Bernie Hewitt –   TDFS Secretary   It is now over three years since I first joined the board of the TDFS, and more recently was asked to take on the role of secretary and treasurer.   As all the minute taking and record keeping is done very efficiently by our full-time staff member, my emphasis has … Continued

It’s been hard to miss the various creative responses to the restrictions, mandatory and self-imposed, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. From the weekly outbreak of applause, pot-banging and bell-ringing in appreciation of the health workers, to rainbows in windows, and comedian Janey Godley’s affectionate parodies of the First Minister, people have been making sense of … Continued

For many years two important parts of my life ran along in parallel. My life in traditional dance arose from my own enjoyment of Irish and Scottish social dance and the old-style stepping traditions of both countries. Sharing the Irish Sets and Scottish Cèilidh dances I learned over the years seemed a natural thing to … Continued

On Friday 12 July 2019, it was 140 years since dancing master Ewen MacLachlan passed away in Daliburgh, South Uist. He left a legacy of solo dances which were kept alive by a number of people over the years including Fearachar MacNeil of Barra, John ‘Iain Ruadh’ MacLeod and Donald ‘Roidein’ MacDonald both of South … Continued

The Jaialdia Mix is an exciting new dance performance project for young people aged between 16 – 25 years old. We are looking for a group of young people with some experience in traditional dance (with a special focus on highland) to be involved in a collaborative project with young people from the Basque Country. This … Continued

The Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland & The University of Edinburgh present ‘The Art of Treepling’, a mini festival of percussive dance culminating the First Footing residency with international dance artist Nic Gareiss.  TODAY, on International Dance Day, the grand culmination of the First Footing residency – The Art of Treepling – is announced. The … Continued

The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, issued an open letter to EU citizens living in Scotland on 5 April 2019. Following up from her original open letter in 2016, the message of welcome remains, stating: ‘Scotland is your home, you are welcome here, and you are valued. You play a crucial role in Scotland’s … Continued

A celebration of Basque Traditional Dance in the most contemporary way possible. Friday 26 April | 7:30pm | Lauriston Hall, Edinburgh “Dantza” is a musical feature, turning on Basque dances and their ancestral symbolism. The project yokes the talents of director Telmo Esnal, artist and sculptor Koldobika Jauregui, and scholar and folklorist Juan Antonio Urbeltz. … Continued

SAVE THE DATE Friday 7 – Sunday 9 June @ venues across Edinburgh   A mini-festival of percussive dance culminating the First Footing residency including public workshops, masterclasses, work-in-progress showings, dance-for-camera showings, panels and performances with Sandy Silva, Colin Dunne and artist-in-residence Nic Gareiss. First Footing is a tailor-made residency rooted in collaboration across dance … Continued

Type: Full-Time, Permanent Location: Edinburgh Salary: £33,000 – £35,000 Closing Date: Noon, Tuesday 30th April 2019   Job Description The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) exists to promote and develop Scottish country dancing (SCD) both in Scotland and worldwide for the benefit of present and future generations, and aims to achieve its objectives by: • Promoting and encouraging … Continued