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Branch History - 1995 through 1999

1995

Calendar for 1995

January 7 Monthly Dance, First Congregational Church, Santa Cruz [San Jose & Monterey]
  21 Annual Ball Gown Swap & Tea Party
February 18 Valentine Ball
March 4 Monthly Dance, Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School, Palo Alto [Red Thistle & Stanford]
  11 Victorian Scottish Ball, San Jaun Bautista
April 1 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, Alameda [Dunsmuir & Santa Rosa]
  29 Sacramento Games, Roseville
May 6 AGM, Lick-Wilmerding High School, San Francisco [Berkeley & San Fransico]
June 3 Monthly Dance, Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School, Palo Alto [Mt View & San Jose]
  17 Campbell Games
  24 Truckee Mini-Workshop
July 8-9 Dunsmuir Games, Oakland
August 5-6 Monterey Games
  14-19 Camp Mendocino
September 2 Jean Patrick Memorial Dance, Pleasanton
  2-3 Caledonian Games, Pleasanton
October 7 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, San Mateo
November 11 Monthly Dance, Lucie Stern Center, Palo Alto
December 2 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, Alameda [Berkeley & Livermore]
  11 San Jose Class Christmas Party
  16 Berkeley Class Holiday Party
  21 San Francisco Class Winter Solstice Party
  30 Lafayette Class 'Tween Party

Camp Mendocino was held August 14-19 again under the direction of Arlene Baxter. Teachers: Robert McOwen, John Middleton, Marianne Taylor, and David Newitt. Musicians Kim McGarrity, Janet Kurnick, Lyle Ramshaw, David Mostardi & Earl Gaddis. Cost $295.00.

in September a call was issued for dances to be considered for inclusion in the proposed book of Dances to be called The San Francisco Collection II

1996

Calandar for 1996

January 13 Monthly Dance, Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School, Palo Alto [San Jose & Santa Cruz]
  21 Ball Gown Sale & Tea Party
February 30 Valentine Ball
March 2 Monthly Dance, Lucie Stern Center, Palo Alto [Monterey & Mt View]
April 6 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, Alameda [Dunsmuir & Santa Rosa]
May 4 Monthly Dance & AGM, Masonic Temple, San Mateo
  18 Victorian Workshop & Ball, San Juan Bautista
June 1 Monthly Dance, Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School, Palo Alto
  15 Campbell Highland Games, Campbell Community Center
July 13-14 Dunsmuir Games, Oakland
August 3-4 Monterey GAmes
  31 Jean Patrick Memorial Dance, Pleasanton
September 1 Caledonian Games, Pleasanton
October 5 Monthly Dance, First Congregational Church, Santa Cruz [Santa Cruz & Monterey]
November 9 Monthly Dance, Temple United Methodist Church, San Francisco [San Fran. & Berkeley]
December 7 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, Mountain View [Mt View, San Jose & Stanford]
  19 San Francisco Class Winter Solstice Party
  21 Berkeley Class Christmas Party

The Dunsmuir Games included open Scottish Country dancing to the music of John Taylor and Donnie MacDonald and to the Berkeley Class Musicians as well as demonstrations by several Branch classes.

 

1997

Calendar for 1997

January 4 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, Alameda [Berkeley Tues & Fri]
  25 Ball Gown Sale & Tea Party
February 15 Valentine Ball
March 1 Monthly Dance, Veterans' Memorial Hall, Livermore [Livermore & Lafayette]
April 5 Monthly Dance, Park School, Mill Valley [Dunsmuir & Santa Rosa]
May 3 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, Mountain View [Mt View & Red Thistle]
  31 Victorian Workshop & Ball, San Juan Bautista
June 7 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, San Mateo [Branch & Teachers Committees]
  28 Beginners' Ball, Hermann Sons Hall, Petaluma
August 2-3 Monterey Games, Fairgrounds, Monterey
  2 Monterey Mist Evening Dance, Music by Andy Imbrie & Kim McGarrity
  30/31 Caledonian Games, Pleasanton
September 7 Class Managers' Meeting
October 4 Monthly Dance, First Congregational Church, Santa Cruz [Santa Cruz & Monterey]
  12 'Rant, Rally & Reel' in honor of Kim McGarrity, St Mark's Episcopal Church, Palo Alto.
  24-26 Asilomar Weekend
November 1 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, Alameda [Lafayette & Livermore]
  1 Teachers' Workshop St Mark's Episcopal Church, Palo Alto
December 6 Monthly Dance, Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School, Palo Alto [Mt View, San Jose & Stanford]
  15 San Jose Class Party, UMCC music by John Taylor & Andy Imbrie
  18 San Francisco Class Winter Solstice Party

