The INTERNATIONAL BRANCH of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society

Buenos Aires 2020 Where Scottish Dancing meets Tango

Information Booklet

Tourist Programme: 20th September to 25th September 2020

Dance Weekend: 25th to 28th September 2020

BASCDancers are waiting to welcome you to Buenos Aires – the home of Tango, Evita, Malbec & Mate!

The International Branch is spreading its wings and we want you to share this exciting opportunity with us!

Local BASCDancers are really looking forward to dancing with you at the Dance Weekend

www.rscds-ib.org

For both the tourist programme and the dance weekend we will be staying in the NH Buenos Aires 9 de Julio Hotel, close to the landmark Obelisco. Shops and many of the sights are within walking distance of the Hotel. The venue for the classes and dances is the lovingly restored Palacio San Miguel, on the corner of Suipacha & Bartolomé Mitre. Originally dating from 1857, it has retained its original ornate pillars and parquet flooring. Once you have crossed the large Avenida 9 de Julio it is just a 5-minute walk (350 metres) away. NH 9 de Julio Hotel Avenida 9 de Julio Buenos Aires www.nh-hotels.com/hotel/nh-buenos-aires-9-de-julio

You will need to have provided the organisers with your passport details, valid for the duration of the event, for the day trip to Uruguay. Reminders: ✓ Check your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond the end date of your stay ✓ Check the visa requirements for travellers from your country entering both Argentina and Uruguay (this site may help https://www.ivisa.com) ✓ Check the medical advice for travellers from your country entering both Argentina and Uruguay ✓ Check that your travel insurance is up to date and has sufficient cover. The IB cannot obtain insurance that covers you! You may find the health advice on these sites helpful: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US based) https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/argentina?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001 Provided by National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/pdfs/generate/country.php?cnt=11 NaTHNaC (set up by UK Dept of Health) https://nathnacyfzone.org.uk/news/85/yellow-fever-vaccination-recommendations-persons-aged-60-years-or-older On your application form you initialled that: ‘I understand that the International Branch of the RSCDS is under no liability whatsoever in respect of any injury or loss which I may sustain. I agree to conform to any rules or regulations which may be made from time to time and which govern my visit to the IB Dance Weekend and Tourist Programme in Buenos Aires” The International Branch cannot be held responsible for any unfortunate loss of money or property. Please use the safe in your room for your passport and valuables. We are all responsible adults taking part in this event, able to take reasonable precautions and assess situations, to make decisions that affect the safety or security of our person or property.

General Information Photos: we are happy for you to take photos and videos but please ask participants, performers/musicians for permission before you publish any. Some people may not agree to have their photo taken, so do respect their wishes. Please contact a member of the IB committee if you do not want us to take any official photos or videos of you.

Passport: When making credit/debit card payments, in shops or for tickets etc, you will need to produce your passport, or a copy of it. It is recommended that you make a copy/and or photograph your passport for this purpose and leave your passport securely in the Hotel safe.

Currency: The local currency is the Argentine Peso which can’t usually be bought before you arrive, so you may want to get some pesos before you leave the airport. There are ATM machines at the airport and near the hotel but the ATM’s charge a large fee regardless of the amount of the withdrawal, the amount for each withdrawal is limited and each card may be limited to 2 or 3 withdrawals per day. Not all types of card are accepted in the machines, so take more than one type (e.g. Visa and Mastercard). Pay by card wherever possible. Beware the ‘money changers’ in the street as there are counterfeit notes around. Note: When we did our recce we were limited to between about £40 and £80 per withdrawal and each fee was about £8/$10! Uruguay day trip: You can pay by card and with US Dollars in restaurants and some shops but e.g. small museums will only take local currency. You can change money at the terminal and on the ferry, and there is an ATM at the Uruguay terminal. Maybe share Uruguay Pesos within a group of friends. Questions? Email: buenos-aires@rscds-ib.org Organisers: Treasurer - Jan Jones Registration - Anne Scobie Chair - Michael Plumley Secretary - Margaret Lambourne Local BASCDancer contacts: Maria Sol Grimoldi (Teacher), Marcela Galve (Secretary), Charly Candia and Eddie Arismendi.

