Summer Tuesdays at Pont Street

The band plays every Tuesday from June to September at St Columba's Church Pont St in Knightsbridge London close to Harrods. This is a long-running event attracting an average of 119 dancers in 2003.

These are evenings of Scottish Country Dancing which is the enthusiasts version of Scottish Dancing. The program of dances is circulated by e-mail a week in advance and is composed of about 18 dance titles such as Angus MacLeod, Bees of Maggieknockater, The Byron Strathspey, White Heather Jig. In other words the average man in Princes Street has never heard of any of them.

The dances are not called and therefore this is not the same format as at a wedding or ceilidh where the dances are 'entry level' - that is the average man in Oxford Street could get through them with calling. Dance such as Gay Gordons, Dashing White Sergeant, Strip the Willow etc.

These are very informal occasions. We do not dress up and neither does anybody else. We use our second tier kit which lives there during the summer so presentation is not key. However because they are informal nobody minds complete strangers wandering in and having a look.

Times

Dancing starts at 7.30 until the break at about 8.45. The second half runs from 9.15 until 10.30 (just time for a pint!).

Visitors

The best time to come is at about 8.15 - 8.30 so you can see some of the action and have time for a chat during the interval. Just speak to the man at the door (most of them are called John) and they will let you in free.

Directions

From Knightsbridge tube station follow the signs in the station to Harrods. Walk down Brompton Road (A4) with Harrods on your left. You are looking for Beauchamp Place on your left which is the first serious road junction with traffic lights. Turn left and walk the length of Beauchamp Place (200 metres) to another set of traffic lights. St Columba's is a large white church on the opposite corner. Cross the road and walk across the front of the church ignoring the main stone steps. At the far corner turn right and go in the door there next to the disabled parking spot. Go downstairs into the crypt where the dancing is held.

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