SCD Valentine's Ball

**Hamish** · 10th February 08, 06:49 PM

Oh, Jamie, how your photos take me back to my hey-days on the dance floor! In the 1960s/70s our group would attend such Balls maybe two or three times every year in London and other parts of south-east England.

When I danced with the RSCDS London Branch Demonstration Team, we would often provide the 'Cabaret' at similar events and, many a time we presented an all-male "Reel of the 51st Division" - sometimes in unkilted uniforms from all three services. As you know, the dance was originally devised in a German prisioner-of-war camp by a Scots Officer!

Great photos - many thanks Jamie.

Take care,
Ham.

**Panache** · 10th February 08, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Hamish

...When I danced with the RSCDS London Branch Demonstration Team, we would often provide the 'Cabaret' at similar events and, many a time we presented an all-male "Reel of the 51st Division" - sometimes in unkilted uniforms from all three services. As you know, the dance was originally devised in a German prisioner-of-war camp by a Scots Officer!

Ham,

I had the pleasure of dancing the "Reel of the 51st Division" with my class teacher so I only got glimpses of the men's set. After more than a year of instruction it seemed so ...wild to have the men waving their arms in the air!

They were having such a grand time, their elan' and flair were the center of attention during that set.

It had been mentioned in class and at the dance that it was created by Scot POWs. Todd (cajunscot) sent me this wonderful link that described how the dance had been sent back to Scotland during WWII and the German's had intercepted the SCD shorthand and were quite vexxed at this mysterious "code"

Cheers

Jamie

**ChromeScholar** · 10th February 08, 07:49 PM

Looks very cool...

**Arlen** · 10th February 08, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by Panache

Ham,
I had the pleasure of dancing the "Reel of the 51st Division" with my class teacher so I only got glimpses of the men's set. After more than a year of instruction it seemed so ...wild to have the men waving their arms in the air!
Jamie

And that is the difference between 'Scottish country dancing' and 'Royal Scottish country dancing.'

When you learn the regular old way there is a lot of showing off, fitting in extra turns, whooping and waving.
Going to an RSCDS ball after that... well... it's stull fun and wonderful and glamorous, but very different.

**Dirk Skene** · 11th February 08, 08:08 AM

Great pix of a great time. The F-H-A-C-G was lovely.

**Phil** · 11th February 08, 08:36 AM

Looks like you had a great time. The reel of the 51st is a good one and we usually dance it as mixed couples. As Arlen says there are some groups who like to add their own variations which is fine as long as they tell everyone else! Other favourites are Hamilton House and Duke of Perth in fact I like all of them.