Capital Weekend

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Guest Teacher: Alasdair Gray
Edinburgh, Scotland

Alasdair Gray lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he dances with the Edinburgh Branch of the RSCDS and a variety of local clubs. Alasdair has been dancing since he was a wee lad, learning both country and highland dancing 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 ever since.

Guest Teacher: Jen Schoonover
Rockland, Massachusetts

Jen Schoonover is a dancer and choreographer. She teaches movement principles, improvisation, and dance pedagogy at Bridgewater State University, and specializes in Scottish dance modalities including Cape Breton Step, Cèilidh, Highland, and Scottish Country dancing. A book she cowrote with Mats Melin, Dance Legacies of Scotland: The True Glen Orchy Kick, detailing the history of Scottish percussive dancing, was published by Routledge in 2021. Another publication of collaborative research into Frederick Hill's 1841 dance manuscript with Mats and the late Colin Robertson is in the works.

Over the past few years, Jen has enjoyed being part of the North American Team attending the Newcastle Festival of Scottish Country Dancing, where a choreography she created won the Display category for the team in 2025.

 

Musicians: Terpsicore

Elke Baker, 1995 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion, rhythmically inspired pianist Liz Donaldson and versatile bassist and cellist Ralph Gordon have played together as TERPSICHORE since 1992. Named for the Greek Muse of Dance, Terpsichore has performed for enthusiastic listeners and dancers all over the U.S. and abroad. Caledonian Muse and A Dancer's Best Friend, their latest Scottish Country Dance recordings feature the trio. Elke and Liz play as a duo on their CD Terpsichore: Scottish Dance Music which has become an indispensable classic of the genre.

In addition to being a premier Scottish country dance band, Terpsichore plays regularly for English, contra, and other dances and concerts.


Contact the Capital Weekend organizers for additional details at info@capitalweekend.org

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