www.rscds-ib.org

HOW TO GET THERE Most people will arrive at the Ezeiza (EZE)/Ministro Pistarini International Airport, which is approximately 1 hour away from the centre. Immigration/ passport control can take a while as they take your photograph and your right thumb print. Allow plenty of time for this if pre-booking a taxi. Airport Taxi:

The most convenient, straight forward way to get to the Hotel is to use the official ‘taxiezeiza’. Their colours are white and blue and they have a counter in the middle of the arrivals hall. You request and pay for your taxi

there (about US$30) (they accept credit cards). If it is busy they will give you a numbered receipt and ask you to wait to the side. The driver (or an assistant, both wear the official blue tie) will collect your booking form from the counter (matching it to your numbered receipt if you had to wait) and escort you to the white and blue liveried taxi. If you don’t yet have pesos and want to tip, try offering dollars/euros.

To reach these Airport taxis cross the pedestrian crossing at the front of arrivals.

The taxi rank for regular black and yellow licensed taxis that you will also find in the city, is also here.

By Bus: If you are feeling adventurous and rather more energetic, you could try the Tienda Léon bus. It is an express bus that just goes from the Airport to Terminal Madero, so no risk of getting off at the wrong stop. Their colours are white and orange and you buy your ticket at the counters (about US$8)

which are in the last lobby before exiting into arrivals. Exit arrivals, cross the road (canopied crossing) and follow the path a short distance to the bus stops (there is a little kiosk by the stop with the Tienda Léon name on it)

Hand your ticket to the driver (or assistant) who will tag your suitcase, load it in the luggage area and give you the tag receipt. (When disembarking at the Terminal Madero they match your tag & receipt before releasing your suitcase, which is quite reassuring). Cross the road and head (slightly to your left) straight up Avenida Corrientes until you reach Avenida 9 de Julio at the Obelisco. Cross Avenida 9 de Julio, turn left and the Hotel is about 2 blocks along. The walk from the terminal is up-hill and takes about 30 minutes. Phone Sim card: If you want to stay in contact/use data while in Buenos

Aires, you may want to get a Tourist Sim for your phone from the ‘Personal’ kiosk at the airport (there is also a shop in the town but there is a better chance they speak English at the Airport). You will need to present your passport and they will put the new sim card into your phone and activate it for you. When we bought

ours for £12 each, we had 3GB of data, unlimited use of WhatsApp, 100 minutes of national calls and 30 minutes of international calls included. There can be a bit of a queue and each one takes 5-10 minutes, so you probably won’t want to order your ‘taxiezeiza’ until you have finished here.

How will we spend our days in Buenos Aires: September is not peak tourist season fortunately, so it shouldn’t be too crowded. The start of the IB event coincides with the first day of Spring. We hope the weather will be warm, but it could be chilly, especially in the evenings and it could rain, so bring suitable clothes and, as Charly’s Mum said ‘dress like an onion’ so you can take off layers!

There may be mosquitos about depending on what the weather has been doing, especially on the boat trip and at the Estancia. If you are prone to being bitten by mosquitos (like Jan!) don’t forget

your repellent and anti-histamine/after-bite treatment. Lunches are not included during the event, so Free Time is included around lunch time so that everyone can buy their own lunch to suit. The number on the tourist programme has been limited to the capacity of 2 coaches. Please stay with your coach group as that makes it easier for checking whether anyone is missing! For the 3 days of city tours each morning we will have 4 guides each with a group of about 20. 2 of the guides will remain with us to advise and answer questions for the afternoons.

Sunday 20th September Day of arrival for Buenos Aires 2020 (or Veinte Veinte!) Most flights arrive in Buenos Aires in the morning. Check in at the NH 9 de Julio Hotel (NH 9th July Hotel) is 3pm. We have secured a meeting room at the Hotel from 10-3 so we can all relax together (with our luggage). We plan to also make use of this time for a registration and an ‘Orientation Meeting’. Some of the local BASCDancers will join us and together we hope to give you useful information and answer questions. As in any big city there are precautions you should take and areas you should know about, where it is better not to wander around as a tourist. We hope to also arrange a ‘Talk’ or presentation that will be of interest! Once you have checked in you will be able to rest, until it is time to meet in the Hotel dining room at 7pm for dinner. Then maybe an early night before the tourism starts on Monday. Monday 21st September Day in the Centre Meet in reception in time to leave by 9am for a walking tour of the central area towards Plaza de Mayo and around the historic centre ending in San Telmo. A couple of hours here to get yourselves some lunch and have free time, before boarding the coaches to transfer to Teatro Colón.

