DST - Timmergreens celebrate with ceilidh

After Primaries 1 to 4 gained their Bronze Accreditation, Timmergreens School in Arbroath, was spurred on to involve the whole school with an outside ceilidh.  This took place on Monday 27th June, just days before the schools broke up for the summer.   Parents who had been absent from school events for such a long time were invited to watch.  With hands clapping and feet tapping I am sure most of them would have loved to join in with the children.  Maybe next year.

Lorna Valentine of RSCDS East Angus and Anne Whitehead of the local Round O Scottish Country Dance Club worked with the teachers over a number of weeks to teach the children Circassian Circle, And for the Young Ones, Prince of Orange, The Virginia Reel and The Flying Scotsman.  Primary 6 and 7 also learnt and demonstrated a local dance, Arbroath 700, a reel which was devised by Norma MacLeod to commemorate the 700th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320.  School children in Arbroath were very much involved in projects to do with this celebration.

The event was supported by the Scottish Schools Working Group, who covered the cost of the musicians, Tony Simpson on accordion and Avril Abbott on drums.  As there was a shower of rain while we were setting up, the musicians were housed in the summer house, with the speakers pointing out of the open windows.  Although they couldn’t easily be seen, their music was definitely heard around the playground.

The Scottish Schools Working Group are hoping that the next school year will see the return of more dancing in schools and maybe events like this one taking place around Scotland.  Support from the SSWG is available, so if you know of a school or schools who might be encouraged to get dancing please get in touch at sswg@rscds.org