Spring Fling 2023

RSCDS Spring Fling 2023 Toronto

May 26-28, 2023

Save the date!

Spring Fling & Spring Fringe

2023 Toronto

Spring Fling 2023 Toronto will be the first Spring Fling to be held outside of Europe. Come and join us for this exciting event May 26-28 2023.

If you are between 12 and 35 years old, no matter whether you are a basic, intermediate level or expert Scottish Country Dancer, you are welcome to join us! Over 35? Check out the Fringe for the same weekend on this website.

REGISTRATION

Our sponsors:

Dance Venues and Accommodations

Fling & Fringe Weekend Programs

May 26
Friday May 26, 2023
Check-in 2:00 - 6:00 pm;
Dinner 5:30 - 6:30 pm (residents only);
Welcome Dance 7:00 pm
Friday Night Welcome Dance 7:00 pm at Glendon Athletic Club
Click to see the Programme
May 27
Saturday May 27, 2023
FLING
Dance Classes 9:30 am – 12:30 pm, Two levels
May 27
Saturday May 27, 2023
FRINGE
Dance Class 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
May 27
Saturday May 27, 2023
FLING & FRINGE:
A choice of workshops 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Ceilidh Dance Class/Dances with different Reels/Dances with a Canadian flavour
Click for More Info
May 27
Saturday May 27, 2023
Saturday Evening Ball
Reception 5:00 pm, Dinner 5:30 pm at Glendon Hall; Dancing 7:30 pm at Glendon Athletic Club
Click to see the Programme
May 28
Sunday May 28, 2023
Last class 10:00 am - 12:00 pm;
Residence checkout 1:00 pm
Combined Fling/Fringe class at Glendon Athletic Club

Dance Venues and Accommodations

Where

Accommodation and dancing will take place at the beautiful Glendon Campus, York University, Midtown Toronto. All facilities used during the weekend are on campus

Accommodation will be in Hilliard Residence. From there, it’s a short walk down through the valley to the Athletic Club, where we will hold classes and dances.
Saturday evening we will have a buffet banquet dinner at Glendon Hall, followed by a ball at the Athletic Club.

Map of Glendon Campus

Getting to Toronto

How to Get Here

By Plane
If you are arriving by plane you can fly in to either Toronto Pearson or Billy Bishop airport. There is public transit available from both airports. You can travel from Toronto Pearson to Union station by way of the “UP” train. There is shuttle service from Billy Bishop to Union station. From Union station take Public Transportation to Glendon Campus - see "By Public Transportation" section for details.
By Train
Trains arrive at Union station. From there take Public Transportation to Glendon Campus - see "By Public Transportation" section for details.
By Public Transportation
Toronto has a great subway. Take the Line 1 subway train north towards Finch and get off at Lawrence Station. Then take the 162 East Lawrence Donway bus (destination Don Mills) to Lawrence & Bayview (6 minutes/8 stops). It is a short walk to the Residence from there.
By Car
Unfortunately free parking is not provided on campus. Parking cost for the weekend will range from $20-$27 depending on where you park on campus. Download the Honk App on your phone for easy access to purchasing parking. For cheaper parking unload at the Residence and park by the Glendon Athletic Club.

Teachers

We are very lucky to have three excellent teachers join us for the weekend.

Linda Henderson

Originally from North Berwick, near Edinburgh, Linda now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, but travels home to Scotland whenever she can. Linda has been dancing all her life. She began Country Dancing at Primary School and is a former competitive Highland dancer. She grew up in a musical household. Her father plays accordion and she played piano in a SCD Band; her musical background has a big influence in her teaching.
Linda has taught all levels of adult and youth classes in the San Francisco Branch, and workshops throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. Linda is an experienced ceilidh caller and can often be found leading the dances at weddings and parties! It gives her great pleasure as a teacher and dancer to share the traditions of Scotland through its music and dancing.

Gavin Keachie

Gavin started Scottish country dancing when he was just 3 years old and wanted to join his older sisters. One of the first things he did was hide under the table and bite his teacher’s leg because he was pretending to be a (badly-behaved) Pongo the dog. As he got older, Gavin learned to appreciate the beautiful music, fancy footwork, and, especially, the lifelong friends in the dancing community! After his undergrad, Gavin returned to help out and eventually teach in his former children’s group.
He has taught all ages and skill levels and loves the combination of elegance, athleticism and fun that is SCD. Outside of dancing, Gavin is working on a PhD studying the 8th century theologian St John of Damascus and is on the leadership team of Camp Scugog, a camp geared towards children, youth and moms affected by poverty and other barriers.