We will split into 3 groups for tours, leaving 10-15 minutes apart. Our guide will indicate items of interest in the Teatro area for you to see while waiting your group’s turn or after your tour. It is a 12-minute walk back to the Hotel after the tour. Meet for dinner in the Hotel restaurant at 7pm

Tuesday 22nd September Day at Estancia Don Silvano Meet in reception at 9.15am to board coaches for the Estancia Don Silvano. There will be a reception with empanadas. You are then free to explore the Estancia (we heard quite a few birds when we were there) take a ride (at walking pace) on a horse or in a ‘sulky’ cart and maybe join a talk about, and taste of Mate. A bell will sound when it is time for the BBQ lunch, and during lunch there will be a folklore show. After lunch the gauchos will demonstrate their skills. Bear in mind that this is a rustic Estancia, and Argentina may not have the same health & safety restrictions that we do. For example, the little bridge the horses cross seems a bit rickety, the farm tracks the ‘sulky’ uses can be rutted and riding hats are not provided. We enjoyed our little ride on the sulky, but you can decide for yourself what to try. After the gaucho demonstration there is just time for tea and pastries before boarding the coaches to return to the Hotel by about 6pm. Rest your stretched tummy then meet for a light dinner in the hotel restaurant at 7pm. Wednesday 23rd September La Boca, Puerto Madero and Tigre Meet in reception in time to board the coaches and leave by 9am for coach and walking tours of colourful La Boca and Puerto Madero. Only about 1 hour of free time to get your lunch before boarding the coaches to go to

Tigre. At Tigre, Natventure boats (quieter than most) will take us on a 60-70 minute trip in the River Plate area. The commentary is informative but not excessive, so that you can look, listen and enjoy. The coaches take us back to the hotel in time to freshen up and prepare to meet in reception again at 8pm to

board different coaches. A short ride to El Querandi for dinner and a fabulous Tango Show. Coaches take us back to the Hotel.

Thursday 24th September Visit Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. Meet in reception to board the coaches in time to leave at 9.30am to go to the Buquebus terminal to catch the 12 noon Ferry. Make sure you have the ticket you were sent and printed together with your passport. Join the queue for check-in (just like the airports!) After check-in, go upstairs to pass through security, then join the next queue for 2 passport controls - both Argentine and Uruguay. I’m sorry but there will inevitably be some queuing and waiting around during this process. Bring a book or your cribs for the weekend dances to read ;) There should be a free ‘snack pack’ with the ferry tickets if you want it – there are no choices! (we had a bottle of water, a cereal bar

and a white bread ham & cheese sandwich). On arriving at Colonia there will be coaches and guides to take us on a brief tour to show us the main areas and provide background information and history. You will then be free to do your own thing until time to return to the ferry terminal. Riding the hop-on-hop-off busses is included with your ticket too. The

Ferry leaves at 20.45 (check-in for return at 18.45) and coaches will return us to the Hotel. As it’s a late return to the Hotel no evening dinner is planned but you’ll have had time to enjoy some Uruguayan food while in Colonia.

Friday 25th September The Evita Day Meet in reception in time to board the coaches and leave by 9am for coach and walking tours of Palermo, Recoleta and the Recoleta Cemetery, the Evita Museum, Grand Splendid bookstore and Palacio de Aguas Corrientes. The 2 coaches will take slightly different routes today to avoid crowding the museum. There will be some free time when you can get lunch. Coaches return us to the Hotel a little earlier today to start the Dance Weekend.

The Dance Weekend Starts Here!

