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Accommodations for TAC Summer Events 2023 are close to reaching capacity. We have limited spaces available. Please contact the Summer Events Registrar at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before proceeding.
Please look under the Summer School and Teachers' Conference Weekend menus for additional information.
To teach, inspire, and connect Scottish country dance teachers in North America and beyond.
TAC Organizational Objectives
- To train and support all levels of teachers and instructors of SCD within the RSCDS framework.
- To foster high-quality teaching that supports individual dancers and all types of classes.
- To encourage involvement in Scotland's heritage of country dancing by promoting its learning, enjoyment, and sociability.
- To make available and promote resources for reference and instruction, including dance descriptions and recorded music.
- To nurture the development of musicians for Scottish country dancing.
- To facilitate communication and relationships between dance teachers, instructors, supporters, organizations, and musicians.
- To archive and preserve, in an accessible form, TAC's history of supporting Scottish country dancing.
TAC Membership
If you are a teacher of Scottish Country Dance having passed RSCDS Teaching Certificate Level 1 (Units 1, 2 & 3 or the Prelim) or Level 2 (Units 4 & 5 or Full), join the group and have access to the full range of services and support that TAC offers.
Where are our members located?
- Canada: 45%
- USA: 43%
- Rest of the World: 12%
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Travelling around Halifax, Nova Scotia
Travelling to a new city and province is an exciting part of Summer School. Many of you are in the process of making travel arrangements, and our local Scottish dancers, Danny and Debbie Almon are travel agents who are ready to help in any way you wish.
Our hospitality committee has vetted the link below as a great place to begin and it includes links to Almon Travel and other tourism NS websites.
http://www.rscdsnovascotia.ca/Visiting_Nova_Scotia.htm
Wednesday Afternoon Guided Tours
However, sometimes it is more fun to explore a new locale with friends. As is our tradition at Summer School, Wednesday afternoon classes are cancelled to allow dancers to do that. Of course, dancers can take the time to explore independently, but we encourage you to consider one of the two following tours.
Both tours are paid for separately from your Summer School registration. Please sign up early, as numbers are needed to plan buses and taxis for transportation.
Tour A - Historic Halifax Tour, conducted by Colleen Putt, retired tour guide.
Cost: $30 Duration: 2 hours Click here to register for the Historic Halifax Tour
Our luxury coach (well, it has tires and seats) will pick you up at King's and take you on a journey of discovery through Halifax.
We will see where the Halifax Explosion occurred and stop at the Bell Tower Memorial, commemorating those who perished and rebuilt the city. We will visit the Titanic graves in Fairview Lawn Cemetery and hear poignant stories of both victims and survivors. We will stroll through the Public Gardens, rated one of the finest Victorian gardens in North America. As the coach wends through the streets, you will hear of the city's many firsts, triumphs, tragedies, and contributions to the world.
Tour B -Walk and Talk in Point Pleasant Park with Duncan Keppie, Geologist
Cost: $15 per person Click here to register for the Walk and Talk in Point Pleasant Park
Come for a Walk in the Park with Duncan. Not only is he a geologist, but he's also a Scottish Country Dance musician, devisor and teacher. He'll be kind to your feet as he takes you to see the present continental margin resting on an ancient continental margin. On the Present margin, we'll see the beach sand and diverse pebbles (you can make your own collection), many of which were brought here by the ice sheet that covered Nova Scotia, leaving the drumlins to be seen in the distance. These rest on the 500 million-year-old Halifax slates that were deformed and intruded by 370 million-year granite that heated the host rocks. Water bottles and snacks are not included.
In addition to the two guided tours, here is information about Self-Guided Tours that you can enjoy on your own any time during the week.