Fiona Mackie

Fiona has been dancing since the age of four, and has always had a love for Scottish dance and music. Taken to dances from a very young age she has danced most of her life in Dundee, Scotland but has also been lucky enough to dance in many places around the world.
She has taught local classes for many years, covering all levels of class and age, making sure the fun of dancing is enjoyed by everyone. For the last few years Fiona has been teaching the advanced class in Dundee Branch. She has also taught workshops and Day Schools in the UK, abroad in Europe and the U.S. and is looking forward to visiting Canada. Fiona has trained, and dances with, the East Scotland Ladies team for Newcastle festival, and also teaches at the RSCDS Summer School in St. Andrews and Winter School in Pitlochry.

Musicians

We also have wonderful musicians.

Don Bartlett and The Scottish Heirs

Don Bartlett started playing music for Scottish country dancing in his early teens when, attending a children’s class in Toronto, he was attracted to the music as well as the dancing. He has played solo piano for classes and social events for over 60 years. In 2020 he recorded a solo piano CD with some of his favourite music "The Well Tuned Piano". Don started playing piano in a Scottish dance band while at university and, soon after, formed his own band, “Don Bartlett and The Scotians”.
In 2004, Don formed his current band, “The Scottish Heirs”, with Jim Darge on rhythm accordion, and his daughters Jacquie and Lesley on fiddle and bass guitar. For the Scottish Heirs, Don plays lead accordion on a keyboard and delivers a big band sound by pre-recording piano, rhythm accordion, and drums. In 2022, Jim retired from playing, and Blair Mackenzie stepped in to add another fiddle to the lively mix.

Laird Brown and Scotch Mist

In 1966 playing bass with Stan Hamilton’s Flying Scotsmen, Donny Wood would play alongside the 2nd accordionist, Bobby Brown (1942-2011). In the mid 70’s the band broke up and Bobby would go on to form the “Scottish Accent" band. Donny joined the new band and switched instruments from bass to piano. In 1992 Bobby Brown would ask his son, Laird Brown, to join the group as the 2nd accordionist. Over the next 20 years Laird and Donny would assist in production and performing of over a dozen Albums/CDs, perform on “Take the floor” BBC, record Book 12 for the Society, and travel the world playing SCD Workshops and Classes.
In 2011 “Scotch Mist ”was born. Laird leads a group of Canada’s finest traditional musicians. With founding member Donny on piano, the group has produced 2 CD’s, “Coast to Coast” and “Around the World”, and featured twice on the BBC. Since 2011 Los Angeles/New York/ Toronto/Ottawa/Kingston/Windsor all celebrated their 50th Anniversary and Scotch Mist had the honour of playing for them.

Mara Shea

Mara Shea first studied classical violin, but after discovering folk and dance music, she has been happily playing for dancers since the 1990s – English, Scottish, contra, and ceilidh – in the US, Scotland, and Canada. She has been on the music staff at Pinewoods, TAC Summer School, Ramblewood, and Scottish Weekend, and in 2014 and 2016, with Dean Herington, she led a three-day musicians’ workshop for the Scottish country dancers in Lisbon, Portugal.
In 2019, Mara earned an MLitt in ethnology and folklore at the Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen, Scotland. She lives in Elon, North Carolina, teaching Celtic fiddle and working as an occasional freelance speaker, writer, and editor. She has several recordings with her contra dance band, The Elftones, and with musicians Dave Wiesler (Heather Hills), Rhiannon Giddens (All the Pretty Horses), and Julie Gorka (In 3⁄4 Time, plus several Scottish dance recordings). For more on Mara, and to listen to some of her music, visit marashea.com

Registration & Pricing (CAD)

REGISTRATION

Accommodation		Fling	Fringe
With Accommodation*	Members	$350	$375
With Accommodation*	Non-members	$375	$400
No Accommodation	Members	$250	$275
No Accommodation	Non-members	$275	$300

Read Details Below

COVID note

The event adheres to the York University and Ontario Covid policies and guidelines. Masks are not mandatory, but strongly recommended. Covid test kits will be available. If you feel unwell, please do not come to the event.

*Shared accommodation can be requested, but availability is limited. Priority to Fringers accompanying Flingers.

*Fringe without accommodation is subject to availability. Email springfling2023.toronto.wl@gmail.com to get on a waitlist.

*Costs "with Accommodation" for the weekend include:

Single or shared room; Friday dinner; Saturday breakfast, lunch and buffet dinner; Sunday breakfast.

*Costs "without Accommodation" for the weekend include:

Saturday lunch and buffet dinner

*All costs for the weekend include:

Friday night dance; Saturday morning and afternoon classes and Sunday Class; Saturday night buffet dinner and ball

*Parking is not included

*Cancellation Policy:

Admin Fee $25 CAD if cancelled prior to Feb 12; Admin Fee of $100 CAD if cancelled after Feb 12 and prior to April 14; No refund on or after April 14, 2023.