Pages

Dancing Achievement Award (DAA)

Intermediate-level DAA Course

Will be held in conjunction with TAC Summer School 2025

August 3 to 10, 2025

Bishop’s University, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

The Dancing Achievement Award (DAA)  is open to all Scottish country dancers seeking to develop their personal dancing skills. The course is limited to 12 dancers.

 Have you been Scottish Country Dancing for a while and wondered what level you are dancing at?

• Do you enjoy a challenge and want to improve your dancing technique?
• Do you enjoy working towards and achieving goals with a team?
• Have you ever considered taking the RSCDS Teaching Certificate but are unsure if your technique is good enough?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then the Intermediate-level DAA (Dancing Achievement Award) Course, offered in conjunction with TAC Summer School 2025, is the class for you.

Course Teacher: Arthur McNair from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania    

DAA Course Schedule: August 4-7, 2025 -  Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons from 1:15 – 4:30 p.m. The assessment will be held on Friday afternoon, August 8, 2025.  

The deadline to register is Friday, May 16th. The cost of the course is $150 CDN, which can be paid in addition to your Summer School registration (as a resident or non-resident): https://tac-rscds.org/index.php/tac-summer-school/2025-tac-summer-events-registration-form. If you have already registered for Summer School and not included the DAA course, please contact TAC Summer Events Registrar, Vicky Zeltins This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Dancing Achievement Award allows dancers to work with a course teacher, concentrating on personal dancing technique.  You can download the syllabus for either course here:  DAA Intermediate Level

For queries about the DAA Course, contact Joyce Lindsey at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For queries on the registration process, contact the Summer Events Registrar, Vicky Zeltins, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Course teacher: Arthur McNair,

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania   

Arthur McNair began Scottish country dancing in the late 1990s and received his Teacher’s Certificate in 2004. He teaches classes weekly in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has taught workshops throughout North America. Arthur's first emphasis in his teaching is for all dancers to enjoy dancing to whatever level they are able to, with a secondary emphasis on the beauty that comes from dancing well with others. Arthur also plays accordion with the Scottish dance band Highland Square.

Class Descriptions

FUNDAMENTALS: This course is for new, recent or returning dancers, as well as anyone who is interested in working on the basics of good feet, arms and hands, and eye contact. Build your confidence and your knowledge of the central formations of Scottish country dancing.  Dancers will become more comfortable dancing from talk-throughs only and develop the ability to smoothly transition between steps and formations.  This class will teach and improve the following steps and formations:

BASIC STEPS

BASIC FORMATIONS

INTERMEDIATE: This course requires a working knowledge of all the basic steps and formations (see above). Dancers should be able to dance a simple dance from a talk-through only, and achieve some continuity between basic formations. The intermediate class will focus on teamwork, handing, eye contact, phrasing, deportment, and covering. This class will concentrate on improving the basic steps and formations and learning and improving intermediate steps and formations:

INTERMEDIATE STEPS

Highland Schottische setting            Glasgow Highlanders setting

INTERMEDIATE FORMATIONS

EXPERIENCED: This course is for experienced dancers with an extensive knowledge of most of the figures listed above and who wish to expand their repertoire of dances. The focus will include a balance of technique and dances.

CHALLENGE: This course is for dancers who perform at a high level and wish to be challenged further. This will be a physically demanding class requiring a good level of physical fitness. Dancers should be proficient in all of the steps and formations listed above. The class aims to expand the repertoire of advanced formations and dances; polish individual technique with continued emphasis on teamwork, phrasing, and covering; and increase the quality of dancing physically demanding formations and dances.

All classes except Challenge will incorporate low-impact techniques and will be suitable for anyone who is injured, needs to be careful, or is simply interested in exploring ways to keep dancing as long as possible.

Travelling to Bishop’s University

2600 College St, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1M 1Z7

(Patterson Residence for registration and check in)

Need a ride or can offer a ride?

Attention all dancers arriving in Montréal by plane or train: we are committed to ensuring your journey from the airport or train station to Bishop’s University is as smooth as possible. To help us coordinate your ride, please email your arrival times to Jody Kulas at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will do our best to match you up with a dancer who can offer a ride.