Schedule Friday 25th September 5.45pm Leave the Hotel to walk to the Palacio San Miguel (entrance on the corner of Suipacha and Bartolomé Mitre. 6pm An informal meal. Waiters will continually circulate with trays of drinks and a variety of finger foods and the main dish of Swiss Chicken or Spinach and Ricotta pancake for the vegetarians. Eat, drink and chat as you mingle. 8pm Welcome Dance finishing at 11pm Saturday 26th September 9.15am Leave the Hotel to walk to Palacio San Miguel (see map on 2nd page) for classes to start at 9.30am (use the side entrance on Bartolomé Mitre) There will be 2 equally divided classes of mixed ability. Both teachers and musicians will alternate. 11.00am coffee break and classes end at 12.45pm 12.45pm Free time and suit yourselves for lunch. 2.30pm-4pm Optional Tango class & demonstration at Palacio San Miguel 5.45pm Leave the Hotel to walk to Palacio San Miguel (entrance on the corner of Suipacha and Bartolomé Mitre. 6pm An informal meal. Waiters will continually circulate with trays of drinks and a variety of finger foods and the main dish of Stroganoff or Vegetable Chop Suey for the vegetarians. Eat, drink and chat as you mingle. 8pm The Ceilidh (acts and dancing) will finish at 11pm If you would like to participate with a ceilidh item on the Saturday evening, please contact: Buenos-aires@rscds-ib.org

Sunday 27th September 9.15am Leave the Hotel to walk to Palacio San Miguel for classes to start at 9.30am (use the side entrance on Bartolomé Mitre) There will be 2 equally divided classes of mixed ability. Both teachers and musicians will alternate. 11.00am coffee break and classes end at 12.45pm 12.45pm Free time and suit yourselves for lunch. 2.30pm-4pm Optional Argentine Folk Dance class at Palacio San Miguel 5.45pm Leave the Hotel to walk to Palacio San Miguel (entrance on the further side this time on ‘Suipacha’) 6pm An informal reception to start. Waiters will continually circulate with trays of drinks and a variety of finger foods. We will then be seated at tables for the Gala Dinner main course of chicken and beef with a vegetable tower (2 vegetable towers for the vegetarians) and dessert. 8pm Ball with dancing until 11.30pm Monday 28th September 9.45am Leave the Hotel to walk to Palacio San Miguel for classes to start at 10am (use the side entrance on Bartolomé Mitre) All together for 1 joint class with the teachers, joined by Maria Sol Grimoldi from BASCDancers, taking turns and both musicians playing. Coffee break 11am. 12.30pm Final farewells

Teachers

Jim Stott: I started dancing in 1965. When I became a Primary Teacher in 1974 I started to teach dancing in schools. I entered many teams into the Aberdeen Festival and danced for the RSCDS Aberdeen Demonstration Team. I sat my Preliminary Certificate in 1992 and Full Certificate in 1994. I have been lucky enough to teach at Day and Weekend Schools in Britain, Europe, Japan, Russia and North America, the Australian Winter School in Perth and our own RSCDS Winter School in Pitlochry, Scotland. I became one of the first Medal Assessors in 2005, an adjudicator in 2007, an Examiner in

2019 and Schools Director in 2015. I served on the RSCDS Management Board, Youth Services and Education & Training committees. I have taught at St Andrews Summer School for the past 14 years and it has been my responsibility and privilege to run Summer School for the past 4 years - a fantastic opportunity to engage with hundreds of dancers from about 40 different countries. I enjoy teaching dancing and get great pleasure seeing Scottish country dancing continue to thrive all over the world.

Antoine Rousseau: I started dancing in Paris when I was 15, in a group which a few years later became the RSCDS Paris Branch. I first joined the RSCDS summer school in 1988 and it was a revelation: the good mixture of fun, technique and social activities. I have been teaching since I was 21 year old, first in Lyon during my studies, then in Paris and I passed my teaching certificate in 2009. Since then, I have taught at RSCDS Summer School at St Andrews, and several Weekends and Schools in Northern America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, where I met wonderful people of the Scottish dancing scene. I

currently dance and teach at the Paris-Branch, in France. They are joined by Maria Sol Grimoldi (Buenos Aires) on Monday

Musicians

Elke Baker: Elke Baker's career as a Scottish dance musician began when she discovered Scottish country dancing while at college. She is a frequent performer at Scottish dance events across North America and around the world. 1995 U.S. National Scottish fiddle Champion, Elke taught at the Washington Conservatory of Music, as Artist-in-Residence at Montgomery College, and has taught monthly workshops for the Potomac Valley Scottish Fiddle Club for more than 25 years. She has played concerts at venues such as the Kennedy Center, The Birchmere, and countless festivals. Elke's most recent recordings include an SCD album A Dancer's Best Friend (Terpsichore) and a

pibroch single, The Finger Lock. Playing Scottish music for dancers is one of her very favorite things…although dancing runs a close second.

