Blue Ridge Scottish Dance School 2024

Another fabulous week of dancing and forging new friendships just wrapped up on the beautiful campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Over 100 participated in a week filled with the magical sounds of our musicians, Elke Baker, Elissa Hock-Wimmer, Terry Traub, and our first music intern, Malka Pomerantz Traub. Dancers with experience levels from less than 6 months to decades long, learned many fun and unusual dances with some uncommon formations along with ways to improve their personal technique under the excellent instruction from our teaching staff of Rebecca Blackhall-Peters, Gary Coull, Jeff Corrigan and Eilean Yates.

The three class levels came together for the evening dances held in the gorgeous Grandview Ballroom. Highlights of the week include breakout sessions on Old Time Dancing, Afternoon Tea, Dance Etiquette, a report from the first North American Team at the Newcastle Festival and “How Does the Music Tell Us What To Do?” Thursday’s Blue Ridge Olympics and pizza party were a blast. Our Regency Period themed night saw many attired in their Austen era finest, and all had fun at our ceilidh. Dancers took advantage of the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains on our free afternoon with some choosing a hike, some a local winery, some a garden tour, and others just hanging out around the inviting downtown area of Boone.

We are already looking ahead to next summer at Blue Ridge Scottish Dance School to be held July 6-12, 2025. Come join the fun!