NGI Recipient: Sarah MacQueen
Session Attended: Royal Scottish Country Dance Society - Scottish Session I (2016)
I have wanted to attend Pinewoods Scottish Sessions ever since my mom first told me stories of the time she went to Pinewoods. However, coming from the West Coast makes the trip a not insignificant expense, and I greatly appreciate the NGI scholarship that helped make it possible for me to attend. I am happy to report that the Pinewoods experience far exceeded my expectations. Indeed, it is an experience that is difficult to explain fully in words, and must be lived to be understood. My time at Pinewoods gave me memories that I will always treasure—and was an experience I hope to repeat many times!
I enjoyed taking Scottish country dance classes from a variety of teachers, and rounded things out with Alexander Technique, Yoga, and Highland Dance. The evening dances were excellent, the after parties and other nondance events were all fun, swimming in the ponds was great, the food was delicious, and I made lots of new friends. One of the highlights for me was dancing Pinewoods Reel, a longtime favorite of mine, at Pinewoods. It was wonderful to be surrounded by people who love dancing as much as I do, and equally wonderful to dance with many more people near my own age than are to be found in my home Branch.
I think I can sum things up by saying that I have never felt so free as I did while at Pinewoods: in the camp atmosphere, in the community of people I found there, and in the dancing we all did together.
Thank you again to PCI and the RSCDS Boston Branch for the scholarship that gave me this wonderful experience.