Andy Imbrie: Andy has had the good fortune to accompany some of today’s leading Celtic fiddle talent, including Judi Nicolson, Deby Benton Grosjean, Elizabeth Dequine, Neil Ewart, Elke Baker, Calum MacKinnon, Ryan McKasson, Hanneke Cassel, Laura Risk, and David Knight. He leads the “Reel of Seven” Scottish dance band (www.reelofseven.com), and was delighted to be named music director for TAC Summer School 2019 and NZ Summer School 2015-16. He plays regularly for SCD, ceilidh dancing, and contra dances throughout the US and Canada, and has been on music staff at Pinewoods and for several

tours through New Zealand and Scotland. He was invited to teach piano accompaniment at the Boston Harbor Fiddle School and the Valley of the Moon Scottish fiddling school for several years. Andy is married to Sherryl Fawx (also a dancer and musician); they live in Santa Clara, California. He works as an aerospace engineer specializing in simulation, guidance, and control design of flight vehicles.

Here are the link and QR code for the crib sheet for the Welcome Dance on Friday 25th September. https://www.dropbox.com/s/kkdqzq7oola2r24/buenos%20aires%20welcome%20dance.pdf

Here are the link and the QR code to the crib sheet for the Ball on Sunday 27th September: https://www.dropbox.com/s/55ag23rd2lavisk/Buenos%20Aires%20Ball.pdf

A short-form link to the cribs is also provided beside the programme header on the back page which might be easier to copy.

Welcome Dance Friday 25th September (https://bit.ly/2S0YYoq) 1 Hooper's Jig J32 3/4L MMM 2 Catch the Wind R32 3/4L Butterfield: RSCDS XLV 3 Balquidder Strathspey S32 3/4L Rutherford: RSCDS XXIV 4 Mrs Stewart's Jig J32 3/4L Ligtmans: RSCDS XXXV 5 The Robertson Rant S80 4S Winchester: RSCDS XXXIX 6 Trip to Timber Ridge R32 3/4L Henderson: RSCDS LII 7 Fair Donald S32 3/4L RSCDS XXIX 8 Swiss Lassie R32 3/4L Betsche: RSCDS XXXIX 9 Light and Airy J32 3/4L Campbell: RSCDS IV 10 The Braes of Breadalbane S32 3/4L Skillern: RSCDS XXI 11 The Kissing Bridge R32 3/4L Butterfield: RSCDS XLVII 12 The Bees of Maggieknockater J32 4/4L Drewry: RSCDS 30 popular, Vol 2 13 Fisherman's Reel R32 5S Petyt &c.;: Dunblane Holiday 14 Staffin Harvest S32 4/4L Mitchell: RSCDS 4/1978 15 Mairi's Wedding R40 3/4L Cosh: 22 SCD

Ball Sunday 27th September (https://bit.ly/2vwRxxQ) 1 EH3 7AF J32 3/4L Goldring: RSCDS XL 2 Adieu Mon Ami S32 3/4L RSCDS XXIV 3 The Triumph R24 3/4L Gow: RSCDS I 4 Follow Me Home J32 3/4L Briscoe: RSCDS XXXVIII 5 Sands of Morar S32 3/4L Priddey: RSCDS XLV 6 Scott Meikle R32 4/4L McLean: RSCDS XLVI 7 The Aviator J32 3/4L Fischer: RSCDS LII 8 Indian River Strathspey S32 3T Senyk: Pillings 9 9 Sleepy Maggie R32 3/4L Bowman: RSCDS XI 10 Trip to Gatlinburg J32 3/4L Tang 11 Argyll Strathspey S32 3/4L Goldring: RSCDS XXXV 12 Arthur's Seat R32 3/4L McConachie: 18th Cent. 13 Bonnie Stronshiray S32 3/4L Campbell: Glasgow Ass. 14 The Sailor R32 3/4L RSCDS XXIV 15 Ian Powrie's Farewell to

Auchterarder J128 4S Hamilton: RSCDS 30 popular,

Vol 2 16 Flowers of Edinburgh R32 3/4L RSCDS I 17 Memories of Mary Ann S32 3/4L Stephens: RSCDS XLVII 18 The Wind that Shakes the Barley R32 3/4L Duthie 8 SCD