General questions about Scottish Country Dancing (SCD) to help you make that first step out on to the dance floor.
No, you don’t! Usually in Scottish Country Dancing, dancers take a different partner for each dance. This adds to the social nature of the dancing, and means that you get an opportunity to meet and dance with lots of different people.
Nearly all Scottish Country Dances need at least six people to dance together. Anyone can ask anyone else to dance.
No way! As long as you are willing to have a good time there is no upper limit on age. Most RSCDS Branches are qualified to teach anyone aged 6 to 90+, and all you need is to enjoy dancing.
Classes can be aimed at a certain age groups, but most classes are based on skill level. At social events and in many classes, you will find people aged 18 dancing with people aged 75. Dancing brings everyone together!
Some people decide to wear wide skirts, stretchy leggings, kilts, but it is not essential, and for classes you can wear anything that’s comfortable to move in.
After a few dance evenings most people decide to buy a pair of dancing shoes designed specifically for Scottish Country Dancing, soft leather pumps or ghillies, but beginners should wear any comfortable shoes with a soft non-slip sole, such as jazz or ballet shoes or casual canvas shoes.
A lot of people find kilts comfortable for dancing, but it is definitely not essential. Dancers should wear clothes in which they feel comfortable and can move easily.
Dances and balls however can be formal and you can expect to see attendees wear suits, trews, kilts and smart dresses.
Not at all, but if you did, we would be very impressed as there are a lot of them! You don’t have to learn any of them by heart if you don’t want to, although you should try and learn the steps and formations, which are found in most dances.
Programmes for balls and social dances are published well in advance and weekly classes aim to practise the dances from forthcoming programmes. Also, at the event itself dances are often recapped (always recapped at our Branch dances) or even walked through before the music starts.
In addition, at social dances and formal balls you can typically find a programme with cribs or diagrams to help you understand the dance. You are always more than welcome to bring your own dance sheets and carry them on to the dance floor.
Like most types of dancing, Scottish Country Dancing is an excellent, healthy exercise.
Scottish Country Dancing is very good for your heart and lungs, and it can also improve your balance and bone density. Scottish Country dancers have better agility, stronger legs, and walk more briskly. To read more on the health benefits of Scottish Country Dancing please visit the health page.
We encourage warming up before class and stretching afterwards.
Not at all! Scottish Country Dancing is open to everyone and is enjoyed all over the world, across Europe and North America to Australasia and Japan, everyone is welcome to the Scottish Country Dance community.
Questions on the 12 Coates Crescent Headquarters, how to find or contact us, and more.
The RSCDS Office, is conveniently located in the heart of Edinburgh, just down from Princes Street and Shandwick Place:
12 Coates Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 7AF
Though there are Branches and Groups located around the world, the RSCDS office is the only physical location. All of our Branches and Groups are run by dedicated volunteers and have no set office. If you would like to get in touch with a Branch or Group, you can find contact details in our Branch and Group Finder.
The RSCDS Office operates from Monday to Friday and our phone lines are open from 10am – 12pm plus 2pm – 4pm UK time.
Questions about joining the RSCDS. To learn more, please visit our membership page.
Most Members join the RSCDS through their local Branch. Alternatively, you can become a Headquarter Member, an International Branch Member or a Youth Branch Member.
We encourage you to find your closest Branch and get in touch to learn more about Membership. Every Branch offers Membership, and they are more than happy to help answer all your questions and provide the appropriate form to fill out.
To find the closest Branch please use our Branch & Group Finder.
That is completely fine! We encourage all potential members to join their local Branch as there are many benefits you can enjoy from being part of a local dance community, but if that is not possible, there are a few options you can explore.
Joining a different Branch
If there is no local Branch, then you are welcome to join another Branch of your choosing. For example, if you live in Edinburgh, you could join the Edinburgh Branch, or you could join the Dundee Branch. Living in a certain area does not mean you have to join that particular Branch.
International Branch
The International Branch has members from around the world and no central location. Many members who are part of a Branch already join the International Branch to be part of their community. To learn more about the Branch and how to join please visit their website.
Youth Branch
Similar to the International Branch but aimed primarily at young dancers. If you are aged 24 and under we encourage you to learn more about the Youth Branch and check out their website.
Headquarter
If you do not wish to join via the Branch options then perhaps Headquarters membership is for you! There are more benefits being part of a Branch or Group, but Headquarters members do receive many of the same benefits as Branch members.
To learn more about membership options head to our membership page.
Yes! We call this ‘additional’ membership.
Your primary membership is the one through which you pay your annual RSCDS fee. Additional membership is where you would pay only the Branch fee.
For example, I am a primary member of Edinburgh Branch and an additional member of both Glasgow and Dundee Branches. I pay my RSCDS annual membership fee through Edinburgh (as well as their Branch fee), and then I pay only the Branch fee to both the Glasgow and Dundee Branches to be a member with each.
Being an additional member means you would receive their Branch newsletter, mailings, and perhaps receive discounts to classes and events. This is quite common with the International Branch, as many primary members have an additional membership through the International Branch.
We encourage you to speak with the Branch to learn more about membership options.
Questions about our dance and music publications.
