Archive: Author: tottonc

“Monday 4th February 7:30pm, I walked into the hall for a beginners course for SCD, feeling some trepidation and excitement.

Eight weeks on and I love my Monday nights with a great bunch of fun (and funny) students, and fabulous teachers who are filled with the two “P’s” – Passion and Patience. To teach us lot they require both of those, and they share them with abundance.

The 1 1/2 hr weekly sessions fly by and with my brain sometimes in a whirl I so appreciate the follow up emails we receive each week. These include UTube clips that show the steps that we have learnt and quite often the entire dance that these steps belong to so we have an appreciation of where we’re headed. Being able to slow the UTube clips down to half speed is great (by clicking on the Settings “wheel” bottom right of the screen and clicking Speed – Normal and then clicking on the speed option you prefer), enabling me to follow the steps more closely. Some weeks I get it and some weeks I don’t, but we are all in the same boat and share some laughs!

I look forward to joining the SCD club at the end of our course to carry on with the fun, dancing, learning and making new friends.

Slàinte Mhath”

“A lot of credit has to go to Damon and Gaye and all the helpers who are long time dancers. I love trying and I will never give up and I love thinking I might be making at least some progress. I look at the experienced dancers and I think, “I bet they love dancing and I bet they feel as good as they look, which is very, very good. They just seem to float effortlessly a few millimeters above the floor, the music carrying them so gracefully.

What I love about the classwork is that it is so light-hearted. Damon never makes it sound all serious, nor does he ever make it seem like it is hard work, even though it kind of is, in a way.  And it doesn’t seem to really matter if you mess up. The music, the movement, the fun of meeting new people who are also having fun makes for a special night. It is like entering a new world. There is a new language and a new way to move your feet and legs and hands. And to think so many people have done this for so long and enjoyed it! For them it is not new at all. Where have I been all this time? It is all a bit mysterious in a wonderful way to me. I guess we will all get there and we will all love it even more as we hone our skills through lots of practice. I can’t wait!”

“Last year my husband & I were lucky enough to be in a pub in Harris, Scotland when a cèilidh started.  The participants were so full of life and having so much fun, it was a joy to watch. The experienced dancers were very encouraging and asked us to join in on a couple of the easier dances.  We had an absolute blast.

When we heard that there was a Scottish Country Dancing group in Lower Hutt who were taking on some newbies, we jumped at the chance to give it a go with the hope of learning something new and to have fun.  We haven’t been disappointed. The group is a mixture of ages and stages, all learning together, and with good humoured Damon and his band of supportive experienced dancers, we are kept on track.

At the end of a session I come away with endorphins flowing and face cheeks hurting from all the laughing.  The great thing is we are all in the same situation and are all learning as we go, adding a few more steps or moves each week.  Sometimes it works out well and sometimes it doesn’t however it doesn’t matter, we are still using muscles (body & brain!) we didn’t know existed and having lots of fun.

It’s got to be good for you….”

“What a night it was last night! So many new things to try. So much to get into our heads all at once. So much fun trying! I am so glad to have the You Tubes and the notes that Damon sends along as this helps to consolidate in my mind what I was meant to be learning. The legs and feet have not consolidated so well yet, but I have to believe that will come in time.

What is it about the music, the movement, the people, the smiles, the laughter, my intermittent  successful formations and steps that seems to lift me up and make me forget my worries and concerns? It is like a golden happyland on Monday night. Is it something to do with us all working together at the same thing at the same time, like singing in harmony? We each play a different part, but it is the same dance. We all need each other to make it beautiful. Could it be that we don’t just need each other, but we actually appreciate each other as we dance along?   I think there is an element which escapes words or description. Shall we just call it magic for lack of a better word?”