Well another year is over and done with, and the annual meeting to elect the people that will see us through the coming year 2012/13.

In her President’s address to the club, Linnea listed our many successes over the past year: we held many social events from the annual Troon trip to informal parties and film nights that allowed us all to get to know each other outside the dance setting; we sent a large number of us to SUSCDF and presented a wonderful Demonstration team; we held a very well received Annual ball in February that many of the older guests highly praised as our best in several years; and we managed to have a very steady membership level, keeping the same people for the whole year.

She also thanked the outgoing committee for their efforts, and said how much she had enjoyed being a part of the club for four wonderful years.

The Treasurer’s report was equally positive, with a huge profit being made from the annual ball, and an overall profit being made. Altogether it was a much better year than the previous financially speaking, with SUSCDF being snowed off last year largely to blame.

Ad then of course it was time to elect the new committee, which I am happy to report is now as follows:

President- Jenny Scollen

Secretary- Andrew Macdonell

Treasurer- Emily Wheeler

Social Convener- Jutta Stauber

Ordinary Members- Daniel Holling and Iveta Jaugaite

Ivfdf 2012 was held in Aberdeen, so unlike most years, the club didn’t have to trek down south to join in the fun! around 17 of us managed to make it to the festival this year, and we met up with several former members while we were there.

Stewarding at 5am

The ceilidh AFTER the survivor’s ceilidh!

First to arrive and last to leave!

The Glasgow group plus some friends during the survivor’s ceilidh

I won’t thank our lovely hostesses for having us all here tonight, as I am one of them, and it seems very self-serving. Instead I’ll welcome you all to our home and say that I hope you’re all enjoying the food and company of each other tonight.

In our club, men are a commodity to be valued because there just aren’t. that. many. of them. We’re grateful for your company and presence- since without you it might be difficult to remember which the men’s side of the dance is. Or maybe not, because we aren’t completely incompetent. In any case, I’m so glad you’re part of our club, and I’m impressed so many of you keep coming back after Christmas, considering that Dhruva hasn’t.

However, we need to set some things straight.

It isn’t so much the case that we want to be men, as it is the fact that you fail at being women. Although it’s rare, it happens about once a year that a class has more men than ladies present, and in these cases we see just how badly you do when we need to take advantage of the interchangeable lady-parts in Scottish Country. I try not to pay attention to stereotypes, but perhaps it’s true that men can’t do two things at once – in this case, keep in mind what the “women” have to do in a dance and remember that for the moment, that includes you.

Another stereotype I could bring up if I was so inclined would be that men supposedly have better spatial awareness. I don’t believe that bad driving or parking is confined to one area of the gender spectrum, but I call shenanigans on the grounds that I’m pretty sure you men don’t go home complaining of bruised toes. How about you use these spatial awareness skills to keep off our feet, please

When it comes to the love of dresses, though, there’s not much I can say. They’re pretty. They sparkle. They flare when we spin – but that’s not confined to dresses. You men have it easy, since you can go an entire season or four of dancing only using one kilt, with a change of shirt optional (note that washing of said shirt it not). Maybe we ladies could re-use one dress for every ball, but maybe we don’t want to. Maybe we enjoy showing our skill in finding pretty and affordable clothing, unlike you men, who don’t even find your own kilt, but always want to borrow Dead Man’s Kilt.

Ripping off a dead man. How the mighty have fallen. Why don’t you use those building-leaping skills for some good instead?

Despite these flaws, we do love you dearly. If nothing else, you’re a source of amusement for us. So ladies, please raise your glasses in a toast for the laddies!

I’d like to begin by thanking Linnèa and Rebecca for hosting this supper tonight, we’re all having a great time and it’s thanks to them it was possible.

I’ve had a great first year at the club after Jenny challenged me to try it. Jenny is currently our club treasurer and I don’t know if you’ve heard this yet but next year she’s going to be president, she has big plans organised, in fact she’s already held and won an election for herself!

Aside from Gus the Duck, I am the only male member of the board which does make sense in a way; dancing will always be more attractive to girls because it’s a fun way to exercise and make friends. Guys can pump iron at the gym and eat beer and raw meat all day while killing and teabagging each other over the internet. It has nothing to do with the balls and dresses…choosing them, talking about them, deciding who has the best dress, thinking about them, deciding who’s a bitch, planning who’s going and hating others because of their dress- possibly while some background dancing is happening.

