The Melia Hotel Benidorm in Alicante, Spain, was the setting for the XVII Iberian Scottish Country Dance held over 11-13th March 2011. Nearly 120 dancers attended the event and all raring to go.
The Iberian Peninsula Scottish Country Dance Weekend started in 1995 as a get together for the groups scattered throughout the Peninsula (currently 10 groups between Spain and Portugal) though there are people coming from far away now. First devised by Jerónimo Maeso with the aim of fostering relations between groups and enjoying together the Scottish Country Dancing, it is now organized each year by a different group on a rotating basis.
Our weekend started with Registration when we all received a very well presented and explicit welcome package from the hosting group. Then we went on to the first of the dance walkthroughs where we met William Williamson, the teacher, and the trio making up the Alan Gardiner Band.
A few of the participants, as newcomers and beginners, were nervous and hesitant at first but after a warm welcome from everybody sets were made up, musicians tuned, and Willie gave us some of his humour, easing us into the walkthrough.
The official Reception later in the evening gave us all a chance to mix and meet up with other groups and this continued during Dinner.
After Dinner everybody made their way to the Function Room for the Grand March. The many colours of the tartans and sashes swinging in unison to the tunes of the Piper leading the way made an impressive sight. The evening’s dancing was set off with Hooper’s Jig and another fifteen dances followed before the clock struck ‘Guidnicht’. I’m sure a few of us were grateful to rest our weary legs!
Saturday beckoned and with a mixed bag of weather, unusual for Benidorm, we warmed up to more instruction from Willie. The discussions at the Iberian Group Meeting were quite lively and decisions were made regarding the new few years’ gatherings. It was agreed that the next one will be held in Lisbon in March next year.
During the course of the evening’s dancing there was a warm welcome to Joseph Killeen, the founder member of the Torrevieja Group, who were hosting the weekend. To honour this special occasion everyone danced “The City of Light” devised by Joseph, and Willie sang a wonderful rendition of “Bonnie Gallowa” which was well appreciated by all the guests.
All too soon it was the end of the evening and everybody joined together for “Auld Lang Syne”.
For my husband and me, as newcomers to Spain and the Schiehallion Group, it was a weekend to be remembered. Thanks to the Torrejieva Group for their organisation, to Willie and the Band for keeping our toes tapping and wheeling and reeling in time to the music, and most of all to everybody for their ‘Highland’ welcome.
Slainte!
Linda Jamieson on behalf of the Schiehallion SCD Group