The Gardens Scottish Country Dancers is a not-for-profit group dedicated to arranging summer evenings of Scottish Country Dancing to live music in the open air in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh - an activity which has gone on for over half a century. We also organise some indoor dances allowing dancers to indulge their enthusiasm when many of the clubs have reduced activity for the summer. Our season of open-air dancing in Princes Street Gardens and indoors dancing elsewhere is now over for 2011, but your committee is actively planning our schedule for 2012.
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The events in the Princes Street Gardens are open to all, from experienced dancers to spectators. As in previous years, each dance will be demonstrated once by a team of experienced dancers. The programmes principally comprise dances for which prior experience is desirable, but several simpler dances are also included which can be picked up instantly, and there are one or two of modest complexity which can be managed if sufficient people in the set know the dance. As you will see in the photos on this site, there is no special dress code. It is a good idea to bring an extra layer to wear while sitting out. Men are encouraged to wear kilts but it is not essential. Note that the dancing surface in the gardens is rather hard, being mostly flagstones. While many people are comfortable dancing in ordinary dancing shoes, others find it more comfortable to dance in plimsolls or the equivalent.
The indoor dances are not demonstrated, but are called once before the dance. These dances, therefore, are more suitable for those with prior knowledge.
Need a reminder of the steps?
When the programme is finalised, we will place a detailed description
of the dances here, as compiled from
Minicrib.
Find the location with
multimap or with
Google Maps.
Search those sites by postcode. While the
venues are not yet finalised, but we hope to continue with those
used in 2011.
For the Ross Bandstand the postcode is EH2 2HG, for Lutton
Place it is EH8 9PE, and for Stockbridge House it is EH4 1JB.
The venues have good access by public transport. Information about the bus services may be found at Lothian Buses. Click on the Route Maps panel at the bottom of their home page. Princes Street is served by many buses. Stockbridge House is on routes numbered 24, 29, and 36.
If you are driving to the city from outside, you may find the Park and Ride schemes at Ingleston and Sheriffhall on the 48 bus route, or at Straiton on the 47 useful. Please do not attempt to park in the grounds of St. Peter's; there is only space for two cars and these places are reserved for the musician and the MC.
Back to the topOccasionally the weather in Edinburgh is not suitable for open-air dancing (but less often than you might think). On those occasions the dancing may be cancelled. As some of the bands and the demonstration teams come from a distance away, the decision whether to proceed or not is taken soon after 3pm on the day of the event. This website will be updated with the status as soon as it is known
Useful weather links
Please publicise the programme to other dancers, say at your club or class, or to people who might like to come to watch. If you would like a poster to display email us at psgdance@blueyonder.co.uk
We would really welcome your thoughts on our activities at any time.
Please send us your comments by emailing us at
psgdance@blueyonder.co.uk
The Annual Meeting is an important opportunity for you to feed your
thoughts to us on all aspects of our arrangements, whether you have
great ideas for the future, or praise or criticism of this season's
dancing, and to nominate people to serve on the committee.
The details of the annual meeting for 2012 are yet to be
finalised. It is expected to take place early in September.
Documents related to previous Annual Meetings (all are .pdf files).
The Gardens Scottish Country Dancers are organised by a voluntary committee appointed at our Annual Meeting. Your committee will be happy to answer any questions you have about the organisation and arrangements. The committee members for the 2012 season are:-
 Margaret Burns Chair 0131-661 1768 |
 James Summers Secretary |
 John Nuttall Treasurer |
Rae Ballantyre |
 Margaret Harris 0131-337 4197 |
Bob Harwood Website Maintainer |
Agnes Reed 0131-556 2140 |
Linda Watson |
Rosemary Wylie |
We are grateful for the support of many people whose input has made this and previous year's programmes possible.
Our thanks too to the clubs who supply demonstration teams and suggest the programmes, to those who act as stewards, to our callers, to the musicians who put the spring into our steps, and to all who come along to dance and so make our mutual enjoyment possible.
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