught the Advanced Branch class for two years, was a guest teacher at Workshops in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, while teaching her many children and adult
groups. She started teaching chil-
dren in 1974 at various elementary schools, including Henderson Avenue and Bayview Glen, as well as Toronto Waldorf School, and Havergal Junior School. She entered many teams in many Children’s Festivals; one year, she entered 16 teams at one Festival, that’s 128 little girls!
Janette taught the Bayview Glen
adult group which disbanded and became the Royal Orchard Petronella group. Janette taught the Petronella group from 1977 to 2002 when she bequeathed the group to Carole Skinner. Petronella celebrates its 50th year on October 13, 2007. She also taught the Richmond Hill Church group and currently teaches a group at St. Andrew’s Church in Aurora. Besides dancing "wherever they need entertain- ment", her dancers performed at the Toronto International Festival Tattoo
at SkyDome, and regularly participate in the Seniors’ Jubilee show at Roy Thomson Hall.
Janet says Scottish country dancing makes for a "very social evening. It’s great exercise and you certainly don’t have to be Scottish to do Scottish country dancing." She has met people from the United States, China, Africa, Australia and Japan who are avid fol- lowers of this form of dance.
Janette’s family included three genera- tions of country dancing, with her three daughters and granddaughter Kirsty.
Evelyn Watkins
I became a member of RSCDS Toronto Branch in 1959, having spent five years as a member of the Hamilton Branch, at which time I danced with the Scotia Dancers team, led by Bill Clark, former teacher of the Hamilton Branch.
John Scott Gowans & Evelyn Watkins receive the Bank of Nova Scotia Trophy
I did a short spell of teaching children's classes at Rosedale with John Gowans around 1961-64, after which time I decided to start children's classes of my own at Leaside Presbyterian Church. These Leaside teams were introduced to the Kiwanis Music Festivals, which helped tremendously towards Scottish Dance Festivals which were soon to fol- low in the Hamilton and Toronto areas (run by the branches).
I continued teaching until 1975 (as well as teaching the Branch Beginner and Advanced classes until 1987). Upon retiring from teaching the children, I was approached by the Toronto Branch to adjudicate these festivals, and did
so for a few years, after which I retired from teaching.
Janette Todd
1966
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