So where can I get...

I am often asked where people can get hold of dance books, music, etc. Here are a collection of useful addresses. If you can't find what you're after here, try my links to Scottish stores and online shops.

Books

RSCDS publications can be obtained from RSCDS headquarters:

12 Coates Crescent,
Edinburgh,
EH3 7AF,
Scotland,
UK

Tel: +44 (0)131 225 3854
Fax: +44 (0)131 225 8873

RSCDS Leeds Branch has now taken over from SNDC

The Teachers Association Canada (TAC) book store is at:

Web site: http://www.tac-rscds.org/

Music

Dance music can be obtained again from the RSCDS or from RSCDS Leeds Branch. Also MusicScotland.com and MusicInScotland.com

The side of TAC which handles music is called TACSound. It is at

Marie Disiewicz,
18464 67A Avenue,
Surrey, BC, Canada,
V3S 9B3

Tel: 604-574-7530
Fax: 604-575-9667
Web site: http://www.tac-rscds.org/
Email: TACSound@tac-rscds.org

There is Fiddler's Crossing at

PO Box 92226,
Pasadena,
CA 91109-2226,
USA
Tel: (818) 792-6323
Email: fiddlers@earthlink.net

Balnain House Trust are at

40 Huntly Street,
Inverness,
IV3 5HR

Shoes

Ghillies - the lace up dance shoes - can be obtained at dance wear shops, such as Ballet School Supplies or Dancewear, where they are usually referred to as "Highland Dancing Pumps". If that fails, James Senior of St. Andrews (http://www.jamessenior.co.uk/) do mail order. Women have it easier - they can get away with standard ballet shoes; however James Senior also have a range of shoes in a similar style. There is also the Scottish Dance Show Company, based in Wembley, London.

Craig Coussins also makes a range of dance shoe - the Hullachan Pro. His web site also includes articles on dance injury (and how to avoid it) and an on-line video of how to lace your shoes. The US site also has most of the above.

Munro Competition Shoes also supply dance shoes. See also dance shoe suppliers.

Highland Dress

If you aren't in Scotland, you may find one of these highland dress suppliers useful:

• Scottish Supplies Oliver Thinius ist eine Deutsche Versandhandel für Waren aus Schottland - Bagopipes, Regalia, Highland Dress, CD/CD-ROM, Geschenkartikel. Sie vertreibt das gesamte Spektrum der Fa. Senior of St. Andrews. (German distributor.)
• Thistle Highland Enterprises, Canada - suppliers to Pipe Bands, Pipers, Drummers, and Highland Dancers. They also have a page on dancing tartans.
• Helean Kiltmakers, Dunedin New Zealand.
• There are many more links among my list of suppliers.

Finding tartan kilt hose can be difficult. Try one of these distributors:

• J Higgins Ltd (who also do white hose incorpoating terry cloth in the feet
• Kilkeel knitwear, Ireland - see their dance hose section
• Highland House Australia

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Note from Alan Harrison:

About 12 years ago the brilliant white bobble top hose became popular with pipe bands and still are. The tops were detached from the socks which could of course be bought and washed separately. Now they make the socks with the tops attached for obvious reasons. The sock had a reinforced sole ( terry cloth?) which made them very comfortable especially when you are on your feet all day, long wearing and also good to dance in. In those days we used to get them from Robert Matheson who subsequently opened a shop called The Pipe Box (I have no connection with this company). I believe these were football socks but have not been able to find the same type in sports shops for some time. If anyone does know where I can get them please let me know.

On the subject of tartan or diced hose, check that they are wool or a mixture and 'hand' knitted before you buy and be careful how you wash them.

Hose tops have been used by pipe bands wearing spats with No1 dress for around two hundred years

Return to the Scottish Country Dance home page.

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This page is maintained by Ian Brockbank
ian@scottishdance.net
Edinburgh, Scotland