A little bit of History…
Why was it necessary to form The Scottish Dance Teachers’ Alliance?
Mr Joe McGowan, one of our very early members informs us it was in “PROTEST”
Mr Alex Warren OBE, Scotland’s top Ballroom Dancer and Teacher along with a few other professionals felt that the opinions of the Scottish Professionals were not listened to down South and so he wrote a letter to all Scottish Professionals inviting them to a meeting to discuss the forming of a purely Scottish Society and make a break-away from the Imperial Society in London.
And so the Alliance was formed in 1934.
To be a member you had to be a) Scottish or of Scottish descent b) a full time professional.
Eventually part time teachers, (those who had another career and only taught dancing as a secondary business) were allowed to join the Alliance, but only as an Associate who was not allowed to speak or vote at meetings. If they had anything they wished brought up they had to ask a Full Member to bring the matter to the meeting.
Mr Warren, Mr McGowan and Mr Joe Diamond (who was the Secretary) would travel to London at their own expense to enable Scotland’s voice to be heard. They made such a good job of it that Mr Warren who was President of the Alliance became Chairman and President of the Official Board of Ballroom Dancing, the name now being the British Dance Council.
It all began in the studio of the first Secretary Mr Joe Diamond then the next Secretary Mr Jack Muir and then Mr Alex Dalglish who allowed their homes to become our headquarters, such was their commitment to strengthening the position of the Scottish Professionals.
With so many Scots emigrating and promoting the Alliance in their adopted countries the rule of being “Scottish” had to be withdrawn and copies of our publication “The Alliance News” is read avidly in the UK, America, Australia, Canada, Far East, Holland, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan.
Through time bridges were re-built and differences with the Imperial Society were reconciled.
Mr McGowan also remembers that during the war years a Victory Fund was started and the Alliance raised enough money to buy two Spitfires – not bad going for a then small Society.
At this time Miss Jean J C McLellan became a powerful force in the Alliance and all the branches began to grow.
As can be read in the introduction textbook of the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing – in the late 1940′s there was unrest among the competitors in the Highland Dancing
World and Organisers as they had no Association or anyone with authority to answer queries or correct mistakes, so the Scottish Dance Teachers’ Alliance made a move to establishing a representative board of control. Mr Jack Muir then President of the Alliance held a meeting in Stirling and all dancers, judges, teachers and organisers, in fact anyone with an interest in competitive Highland Dancing were invited to come along to this meeting and so began the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing which is celebrating its 50 years now. This Board controls Highland Dancing Competition worldwide.
Many of our members became known world wide in their own fields. In our Highland Branch we have no less then 16 World Champions.
Our examiners in all Branches continue to maintain the high standard set for them by Christine Robertson, J.L. MacKenzie (Highland), Bette Clark, Betty Stewart, Jean J C McLellan, Miss N. Moore (Ballet & Theatre), and Alex Warren, Joe McGowan (Ballroom).
With continuing growth the Alliance moved to their own premises at 339 North Woodside Road, Glasgow and again to larger premises in 1999 at 101 Park Road in Glasgow, which has two dance studios, bigger office accommodation and wheel-chair access.
The Scottish Dance Teachers’ Alliance has come a very long way from Mr Alex Warren’s idea seventy four years ago, but hopefully we are achieving his hopes and maintaining the high standards he set in 1934.
We must never forget the debt we owe to Alex Warren, Joe McGowan, Joe Diamond, Jack Muir, Alex Dalglish, Johnny Stewart and all the other members who throughout the years have helped the Alliance become what it is today.