Complete details on each of these places can be found on https://www.ambassatours.com/
Peggy's Cove
3.5-hour guided tour by bus
Departs from 1675 Lower Water Street, Halifax
Senior 65+: $62 (+HST) Adult: $68.90 (+HST)
En route to this seaside village, pass by the Halifax Public Gardens, a quiet oasis amid a cosmopolitan city; see the Citadel National Historic Site, a fort perched high above the city; the Old Town Clock, a gift given to the city by Prince Edward the Duke of Kent in 1803; as well as other notable landmarks such as Province House, the naval dockyards and the famous Halifax waterfront boardwalk. As you travel along the winding coastal highway of the Lighthouse Route to the tiny fishing village of Peggy's Cove, it is little wonder it has inspired artists and is an irresistible lure for budding and seasoned adventurers generation after generation. The colourful houses and fishing shacks perched atop the solid stone rocky outcrop that overlooks the restless waters of the Atlantic exhibit the wear and tear of the ocean and its punishing storms. Yet they endure, much like the small population of approximately 32 people who are year-round residents.
Wine Enthusiasts Tour
We invite you to share our passion for Nova Scotian Wines by joining us on a Sommelier-guided tour of our local wine region. You will travel by bus to visit three distinct wineries, enjoy lunch, and discover why Nova Scotian wines have been awarded over 200 international and national awards. The Wine Enthusiast Tour is open to those 19+ with valid, government-issued photo IDs
7 hours - Leave Maritime Museum of the Atlantic at 10:15 am. Adult: $165 (+HST)
The tour includes a Sommelier guide, transportation, tours & tastings at three wineries (Bent Ridge Winery, Benjamin Bridge & Planters Ridge) and lunch at a local winery (Bent Ridge). (Price includes gratuity for restaurant server)
Harbour Hopper
Adult - $45 (+HST) Senior - $40.65 (+HST) 55-minute guided tour
This tour departs from the Salter Street Parking Lot on the Halifax waterfront
Ribbit Ribbit! All aboard Atlantic Canada's most popular tour – a fun, fast-paced adventure that introduces you to the best of Halifax by land and sea! Sitting 10 feet high, you'll have an exclusive view of our vibrant city's historic sights, such as the Grand Parade and Citadel Hill National Historic Site. The adventure continues when you make your big SPLASH into the Halifax harbour! Your driver is now your Captain, and it's time to explore. Prepare your camera for unique photos of George's Island, Cable Wharf, and the Halifax waterfront. This fully narrated amphibious tour is one you won't soon forget!
Tall Ship Silva
A 90-minute cruise. Departs from the Cable Wharf, 1751 Lower Water Street, Halifax, several times a day. Check the website for details
Adults $41.60 (+HST) Seniors $38.20 (+HST)
A cruise aboard The Tall Ship Silva is the perfect way to fully appreciate a beautiful day on Halifax Harbour. Your journey begins on the Halifax waterfront as you set off to view some of Halifax’s most notable landmarks, including Georges Island, the Halifax Waterfront, Historic Properties, and more. Help the crew hoist Silva’s sails, enjoy a beverage or two from the onboard Murphy’s Pub, and sit back, relax and enjoy a beautiful day out on the water
Grand Pré National Historic Site (National Parks of Canada)
A self-directed tour at a National Historic Site that opens in May. Details about opening hours will be updated on the Parks Canada website.
Adults: $8.50 (+HST) Seniors: - $7.00 (+HST) A Discovery Pass can be purchased if you intend to visit multiple Parks Canada sites. (see below)
Discover powerful Acadian stories within a picturesque landscape. Successes and struggles are illuminated through multimedia presentations, engaging displays, a splendid Victorian garden, and a Memorial Church. The site is a monument to Acadian culture and deportation.
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
Adult: $9.55 (+HST) Senior: $8.50 (+HST)
1675 Lower Water Street, Halifax
Permanent Exhibits: Titanic: The Unsinkable Ship; Halifax Explosion (1917) and Ta’n me’j Tel-keknuo’ltiek (How Unique We Still Are)
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Exhibitions: Maud Lewis, Shape of Cities
Adults $10.43 (HST incl) Senior: $8.69 (HST incl)
1723 Hollis St., Halifax
Halifax Citadel National Historic Site (National Parks of Canada)
In the heart of downtown Halifax, this strategic hilltop fort offers a commanding view of Halifax Harbour. Step back to 1749 and immerse yourself in the social and military history of Halifax with the 78th Highlanders and the 3rd Brigade Royal Artillery. Learn about the changing roles of the fort and visit the Army Museum.
