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Scottish country dancing across the capital
The Reel library
The Reel was founded in September 1951, the brain-child of Hugh Foss, then chairman of RSCDS London. The Reel includes information about RSCDS London and other clubs' events, articles about Scottish country dancing and a letters column.
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Originally published 6 times per year with up to 4 pages per issue, more recently a quarterly publication of up to 20 pages. All previous issues of The Reel are available to view in PDF format. Issues 1-234 are scans of printed copies. There is an index page which includes a note of the highlights of each issue.
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Reel 279
February - May 2012
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
The poussette; Circassian Circle; Less experienced dancers; A Week in the Life; The Eightsome Reel; The London Branch in Wartime; What is a Country Dance; Letters: SCD technique - relaxed dancing - dance programmes - dances RSCDS or non RSCDS; Are you happy with your strap; New Recordings
Reel 278
December 2011 - February 2012
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Competition - London Olympic Reel; New facebook; Will the real Ian Muir stand up; Bill Forbes life up to 90; Branch Day School; Sparkling 60th Celebration Reel Anniversary; Most popular dances; Letters: more members - planning programmes - supporting musicians - dance programmes - dance descriptions - Cairngorm Dancers; New Recordings
Reel 277
September - November 2011
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
60th anniversary of The Reel. Former Editors Reminisce; Message from our President; Paul Plummer; Time to reorganise the RSCDS; Royal romance in St Andrews; Summer Wooing and Magical May; Letters: music for strathspeys - footwork - foot positions - John Dickson - early Branch dance; New Recordings
Reel 276
May 2011 - August 2011
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Price increase; Polesden Lacey; John Bowie Dickson; Files from the Past; Spring Fling 2011; Winter School 2011; Letter: Bratach Bana; New Recordings; The Wild Geese; Five couple sets; The Duke of Perth; The Reel of Tulloch; Events leading up to the formation of the London Branch
Reel 275
February -May 2011
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Exchange magazines; Newcomers - confused? you should be; How does the RSCDS go about producing a new book; Bagpipes for SCD; South East Teachers- Association; Sword Dances; Letters: Bit by the quadrille - Paternoster Square - Caddam Wood; New Recordings; The Tea Ceilidh; James Oswald; The Hill family at the Christmas Dance; George Meikle leads again; Thoughts for Valentine's Day
Reel 274
December 2010 - February 2011
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
RSCDS AGM in Perth; Ruth Beattie the new RSCDS chairman; John Mitchell Branch award; Anniversary Ball; Summer School 2010; Letters: kilt pins - Caddam Wood - Paternoster Square; Nicol McLaren in London; CC{R Show at Albert Hall; New Recordings; Lifestyle Changes; The Lucy Clark Scottish Dance Club; The Dance Society London
Reel 273
September - November 2010
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Swanwick Success!; RSCDS website; New Recordings; Buckingham Palace Garden Party; Girl Guide Centenary; Letters: comments on dances - weekend school - is it here to stay - Demonstration group; Buckingham Palace Garden Party; Elements in planning a technique class; The Dance Society London; Midsummer Magic in Chiswick
Reel 272
May - August 2010
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Winter School; Newcastle 2010; The Diary of a Spring Flinger; John W Mitchell analyses some modern dances; Leeds Festival 1963; The Diary of a Spring Flinger; Letters: dancing with grapefruit - announcements at dances - New Zealand Summer School; Where do Diplomats dance?
