The Shackleton Scholarship Fund - Shackleton Scholar's Report 2006

Visit by the Glenelvan Scottish Dance Band

Derek Howatt
Stanley

On behalf of the Scottish Dance Group, I would like to express our appreciation to the members of the Shackleton Committee for approving the most generous sponsorship which made the visit of the Band possible.  I enclose a statement of receipts and payments which clearly shows that the visit could not have gone ahead without your financial support.  As a consequence, every opportunity was taken to recognise the importance of your sponsorship: on the posters, dance tickets and programmes, Penguin News, FIRS and at the events themselves.  

From comments and reports received there is no doubt that the visit of the Band was an outstanding success.  The Band entertained both young and old alike on every day of their brief six days in the Islands.  In hindsight the programme did not provide enough free time, and it exhausted me let alone the Band members.  However, as I proposed the programme, I had no one to blame but myself - a lesson for the next time!   A copy of the poster advertising the programme is enclosed.

We were fortunate in getting such a top quality band and caller.  Under the guidance of the expert caller and dance teacher, Karin Ingram, the keenest of dancers learned several new dances.  One of these new dances "Volunteer Beach" was especially devised by Karin and danced for the first time at the Family Ceilidh to a 4/4 March composed by Stuart Anderson.  A visit to the Kings at Volunteer Beach provided the inspiration for Karin and Stuart to devise the dance and compose the music.  Karin very kindly presented the music and dance to me at the Family Ceilidh and I need to find the most suitable place to put them on public display.

On 16 February the Penguin News covered the visit on their front page and page 9 with the headlines: "A right old knees-up" and "Dance fever takes hold with Scottish band in town".  Page 12 of the Penguin News of 9 March featured an article by Karin entitled "Penguins and Polkas".  It is pleasing to know that the Band enjoyed the visit as much as we did.  Karin is the editor of two magazines, Box & Fiddle and Dance On.  In the editorial of the March Box & Fiddle magazine she starts with:  

"It's been a hectic month!  I'm just back from the Falklands, where David Scott, Judith Linton, Stuart Anderson and I enjoyed the most wonderful hospitality.  It was the trip of a lifetime, and we all agreed that we'd jump at the chance to go back.  You can see a few of our photos on page 31." 

A copy of that page of photos is enclosed. 

Karin also presents a two hour folk and traditional music show on Sunday nights on Radio Borders.  On her first show after returning home, which I unfortunately missed, she made a number of positive comments on the Band's visit.  I tuned in online the following Sunday and, in between the music, which included some tunes played by the Glenelvan which we had danced to, she said about the delight of the trip and seeing penguins for the first time.

Liz recorded some music live at the Band's performance at the Malvina and interviewed the Band members.  I understand a programme featuring this music and interview will be broadcast by FIRS shortly. Please click HERE to listen to a sample of the band's music (approximately 1 mb in MP3 format).