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NGI Recipient: Daniel Potter

Session Attended: Royal Scottish Country Dance Society - Scottish Session I & II (2015)

Thank you so much for awarding me a scholarship to attend Scottish Sessions I and II at Pinewoods. I’ve wanted to attend for several years, and now that I have, I can say that the sessions exceeded my expectations.

Attending Scottish Pinewoods gave me an opportunity to really devote time to Scottish dancing. In the advanced classes and “Technique and Critique” classes, I got personal advice on how to improve my technique, which was extremely helpful, and the social classes and evening dances exposed me to many new and interesting dances that I plan on taking back to my social dance at home. Add to that the waltz, salsa, and hambo classes I went to and I’m surprised I walked away with my feet still intact.

More than that, though, the social atmosphere and camaraderie of Scottish Pinewoods made it something I’ll never forget. I made so many new friends while eating in the dining hall, playing games on the camp house porch, and partying the night away after the evening dances, and I look forward to when I can see them again, both at and away from camp.

However, the thing that made Scottish Pinewoods truly valuable for me was that it made me realize how much I enjoy Scottish Country Dancing, how much I enjoy the technique, the dances (both easy and difficult), and, most importantly, the social aspect. Scottish Pinewoods helped me realize that I love Scottish dancing so much that I want to teach it, and so I hope soon to start on the road to certification so that I can share Scottish dancing with generations to come.

Thank you again so much for the opportunity to attend Scottish Pinewoods. I can’t wait to go back!