12th APRIL DANCE - BRINKBURN, SOUTH SHIELDS

As many of you will know Roy Goldring died in September this year. Roy has written many many dances which we have all enjoyed dancing over the years. He taught at one of our Day Schools in the past. Your Committee decided that as a tribute to Roy the April dance should feature his dances. The programme is as follows:-

Reel of the Royal Scots The Saltire Society Reel
Tribute to the Borders Macleod’s Fancy
Cherrybank Gardens The Silver Grey*
Crossing the Line Kilkenny Castle
Rose of the North Summer Wooing
The Music Makars EH3 7AF
Father Connolly’s Jig* The Minister on the Loch
Fair Donald Duke of Perth
The Piper and the Penguin

* Will be walked through.

26th APRIL 2008 - 7.30 TO 11 P.M. - CEILDH - BLACKFRIARS
MUSIC BY “LAST ORDERS” Winner of the 2007 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Musicians of the Year Award. Caller Deb Lees.

This is an opportunity to introduce friends to Scottish Country Dancing for the first time. So why not come along and bring a friend. I am sure it will be a fun night.

16th MAY - BRANCH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING -
LA SAGESSE SCHOOL, NEWCASTLE
Details will be notified towards the end of April. Remember this is an opportunity for Members of the Branch to voice their opinions.

COMMENTS OR ARTICLES FOR THE NEWSLETTER

If anyone has any comments either good or bad regarding the Newsletter please let me know. I would also welcome any articles which you feel would be of interest to Members. Carol Sanderson, Editor (15 Dilston Avenue, Hexham NE46 1JE)

BRANCH CLASS MOVING
The Branch Class will recommence on Thursday 10th January at our new venue
of Westfield School, Elmfield Road, Gosforth. Class time will be 7.30 p.m. to 9.45p.m.with Deb Lees as teacher and Patricia Cass and Gillian Stewart as
pianists. Subscriptions remain as previous Ł2.50 per week or 50p for those in full time education. There will be no class on the 24th January due to a demonstration commitment.

If you require any further details please telephone John Ferguson on 0191 2576882 or Deb Lees on 0191 2170496.

MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Congratulations to Peter Cass in gaining his Full Teachers Certificate at St. Andrew’s in July.

Our thoughts and best wishes are with Pauline Rice as she fights against illness.

Congratulations and best wishes to Julie Crystal (previously Atkinson) on her recent marriage. Julie attends both Lily Humble’s and John Cass’s classes.

Congratulations to Marion and Robin Luscombe who have now completed all
300 Munros and celebrated their achievement on Ben More, Mull in the summer.

We were sorry to hear of the death of Roly Humble, on 23rd November. Roly
and Lily (who teaches the Wideopen class) have been members of our branch for decades! They started dancing in 1956, the first year of their marriage and attended all functions when possible. They especially enjoyed Highland Balls at the Dental School, the University and the Civic Centre. Roly loved dancing and Scottish Dance Music and even when he was poorly during the last few years, he wanted to attend the class. His favourite tune was Ian Powrie’s Farewell to
Auchterarder which was played at his funeral. The Branch was well represented
at his service. Sheila Trafford

From Sheila - a huge thank you to all who attended my 60th birthday dance

and to those who sent cards and good wishes. I had a lovely evening, it was

so good to be with so many friends. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Dance Scottish Week

My task was to teach two Year 5 classes at Stocksfield Avenue Primary School, on the West Road, and Year 3 & Year 4 at Cheviot Primary School, in the middle of the Newbiggin Hall Estate. Fortunately I’d volunteered to help Peter Avery on the day before my first session and that helped to get me onto the right wavelength for Primary pupils as well as giving me some idea of the difference between Years 3 & 4. Even so, it didn’t really prepare me for the variation between schools – the children at Thomas Walling made better progress than those in either of the schools where I taught.

One thing about younger children is that boys and girls don’t like dancing together (in some cases it was difficult even to get them to give hands in a circle or a line!) so I couldn’t give instructions for boys & girls, but had to refer to them as the “A line” and the “B line” or the “right hand person” and the “left hand person”. In all four classes we had about three four-couple sets and in some cases the teachers joined in as well.

I’d planned to end the Year 5 sessions with Dashing White Sergeant but we began late because the hall was still being cleared after lunch and progress wasn’t as fast as I’d expected. We eventually had to make do with a reprise of Circassian Circle. Year 3 managed The Flying Scotsman, Prince of Orange (though they took some time to get the rhythm of the clapping & stamping) and Circassian Circle. Year 4 also danced The Flying Scotsman and Circassian Circle but in between they got to dance A Reel for Jeannie.

Although it was exhausting work trying to keep a whole class on track in an unfamiliar activity, the experience was rewarding: the children seemed to have enjoyed what they did, the teachers were enthusiastic and there were no serious problems. I couldn’t have coped without my helpers, however, so thank you very much indeed Elaine, Pat, Yvonne and Sandra.

Tim B-M