The San Francisco Collection II was completed in June along with a CD of music for all of the dances

The Caledonian Games were again held at the Pleasanton Fair Grounds August 30-31. The Daily Recordday Mail replaced the Royal Bank of Scotland as sponsors of the Celtic Heritage program. Adjudications on the high stage with Eugene Bissell and Rick Wood as adjudicators followed the schedule below while a wide-ranging program of highland and step dancing demonstrations and audience partici- pation Country dancing were presented on the low stage. There was also country dancing as part of the closing ceremonies both Saturday and Sunday

Adjudication Schedule:

Saturday   Sunday
San Jose Class A (S) 9:45 Santa Rosa I (S)
Kersty Fitch (Puirt-a-Buel) 10:00 John Kelly sings
Mountain View Class (S) 10:15 San Francisco (S)
Celtic Harpers 10:30 Celtic Harpers
Dunsmuir I (P) 10:45 Dunsmuir II (P)
John Kelly sings 11:00 Kersty Fitch (Puirt-a-Buel)
Santa Cruz SC Dancers (S) 11:15 Lafayette (S)
Celtic Harpers 11:30 Celtic Harpers
Ar Doigh Scottish dncrs (P) 11:45 Teachers' Set (S)
lunch break 12:00 lunch break

1998

Calendar for 1998

January 3 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, San Mateo [San Fran. & Burlingame]
  17 Ball Gown Sale & Tea Party
February 14 Valentine Ball
March 7 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, Alameda [Berkeley Tues & Fri]
  24 Victorian-Scottish Workshop & Ball, San Juan
April 4 Monthly Dance, Park School, Mill Valley [Santa Rosa & Dunsmuir]
May 2 Monthly Dance & AGM, Masonic Temple, Mountain View [Mt View & Red Thistle]
  29 Gala Concert, Alasdair Fraser & Muriel Johnstone
  30 Gala Dance, Greek Orthodox Church, Oakland
  31 Music Workshop, Thousand Oaks Church, Berkeley
July 11-12 Dunsmuir Games, Oakland
August 1-2 Monterey Highland Games
  24-30 Camp Mendocino
September 5 Jean Patrick Memorial Dance, Pleasanton
  5-6 Caledonian Games, Pleasanton
October 3 Loch Lomond Games, Highlands Park, Ben Lomond
  3 Monthly Dance, San Francisco City College
  31 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, Mountain View
November 6-8 Asilomar Weekend
  22 Reception to present Dottie Carr with the Society's Scroll of Honor, ILY Hall, Sac.
December 5 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, Alameda [Berkeley Classes]
  17 San Francisco Class Winter Solstice Party
  19 Berkeley Class Holiday Party, Arlington Community Center
  31 Lafayette Class News Eve Party, Orinda Community Center

This year was the RSCDS's 75th anniversary, and Branches all over the world planned special events commemorating it. San Francisco Brnach's contribution was a Gala weekend the last weekemd of May planned by Susan Malone Gold, Marianna Harvey and Susie Langdon Kass. Firday night there was a magnificent concert at the Mills College Concert Hall by Alasdair Fraser (fiddle) and Muriel Johnstone (piano). Tickets were $12.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door, and the hall was filled to capacity. A semi-formal dance was held at the Greek Orthodox Community Center in Oakland on Saturday the 30th (program below) again with Alasdair & Muriel providing the music. Fred Macondray was Grand Marshall, and Ellen Aaron, Eugene Bissell and Ron Wallace were MCs. Tickets were $18.00 in advance and $20.00 at the door. A workshop for musicians with Alasdair & Muriel was held at Thousand Oaks Baptist Church in Berkeley on Sunday, 2-6 PM.

