Forty-eight members and friends of the Aberdeen Branch arrived on Friday afternoon for a fun weekend and we were certainly not disappointed.  Jim Stott, Sheila Bain and Rachel Discombe had chosen well and the Windlestrae Hotel in Kinross wa absolutely perfect.  The rooms, the menus, the food, the facilities and the service were all first class.

Friday evening's dancing was fast and furious and, it must be acknowledged, rather hot.  The dance floor was exactly the right size for our company and David Oswald's masterly musicianship made for lively dancing.  Rachel, Sheila and Jim expertly called the dances and smiled good-humouredly at the inevitable pockets of confusion. Half-way trough our 16 dances our guest instructor, Eric Finely from Ayrshire, arrived to join us happily dancing the evening away. 

The mornings saw some of us having a restorative long lie whilst others sought atonement in ploughing up and down the splendid swimming pool or lounging in the bubbles of the Jacuzzi.  Breakfasts at the Windlestrae proved to be a cornucopia of every conceivable breakfast food available in unlimited quantity, wonderful!  As ever, the mealtimes allowed the time for networking so often lacking during dance evenings.  The company was excellent and there was much laughter.

At the Saturday morning session Eric put us through a punishing warm-up followed by a revisiting of jig/reel steps with the skill and good humour which are his trademark.  We tried our best and, it must be said, fragments of what he said did occasionally come to mind during the subsequent dances.  It is the fate of the teacher to hand out loaves and fishes but to get back only baskets of crumbs.  Better remembered was the overall experience of a happy occasion.

Saturday afternoon and we were loose in a strange country, the Kingdom of Fife.  Struggling hard to make ourselves understood to the natives we ventured forth; some to Loch Leven, others to the RSPB Bird Sanctuary; Falkland with its palace attracted the historians; each little group with its different agenda.  A quick swim freshened some; a quick drink prepared others for the Saturday Wine Reception and Dinner, a glittering event adorned by beautiful ladies in their finery with the men doing their best in the garb of old Gaul.

Saturday evening's programme was a mixture including old favourites interspersed notably with two Instructor's Choices; a 96 bar square set Strathspey, "Partnership" and the jig "Alhambra".  For most of us these were new chances, new challenges giving much satisfaction, at least to those who had paid close attention in the morning.  Rumour is that the afterglow from this hugely entertaining evening kept more than a few awake for several more hours of convivial companionship.

The Sunday morning session saw Eric exercising us with the Hokey Cokey, warming us up and making us smile too.  David was unable to play for this session and we are grateful to George Meikle who very readily agreed to fill the gap.  Eric then focused attention on Strathspey movements, raising our awareness of good footwork and attractive poise.  I'm sure fellow dancers will quickly detect the sharpening up in Strathspey department... Eric then took us through a succession of splendid dances to much acclaim.

A farewell three-course lunch rounded off what had proved to be a thoroughly successful, enjoyable couple of days.  Our heartfelt thanks must go to the Instructor Eric, to organisers and callers Sheila, Jim and Rachel, to the musicians David and George and to the management and staff of the Windlestrae Hotel.  David Geddes