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: