The Teachers' Association of Canada web page.

The Unwritten Rules of SCD.  Useful and thought-provoking stuff! 

Figures not found in the RSCDS Manual

Notes on preparing a dance programme, by Kent Smith of Massachussetts.

History of Scottish Country Dancing
 
The Strathpsey Mailing List.  Get your questions answered in near real-time by dancers and teachers around the world.  You must be a member of the list to receive the e-mails or to submit an item.  Send an e-mail to the automated list administrator to receive all e-mails or to receive a daily digest. 

The Grand Chain SCD Resource Page is a comprehensive web site maintained by Ian Brockbank.  Information includes hints & tips for everything from dance etiquette to planning a programme, a list of SCD and Ceilidh Dance Bands (by location!), a list of SCD web pages, and even some dances. 

DANCE DESCRIPTIONS & TECHNIQUE BOOKS:

DanceData Online Database. This database lists information for dances similar to the Napier index (dance and set type, figures, publication source) as well as the recommended music and where it can be found. Search by dance name, tune name, publication, recording, dance devisors and musicians or groups. 

TACBooks - The Teachers' Association of Canada's bookstore maintains an inventory of dance books, instructional books, books on the history of dance, and dancer's health books.  They will also attempt to find books not in their inventory to supply your needs. See their online catalogue. 

Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.  See the list of publications (books, music and videos available through the Society.)

San Francisco Branch Bookstore - locally published books, music, video.

Online Dance Descriptions - Browse these online publications:

• Leaflets by Mel Briscoe & friends.
• Ian Brockbank's dances.
• Dances from San Francisco.
• Merry Dancers Leaflets from Germany.
• Alan Paterson's dances (Berne, Switzerland).
• Dances presented at the Rechberg, Germany, 1999 workshop: Catriona Joan Stewart, To Karin, Getting to Know You.
• Dances from the Mill - 9 new dances with diagrams and sheet music.
• Ardbrae Dances
• Martin Mulligan's Dances
• Martin Sheffield's Dances
• Sue Petyt's Dances (including the popular Fisherman's Reel!)
• "Eight by Thirty-Two" blog - A resource for sharing Scottish Country Dances. Look here for new dances to try out. Submit your dance to the site for other people to try out!

DANCE VIDEOS:

"Scottish Country with the Red Thistle Dancers" - Presents the techniques and some of the figures used in Scottish Country Dancing. (Contents) Send inquiries to Zaza Wu.

"Performance Dancing with the Red Thistle Dancers" - A new package from the Red Thistle Dancers of San Francisco, including a video, instruction booklet and CD of the music. Send inquiries to Zaza Wu.

Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.  Videos to accompany some of the RSCDS dance publications, as well as an instructional video on tricky steps and formations from dances in the RSCDS Manual of Dancing.

RECORDED MUSIC:

TACSound - The counterpart of TACBooks, supplies music recordings for SCD. See their online catalogue.

Music in Scotland - the largest selection of Scottish Dance Music available to order through the Internet.

Fiddlers Crossing - Celtic music books, recordings & videos. A large selection for listening pleasure, also carries some SCD dance books and recordings.

Royal Scottish Country Dance Society member's page.  See the list of publications (books, music and videos available through the Society.)

SHEET MUSIC:

There are several sources for sheet music, for experienced and for musicians new to SCD. The Ottawa Branch has been keeping an up-to-date listing for musicians, professional and amateur, who are interested in playing for Scottish Country Dance. See Encouraging Live Music, and scroll down to “Sources for Music”.

Fiddlers Crossing - Celtic music books, recordings & videos. Tune books as well as instructional books and videos.

Interested in playing for Scottish Country Dancing? Contact Laura Risk or Norah Link.

MUSICIANS:

Musicians for Hire - a list of Scottish dance bands around the world, and how to contact them.

In Montreal, contact Laura Risk for information.

ONLINE ARTICLES:

Plantar Fasciitis - or sore feet!  What it is, how to prevent it, what to do about it. 

Shin Splints

Managing Dance Injuries - suggestions by dancers and teachers on techniques they've found useful

Keith Eric Grant's articles (in Adobe Acrobat format) on:

Dancing Our Feet Off Without Injuring Them, by Linking Our Warm-Ups to Kinetic Chains
Imagery, Movement, and the Dynamic Dance of Life (recommended for anyone who carries tension in hips & lower back, and to learn how to release the legs for greater freedom of movement in dance)
Tender Loving Care for Dancers' Legs

SHOES:

Rossetti's, 3923 St Denis, Montreal (514-842-7337)

Johnny Brown's, 7300 Hutchison, Montreal (514-495-4002)

Boutique H&L, 824 Decarie Blvd, St-Laurent (514-744-2016)

Faery Reel, (Mary Mahon) 370 Roy Avenue, Dorval (514-631-4847, faeryreel@sympatico.ca) -
Montreal distributor of Hullachan Pro shoes, with a wide range of sizes in Irish, Highland and Scottish Country Dance pumps and ghillies available in stock. These shoes feature built-in padding under the ball of the foot. The SCD dance pump for ladies has padding under the heel as well as under the ball of the foot. For details on shoe styles and construction, see the Hullachan Pro web site.

James Senior. Mail order from the UK. A broad range of styles of both ghillies and pumps.

NON-SKID FOR SHOES:

There has been a lot of discussion about that bane of the dancer's existence, slippery floors. Much of that discussion centres around advice for dance organizers. As dancers, we can take also take control and prepare ourselves for the unexpected. Sanding your shoes' soles regularly (like every time you dance!) is one solution, since it keeps the soles clean (free of slippery dust) and raises the suede to provide better grip on the floor. Other solutions that involve a little more one-time effort but are very effective involve applying a non-skid substance to the soles. Two solutions are offered: Uncle Barry's (Dow Corning RTV #3140) and Kirk Bachelor's.

KILTS, SHOES, ETC.

Tartantown. Mail order from Canada.

Heather's Highland Closet. Mail order from Canada.

Highland X Press.  Mail order from the US. Also includes a bulletin board for costume exchange.