*the 5 core dances being danced throught the RSCDS at events celebrating the 75th anniversary.

The Branch lost another of its stalwarts in August with the death of Kim McGarrity after a long battle with cancer. Friends and relatives gathered on Septermer 13th in the garden of John & Jennifer Kelly for a very moving memorial service. Kim was a moving force in providing music for Branch events as music coordinator for the monthly dances and a leader of Fiddlesticks and Ivory. She will be sorely missed. See biographies.

Longtime Berkeley and Lafayette dancer, Frank Samuelson, also passed away on July 11th. He will be missed for his ready smile and helpfulness on the floor.

Camp Mendocino was held August 24-30. Teachers: Ellie Briscoe, Elaine Brunken and Martin Mulligan. Musical staff was the same as last year. Cost $375.00

Adjudicators for the Caledonian Games, September 5 & 6 at Pleasanton were Mary Murray and Gloria McConnell.

1999

Calendar for 1999

January 9 Monthly Dance, Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School, Palo Alto [Monterey, Soquel, Santa Cruz]
  16 Teachers' Workshop with Elinor Vandegrift
  17 Ball Gown Sale & Tea Party
  26 Burns Night, Dunsmuir Dancers
February 6 Valentine Ball, Scottish Rite, Oakland
March 6 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, Alameda [Livermore & Lafayette]
April 3 Monthly Dance, Park School, Mill Valley [Santa Rosa & Dunsmuir]
  10 Scottish gathering, Ardenwood Farms, Fremont
May 1 Monthly Dance, AGM & Annual Potluck Dinner Masonic Temple, Mountain View [Stanford & Red Thistle]
  15 Victorian Workshop and Ball, San Juan Bautista
June 5 Monthly Dance, Masonic Temple, San Mateo [Teachers & Branch Committees]
  12 Beginners' Ball, Hermann Sons Hall, Petaluma
  19 Children's Ball, Alamo
  19 Campbell Highland Games
July 12-13 Dunsmuir Highland Games, Dunsmuir House, Oakland
  24-25 Monterey Games, Monterey Fairgrounds
September 4 Jean Patrick Memorial Dance
  4-5 Caledonian Club Gathering and Games, Pleasanton Fair Grounds, Pleasanton
October 2 Monthly Dance Masonic Temple, San Mateo [Mountain View & San Jose]
November 6 Monthly Dance Masonic Temple, Alameda [Lafayette & Livermore]
December 4 Monthly Dance Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School, Palo Alto [Monterey & Santa Cruz]
  19 Berkeley Holiday Party, Arlington Community Church, Kinsington, $8.00
  23 Winter Solstice Party, Noe Valley Ministry, SF. Music by David Strong & friends
  31 Auld Lang Syne Party, Berkeley & Lafayette Classes, Grace North Church Fellowship Hall, Berkeley, music by Plaid Attitude.

The next Saturday, the 19th, saw the first Children's Ball organized by Kathleen McAdam and Cathy Bertics and underwritten by the Lafayette Class. It was held from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at the Alamo Women's Club, 1401 Danville Blvd, Alamo and was attended by dancers under the age of 16 from San Francisco and Sacramento Branches. Music was supplied by the Andy Imbrie Ensemble(Andy Embrie (piano), Janet Kernick, Linda Danielson and Margo Leslie (fiddles) & Sherryl Fawx (recorder)); the MC was Armin Busse. Dancing was followed by a High Tea organized by parents from the Lafayette Children's classes. Tickets were $5.00 for dancers and #3.00 for spectators (ie parents).

Adjudicators for the SC Dancing at the Caledonian Clubs Gathering and Games this year were Elinor Vandegrift and Bruce Herbold



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past member of the RSCDS Executive Committee and the San Francisco Branch.