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                     Summer School Teaching Staff

 

Graham Donald -  Las Palmas, Spain

 

Barbara Johnston  -  Edmonton, Alberta

 

Jen Schoonover  -  Boston, Massachusetts

 

Rachel Shankland - Edinburgh, Scotland

 

 

What is TCW (Teachers' Conference Weekend)?

TCW is an annual event hosted by TAC for Scottish Country Dance teachers from around the world to come together and have fun. It also serves as the Annual General Meeting of TAC on the Saturday afternoon. While only certificated teachers can attend classes, spouses/friends are welcome.

The Teachers’ Conference Weekend (TCW) is held the weekend leading into Summer School. As such it’s location varies from year to year and is hosted in North America at different university campuses across Canada and the United States.

During the days, teachers participate in a variety of dancing, educational and sharing events where they can exchange ideas and pursue issues they all face. Each year it is led by a different guest-teacher and musician. Many teachers come for the weekend only, however, they can stay a couple of extra days (TCW+) or the whole Summer School week, if they so chose.

There is a Welcome dance on the Friday evening and a Banquet and Ball on the Saturday night. This traditionally has teachers’ favourites on it with figures not always seen on a traditional social dance program.

The opportunity to dance with other teachers and share ideas (or get ideas) to improve dance classes or attract new dancers makes this an occasion not to be missed.

 

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