Lower North Island RSCDS Centenary Ball

CELEBRATING DANCE SCOTTISH!

To celebrate the centenary of the RSCDS, The RSCDS Wellington, Hawke’s Bay and Rangitikei Regions have combined to host a Tri-Region Ball in Palmerston North.

5.30pm, Saturday 4 November 2023

College Street School Hall, Palmerston North Click here for a map to the venue
Music by Balmoral Band – Anne-Marie Forsyth (Auckland), Sharlene Penman (Christchurch), Iain McKenzie (Queensland)

As well as celebrating the centenary of the RSCDS, the Ball is celebrating the role of the ‘fertile crescent’ from Hawke’s Bay to Whanganui through to Wellington.

In many ways, these three regions were the birthplace of Scottish Country Dancing in New Zealand. For instance, the first three New Zealand Summer Schools were held in these three regions.

The Lower North Island RSCDS Centenary Ball will:

  • Feature an international band (The Balmoral Band)
  • Begin at 5.30pm so people have time to commute to the Ball and return to Wellington/Hawke’s Bay/Whanganui if they wish
  • Have a piped Grand March
  • Have a celebratory catered supper
  • Have a programme which features dances from Kiwi devisers, and well-known Society dances

Download the Lower North Island Centenary Ball Programme

Download the Lower North Island Centenary Ball Cribsheet (prepared by Désirée Patterson)

Online ticket sales are closed. For a ticket now please contact Jeanette Watson beauwat@xtra.co.nz . There may be a limited number of tickets available at the door, provided not sold out beforehand.

Story of the selected dances

Download the story of the selected dances (updated September 2023) compiled by Rod Downey and Iain Boyd. They will be expanded upon as the year progresses, after consultation with people who are even more aware of the history of Scottish Country Dancing in New Zealand.

Instructions for dances that are not well-known

Download the instructions for these dances on the programme:

A Gift From Heaven (Norman Whitson)

Gary Morris (Alec Hay)

Mildred Clancey’s Strathspey (Jennie Miller)

Morison’s Bush (Ken Shaw)

Or watch these videos to see how Capital City club dance these dances:

Gary Morris

Mildred Clancey’s Strathspey

Morison’s Bush

Foreword to The Morison’s Bush Collection

Download a copy of the Foreword to The Morison’s Bush Collection. This gives a ‘potted history’ of the Wellington/Hawke’s Bay Association and of organised Scottish Country Dancing in New Zealand from 1953-1978.

Original Committee Members of the Wellington/Hawke’s Bay Association. Photo: The Morison’s Bush Collection

Bruce Fordyce (Back row, fourth from the left) devised the dance Seton’s Ceilidh Band which is on the Ball programme to commemorate Jack Seton (Front row, centre), who was the original President of the Wellington/Hawke’s Bay Association.