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Canberra Today 17°/20° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Flying feet for Scottish dance

WOULD-BE Scottish dancers have been practising hard for the Scottish country dance being held at Albert Hall on Saturday.

Former Canberra Scottish dancers
Former Canberra Scottish dancers
Strangely enough, “Kick up your heels with The Australian Ladies and other Scottish dances” is intended to celebrate the 1970s.

The relevance of Scottish country dancing to the 1970s in Canberra is easily explained. By the end of the 1960s, a mixture of traditional and modern Scottish dances had gained a firm foothold in Canberra, and the 1970s saw another surge of activity which further cemented its popularity.

“The Australian Ladies”, a modern Scottish country dance, was all the rage in Canberra, including at Scottish balls held in the Albert Hall. Devised by Canadian dancer Bob Campbell, the dance was inspired by a photograph of a winning competition team at a New Year’s Day Highland Games in Sydney during the 1960s. On seeing the photograph sent by his Australian mate, he replied that he “liked the looks of the braw lads but preferred the ladies”.

Jean Conway, one of the four Australian women in the winning team, moved to Canberra in 1975 and founded the “Hospital Class” which met at the nurses’ quarters of the old Canberra Hospital and went on to make many contributions to the development of Scottish country dancing in Canberra.

Although a mainstream centenary event the dance will also serve as a celebration of the Scottish heritage in Canberra. There will be a display of the dance “Campbell of Duntroon”, which was composed in the early 70s by visiting dancer, Peter McBryde. Additionally, The Burns Club, founded by a group of Scots in 1924, is the oldest licensed club in Canberra and in the early days promoted social dancing in Canberra by holding dances on alternate Saturday nights in the Friendly Society Hall.

With the opening of the Albert Hall came an opportunity for the Burns Club to hold Hogmanay Balls, a New Year’s Eve celebration in traditional Scottish style.

“Kick up your heels with The Australian Ladies and other Scottish dances” at the Albert Hall, Commonwealth Avenue, from 7 PM, Saturday, August 10, inquiries to 6254 7879 or  jarthur@apex.net.au

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Helen Musa

Helen Musa

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