Scottish dancing at Aged Care

Members of the Gosford Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society recently provided a display at the Woy Woy Community Aged Care facility.

The residents were treated to a performance of Scottish country dances, demonstrating reels, jigs and strathspeys.

The set of eight dancers wore traditional attire with the men wearing kilts and the ladies wearing white dresses and tartan sash.

Publicity officer Mr Alex Berdon said Scottish country dance technique is French in character dating to the time when most of the French armies were Scottish.

"The dancing in its elegance and carefully detailed steps is closely allied to the French Court and it is from there that Scottish country dancing derived its form," Mr Berdon said.

"In the early 1900s the many jigs, reels and strathspeys danced around Scotland were collected by Ms Milligan and Ms Stewart and a Scottish Country Dance Society was formed in 1923."

Mr Berdon said that there were now over 7000 dances each requiring mental concentration, physical dexterity and plenty of practise.

"It is not necessary to be adept to enjoy Scottish country dancing, but the better you dance the more you enjoy it," Mr Berdon said.

"The attraction and popularity of this for of dancing is almost certainly due to confirmation of social intercourse and the fact that people of all ages can participate and enjoy the music with its fascinating rhythms."

The Gosford dancers practice at Wyoming every Wednesday night.

Press release, June 5