Are you dancing? Are you asking?
AS A FAMOUS PHILOSOPHER might have said but probably didn‘t: sometimes the view from one side of the fence makes the grass seem greener on the other. Or put another way, a role reversal sometimes means that the onlooker sees most of the game. These profundities were brought to mind recently when I attended a ceilidh dance in Pitlochry. I was there as a guest and was able to forget about my normal working role of dance caller and just join in the festivities on an exhilarating evening.
The majority of dancers - of all ages - knew what they were doing and despite the tales of doom and gloom about modern education, it’s reassuring to know that Scottish dancing is still being taught in our schools. A skill for life? Definitely. But it was refreshing to see so many innocent by-sitters take to the floor in anticipation of being shown the steps for the Dashing White Sergeant or Canadian Barn Dance or Virginia Reel.
This is where the Scottish Traditions of Dance Trust steps in. The STDT is the only national organisation which exists to promote, research, conserve and foster all of Scotland’s dance traditions and it has several laudable aims.
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These include promoting dance activity and awareness - especially with links to education - liaising with individuals and dance organisations, and setting up and maintaining a Scottish dance archive and resource centre.
The ultimate aim of the STDT is to have in place a Traditional Dance Artist in every Local Authority in Scotland and progress so far has been satisfactory but funding is, naturally, an obstacle to overcome. Already there is a Traditional Dance Artist in Residence in Clackmannanshire - in partnership with Clackmannanshire Council and with support from the Scottish Arts Council Partners Project Fund - and one in Aberdeen City in partnership with Aberdeen City Council and funded by the Scottish Arts Council Lottery Fund. In addition, a post of Traditional Dance Development Officer in Fife for two days per week has been established .
It’s reassuring to those of us who live outside the big cities that the STDT began life as a result of a massive Scottish Arts Council Lottery funded pioneering project. This took place over a three year period in Angus and the Borders and resulted in the collation of a huge amount of archive material and oral history, as well as the production of Education Packs for use in schools and the introduction of dance classes, events and research groups.
The STDT now has an ongoing programme of events, classes, performances and demonstrations throughout the year and has set up useful partnerships and collaborations with both traditional and contemporary arts organisations. It acts as a platform for the exchange of information, news, events and opinions and sees itself as an umbrella organisation for the various types of Scottish traditional dance.
It has succeeded in increasing the profile of traditional dance as part of the history and culture of the Scottish people and there is growing recognition of the benefits of the teaching and practice of dance, particularly among youngsters. This has seen the launch of a project to tackle childhood obesity by promoting traditional dance in schools as part of the PE curriculum with a view to getting children more active in a fun and enjoyable way.
If you’d like to find out more, contact Scottish Traditions of Dance Trust, 18b Broad Street, Stirling, FK8 1EF. The phone number is (01786) 849247 or you can check the website www.stdt.org or emila info@stdt.org
Footnote (get it?) The STDT is interested in collecting all items relating to Scottish traditional dance, to save them as a valuable resource for future generations. If you have any old newspaper cuttings about Scottish dance in scrapbooks; old cine films in a box in the attic; dance photographs; tickets; programmes from your dancing days; dance band 78’s; or more recent dance memorabilia, they‘d love to hear from you. The archive at present contains photographs, video and audio recordings, books, dance programmes and other general memorabilia, but they’re always looking for more.
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