I've been going to the Central Germany Branch's Easter workshop at the Kuckucksnest in Schlüchtern for more than 30 years now (back when it was still organised by Carola Fischer), most of that time as the “house pianist”. The big change this year is that I won't be doing that – the Bluebell Trio, or 2/3 of them, from Japan – will be playing and I will be teaching for a change! Yoohoo!
Read moreBurns Again!
After our own private Burns Supper last Saturday, today it its time for the posh event put on annually by the Frankfurt chapter of the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany.
Read moreThe Making Of The “Highland Cathedral” Video
Astute readers of this blog will remember that on 18 January the Frankfurt SCD Club e.V. held its annual “Tea Dance”, which this year featured a celebration of the life and works of the great SCD teacher and deviser, the late Malcolm Brown. One of the dances we tried was the two-four-couple-set 80-bar strathspey, Highland Cathedral, and we did manage to publish a video of the workshop participants performing it (see below). Here are a few notes about making that video.
Read moreNew CD: “After the Rain” by Marian Anderson
I recently received this CD as a gift from Amanda Peart (thanks Amanda!). It was published by RSCDS Belfast Branch and apparently goes with a dance book of the same name, which I don't have (yet). Just briefly, this is a very nice CD and the kind of rock-solid work you would associate with a seasoned professional like Marian Anderson (with Graham Bell on 2nd box, Isobelle Hodgson on piano and bass, and Max Ketchin on drums). I'm looking forward to using it in my class!
Read moreGreenland to the Greenlanders!?
SCD Class, 28 January 2025
Once more today's blog entry is over on the FSCDC e.V. web site (in German). Nothing really exciting because apart from the AGM, we looked at a few repetitions from classes earlier this month.
Read moreUnder 16? No Social Media For YOU!
Australia has passed a law banning all under-16s from accessing social media (this presumably means the big social media sites like Facebook or TikTok because obviously the whole internet is too vast to control in this way). People are wondering whether that would be a good idea here in Germany, too. But is it?
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