| Come and try in knaresborough | Where: Holy Trinity Church Hall, Gracious Street, Knaresborough When: 7:30pm to 10pm on Wednesday 6th September 2006 Contact: Malcolm Frost - 01423 872686, or Ann Baranyai - 01423 547475 |
Many years ago, as a young teenager, after Evensong one Sunday, friends’ mothers asked me if I was going to the parish hop the following Saturday. When I explained I couldn’t dance, so would not be going, one of them insisted on teaching me for me to go. Only three evenings were available, yet on each of these, she moved back the furniture in her front room and taught me basics of waltz, quickstep and foxtrot. I went to the ball (sorry, parish hop) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I went up a league in the sixth form, with an Old Time Dancing club, run by the classics master each Wednesday evening. After home from school on the bus and tea, I changed into a suit (you had to be properly dressed) and cycled the eight miles back to school for the evening – definitely a league up in enjoyment terms. | "It is primarily where good friends meet to enjoy convivial company, good music and healthy exercise" | |
University brought “Premier Division”, where I discovered Scottish Country Dancing – the traditional social dancing of Scotland across all strata of society for hundreds of years. John Francis in his book “From Chevin’s Lee to Silver Hill” writes: "for sheer style, elegance, great music, enjoyment and all round physical and mental well-being, Scottish Country Dancing takes some beating”. I can vouch for this. This activity exercises the mind and body in a convivial atmosphere. It is one of the few social activities where couples and unattached of all ages are welcome and freely mix (it gave me great support in the years following my divorce). The dancing itself has been described as “a non-confrontational team sport” as everyone helps each other to enable the team to achieve each dance (and there is normally a good laugh if something goes wrong). However, it is primarily where good friends meet to enjoy convivial company, good music and healthy exercise. Our class in Knaresborough has various “special” nights through the year and meets for a meal at a local eatery at frequent intervals. The official body for Scottish Country Dancing is The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS), based in Edinburgh but supporting dancers across the world. It operates through local branches and there are independent groups, many of whom are affiliated to the RSCDS. All RSCDS branches and many groups offer classes, most of whom welcome complete beginners (as we do in Knaresborough) The Knaresborough Class This class meets in Knaresborough on a Wednesday evening in an informal atmosphere. We cover a wide range of the traditional dances of Scotland and the footwork and formations needed to perform them but the emphasis is on everyone enjoying themselves in convivial company, to music that defies you to stand still. Our members, from a wide area, many backgrounds and a wide age-range, single or attached, share a form of fun that has a pedigree going back hundreds of years but is still alive and vibrant. But it is not just a class. Through the year we have many “Special” evenings. Sometimes this is just that the dances that evening follow a special theme (eg Valentine’s Day or Halloween) but others (such as St Andrew’s Day and Burns Night) are likely to include a haggis supper... then there are the parties! complete with top class catering (faith suppers) and the top international bands (CD’s)… and the Hogmanay Ceilidh. The members also often meet for a meal at one of the excellent local “eateries”. More and more members travel to dances around the county, again widening their circle of friends. New members are always welcome, whether they have danced before or not. We have a “Come & Try” evening at the beginning of September and concentrate between then and Christmas upon building up a basic repertoire of skills; newcomers will benefit from being able to attend as many of these sessions as possible, as each week builds upon the previous. The rest of the year follows a more varied pattern according to the needs of the class – we recognise that not everybody can attend every week. “Come & Try” this year is in Holy Trinity Church Hall, Knaresborough 7:30pm to 10pm on Wednesday 6th September. Malcolm Frost | 
