We have discovered that the winter session SCD class will begin Wednesday, January 12, as listed in the Parks & Rec Adult Enrichment catalog at www.vanclarkparks-rec.org. We had earlier thought that the next session would begin this coming Wednesday. However, it looks like we will have another week of vacation before the beginning of the next session. You can call 696-8236 in order to register for the class.

FYI, Linda Mae Dennis will teach another SCD class offered on Mondays by Evergreen Community Education, beginning January 24. You can learn more and register for the class by visiting www.egreen.wednet.edu/communit.nsf.

Happy New Year! We have taken our dancing indoors, with the fall weather and shorter daylight. Several new dancers have taken advantage of the basic SCD class (which complements the concurrent intermediate social class). Dancers entertained the local community at the Westfield Mall on November 14 (see photo), and demonstrated their diverse talents at the December 15 ceilidh and the December 29 Betwixt & Between dance.

At the Westfield Mall

I have enjoyed making some social connections within our SCD community. Perhaps you can think of your own happy experiences. We said goodbye to Colleen whose family began a new life in North Carolina. I have enjoyed meeting and dancing with new dancers Renee, Anne, Steve, Sandra, and Mary. Several of us helped Bart and Valerie move into their new home. We missed Victoria whose miraculous recovery from a serious illness will see her return to SCD this month.

We will be treated to two big events in the next two months.

The January 22 Burns Supper at the Moose Family Center, honoring Scotland's Poet Laureate, Robert Burns, will be co-presented by The Vancouver USA Scottish Country Dancers and the Ft. Vancouver Pipe Band. The program includes Scottish Country Dancing, Pipe Band, Highland Dancer, Address to the Haggis, Fiddlers, and Songs.

The February 19 "Making Memories" Dinner Dance will be an evening to remember! Three high-powered musicians will help us mark 20 years of dinner dances.

Linda Mae Dennis will inaugurate a Monday basic SCD class on January 24 with Evergreen Community Education.

I hope you all have a fantastic 2005. I look forward to more dancing experiences with you!

I am constantly impressed with the many talents of my fellow dancers. So went the ceilidh on December 15, the final SCD class of the fall session.

Linda Mae Dennis coordinated the event, integrating ten acts among favorite dances. She expressively read the Dr. Seuss poem, Too Many Daves, and followed later in the evening with her own strikingly similar poem, Too Many Pipes (see below).

Liza and Tom Halpenny performed the "Three Amigos" dance, "My Little Buttercup". (This was Tom's first ceilidh offering.)

Fred van Nus led reading and singing verses of Auld Lang Syne, and later read from a collection of humorous plays on words.

John Shaw recited "The Cremation of Sam McGee", by Robert Service. Susan Shaw sang several imaginative verses of the Ladies Temperance Union Song... No rum, by gum!

The Mackenzie family displayed their diverse talents. Eunice read a story to illustrate how there is always room for one more, no matter how crowded the house. Martin read and translated a Gaelic poem. Katherine played a lively rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock".

Thanks to all who participated with dancing, talent, and food!

  Did I ever mention that Mrs. McLeod
  Has 23 sons who all play the pipes, LOUD!
 
  This causes some problems as you might assume,
  As Mrs. McLeod is now deaf as a broom.
 
  And often she wishes that her husband, Fred
  Had taught one of her boys to play Tuba instead.
 
  And one of them Fiddle and one of them Flute,
  And one of them Zither and one of them Lute.
 
  And one of them Bugle, and one Concertina
  And one of them Trumpet, and one Tambourina.
 
  And one Penny Whistle, another Bassoon
  And one the Marimba, another the Spoons.
 
  Another the Cello, another the Banjo
  Another Trombono, and one the Piano.
 
  Another one Cow Bell, and one the Kazoo,
  Another Australian Digeridoo.
 
  Another to play Ukulele and Hum
  Another to Rattle and Whistle and Drum
 
  And one to play Timpani, Cymbals and Gong,
  But he didn't do it, and that is just wrong.

On Dec 29, the Wednesday between Christmas and New Years, a group of dancers got together at the Oak/Elm Rooms in the Marshall center for an informal evening of dancing and light merriment. In particular, the evening offered a special opportunity for local devisers of new dances to try their dances out on reel dancers.

Liza Halpenny coordinated the event, judiciously juggling easy dances for everyone, with new and challenging dances from the devisers. And, unusual for this time of year, the side table of refreshments was just covered with all sorts of, well, refreshments.

Marge started us off, teaching a new circle dance, The Arilington Club Circle, which provided us all a good warm up. We then worked through a dance to comemmorate a wedding, The Weddin' (by Valérie Moore); the dance Mi Amigo (by Gayle Graham); a dance in honor of a special teacher, Miss Sarah Smiles (by Linda Mae Dennis); and a dance recreating the movements of a dance troupe on tour, Dalhousie Castle (by Maurice Baxter).

Altogether, it was a fun and relaxing gathering of dancing friends, sharing snacks, new dances, and holiday news. And who can forget Linda Mae teaching us the tournée, "Let's walk through bar one again!"

[The following is excerpted from an email from Alisdair Fraser. -ed.]

We are pleased to announce that FIRE & GRACE (by Alasdair Fraser 
& Natalie Haas) has been awarded the honour of Scots Trad Music 
Album of the Year for 2004!! 
 
Having just completed our concert tour of Spain, Natalie and I rushed 
to Edinburgh and, to our great delight, made it in time to accept the 
award at the Queen's Hall gala event hosted by Hands up for Trad and 
BBC Scotland Interactive on Saturday 4 December 2004. 
 
We sincerely thank all the people from all over the world who voted 
for Fire & Grace, and the many folks who helped get out the vote. 
The response has been truly heart-warming, and Natalie and I are 
both honoured by and grateful for the incredible support. 
 
Fire & Grace was released for worldwide distribution this past 
spring by Culburnie Records (North America), Resistencia (Spain) and 
Greentrax Recordings, Ltd (rest of the world). Thanks to these fine 
labels for making our music available. 
 
For a full report on the evening's results and sponsors go to 
http://www.handsupfortrad.co.uk 

Congratulations to Alisdair Fraser and Natalie Haas!

After Burns Night, what shall we do for February?

Vancouver USA Scottish Country Dancers' 20th Anniversary February Dinner Dance promises to be the most memorable of them all.

Making Memories is the theme of the evening, to help us look back at memories of past dinner dances and make some new memories of our own that night.

For the best memories ever, follow these instructions:

• Turn in your reservation in January using the dance flyer application
• Bring a dish to share and a large appetite (Keeping our dinner price to $5)
• Remember which year you first attended the Vancouver Dinner Dance
• Dress up for the 'Making Memories' free portrait you'll get at the dance
• Check out the list of dances ahead of time
• Be ready to enjoy the best live dance music you've heard in 20 years
• Bring any pictures you want to share from past dances

For the dance program and all the logistical details, see the Calendar (below) for February 19!