Adults $8.50 (+HST) Seniors $7 (+HST)
or use your Discovery Pass (from Parks Canada)
Whale Watching
Your breath will be taken away when a whale breaches the ocean’s surface, lunges out of the waves and re-enters with a loud smack and plume of water. Summer and fall are the best times to go whale watching in Nova Scotia. Find yourself aboard a whale-watching tour with lively commentary and local tales as you watch for any of the 12 species of whales that visit Nova Scotia each year.
Details of tours, locations and pricing are found at:
https://www.novascotia.com/things-to-do/outdoor-activities-tours/whale-watching?f=mx5kblA1XC
Kayaking
From the dramatic cliffs, arches and towering pinnacles of northern Cape Breton and Cape Chignecto to the glacial barrens, sheltered waterways and isolated white sand beaches of Prospect and Tangier, for many, our coast is best seen from the water. History buffs will enjoy paddling along our historic waterfronts, while cultural enthusiasts will love chatting with local fishermen or traversing the waterways of the Mi’kmaq.
For details regarding price and times see
https://www.novascotia.com/things-to-do/outdoor-activities-tours/kayak-canoe?f=xwakY9SLfH
Ride the Tidal Bore
Feel the rush of riding waves that can be up to 4 metres (13 feet) high in a Zodiac boat as the power of the world's highest tides in the Bay of Fundy turns the Shubenacadie River into a water roller coaster only found in Nova Scotia.
Details regarding price and times are available at https://www.novascotia.com/things-to-do/outdoor-activities-tours/tidal-bore-rafting?f=gkYF5W8Aoi
COVID Policy Statement for TAC Summer Events 2023
TAC acknowledges that the COVID pandemic is in a constant state of flux and that conditions may change by the time TCW and Summer School begin. We will therefore use the COVID protocols in place by the University of King’s College and Dalhousie University at the time of our event. For the 2023 Winter Term, both universities highly encourage being up to date on COVID vaccinations and boosters, but they are not required. There are currently mask requirements at King’s and Dalhousie. We have been told that these will likely be lifted before our events take place. While we do not currently anticipate requiring masks while dancing, attendees should bring masks and be prepared to wear them if requested or if they experience any kind of symptoms of illness. Attendees should also bring several rapid antigen test kits in the event they start to feel unwell.
If a participant tests positive for COVID and needs to cancel before the start of their registered event (TCW, Summer School, or TCW+SS), a full refund will be provided upon receipt of proof. TAC assumes no liability for any losses resulting from individual pre-book travel.
Participants are encouraged to obtain travel insurance that covers such expenses.
2023 TAC 50th Summer School and 65th Anniversary Shirts
Please join us in celebrating our special TAC Anniversaries with these special edition shirts. There are three options for women and one for men. Each shirt will be made according to your choices of colour and logos.
PLEASE NOTE: All shirt purchases will be available for pick up at TAC Summer School and the Teachers’ Conference Weekend in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Shirts will NOT be shipped. If you do not plan to attend Summer School or Teachers Conference Weekend, there is the option to have an attending friend pick up your shirt for you.
TWO Logo options, either one to be embroidered on Left Chest:
50th Summer School or 65th TAC
Shirt Colours: Red or Dark Grey
Prices: Women’s Scoop Neck or V-Neck $25 CAD
Women’s or Men’s Polo/Collared $30 CAD
The deadline for ordering is midnight June 15, 2023
Click here for a PDF of the sizing chart
2023 50th Summer School Shirts Order Form
2023 65th Anniversary Shirts Order Form
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