SCOTIA DANCERS
Mainstream - Wednesdays 8:00-10:00 (Class 7:30-8:30) pm, Sackville Heights Community Centre
Caller: Bruce Savage     bgsavage@eastlink.ca
Contact: Ken & Jean Murphy
296 Patton Rd.
Upper Sackville, NS B4E 3C1 (902) 865-8851     email Don Scott dwscott@accesscable.net


      Scotia Dancers roots go back to 1954 with the formation of the Merry Millers with caller Vern Carmicael and the Happy Whirlers of Upper Sackville with the first club caller Maurice Hennigar a number callers did duty for this Sackville club over the years when in 1966 Vern also took over this club who were at this time dancing in Bedford at the Bedford Central School. Callers of note that had called for the Happy Whirlers (amongst others) were Lorne Tyler, Ron Duffy and Graham Geddes.
      1967 - 1968 when the Happy Whirlers and the Merry Millers with caller Vern Carmicael joined forces to get together a larger number of dancers and to save funds by dancing on only one night they began as a jointly named club " The Happy Whirlers and Merry Millers ". This name remained until in 1968, with Bob Brooks as president, they changed their name to the present Scotia Dancers and elected their first president in the persons of Myrtle and Norman Sellars. (Myrtle still dances with the Stardusters and the Ocean Waves as of this year 2000.) Vern continued to call for the club until 1977 when with only less than two squares left in the club they were taken over by Pat and Jim Alguire who had started a class in Bedford which danced in various locations and Vern was occupied with two classes and two clubs in Truro. The club then moved to Bedford from Halifax and we still dance in Bedford but not at the same location that we started in .
      We have been dancing at C. P. Allen High School from the fall of 1982 and have enjoyed the location. Over the years we have had our ups and downs but the annual event that all square dancers look forward to is our Spring Fling which started in it's present format in about 1983. The first "Spring Fling" of note In April of 1983 was to rase funds for some needy former club members who had some large and unusual expenses in connection with their granddaughters. At this dance over one thousand dollars was raised and all connected to it deserve the thanks of the club and it just goes to show what can happen when all work together. At this time of each year with the newly graduated or nearly graduated dancers in tow all the clubs join forces and have a ball. There is usually a guest caller and the square dance clothing shop(s) show up so that all can see what is new for the dancing year as well as allowing the new dancers to get decked out.
      From early January of each year about 20 to 22 clubs around the Province get the "pleasure" of receiving the Scotia Dancers at their dance to advertise this special event with mixed results, sometimes we get to "steal" that clubs banner to hang in the hall during the Spring Fling, but if for no other reason then to have fun and to dance with the best of people other Square Dancers.
      Jim and Pat have called for this club until the death of Jim in 1993 when Mark and Wade Savage took over for a short time until Pat was ready to resume and has continued to do an excellent job to the present. We look forward to many more years of great fun and friendship that has had it's roots in our past and look toward the future and all that it holds.