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Jack E. Cole, Jr. HMCM(FMF) USNR(Ret)

Dancing for Fitness

During High School, I ran track. Since that time, I have not been involved much in running or jogging except for Navy and Marine Corps Physical Fitness Tests (PFT). Starting in 1985 when I began Scottish Country Dancing, my PFT scores for the run steadily improved right up through my retirement in 1998.  This is a fitness routine that you might consider. It is aerobic, but since you dance with someone, it is more fun than an aerobics class.

There are two main types of Scottish Dance done in the US -- Highland Dancing and Scottish Country Dancing.

Highland dancing is the competitive dance performed at Highland Games such as the Grandfather Mountain Games.

Scottish Country Dancing is the historic social dancing of Scotland done to exciting jigs, reels and elegant strathspeys. For centuries, these dances were enjoyed at court and in the countryside.

Today, hundreds of groups around the world enjoy the sociability of this unique dance form. Many of these groups are part of the
Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS). Each of these groups offers classes with a friendly, helpful program in which to learn.

I dance and perform with several groups in the New York Metropolitan Area, but have traveled from coast to coast and to other countries and found dance groups close by.

Five groups sponsor dancing in the NY City area:

Cameron Scottish Dancers
New Jersey Branch of the RSCDS (2 classes)
New York Branch of the RSCDS (4 classes)
Scotia Dancers of New York
Westchester Scottish Dancers

 General Information

Scottish Country Dancing is my hobby -- my passion. I published a book of Scottish Country Dances called The Tin Woodman and Other Dances in memory of my friend Milton Levy. He wrote the dances over a period of 20 years.

Another friend, Jim Stevenson, wrote music for each of the dances. The cover art work for the book is on the left. This and all other illustrations in the book were drawn by another friend, Maggie Byrum.

A Scottish band leader, Roy Hendrie, liked the music so well that he asked if we could jointly produce a CD for the book.

 

 

Page last modified 22 November 2003

Copyright © 2001-2003 Jack E. Cole, Jr.