Even though a surprising amount stayed on after Dhruva left, women are in the majority at the club and in attempts to get more men to join, the club markets itself as being full of women. It’s only bad luck the GUU cheerleading society also practice on a Monday night so pickings can at times be slim. So how does this imbalance work out on the dance floor?

The girls- some less reluctant than others- often have to dance as men. I’m reminded of a quote about Fred Astaire’s dance partner Ginger Rogers. She “had to do every step that he did, backwards and in high heels.” I think the girls should be commended in their efforts to be like men, though their fascination is easy to understand, men are clearly the better sex.

We are typically stronger and faster than women, better at maths and drinking, better at sports and art, we can drive submarines and parallel park. I could do on… and I will; we can pee standing up, we can see in the dark, we can leap tall buildings in a single bound, all men have a third ear somewhere on their body. Jesus, Leonardo da Vinci and the Mona Lisa were all men. So there you have it.

At the end of the day we lads must ask ourselves where would we be without our lassies? Certainly a lot more miserable, lonely and wealthy.

The new year had a strong start with out new tradition of holding a Club Burns Supper. Although this is only the second year of celebrating the night, we had a great dinner and party.

We of course had the traditional supper of Haggis, Neeps and Tatties, which was followed by Cranachan and plenty of Whisky. The committee did an excellent job of preparing the food, and making sure the night ran smoothly. The toasts and speeches were given by the following members;

Selkirk Grace: Jenny, Ode to a Haggis: Rebecca, Toast to the Lassies: Eoin, Reply to the Toast: Linnea.

Eoin and Linnea’s speeches were very well received and left the audience in stitches.

After the success of the Fresher’s Ceilidh, the SRC invited us along to the Language Cafe to help them by hosting their St Andrew’s Day Ceildh. A small group from the club went along and demonstrated ‘Domino 5′ and ‘Mairi’s Wedding’ for the attendees, and guided them through the ceilidh dances. Music was provided for us by Adam Brady on the accordion, and Dhruva was our expert Caller.

The Scottish Universities Scottish Country Dance Festival was hosted by Edinburgh this year,  so back across the country we went (again!) to Morningside Parish hall to dance the night away.

The demonstration team this year consisted of  Anna McDonald, Bethany Pelzer, Daniel Holling, Dhruva Corrigan,   Eoin Garvin, Isobel Sennet, Jenny Scollen, Karen Barnard, Laurianne Benoist,  Marie Murigneux, Rebecca Jordan and Rebecca Witts.

They were wonderfully taught by Linnéa Pipping. The dance was the same dance as last year, which was written by Heather Bossellman and Gillian Frew.

All the demonstration teams performed admirably  and the night was a great success.

The Demonstration Team (minus Daniel) at practise

The Dem team peforming at the Ball

The Glasgow Uni Contingent

On Saturday 19th Nov, a whole bunch of us went to Edinburgh for a gentle introduction/reminder to the ball circuit. A wander around Edinburgh was followed by a lovely evening of fun and easy dances courtesy of the New Scotland club.

Last Friday we had an awesome cake party! Everyone brought delicious cake and other yummy things and we all ate them for dinner. But the best part of the evening was seeing the looks of horror and slight nausea at the end of the night when everyone was full of sugar and flour and had to behold how much cake was still left on the table… so we all took leftovers and had cake for breakfast! But in all seriousness, it was a lovely event for members to get to know each other without having to partner up and dance away.

Well it was a couple of weeks ago now, but fresher’s week 2011 went pretty well.

we held stalls in the foyer of the GUU and the cloisters of the main building and then on the Wednesday night we went to the SRC fresher’s ceildh! The ceildh was held in the University Chapel which was very unusual.

We were invited by the SRC to be model dancers for all the new (and old) students, which basically meant we had to go and make sure nobody completely messed up. During the break the SRC served Haggis and Shortbread while we danced Mairi’s Wedding.

With minimal preparation and few of us dancing at all over the summer, we still put on a fairly impressive performance, so thanks goes out to all the people from the club that came along that night and help out with dancing, or recruiting, or just moral support.

Orcadian strip the Willow

Our Gorgeous President- Linnea!