serTA's visit to Barcelona

When you are mid-way through an RSCDS Teacher’s Certificate Course and a supporter suggests everyone visits the two candidates from Barcelona, what else should we do but take up the idea and have something exciting to look forward to?

Almost exactly one year later, in June 2024, 8 members of the course, plus supporters, found themselves teaching and dancing in Barcelona and what a fabulous time we all had. Since the serTA Teachers Course, the Barcelona Group have started a beginner’s course which meets once a fortnight and joins with the general dancers in an excellent dance studio. Our day was divided into 3 classes for each group and thankfully each studio had air conditioning!
Thanks to Liz, Murrough and Jan for teaching the General/Intermediate Classes and to Iris and Christine for teaching the Beginners (besides myself). 

Serendipity stepped in when our course musician dropped out, and Nicol McLaren came to play for us. He was joined by his lovely wife Jenny, who along with Barcelona dancer Josep Centelles, were both celebrating special birthdays on the day of our dancing. The atmosphere amongst the group was superb with great camaraderie and helpfulness from everyone. Several dancers from Jerez joined the day as well as dancers from Madrid and Barcelona.

To complete the day, we held an evening dance in the stunning venue, Centro Galego de Barcelona. Nicol was on terrific form and in the true spirit of Scottish Country Dancing everyone mixed together and supported the new dancers. Our MCs for the evening, Chris Collings and Brian Rose, led us clearly through all the dances. Murrough Landon had kindly written a dance especially for the group and the teachers demonstrated it to all, Panot de Flor.

An after-dinner meal was held at a local restaurant where the delicious tapas kept coming and coming! A super sing-song with Nicol and a few funny stories, which even other Spanish customers seemed to enjoy in the bar, completed the marvellous day. Walking back to our hotel through the Gothic Quarter, some arm in arm, after a very successful day, we were all so pleased that two brave ladies had joined the serTA Teachers’ Course 23, thank you Carolyn and Raquel. They and the Barcelona Scottish Dancers had organised the event incredibly well with so many small kind touches. Their group had also applied to and
received a grant from the International Branch Susie Mayr Fund to help cover costs and for which everyone was very grateful.

As Course Tutor and part organiser of this trip, I sometimes feel a bit like a mother-hen! However, from this experience, I loved the way that everyone worked together and fitted-in with tremendous geniality and general bonhomie. It was the very best in Scottish Dancing, Fun, Fitness and Friendship across the countries.