Also, if you can offer a ride, we ask that you also contact her. We look forward to welcoming you to TAC Summer events!

By Car

From Montréal or points west:

• Take the Champlain Bridge from Montréal to Autoroute 10.
• Take exit 140 for Autoroute 410.
• Continue onto Autoroute 410.
• Continue onto Chemin Glenday.
• At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit.
• Continue onto route 108 Ouest
• Turn left for Bishop’s University’s main entrance.

From points south:

• Take I-91 N to the Canadian Border crossing
• Continue on Autoroute 55 N
• Take exit 2 for QC -143 toward Stanstead
• Continue on QC-143 to Lennoxville
• At the roundabout, take the 2^nd exit
• Continue onto route 108 Ouest
• Turn left for Bishop’s University’s main entrance.

By Bus

Daily service from Montréal to Sherbrooke is provided by Limocar, a deluxe coach bus with onboard restroom. It is approximately two hours in length, departing from downtown Montréal to downtown Sherbrooke, which is a short taxi or Uber ride from the Bishop’s University campus. Approximately $50 per trip.

Intercity Bus Transportation

Transdev Limocar
Telephone: 819 562-8899
Toll free: 1 866 692-8899
https://limocar.ca/
Intercity transport between Sherbrooke and Montréal 7 days a week.

Bus Stations

Sherbrooke Bus Station
60, King Ouest   
Sherbrooke (Québec)
Telephone : 819 562-8899
Accessible by rue Wellington Sud

Montréal Central Bus Station (Gare d’autocars de Montréal)
1717, Berry Street
Montréal (Québec)
Telephone : 514 842-2281
www.gamtl.com

By Plane

Montréal -Trudeau International Airport
Telephone: 514 394-7377
Toll free: 1 800 465-1213
www.admtl.com
For international visitors: shuttle buses are available from Montréal -Trudeau international airport to Montréal's main bus terminal (STM 747 Express); from there, several buses run daily to Sherbrooke.

Burlington International Airport (BTV)

Approximately 2 ½ hours' drive from Bishop’s campus, however there may be extra time required to cross the Canadian border.

By Rail

Via Rail does not currently service Sherbrooke. However, there is a bus from Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport and Central Station (VIA) to the Montréal Central Bus Station downtown Montréal providing bus service to Sherbrooke.

By Taxi or Rideshare

Taxi or Uber can provide service to Sherbrooke, which may be more affordable if travelling as a group.

By Shuttle

Aeronavette is the only shuttle that operates between Sherbrooke and the Montréal -Trudeau international airport 24/7 and 365 days a year. Fees are $175 round trip or $125 one way (plus tax). Reservations are required ahead of time, and they work with your flight times to schedule. There is potential to have to wait up to 75 minutes at the airport before leaving for Sherbrooke and Bishop’s University is the last stop so the trip may take up to 3 hours. When returning to the airport, Bishop’s University is the first pickup and they will get you to the airport 2-4 hours before your flight, so pickup could be 6 hours prior to your departure.

Telephone: 1-855-628-3883

www.aeronavette.ca

How to Register for Summer Events 2025

We are so excited that you plan to attend one of our Summer Events this year. The hardest part, I promise, is registration! When you get to the registration form, there are so many options that a little pre-planning will help.

1    Review what event you wish to attend.

There is a week of Scottish country dancing for dancers of all levels and nationalities that begins with a dance on Sunday night and ends with a Ball, the following Saturday. Summer School includes two morning classes, optional afternoon classes, evening activities, three meals daily, and accommodation. (Sunday morning breakfast after the ball is also included.) Most of our dancers and the success of our summer school come from this pool of dancers. No matter what your dancing level, we have a class for you.   August 3 - 10, 2025

Some dancers may feel that a full week of dancing is too much and may opt for the Half Week option, which begins with dinner on Wednesday. All classes, meals, evening events, Saturday ball, and accommodation are included starting Wednesday evening.    August 6 - 10, 2025

There is also an option for non-dancers to attend as companions*. This is a great option for partners and/or a friend who cannot participate in everything but would like to attend the evening dances and events. The companion rate includes all meals (for the selected time frame), accommodations, and access to all evening events, including the Ball.

