General Pages

AGM Weekend Workshop
The TAC runs an annual weekend workshop for members in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting. The venue changes, and has been held in many cities in Canada and the United States.

Summer School
TAC started a Summer School in 1973, which has been running successfully ever since. A teacher candidates' course is conducted in conjunction with summer school every other year. Rotation of Summer School commenced in 1998 in order to give our members and their dancers in other parts of the North American continent an equal opportunity to attend this worthwhile event.

Jubilee Scholarship Fund
This fund was started in 1973. Interest on the fund is applied to scholarships to teacher candidates for help in attending candidate courses held in conjunction with Summer School.

Area Representatives
An area around a Branch of the RSCDS is considered a focal point, and teachers in that area elect their own representative to an Area Representatives' Council. The idea is to establish and maintain communication between the Executive Committee and members in the field. Area Representatives are encouraged to organize events such as workshops or seminars to promote the objectives of TAC.

Outreach Program
This was established in 1985 to provide closer links between the Executive and the membership through participation, on a cost-sharing basis, in local Teachers' Workshops, etc. throughout North America.

Examiners' Tours
By arrangement with the RSCDS, the Association manages the liaison and coordination of the North American Examination Tours. Teacher candidates are examined in selected centres in the years when there are no examinations held at T.A.C. Summer School.

Online Stores
Through the divisions of TACBooks and TACSound, recordings, books and other printed matter are supplied to members and dancers on an international basis. Members receive discounts on a number of such purchases. TAC also republishes out of print dance books, leaflets and other reference material as required in addition to new material. Several recordings have also been produced under the TAC banner.

TACTalk
In an association with such a wide geographical spread, communication is of top importance. TACTalk, our quarterly bulletin contains news and information, articles about dances, dancing, music, CD reviews, and a bit of editorial whimsy. It is a useful way to keep in touch with the membership which currently is approximately 700. TACTalk also circulates worldwide to subscribers who are interested in dancing.

Music Workshops
TAC initiated its first such event at the 1984 Summer School. This practice is continued when there is sufficient interest.

Reviewing the Books
Work on this project started in 1958 with a view to clarifying ambiguities and obscurities in the descriptions of the dances. This work developed gradually until in 1969 a first book of Teaching Notes was published. The fifth edition of TACNotes was published in 2008.

Index to Dances
As early as 1962 TAC prepared and distributed an index to dances, both RSCDS and contemporary creations. This work went on for some years, but has now been replaced by much more comprehensive computerized indexes which we are available online.

The Bob Blackie Scholarship

Background:

Bob Blackie (1935-1998) influenced Scottish Country Dancing in North America in many ways. He was committed to excellence in teaching and, through that, the promotion of excellence in dancing at whatever level. He was committed to and deeply loved and supported the Teachers' Association (Canada). During his term as Chairman, he took a leadership role in starting the Teachers' Association (Canada) Summer School - a school that every year encourages dancers of all levels of expertise to improve their dancing skills in an environment of excellent teaching, fine music, and wonderful camaraderie.

Scope and Purpose:

In his memory, longtime friend Ed Jones established the Bob Blackie Memorial Endowment to provide, as far as possible, a full scholarship annually to a Scottish Country Dancer to enable the dancer to attend a whole week of the Teachers' Association (Canada) Summer School. The scholarship must be used for tuition, meals, and lodging for any year's Summer School. The interest produced by the Bob Blackie Memorial Endowment becomes sufficient; the award may also be applied toward travel costs for the recipient.

2019 Bob Blackie Scholar

Bronwen Taylor, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Bronwen Taylor has been an avid Scottish country dancer for the past ten years under the mentorship of Bernadette Thill, Louise McGillivray, Barbara Johnston, and Irene Townsend. Dance, as well as soccer, has been a constant in her life ever since she was little.

Bronwen also loves to play the French horn; something clicked when she discovered it in the junior high band. This fall, she will go to the University of Alberta to pursue a Bachelor of Music and return to the Edmonton Youth Orchestra for the fifth year.

Since graduating from high school, Bronwen has enjoyed work at Totem Outdoor Outfitters in Edmonton and all the sport-related adventures it entails. Despite her varied interests, Bronwen plans to continue dancing for as long as she can and enjoy all the friends she makes along the way.

Recent Bob Blackie Scholars

2022 Adrian Velonis, Philadephia, PA, USA

2019  Bronwen Taylor, Edmonton, AB, Cda

2018 Jean Stewart Hundley, San Diego, USA
2017  Heather Fawkes, North Vancouver, BC, Canada
2016  Louise Kropinski, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
2016  Annie Sapucaia, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2015  Janet Peterson, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA
2013  Maggie Faber, Colorado, USA
2012  Chandi McCracken, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
2012  Arthur Baum

Criteria for Selection:

Based on the following criteria, an award will be made each year provided the applicant meets all the requirements listed:

• the dancer must have participated in Scottish Country Dancing for at least two years;
• the dancer must have demonstrated a genuine love of and interest in Scottish Country Dancing;
• the dancer must have the desire to improve their dancing skills;
• the dancer must commit to maintaining the best in Scottish Country Dancing;
• preference will be given to a dancer with a demonstrated financial need.
• This scholarship is not available to those who have attained any level of their SCD teaching certification.

Application Process

A dancer may apply for the Bob Blackie Memorial Scholarship by submitting the following:
-  a letter of application to the Teachers' Association (Canada) that addresses all of the above five criteria. in detail
-  a letter of reference from at least one Scottish Country Dance teacher that addresses each of the five criteria. in detail

Application Deadline:

Please submit the application materials for the Bob Blackie Scholarship by email to Ward Fleri, the Director of TAC Summer Events, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., by March 31, 2024. Please include the applicant's surname and the phrase 2023 Bob Blackie Application in the email subject line and the file names of attachments.

Selection Process:

The selection of the scholarship recipient shall be made by a committee consisting of the Teachers' Association (Canada) Chairman, vice-chairman, past Chairman, treasurer, and Summer Events director, who shall review all applications received by the deadline. The scholarship shall be presented to the recipient as a pre-paid scholarship (i.e., waiver of tuition, meals, lodging, etc.). At this time, the recipient shall receive background information on establishing the scholarships and suitable biographical material on Bob Blackie.
After attending Summer School, the recipient shall send a report on their experience to the Teachers' Association (Canada) for publication in TACTalk.