DVD: Scottish Country Dancing with the Red Thistle Dancers: a review

[Panache]

The Red Thistle Dancers are a Scottish Country Dance demonstration team located here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

http://www.redthistledancers.org/index.htm

I am lucky to have a few of their members in my SCD class, and because of this I received an advance copy of the Red Thistle Dancers latest DVD. This DVD replaces the old VCR tape Scottish Country Dancing with The Red Thistle Dancers Part I.


Here is a review I wrote for this DVD



Scottish Country Dancing with The Red Thistle Dancers Part I



The San Fransico Bay Area based Red Thistle Dancers have revisited their first instructional video “Scottish Country Dancing with the Red Thistle Dancers Part I” with a brand new and completely revised DVD

Covering and expanding on the previous video tape’s material, this new DVD should prove accessible and useful to both the novice and intermediate Scottish Country Dancer.
Well narrated by dance director and choreographer Jennifer Kelly the DVD runs near 90 minutes (almost double the previous video). Kelly and The Red Thistle Dancers take that time to present the different dance steps from several different camera angles as well as breaking down those steps into their basic components. The additional time and viewpoints are of great assistance to the beginning dancer in mastering each step as well as understanding the step within the context of the dance set.


Like the original presentation, the new DVD is divided between Fast Tempo dances (Reel and Jigs) and the Strathspey Tempo, ending with examples of more advanced dances that incorporate all the previous material. Starting with The Red Thistle Dancers performing the popular “The Merry Reapers” they then break down all various parts of the piece before exploring more complicated steps and dances. The Red Thistle Dancers share the spotlight this time round with both The Lafayette Children’s Class and “The Lads and Lassies of Livermore” adding variety and clearly pointing out the accessibility of Scottish Country Dancing for all people and ages.

The music provided by Susan Worland Benttley, Lyle Ramshaw, and Michael Bentley is first rate (though I admit that the final dance performed “The Reel of the 51st Division“ is far more dramatic when danced to a piper as in the previous video) . Also to be noted is the camera work is far more dynamic this time round making the presentation overall more interesting despite its longer running time.

One last but important improvement over the previous video is the attitude portrayed by the Red Thistle Dancers themselves. Any dance, while wonderful, can be quite intimidating to the novice. The smiles offered the viewer and exchanged between the dancers throughout this DVD better represent the friendly nature of Scottish Country Dancing than the more serious expressions that dominated their first video. Scottish Country Dance is great to watch and great exercise for the participants, but it is also primarily a great deal of fun.

This time out the Red Thistle Dancers remembered to share that.

Those interested in purchasing the DVD should check out the Red Thistle Dancers website

http://www.redthistledancers.org/index.htm

Sincerely

Jamie T. (third year Scottish Country Dancer)

[Kiltman]

When my wife and I first started dancing several years ago we watched and practiced using the VHS version. It is worth the price if you are serious about learning to do SCD.