Reel 270
December 2009 - February 2010
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
London Branch awards to Meryl and Ian Thomson; 80th Anniversary; Summer School 2009; Dance Scottish Branch Dance (The Vancouver view); RSCDS at Feis; The Portland Collection; Music and the Dance; New Recordings; Letters: recapping - musicians - Day School - future of the RSCDS - sprung floors - non-Scottish tunes - Mr Hoult - George Meikle at the Thistle - what number are we - have we stropped thinking
Reel 269
September - November 2009
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
80th Anniversary year; Editorial policy; Editorial -= the future of the RSCDS; La Musique adoucit les moeurs; New Committee members; Musical May comments; New Recordings; Going on-line without a computer; Alastair Aitkenhead on Arran; Bruce Herbold from San Francisco teaches in London; Going online without a computer; Letters: kilts - counting - greetings from Toronto - recapping - musicians - walk through
Reel 268
May - August 2009
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
New membership rates; Family dance enthuses children; Irene Caithness (Grant); The Musicians' Day; A Further Call from New Zealand; Dancing in Antarctica; Letters: recapping - ceilidh MC - Dance Scottish - singing Scottish - dancing terminology - dress for country dancing - the wearin o' the kilt - Highland dancing
Reel 267
February - April 2009
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Taking the Heat out of Warm-Ups by Ken and Bar Martlew; Leicester Branch RSCDS; Dancing Through the Ages by Wilson Nicol; Why Don't I Wear a Kilt by Ian Cutts; Obituary of Jimmy McIntosh; The Flowers of Edinburgh by Rosemary Coupe; Letters: Is wrong ever right - Dance Scottish Week - Role of MC - The Immoral Bonnie Anne
Reel 266
December 2008 - February 2009
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
London Branch Awards to Charlie Galloway and Sandy Walker; New RSCDS Chairman Alex Gray; Scottish Dancing Pre-History part 3; The Art(fulness) of Writing Scottish Dances by Elizabeth Woodman; Take the Floor comes to London; Letters: musicians - a hard choice - repairing the kilt - The Clansman - warm-ups
Reel 265
September - December 2008
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
New from Somerset Branch; George Meikle Ventures South; Invercauld Scottish Dance Band; Dancing in Kiev by Jim Cook; Cherry Blossom Tour by Christine Hastie; Letters: musicians - booking dances =-repairing the kilt - electronic Reel - A hard choice - Frederick Hill - Red House
Reel 264
May - August 2008
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
It's Good to be the Musician by Wendy Desborough; Winter School reports by Christine Hastie and Andy Wiener; Chiswick Club reports; Scottish Dancing Pre-History by John Mitchell; Kafoozalum by Simon Wales; Letters: booking dances - appeal to young dancers - research into Scottish dancing - Ladies step dancing
Reel 263
February - April 2008
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Body Clutching by Wilson Nicol; The Chelsea Reel Club - Adieu; Ladies Step Dances by John Mitchell; fostering contact with Branches and members; Dancing on a moving carpet; Can you have too many encores?; Gordon Simpson; The Jimmy McIntosh Reel; Letters: the eyes have it - strathspeys - Weston Turville Charity dance
Reel 262
December 2007 - February 2008
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
London Branch awards for Rita Marlow, Peter Luke and George Potts; Roy Goldring - An Appreciation by Andrew Cockett; Dance Scottish Week report; Summer School for All Ages by James Fairbairn; The makings of a musician; Letters: strathspeys - George Lawson - small is beautiful too - dancing on board - cameraman never
Reel 261
September - November 2007
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Mary Isdale McNab by Simon Wales; Programmes - Programmes by Robin Ellis; Have Train Will Travel by Jim Cook; Recipe for Harmony by Diana Sarran; Iain Stuart Robertson and the Coronation Highland Ball by Bill Clement; Flood, fire and picnics; An unusual teaching experience; Letters: MC wakeup; big bands; step classes, Marie Jamieson; warm up dance; Canadian Barn Dance; Hugh Foss dances; Street names; strathspeys - cameras at dances - guidance for MCs
Reel 260
May - August 2007
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
The General Class - What's it all About by Stephen Webb and Grace Hill; Five-Couple Dances; Will you MC our next dance please? by Andrew Kellett; New kid on the block; The Adamsons of Fife by Rosalind Zuridis; Bill Clement highlights; Schottisches by John W Mitchell; Obituary for Elma Taylor; Letters: lost the plot - the logo - white dresses - Shetland workshop - strathspey tempo - Sporty? - Reel interesting
Reel 259
March - May 2007
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Burns Night Ceilidh report; Mini Crib, Maxi Use by Stewart Murray; Rural Dancies in Eastern Scotland by Rosalind Zuridis; Obituary of Hugh Thurston; Review of the London Branch CD; Letters: dancing shoes - that logo - strathspey tempo - Peter Luke
Reel 258
December 2006 - March 2007
