DST - Whitsun 2022 - A road trip

Whitsun 2022 - When Italian Ladies meet a Wonderful German Team

We have waited a long time for this trip, as the events of the previous two years meant that it had to be postponed twice. But finally, we caught the train from Verona to Munich and it took us directly into a dream! Six of us travelled from the Northern Italy Branch, two of which were having such an experience for the first time.

We had always heard about the Munich Whitsun course and during Summer Schools in St Andrews we met many dancers from the MSA and German Central Branch, but we had never travelled to it before. Being able to dance for four consecutive days was beyond our expectations.
It is known that Italians are picky in certain things and also very habitual, but the German organization was flawless. Since the start they have taken care of every aspect of Whitsun, the organisation behind such a thing is huge. Many people have worked on the success and the commitment has been seen in everything.

Being in the Salesianum is perfect, it's all there. We found what we hoped for; dances with many people, smiling for the joy of doing it, learning new things and creating new friends. A very high level of dance technique, both in the dancers present and in the teaching delivered by Linda Henderson, so precise, focused and even ironic; she led the lessons in a light and impeccable way, teaching little known and also very different dances. Bravo!

Adam Brady and Ian Robertson as musicians have taken everything to another level, shame about the missing Luke Brady (due to flight delays).

The evening dance programmes left us speechless; not very simple but with many different and unusual figures that have really left their mark. We were all so happy to dance that we redid a lot of dances, risking to wear out the musicians for all the times we asked to repeat “once to the bottom” the dances.

And then... so many young people, it was wonderful to see them dance compactly creating ever different evolutions and giving a new spirit to the dances. Wonderful!  We returned home with the desire to start planning events, workshops, courses again, like an Olympic flame that never goes out and that travels a thousand roads to reach wherever the spark of the Scottish country dancing shines. We were inspired and rekindled by this Whitsun and (as good Italians) the best ideas came at lunch time. Now is the time to put them into action.

Thanks Whitsun, Thanks German Team. The Italian Ladies will return back in 2024, be ready!