Discovering the magic of Summer School

Héloïse Cornelius shares her scholarship journey to Summer School 2023

I discovered the magic of Scottish Country Dance when I got the chance to attend Saint Andrews University as an exchange student, from January to May 2022. From then on, I have heard many wonderful stories about Summer School, the exhilaration of constant dancing, the fanciness of Younger Hall, the unspeakable secrets told at night in the party room, the joy of discovering new tunes, the life-long friendships that were built there, the explosive mix of euphoria, fatigue and craziness, the difficulty of leaving and coming back to reality, … No wonder the idea of living myself such a thrilling experience has never left my mind since then.

The perspective of going to Summer School remained purely hypothetical, though, a kind of unachievable dream, until I received THE most cheering email, i.e. the one telling me I have been awarded a scholarship. When I told people, they all had the exact same reaction: “You’ll see, Summer School is incredible, you cannot quite understand it as long as you have not lived it.” My expectations, therefore, were high – and yet, I can now affirm that I have not been disappointed, not at all.

I realise while writing this text that it actually is not easy to put my memories into words – let alone into intelligible sentences. I keep having disordered flashbacks distracting me from composing a chronologically logical tale.

Piano notes – the dazzling smile of a friend – my aching feet – bleary eyes in the morning – Younger Hall’s bouncy parquet – an affable voice that keeps shouting “Strech!” and makes me keep going on Saturday morning – tons of cherry tomatoes in the canteen – the mesmerising dance of an accordion – a ping-pong game in the middle of the night – Sunday sunrise on the sea – getting the giggles over and over again – having my ice cream stolen by a seagull (not even a bad memory, to be fair) – the sensation of floating, of flying – the cold bite of the North Sea – polkaing all around the floor – the singular taste of playful dancing in the party room – the deep blue of the endless water – and again: piano notes.

This was all in a nutshell, but if I focus, maybe I can unravel the whole week, carefully, methodically, and come back to the beginning, to the first Sunday evening and the welcome reception, when I first entered the room knowing only a few people. I felt a bit shy. Stayed in a corner. Looked at the faces. All these unknown faces that would surely become familiar very soon. It always is an interesting feeling to realise that complete strangers could in two or three days become true friends. And this is what happened. I cannot think of any activity whose binding force is as strong as the one of dancing. It transcends age and language, overcomes I every boundary. The uniqueness of the dancing alchemy can hardly be challenged: this probably is one of the lessons Summer School brought me.

As the week went on, I felt more and more at ease, my timidity faded, I became more confident while dancing. One anecdote leading to another, I opened myself to my companions, and so did they. I got to know them better, and vice versa.

The morning classes gave me the opportunity to improve my dancing abilities – or at least I hope so – while the afternoon optional step class made me discover another aspect of Scottish dance. My toes might or might not have died more than once, but let’s pretend it was a nondefinitive and surprisingly pleasant kind of death. In the evening, the balls were perfect occasions to just dive into the dancing and forget about anything else. I felt that the music never ceased. Scottish tunes were playing all day and night long in my mind. I woke up humming and fell asleep humming, I ate humming and showered humming. Strathspeys, reels, and jigs, forming a procession in my head. I miss those airs, now. Of course I can always listen to them again, but their omnipresence was a delight I yearn to find again.

A friend I made during this magical week at some point told me: “I did not know that ballroom dancing could be fun until we waltzed together.” Maybe she is not even aware of it, but her confession must be one of the most moving sentences I have ever heard. I will take it as a conclusion to highlight once more that Summer School indeed brings together three of the best things in the world: dance, amusement, and friends. I am not sure I will manage to come back next year, but what is certain is that this was not my last Summer School: I am bound to experience it again!

Summer School Scholarships 2024

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Closing date for applications for Summer School 2024 is 13th November 2023. 

Applicants must be a member of The RSCDS at the time of application and Summer School.