RSCDS Paris Branch 40th anniversary weekend – October 2024

David Knight got into Scottish fiddle through a misunderstanding that arose out of his interest in Scottish punk and alternative bands. It was a happy misunderstanding that got him into Scottish Country Dancing by the age of 15, into teaching Scottish Country Dancing by the age of 21, and getting his preliminary certificate to teach at St. Andrews, Scotland at the Summer School of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society in 1993. He has been playing for dance, performance, theater, and for fun since around 1991. He has played for dance and performance events in Canada, Croatia, France, Scotland, most of the Eastern and some of the Western United States.

Keith Buchanan Smith is internationally renowned for performing, broadcasting and teaching classical and Scottish music. His professional concert and teaching tours with fiddle and highland bagpipes regularly take him to North America, Africa, Europe and Asia. Keith is featured on many CD recordings for Scottish Country Dancing.

Pianist Dave Wiesler began dancing and playing Scottish country dancing nearly three decades ago. Since then he has become highly regarded for his strong rhythmic drive, his technical skills, and his deep knowledge of the genre. Dave is at home in a huge range of other styles of music and folk dance, ranging from English country dance, contra dance, swing and blues, and vintage couples dancing all the way to Viennese waltz and choir accompaniment. He has played at festivals and camps across North America, Scotland, and England, and he has composed hundreds of tunes, as well as song parodies, classical pieces, and choral arrangements. Dave’s many recordings include SCD albums with Thistle House, Mara Shea, Hanneke Cassel, the Scottish Weekend ensemble, and most recently the Delaware Valley Gold recording, which he also engineered and produced.

Dave danced and played music from an early age encouraged by his parents, both of whom danced and played. As a child he competed in Highland Dancing competitions and got interested in the lively Scottish Country Dancing scene in Manchester in his teens. He formed his own Scottish Country Dance Band in 1983, aged 15.

Dave got his RSCDS Teaching Certificate in 1993 and was recently granted Life Membership of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing (BATD) after over 25 years connection with them. He taught the London Branch Demonstration from 1998 to 2003, and has taught and played at the Society’s Summer and Winter Schools. Dave has enjoyed meeting dancers from around the world as fellow dancer, teacher, musician and keen traveler.

Raphaëlle was introduced to Scottish dancing by her mother and attended Summer School for the first time in 1998. She became hooked and hasn’t stopped dancing since. She passed her teacher’s certificate in St Andrews in 2008. She teaches her branch class in Lyon and a children’s class there too. For several years, she coached a team for the Newcastle Festival comprising friends from across Europe and called it the International Team. She then coached her own Lyon branch team for the competition. She has been the branch chairman since 2016 and organizes weekend schools and other events for the branch. Her branch has a very important proportion of teenagers, who keep her on her toes! She has taught at the RSCDS Summer School, Winter School in Pitlochry, and at several Spring Flings as well as many workshops across Europe. She was lucky enough to teach twice at the Australian Winter School but also at the Asilomar weekend, TAC Summer School, and in Edmonton, Canada. Outside dancing, she works as a primary school teacher. She is very much looking forward to celebrating 40 years of dancing in Paris with everyone!