THE biggest Dashing White Sergeant in the world. That's really a minor
aim of the Festival of Scottish Country Dance, being held on March 27 at
the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow.
''It's really all about the joy of taking part,'' says Sheena
MacDonald, advisor in physical education. ''It started in December and
it ties in with all sorts of things at school.
''Thirty-two bars to a jig -- it helps in maths. Jig, reel, and all
the other words -- it helps in English. And it's all about heritage and
history and culture.''
There are something like 3000 people taking part in the festival.
There is music by a professional group, 3 and 2, from Lenzie, under Lex
Keith. There is the 100-piece Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra. Plus 118
primary schools, plus around 500 teachers.
''A lot of expertise is being put in by the Royal Scottish Dance
Society. We're using all the authentic tunes. The children are about 10
to 12 years old and come from all over Strathclyde,'' says Sheena.
''There are 12 dances in total, with 880 children taking part at any one
time. I just hope the floor doesn't give way.
''The record for taking part in the Dashing White Sergeant is about
250, I'm told. We're going to smash that. No bother. We could be in the
Guinness Book of Records.''
There are other aspects of dance as well. Richard Slaughter and Ursula
Hageli presented A Portrait of Anna Pavlova recently to 700 pupils in
schools in Glasgow.
''This was absolutely fabulous,'' says Sheena. ''Everyone was
tremendously impressed. It is about taking ballet to Glasgow. I think
some of the boys at school felt it might be a bit sissy. But they tried
the exercises, too. And they were impressed. It certainly raised levels
of awareness of how fit you have to be to do ballet.''
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