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The Nanaimo Scottish Country Dancers has been part of the city's cultural scene since the late 60's and for over 30 years has been affiliated with the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland.
From small beginnings, with just a few dedicated dancers, the club has grown to over fifty members who meet twice weekly to enjoy the music and dancing of Scotland.
In the mid '70s' the club members met at St. James Anglican Church on Departure Bay Road. Due to church renovations and rescheduling of activities the dancers were forced to new facilities at Beban Park as part of Nanaimo's Parks and Recreation Activity Programmes.
The membership steadily increased, and the club became more organized under the presidency of Guy Topping and Teacher, Hazel MacDonald.
Regular monthly socials were held with as many as 60 people in attendance enjoying both the dancing and the socializing, which is a big part of Scottish Country Dancing..
In 1982 Bob Vroom took over the teaching duties and extended club activities to include a new group of Scottish Country Dancers in Nanoose.
This club attracted members from Parksville, Qualicum Beach and other dancers from Central Vancouver Island.
Another change was in store for the dancers who moved, once again, this time from Beban Park to the old Health Unit building on Prideaux Street.
Finding a suitable location, with no interruptions to the dancing schedule has often been difficult as more and more demands are made on local recreation facilities, and it wasn't until 1985 that the club found a more permanent and convenient location at Pleasant Valley Community Hall.
With the formation of the Nanoose Scottish Country Dancers and the move by Bob Vroom to head this group in Nanoose Bay, Doug Jordan became president of the Nanaimo Club in 1985 and also took over the teaching duties for the Tuesday evening class.
As with many clubs and associations The Nanaimo Scottish Country Dancers have experienced fluctuations in membership especially during the mid '80s and it's thanks to the dedication of many of our past and current long-time members that our club has survived and prospered. We are eternally grateful for their dedication and commitment to Scottish Country Dancing.
The past 30 years has seen many exciting changes for The Nanaimo Scottish Dancers. Our club membership has grown steadily and the addition of a basic for new dancers initiated by Marguerite Bell in 1999 has gone a long way towards expanding our club's membership and activities. We now enjoy the benefits of having a Tuesday class for Intermediate dancers and a Thursday class for beginning level dancers.
Many of the original core
dancers are no longer dancing. Age and time, unfortunately, takes it
toll on us all. We do, however, owe a debt of gratitude to the
following members who helped establish our club in the '60s and
persevered through the ups and downs of the mid '80s : Mac and Mona
McSween, Tom and Cathy Adkins, Bob and Betty McPhee, Hazel MacDonald,
Guy and Jerry Topping, Jean Hartje, May and Jimmy Stimpson and, of
course, Eileen and Alex McConnell, who offer their home on Gabriola for
our annual summer picnic. The Nanaimo club survives and prospers today
due to the dedication and commitment of all its members who come out
week after week, in good weather and bad, to enjoy the music and magic
of Scottish Country Dancing.