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Scottish Country Dance Weekend
Budapest
31 May - 2 June 2019

for intermediate and advanced dancers with

James Gray (piano)
Andrew Lyon and Phill Jones (accordion)
Alasdair Gray (teacher)

                                 

Facebook ; Flyer ; Staff ; Venue ; Accommodation ; Tourist programme

Schedule

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Thursday, 30 May
14:00 - 18:00 Registration
19:00 - 21:00 Evening club dance
Friday, 31 May
16:00 - 19:00 Registration
17:00 - 19:00 Buffet dinner
19:30 - 23:30 Welcome dance (dance list)
Saturday, 1 June
09:00 - 12:30 Workshop with coffee break
12:30 - 14:30 Lunch
15:30 - 17:00 Walkthrough
17:30 - 19:30 Buffet dinner
19:30 - 23:30 Ball (dance list)
Sunday, 2 June
10:00 - 12:30 Workshop with coffee break
12:30 - 13:00 Closing ceremony
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch

Staff

James Gray James Gray (piano): Born into a family actively involved in the local Scottish Country Dance scene, James grew up surrounded by a love of Scottish music and culture. He started piano lessons at the age of five, initially being taught by his grandmother, who played for his parents' dance classes, and later took up the accordion.
James is well known among Scottish country dancers for his solo and ensemble piano playing. To date, he has played as a solo musician at dance schools in the US, Canada, Europe and New Zealand, and was the director of the first RSCDS youth school.  He plays in the dance band Scottish Measure, and in a duo with Keith Smith. The Host of the Air was his first ensemble release with musicians Susie Petrov and Laura Risk. In 2006 he released a solo album Piano Dance, and a CD of his compositions, Opus Dance, in 2012. He is featured on the RSCDS recordings for Book 17 and Graded Book 2.
James now lives in Norway. There he is often seen skiing or heard playing accordion. He maintains his links to Scotland and, in addition to playing for Scottish Dancing, he plays with champion Scottish fiddler Gregor Borland and bothy ballad singer Scott Gardiner.

Andrew Lyon Andrew Lyon (accordion): I was born into a dancing family and took up playing for dance classes on the piano in the early 1980's.
I started the band 'Scottish Measure SCD Band' in 1986, the same year I attended the first RSCDS pianist course in Edinburgh.
I was first invited to play for Summer School in 1988 and have played there many times over the years.
I'm lucky to have played for classes, dances and workshops all over the UK, and Europe.

Phill Jones Phill Jones (accordion): He has been playing for Scottish Country Dancing for over 20 years.
As well as playing for weekly dance classes in Central Scotland.
Phill also plays regularly for dances, balls and schools throughout the UK and beyond.

Alasdair Gray Alasdair Gray (teacher) lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he dances with the Edinburgh Branch and a variety of local clubs.
Alasdair has been dancing since he was a wee lad, learning both country and highland from his parents, and continuing this on at university.
Alasdair qualified as an RSCDS teacher in the early 2000s and has been teaching local groups, branch classes, and international weekend schools across Europe ever since.

Venue

ELTE Gólyavár - workshops, welcome dance, ball
Budapest, VIII. Múzeum krt 4/g
Google map ; pictures


Accommodation

Mercure Budapest Korona Hotel****
1053 Budapest, Kecskeméti utca 14
Google: map ; pictures
walking distance from the venue

Hotel Erzsébet City Center***
1053 Budapest, Károlyi utca 11-15
Google: map ; pictures
walking distance from the venue

Lion's Garden Hotel****
1146 Budapest, Cházár András u. 4
Google: map ; pictures
shorter bus ride to the venue


Tourist programme

The dance weekend will be followed by a tourist programme as usual.
Our club members will accompany you throughout your journey in one of the nicest cities of Hungary, in north-western Hungary, Sopron (Wikipedia, pictures) and its environs (see the schedule below).
Based on previous feedback from you we have planned more time for individual activities. On Monday you can decide if you would like to have a rest or take part in specific sight-seeing (you can decide on them later), e.g. Buda Hills or National Archives or walk on the Castle Hill, etc.
Our trip will start on Tuesday, 4 June and will finish in Vienna on 7 June if you continue dancing in Vienna (Group B), or in Budapest if you do not attend the Anniversary SCD Weekend in Vienna.
Be aware that the price of the tourist programme does NOT include accommodation for Sunday and Monday (2 and 3 June) and Friday (7 June) nights. You have to book Sunday and Monday nights when you apply for the dance course (whichever accommodation you choose). We can help you book a hotel for Friday (7 June) and other days should you need it.

Schedule

Sunday, 2 June
15:00 "Laughter is the dance of the soul" tells an ancient eastern wisdom
After having spent the whole weekend with Scottish country dancing, you can also try this "spiritual kind of dancing" at a FREE laughter-yoga hour held in Budapest on Sunday afternoon.
Place: Garden of Philisophy in Orom street on the North slope of Gellért-hill (click for map)
Evening Optional concert or dance performance
Monday, 3 June
09:00 Breakfast
10:00 Special options for visiting sights in Budapest in small groups
13:00 Lunch in the Buda Hills or in the city
Afternoon Getting back to the hotel, resting or shopping, etc.
Evening Dinner and visiting the Musical Fountain (video) on Margaret Island
Tuesday, 4 June
09:00 Breakfast
10:00 Departure from Budapest, sight-seeing in Győr
13:00 Lunch
Afternoon Arrival at Hotel Sopron. Check-in, resting, swimming in the pool, etc.
Evening Dinner and optional evening walk in Sopron
Wednesday, 5 June
08:00 Breakfast
09:30 Sightseeing by sightseeing train, walk with our local guide
13:00 Lunch
Afternoon Free time in Sopron or tailor-made sight-seeing with the group leaders in small groups
Evening Dinner and wine tasting
Thursday, 6 June
08:00 Breakfast
09:30 Departure for Fertőd ; Visiting the Esterházy Palace in Fertőd
Afternoon Visiting Fertőrákos, the quarry, the Pan-European Picnic and Lake Fertő with our local guide
Evening Farewell dinner in one of Sopron's best restaurants
Friday, 7 June
09:00 Breakfast
10:00 Departure for Nagycenk (video) ; Visiting the Széchenyi family's chateau (pictures)
13:00 Lunch
Afternoon Group A: stays in Sopron ; Group B: travels to Vienna
Evening Group A travels back to Budapest


You can write email to us at ball.budapest [at] gmail[dot]com