Scottish Dancing in Tallinn since May 2005 ( as of March 2009 ) To download a word file without pictures (2005-2008) CLICK HERE

Year 2005

May  - Scottish Ceilidh in Old Town at Scottish Club. Opening event of the “Scottish Ceilidh Series in Tallinn, together with Tallinn Ceilidh Band and the dancers from “Soveldaja”. PICTURES
JuneScottish Ceilidh in Old Town at Kodulinna Maja. In the framework of Old Town Days. Caller: Hamish Dewar from Scotland, Edinburgh. Live music by Tallinn Ceilidh Band. PICTURES
July Scottish Ceilidh in Old Town at Kloostri Ait.
AugustScottish Ceilidh in Old Town at Matkamaja. 
SeptemberScottish Ceilidh in the framework of Tallinn Student Days, Matkamaja. PICTURES
OctoberScottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja. PICTURES
NovemberScottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja. PICTURES
December Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja. Special Xmas Ceilidh with Tallinn Ceilidh Band. PICTURES
DecemberScottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja (we also danced the "Reel of the 51st Division").

Year 2006

January  Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja. (We finished off with "Eightsome Reel"!)
February  - Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja.
March  Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja. 60 people - three hours almost without a break!
April    English Ceilidh at Matkamaja. Caller: Roger Watson from England. Different, but lots of fun. PICTURES R. Watson called dances also in Tartu. PICTURES
May (beginning)Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja. Caller: Pia Walker from Scotland. PICTURES  The same weekend we also had our first “Scottish Country Dance seminar” – 14 participants – it was much enjoyed, so it was decided to be repeated next  November. 
May (middle) Presentation of the book of  dance descriptions in Estonian: “Scottish Ceilidh Dances” at Matkamaja. Caller: Jim Stewart from Scotland. Youngest participant - 4 years old Sirli – who seemed to really enjoy dancing. PICTURES
May (end) In the framework of  Scottish Week in Estonia a Scottish Ceilidh was organised at Matkamaja. Iain Lawson contributed with payment of the hall and Scottish Executives contributed with a band from Scotland:  Iain Cathcart Band: Iain Cathcart, Gus Millar (Occasionals drummer) and Graham Berry; authentic atmosphere was also created by singers and piper: Pipe Major Iain Macdonald. A smashing Ceilidh it was! PICTURES
June Scottish Ceilidh at Tallinn Dome Club (Toomklubi). We tried Duke of Perth and progressive Dashing White Sergeant.
14 July -  Scottish Ceilidh at Estonian Folk Culture Development and Training Centre.
18 July  - A special event  (prior to Viljandi folk festival) - English Ceilidh at Tallinn Music House.  Caller: Chris Davis from England. We started with Ceilidh dances and then did some Playford dances. Felt like in the period of Robin Hood. We loved it so much that we kindly asked the caller to visit us again and call us a whole evening of Ball Dances ;-). PICTURES
AugustScottish Ceilidh at Nõmme Culture Centre. Hall was tiny, but managed alright ;-) First time ever – we also did a demonstration of Scottish Country Dancing. We started with including also some old Estonian folk dances – first dance to be included in our Ceilidh series was “Padespaan”.  PICTURES
August – Tallinn SCD Group performance and a ceilidh in Saaremaa, private event.  PICTURES
SeptemberScottish Ceilidh at Nõmme Culture Centre. A bigger hall this time. Second Estonian folk dance was called and danced - “Reilender”.
OctoberScottish Ceilidh. Back in Matkamaja! :-) During the summer when we travelled between several halls our tape recorder had become rusty and failed to read most of the CD-s :-(  But even with this one CD that it recognised we did a lot of dancing. It was so great to see so many people from our previous Ceilidhs attending.
November -  Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja, caller:  Pia Walker from Scotland.
At the same week we also had (in cooperation with Tallinn University) a second  “Scottish Country Dance seminar” – 30 people attending – this was a big success
PICTURES and we planned another similar event to take place in May 2007, with Susi Mayr from Vienna/London teaching.
December – English dance event at Matkamaja: “English Country Dance in Past and Present”, caller: Chris Davis. The ball and workshops prior to the ball were well attended: approximately 35 people and was considered a success, with another similar event planned on 18 July 2007. PICTURES of workshops   PICTURES of the Ball
This ceilidh also finished the first ever regular ceilidh series in Tallinn.