There is also an option to attend everything but live off campus. The Non-resident option includes morning, afternoon, and evening activities, but the only meal is lunch. This works well for people who may live locally or have friends who do.

Before Summer School begins, a Teachers' Conference Weekend August 1 - 3 ,2025 is held for SCD teachers who are TAC members. The weekend includes workshops, dancing, the AGM and a Ball. Teachers may bring a companion who can attend the dances and ball but will have the days free for other activities. (Sightseeing or shopping, to name two). Teachers also have the option to extend their stay until Tuesday lunch to attend the first two days of Summer School. This is called TCW Plus August 1 - 5, 2025

Some teachers may wish to stay for the entire week and would then sign up for TCW & Summer School. This gives you the most opportunities to dance and socialize with new and old friends. August 1 - 10, 2025

This is the biggest decision you need to make!

Resident or Non-resident

Summer School or Half-Week

TCW or TCW Plus or TCW/SS

*Companion—There may be people coming as Companions for the Teachers’ Conference Weekend who will then be attending either Summer School or TCW Plus as dancers. If you are going as a TCW Companion but staying for the Plus, select TCW Plus Companion/SS Dancer on the registration form. If you are coming as a companion for TCW and staying to dance at Summer School, then select TCW Companion / Summer School Dancer on the registration form.

2  Review the class levels.

During Sumer School, there are two classes every morning with two different teachers. Over the course of the week, everyone gets classes from every teacher. We strive to offer classes where the dancers can learn and move forward in their dancing. This requires all participants to think about what they want to achieve at Summer School and the best place (class) in which to do it. It sometimes means that friends are in different classes, and that's okay. Making the best choice for your current dancing level and your desire to learn means that the teachers leading the classes can move you in a positive direction. Don't be afraid to ask someone which class to take. Match it with what you want to learn, and you will have a great time. The website includes samples of figures and formations at each level.

3 Collect your personal information.

The registration form will ask questions people often don't consider, so take a few minutes to collect the information. After the common name (as you are called), address (street), email, and phone number (where we can contact you), we need emergency contact names and phone numbers (of people NOT at Summer School), any dietary or medical conditions that may require some accommodation, who you might share a bathroom with (see if they are going too), and whether or not you are willing to share your contact information with the other participants at Summer School. Many of us have kept those lists over the years, and it's a great way to jog memories or reach out and contact people after Summer School. You can download and fill in this PDF 2025 SE Registration Worksheet before starting the registration process.

4  Payment choices

Every year, there are some issues with how to pay. PayPal is the easiest; however, we know that not everyone uses it. We have offered the choice of e-transfer to our Canadian participants. Our Treasurer has also made paying by credit card, NOT in PayPal, an easier choice this year.

You qualify for the Youth discount if you are under 35 years old. Please check that box at the end of the registration form to get your 20% discount. If you are a member of the RSCDS Youth Branch, click the Youth Branch button only to get your 30% discount. The Youth options are on the registration form. The additional Youth Branch discount will be processed as a refund.

For offline payments: If you don't want to pay your registration online, you can send your registration along with your credit card details (Name on card, card number, expiry date, CVC number, postal code) to Craig Williams, TAC Summer Events Treasurer, and he will process the payment. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cancellation Policy

If you register during the early bird period and change your mind before April 8, your refund will be 100% minus a $100 administration fee.

If you register and change your mind before June 15, you will get a 50% refund minus a $200 administration fee.

If you cancel your registration between June 15 and July 1, you will receive a 25% refund minus a $200 administration fee.

There are no refunds after July 1. Period.

Please consider cancellation insurance as well as travel and health insurance before registering.

5   DAA - Dancing Achievement Awards

We are offering the DAA course this year. If you are interested in taking the course and exam, please select it at the end of the registration process. For more information on this option, please read the information on the RSCDS website: https://rscds.org/learn/dancing-skills-assessments/dancing-achievement-awards

If you still have any questions or concerns, please contact a member of the 2025 Summer Events Committee. We are happy to help you.

Vicky Zeltins, TAC Summer Events Registrar This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Sheila Careless, TAC Summer Events Director  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Craig Williams, TAC Summer Events Treasurer  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Jody Kulas, Hospitality  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Joyce Lindsey, DAA coordinator This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.