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Now includes centre-page colour photos. London Branch Awards to John and Anne King and John Reeve; New RSCDS Chairman Irene Bennett; The Big Dance by Angela Young; The MacLennans: Dancers and Pipers by Alastair MacFadyen; The 19th Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival by Graham and Caroline Hamilton; Letters: name that tune - dem team - dancing shoes - the strathspey tempo
Reel 257
September - November 2006
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
James Scott Skinner by Rosalind Zuridis; Mary Stoker's further reminiscences; What's in Your Loft by Mike Wilson-Jones; Travels with an RSCDS Teacher by Anna Crawford; Obituary of Pat Batt; Lucky Heather by Stephen Webb; Letters: Musicians- workshop - Hugh Foss - Helen Townley - one of the earliest kilts - new dances - MCs
Reel 256
May- August 2006
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
RSCDS Youth Director responds; Members Abroad by Jim Cook; Widening the Appeal of SCD by Susanna Hawkins; The Sash, is it Here to Stay by Stephen Webb; Mary Stoker reminisces; Joseph Lowe - Royal Dancing Master by Alastair MacFadyen; Letter from John Mitchell on Our Quadrilles; The Demonstration Team's Arctic Adventure by Andrew Nolan
Reel 255
February - April 2006
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
A Flower by Another Name by Stephen Webb; Local Heroes by Andrew Kellett; Thomas Wilson - Dancing Master by Rosalind Zuridis; Our Quadrilles by Jimmie Hill; Seasons on the American East Coast by Chris Ronald; Letters: Nacton Hall - Summer School memories - Duchess of Atholl - promoting SCD more widely - memories
Reel 254
December 2005 - February 2006
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Outside cover pages now in colour. The Extravaganza - Report on the CCPR at the Albert Hall; Summer School report; The Music Makars at Summer School; Obituaries of Brian Hamilton, Jo Wilson and James Senior; Francis Peacock - Aberdeen Dancing Master; Are All Sets Ready by Robin Ellis; Letters: traditional dances - fan mail - dance programmes
Reel 253
September - November 2005
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
On Show - The CCPR Shows the Way to Keep Fit; New Members of the Committee - Malcolm Ferris-Lay, Andrew Kellet, Wilson Nicol, Lena Robinson, Roman Ryczkowycz; Highland Fling - Men welcome too by Stephen Webb; Obituary of Joan A Spencer; London Members Abroad; Entente Cordiale in Lyon
Reel 252
May - August 2005
Editor:
Wilson Nicol Issues 252-279
Our Dem Team Wins Three Cups; Obituary of Derek Haynes; New HQ magazine; The First Branch Secretary - Tom Bazalgette; New Vice President Rosemary Tilden; Impressions of Japan by Ann Dix; Highland Fling by Stephen Webb; Letters: dance programmes - 80th birthday (Perthshire Branch) - new blood - dem team costumes - Teachers' Associations - booking dances ahead - more modern minds and manners
Reel 251
February April 2005
Editor:
Daniel Capron Issues 240-251
First London Branch Awards; Teachers' Associations by Jimmie Hill; Dancing in Japan by Maguy Paillet; More Reel Unwound; RSCDS Banffshire Branch 75th Anniversary; A Companion to the Reticule; Dance for Ruth; Letters: booking ahead - Germany's first Branch; Dancing Through poem by Pat B
Reel 250
December 2004 - February 2005
Editor:
Daniel Capron Issues 240-251
Meet Stewart Adam - new RSCDS chairman; The Reel Unwound - Extracts from earlier Reels; Entente Cordiale celebration; At Last! Germany's First Branch; Branch development self-assessment; Obituary - Robert Ferguson; Letters: Memories of dems past - the RSCDS in the 21st century - the naked truth - booking dances
Reel 246
December 2003 - February 2004
Editor:
Daniel Capron Issues 240-251
Dancing by the Black Sea by Jim Cook; Society AGM Weekend report; Unveiling of Jimmy Shand statue; From the Black Isle to the Black Sea dance by Drewry; Scottish Country Dancing: Fun of Life-Threatening (from TACTalk); Prague Scottish Country Dance Week report; The Highland Ball report
Reel 244
May - August 2003
Editor:
Daniel Capron Issues 240-251
Our Ladies Won the Cup! Demonstration team in Newcastle; Dem team's farewell to Dave and Judy Hall; RSCDS 80th Anniversary Ball; The Great Stretching Debate by Rosemary Coupe; The End of an Era at St Columba's - John Laurie's Retirement; McBain's Band remembered; Letters: white dresses - Sir Jimmy Shand scultpure - Bill Ireland
Reel 243
February - May 2003
Editor:
Daniel Capron Issues 240-251
A Day in the Life at Headquarters by Elspeth Gray; St Andrews - The Missing Years by Jeremy Hill; London Branch Vice President Ellen Garvie writes about herself; Obituaries of Bill Ireland and Jean Yeats; Letters: The Oxford Ball - The Reel goes Cuckoo
Reel 242
December 2002 - February 2003
Editor:
Daniel Capron Issues 240-251
Death of Bill Ireland; Introducing RSCDS Chairman Jean Martin; London Branch Day School report; The Reel goes Cuckoo; -The CookCooksnest, dance by Eric Ferguson and -Wedding in the Kuckucksnest, dance by Ken Martlew with music for both by Ken Martlew; The Fine Art of Standing Still; Letters: Miss Milligan's handbag - Niel Gow - Mrs McNab - Dance the year round in New Zealand and in Britain; The Argylls! Who?