Occasionally the RSCDS does publish books of dances when members are asked to submit new dances with specific criteria. These dances go through a trialling process with dancers around the world before selection and subsequent publication. To keep up to date with opportunities like that, follow us on social channels (links in the footer).
Although the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society promotes dance and music, it does not manage a national archive of Scottish Dances.
Questions on activating and accessing your RSCDS JustGo Account and the Dance Scottish Hub.
This is your Member Area in RSCDS JustGo.
For now, you will only need to use the My Profile and Dance Scottish Hub Menu Tabs.
The other Menu Tabs are part of the standard JustGo platform and are not yet open to our Members – they are blank.
Yes, your Membership details will already be in RSCDS JustGo. We suggest that you review and update any out-of-date Profile information. Just click on the Update button. You can also add more information to your Profile such as your Interests and Involvement, Your Musical Profile, and your Language Profile.
Yes, your Membership number will be the same. You can see your Membership number on the top left-hand corner of My Profile. Look above your name.
We sent you an email with the subject matter Action Required: Activate Your New RSCDS JustGo Account. This email address is the one you can use to Log In. So, just look for your emails from the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society <[email protected]>
Your My ID is the unique identifier for you on RSCDS JustGo and is included in the Activation email that we have sent you from [email protected].
Usually this will be the email address you have been using to communicate with us. If you have not previously provided us with your email address, your My ID will be included in your Activation email.
Log In is made up of (2) two parts:
Part 1 is your: My ID
Part 2 is your: Password
Your My ID is included in the Activation email that we have sent to you from [email protected]. Usually this will be the email address you have been using to communicate with us.
If you have not previously provided us with your email address, your My ID will be included in your Activation email.
Take a note of your unique My ID which is clearly indicated in the Activation email we sent you. Once you have activated your Account, you can then use your My ID to access the RSCDS Dance Scottish Hub or RSCDS JustGo.
Note: Every time you want to enter the Dance Scottish Hub or RSCDS JustGo you will need your My ID and Password to enter. So have both at hand.
This depends on the age of your child/young adult.
If your child is Under 18
When you activate your Account, you should enter your child’s details – as you are activating their Account. Don’t worry, later in the process you will have the chance to enter your own details as their Parent or Guardian.
If your child is 18+
At 18+ your child is a young adult and should have their own Account. So, activation should be done using their personal details.
Each person in your family, who has a RSCDS membership, will have received an RSCDS JustGo activation email from us.
It is important that each individual Account is activated. This needs to be done by the individual to whom the Activation email is addressed. Alternatively, a parent or guardian may activate another individual’s Account if they have permission to do so.
My IDs are unique to each individual. So if you do activate an Account on behalf of another individual, please ensure you use the My ID shown in that individual’s Account activation email.
No. Everyone, no matter their Membership type, must activate an individual RSCDS JustGo Account. Individual Account activation is not connected to Membership Type.
If Joint Members share the same email address, both activation emails will be sent to that address, but each email will be addressed to a different Member and contain that Member’s unique My ID.
When activating Accounts that share an email address, be sure to use the My ID provided in each Member’s personal activation email. This ensures the correct Account is activated for each Member.
Each individual must have their own activated Account on RSCDS JustGo, so in this case 4 activated Member Accounts are required.
To get started, look in your email inbox. Each person in your family will have received an individually addressed RSCDS JustGo activation email, so expect to see 4 emails.
Next, each individual Account should be activated. This needs to be done by the individual to whom each Activation email is addressed. However, a parent or guardian may activate another individual’s Account if they have permission to do so.
Most important to remember – My IDs are unique to each individual. So, if you do activate an Account on behalf of family Members, please ensure you use the My ID provided in each Member’s personal activation email.
If you are sharing a computer with another person, you may see their details when you arrive at the Log In. See example below.
This is normal and nothing to worry about. To resolve this, simply click on the First Box and type in your My ID. Your My ID is usually the email address you use to communicate with the RSCDS.
If you have not previously provided us with your email address, your My ID will be included in your Activation email. Next type your Password in the Second Box.
You can find your My ID in the Account activation email that has been sent to you. It will be clearly marked as your My ID. Please make sure to type the information exactly as presented.
No, you have the option to upload a Profile picture, but it is not mandatory.
Date of Birth is a mandatory field in the JustGo platform and forms part of every Member’s RSCDS JustGo profile.
By providing your Date of Birth, you help ensure RSCDS maintains accurate records, meets important safeguarding requirements and makes full use of Just Go Membership and Community management features. Discounts and Membership Types can be Date of Birth dependant for example.
Note: If you do not wish to include an actual Date of Birth on your RSCDS JustGo Profile, please instead use the date 26/11/1923 (the founding date of RSCDS.)
Not at the moment, but you will be able to do this in the near future.
For now:
Branch Members: please contact your Branch directly for your Membership renewal.
Branch Treasurers, Secretaries and Chairs: please continue to use your existing renewal processes and contact the RSCDS Office if you require assistance.
HQ Members: please renew your Membership using the RSCDS online shop: https://shop.rscds.org/shop/?_categories=memberships
Not at the moment. But you will be able to do this in the near future. For now, please renew through our online shop: https://shop.rscds.org/shop/?_categories=membership
