RSCDS Summer School 2023: Unit 5 Scholarship experience

August 30, 2023

JMMF recipient Michael McIntosh tells us about his Unit 5 experience at Summer School.

Let me start off by saying that I think that anyone who at all enjoys Scottish country dancing should definitely attend a week at Summer School in St Andrews. It is an amazing experience full of amazing people with one thing in common…dancing.

My experience was thanks to RSCDS and the Jean Milligan Memorial Fund. Because of them, I had the opportunity to sit my Unit 5 during weeks one and two of Summer School. The combination of Unit 5 and Summer School provide a special scenario that groups together the studying, planning, learning, and hard work of Unit 5 with the garden parties, socials, classes, ceilidhs, and other general gatherings of Summer School.

For me, undertaking my Unit 5 was certainly priority. Under the guidance of the lovely Jane Rose, musical prowess of Andrew Lyon, and camaraderie of fellow candidates Kathryn Maden, Rebecca Head, and Yumiko Wakutsu, this undertaking became, not only more manageable, but downright pleasant. Sure, there was stress and hard work and, at times, uncertainty, but there were also plenty of fun and laughs. We quickly bonded and understood that we were all here to help each other succeed. And succeed we did. After two weeks of hard work, the four of us, each in turn, entered the West Common Room with a lesson plan to teach our dance in front of two examiners and our tutor Jane. It would still be days before we received our results, but until then, we all felt a sense of relieve of having completed the exam knowing that we did our best and felt good about what we accomplished.

During my two weeks at St. Andrews, so much more happened than sitting my Unit 5. From the time I checked in to the time I checked out, I had been happily welcomed, invited, accepted, and made comfortable everywhere I went. Even at meals, I would meet new people, sit and eat with them, and learn about where someone was from, their occupation, what classes they’re taking, or what their favorite drink from the automatic coffee machine is. This all made it that much more special to attend social events and dance with the same people that have been so welcoming.

A few events particularly stand out in my mind; Thursday night at Younger Hall, the special Friday night Ceilidh (also at Younger Hall), the Centenary Concert at Byre Theatre, and the St. Andrews Branch dance at the Boys Brigade Hall.
Thursday nights at Younger Hall are always a special experience. The lively music. The beautifully sprung floor. The ample space. But for me, it was the first real event I attended away from my daily Unit 5 work. I threw on my dance shoes, found a partner and lined up for
whatever dance was next on the program. It felt so good to see all the smiling faces and feel the energy of being surrounded by people who also love Scottish Country Dancing.

I’ll admit that I am not usually one for ceilidh dancing, but this was my second favorite event of Summer School. There are two reasons for this. The first is simply because it was the perfect event for having just taken my exam. I could truly relax, enjoy dancing without stressing over the complexity of a dance, and the liveliness of the room was as if everyone dancing had just completed a Unit 5 exam they were happy with. The second reason is because my wife and daughter were both in attendance. They had followed me to Scotland for moral support (and vacation) and my daughter (10 years old) had been waiting over a week to be able to come dance with me. And dance she did. She very quickly became one of the many to swing and dance and clap and cheer with a smile on her face. My wife joined me on the dance floor for the next dance and, of course, were immediately split up in accordance with proper ceilidh dance etiquette (insert laughing emoji here). And so the night went on sharing dance after dance with different people and seeing my family enjoy it as much as I do. Bliss.

The Centenary Concert was a pleasant surprise. We always thank the musicians when we are lucky enough to have them, and we always say without them, there would be no dance. So it was beautiful to dedicate a night to allow them to be in the spotlight. And what wonderful music it was. I’m pretty sure I was every foot in the theatre tapping along the whole evening. In particular, being able to hear Muriel Johnstone and Jim Lindsay (even if pre-recorded) play solo was truly inspiring. You can hear their love for music clear as day in every note they played. Indeed, our musicians are all quite special.

Little did I know that just days later, I’d get to hear Jim Lindsay play live at the Boys Brigade for the St. Andrews branch dance. I don’t think I’ve seen so much energy at a dance before. And I have no doubt that much of it was due to the fantastic musician. I came to this event with the other unit 5 candidates and our tutor Jane. Kind of like a field trip. During our time in class, Jane would always remind us that we should be sure to attend events outside of class, when able, to remind us why we are here taking our exams; why we love SCD. So she brought us here on Tuesday night and I could not think of a better night to remind us of that. The program was full of my favourites, the music was absolutely splendid, and the people were full of vigour. My feet were exhausted, but I didn’t care. I’d rest them when I slept. Until then, I poured all my energy into smiling and dancing and enjoyed every minute of that evening.

There were, of course, many other great moments during my two weeks, but I won’t detail them all. What I will say is, that there wasn’t a moment that I felt I wished I were anywhere else. From beginning to end, undertaking my Unit 5 at St. Andrews has only more cemented in me
how much I love Scottish Country Dancing, it’s community, any my desire to share its wonderfulness with others.
Lastly, I want to thank Jim Stott, David Queen and Moira Thomson for your endless support during those two weeks. With so much on their plates, they never failed to make the time to answer questions, print lesson plans, give advice, calm our nerves (memories of David jumping up and down waving his arms saying “you can do it, you can do it” fill my head), fetch a cup of tea, or simply have a wee chat to help clear the mind. I simply would not have succeeded without them.