Ottawa Branch Spring Ball

Heather, Wayne and Dawn tell us the story of how the RSCDS Ottawa Branch conceptualized and produced a Spring Ball 2023 dance programme poster that captured the spirit of Scottish country dancing over the past century, and how it became the prize possession of the Greers so that all Branch members can view it for years to come.

Heather Bale explains that, “When I was presented with the challenge of designing our 2023 Spring Ball dance programme poster, our exemplary convenor, Breda Gusen, was very specific about what she wanted. It had to depict "dancing through the decades" and to incorporate the daisy as a symbol of resilience and continuity. I initially felt intimidated, but the ideas soon started to percolate.

I chose to show the inaugural year, the current year and every 20 years in between in what I envisioned as a "grand march through the ages" with the dancing couples parading down the left side and up the right as in a grand march. I called on my very rusty experience as a fashion illustrator to draw the figures, and superimposed the daisies showing the respective years. I used Dollar Store markers and coloured pencils to give the poster a colourized touch. The typeface, borrowed from our ball program booklet, is “just fancied up a bit.”

On seeing Heather’s 2023 Spring Ball poster, Dawn and Wayne Greer were determined to purchase it during the Ball silent auction organized by Breda. Revenue from the silent auction is to be used to support Branch activities such as teacher training.

Heather is a talented artist, and is recognized as such within the Ottawa Branch. We, and the entire Branch, have admired Heather’s art work, and the posters she has created over the years for our socials. However, the 2023 Spring Ball poster is extra special. It was evident to us that Heather had put her heart and soul into the art work. She even included a logo of “100 years of Scottish country dancing within the RSCDS.” We decided to acquire it at any reasonable price, and to request that the Branch Executive have it displayed at future events for all to enjoy.