Reel 241
September - November 2002
Editor:
Daniel Capron Issues 240-251
Treasures Uncovered at 12 Coates Crescent by Rosalind Zuridis; Easter School at Stirling for 18-30s; Thoughts of a Retiring Chairman by Simon Wales; Cooks Tours by Jim Cook; Getting by With a Little Help From Our Friends by Diana Sarran; Dancing with Kiwis by Elizabeth Woodman
Reel 240
May - August 2002
Editor:
Daniel Capron Issues 240-251
Dancing in the Land of the Cossaks by Ilona Gumenyuk and Jim Cook; Society subs increase; The MacLennan Scottish Group by Simon Wales; Obituaries of Andrew Gillies, Clare Cox and Joan Gilbert; Demonstration Team Success in Newcastle; Scottish Country Dancing in My Life by Jack Judson; Letters: Sir Jimmy Shand sculpture - covering in reels of 3
Reel 238
December 2001 - February 2002
Editor:
Jim Cook Issues 227-239
Green Ginger - What's in a Name; Happy 50th birthday to The Reel; Day School report; New Dance Books by John Drewry; -Vanessa- and - Susan- dances by John Drewry; Scottish dancing by Lake Maggiore; Letters: Croydon Branch foundation - JB Milne - extremes of dancing - music with dance books - warming up - prebooking dances - dance programmes - size of print - left foot or right foot
Reel 237
September - November 2001
Editor:
Jim Cook Issues 227-239
Bill Ireland on 50 years of London Branch; The Reel goes Cuckoo! by Jim Cook; Jimmy Shand - The End of an Era; Hugh Foss/New Zealand connection; Branch dances - the London Reel and the Fruit Cake; (Not) Polesden Lacey; Dancing down the Danube; Letters: Owen Meyer - counting sets - poussette - size of print - prebooking dances
Reel 236
May - August 2001
Editor:
Jim Cook Issues 227-239
Owen Meyer Forty Years On; Dancers on the Silver Screen; Poems by Mary Quinton and Elizabeth Opie; The Reel/Jig Poussette by Wilson Nicol; advertising services in the Reel and on the Web; Windmills of Spain Iberian Gathering; Dem team at Newcastle; Poetry corner; Short story: a missed opportunity
Reel 235
February - April 2001
Editor:
Jim Cook Issues 227-239
Random Jottings from Sound Company; Change, but at pace we can cope with - by Andrew Kellett; Cook goes Cuckoo!; Obituary of Jimmy Shand, John Bowman; Rechberg Weekend; Roselath Cross; Letters: future of the Society - warming up - children dancing - prebooking partners
Reel 234
December 2000 - February 2001
Editor:
Jim Cook Issues 227-239
Brian Hamilton Scottish Country Dance Band; A Mair's Tale; Creating and Managing the Branch Website; London Branch Demonstration Team; Obituary of Ivy Hayes, Bryan Bredin and Peggy Nolan; Letters: warming up - Birks of Invermay (moving up) - ending reels of 3 - Auld Lang Syne and National Anthem