Year 2007

January – Tallinn SCD Group dance trip to Edinburgh. Hamish Dewar as a local contact person.  PICTURES
February – Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja, caller: Sheila McCutcheon, accordion:  Neil Simpson, both from Edinburgh. Also workshops prior to the Ceilidh. Fun event. PICTURES
March – Tallinn SCD Group dance trip to South Estonia, Vastseliina.
April – Tallinn SCD Group dance trip to Avinurme, performance SCD and a ceilidh. PICTURES
May – the third “Scottish Country Dance seminar” in Tallinn, this time for advanced beginners only. Teacher: Susi Mayr from Vienna/London. Altogether 33 people attending – all who attended have achieved the level where they can comfortably join in an international SCD dancing and thus instead of the fourth local SCD seminar in autumn, were all encouraged to participate in international “Weekend of Scottish Country Dancing in Tallinn” on 28-30 September 2007, which had three teachers, all of whom well acknowledged in the world.
July – Tallinn SCD Group performance SCD in Haapsalu and a ceilidh. Private event.
July – “English Country Dance in Past and Present II”. Caller Chris Davis from England.
July – Tallinn SCD Group performance SCD in South Estonia, Otepää and a ceilidh. PICTURES
September – First ever International Branch SCD weekend in Tallinn.
November – Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja. Caller David Vivanco. Music, pipes, singing and dancing. Evening of Scottish culture in true ceilidh spirit. PICTURES
November (end) - SCD workshop with Katerina Finogenova from Moscow. We hope to have her over again to teach us a SCD seminar some day.
December – Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja. PICTURES

Year 2008

January – Tallinn SCD Group dance trip to London, Scottish Ceilidh, Burns Supper and a SCD class. PICTURES
January – Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja.
February – Scottish Ceilidt at Matkamaja.
March – Tallinn SCD Group dance trip to a SCD Weekend in France, Montpellier. PICTURES
April – Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja.
April – the 5th local SCD seminar, teachers - Peter and Pat Clarks from Edinburgh. First time ever we had live music in Seminar! It did make all the difference. PICTURES
July – Tallinn SCD Group Ceilidh at a summer get together event near Lake Peipsi.
July – “English Country Dance in Past and Present III” except that this time we actually called it a “Playford miniball”. Caller Chris Davis. PICTURES
July – Tallinn SCD Group Playford performance and a Ceilidh in South Estonia, Vastseliina. Private event.  PICTURES
September – Scottish Ceilidh at Scotland Yard Pub.
October – Tallinn SCD Group SCD performance at a Youth Center in Ravila. PICTURES
November – Tallinn SCD Group dance trip to a Playford Ball in Norwich. Organiser and contact person in England - Chris Davis.  PICTURES
December – Christmas Ceilidh, Scottish dances  with a touch of English ones that Tallinn SCD group picked up from the Norwich trip in November when we attended a local Playford Ball and master class.

Year 2009

January - Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja.
February - Scottish Ceilidh at Matkamaja.
March - Scottish Ceilid at Matkamaja.

As of March 2009  Tallinn SCD Group includes 29 people, in addition we have 7 dancers outside Tallinn, including South Estonia (Vastseliina), East Estonia (Avinurme) and Middle Estonia (Rapla). Our cooperation partners are Matkamaja and Tallinn University  from where we get at a reduced price the halls for weekly classes and for weekend seminars that take place twice a year.
As we do not have a local licensed SCD teacher then we are making every effort to invite a visiting teacher to Tallinn in every six months for a weekend seminar, flight and accommodation payable from the seminar fees of the participants.