The January 17 "Scottish Afternoon" at Camas Community Center was a celebration of Scotland's Poet Laureate Robert Burns' birthday and Scottish culture ... Scottish Country Dance style. More than 135 guests from the local community gathered for the Grand March and audience participation dances, with first-class entertainment by The McMulligans Bagpipe & Drum group, Scotsman Sandy MacKenzie, Hamilton Rant fiddle & guitar, and troubadour Bart Moore.

Master of Ceremonies Robert Stuart was the Grand Marshall and led the lively family program with his charming personality.

Liza Halpenny and John Shaw kept the audience active with Scottish Country Dances, accompanied by Hamilton Rant guitar & fiddle duo Robin & Brian Shaylor and drummer Sandy MacKenzie.

Then the Hamilton Rant energized the audience with a medley of hand-clapping tunes.

The Hamilton Rant, with Sandy

Sandy MacKenzie, accompanied by Hamilton Rant, highlighted the life of Robert Burns. Sandy impressed the audience with his friendly jokes and songs, including "Life's Too Short for Worry" and "Waggle of the Kilt".

Troubadour Bart Moore

Bart Moore crooned Robert Burns' songs "Green Grow the Rashes" and "My Love Is Like a Red Red Rose", dedicating the songs to distant cousin Susan Shaw, and Marge van Nus.

The McMulligans pipe and drum band treated guests to their stirring music. Pipers Ron Jerabek and Travis Nelson, and drummers Linda Mae Dennis and Patrick Hogan, led the Grand March and rang the room with their melodies. Ron presented the "Pipe Talk" with the introduction, "I want to answer one question that I know is on everyone's mind. It's a question that people have been asking men in kilts since the beginning of time. And that is of course ... how do the bagpipes work?!" He disassembled his bagpipe to reveal its inner workings and demonstrated how to bring the drone into tune.

Guests entered a drawing to win quality gift baskets and prizes generously donated by local businesses and individuals.

The McMulligans

The program concluded with everyone singing the traditional "Auld Lang Syne".

Volunteers enjoyed the camaraderie of planning this complex event. Thank you to event chair Susan Shaw, John Shaw, Geri Stuart, Robert Stuart, Alasdair Stuart, Duncan Stuart, Liza Halpenny, Tom Halpenny, Martin MacKenzie, Eunice MacKenzie, Katharine MacKenzie, Don Morrison, Marie Morrison, Bonnie Swenson, Carolyn Tanner, Dina Shaylor, Victoria MacKenzie, and Valérie Moore.

Thank you to all who supported the "Scottish Afternoon" with your attendance, entertainment, and volunteer contributions. The proceeds from this fundraiser will do much to support the education of Scottish Country Dance in our community.

Estonian twirls...

...and musicians!

Was it just me, or was that evening a blast? On Saturday, February 17, around 50 people "mixed it up," learning folk dances from seven different countries. Geri Stuart warmed up the crowd with a Scottish Country Dance. Then, guest instructors shared their talents, including live music for the Estonian dances.

These are the types of dances we learned, along with the instructors: Scottish, Geri Stuart; Polish, Marek Stepien; Israeli, Eric Singer; Line, Andy Chumbley; Irish, Alyson Williams; Tirolean, Don Gertz; Estonian, Liina Teose.

Tirolean pattycake

The dancers were full of energy, willing to try new things, including the "heads on each other's shoulders, fannies sticking out" advanced move in one Estonian dance. On the other side of the coin, it was also enjoyable to find familiar figures in many of the dance forms. People didn't want to leave at 10:00, but insisted on staying to learn Don Gertz's final Tirolean dance, which featured high speed pattycake hand clapping. Our dear Oslo Waltz rounded out the evening.

One of the best parts of the event for me, as MC, was meeting and working with people from other folk dance traditions. Learning more about each other's cultures is an important first step to bringing peace to the world. The enthusiastic vote from everyone present was, "We want to do this again!"

Vancouver USA SCD is pleased to announce the purchase of a new variable-speed CD player. The Board wishes to thank Don Morrison who thought of creating a special fund for this and made the first donation. Others who contributed were Tom Halpenny, Kris Wells, Stephen Hui, Cynthia Soohoo, and Van Meter Hord. The Board would like to thank all the other dancers who through their participation at various events throughout the year made it possible for the group as a whole to make up the difference between the special fund's total and the cost of the machine. With the many classes being taught, this new CD player is a welcomed addition. "Thank you" to Geri Stuart for arranging its purchase.