4corners - Rio Societies

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find a few more who are ready to play
ball. If you’re interested, drop him a
line at usanomad-softball@yahoo.com.
Even if you don’t want to get out on
the field, you’re still invited to come
watch and root, root, root for any ol’ team
you choose! Why not bring some
lawn chairs and a picnic basket up to
the Escola Americana's Gávea campus
and enjoy seeing a bunch of folks
trying to play like they were kids
again? It certainly won’t be any kind
of World Series, but it’ll be fun. And
remember, you’ll always be safe with us!
ST ANDREW SOCIETY
Sword Dance, as performed by the award-winning
Petrópolis Highland Dance Group at the
Caledonian Ball
The word “clannish” implies by
definition “a closed group which
excludes outsiders.” There may have
been an element of truth in that, at
one time, in the days of warring Clans.
This year at the Caledonian Ball in the
Copacabana Palace Hotel it signified
exactly the opposite, as the St. Andrew
Society welcomed guests from all around
the globe to a truly international
celebration of music and dance. The
gentlemen, resplendent in tartans,
representing a cross section of Scottish
Clans ancient and modern, were
Australian, American, Canadian, Argentinean,
Brazilian, English and Scots.
United by a common bond, they
gathered together in Rio de Janeiro
and shared experiences of Hong
Kong, Singapore, Djakarta, Houston,
Freemantle, Aberdeen, Macaé, Buenos
Aires and a couple of dozen other
locations around the world from the
exotic to the mundane. Clannish we
are, and proud of it, but the net of the
Scottish diaspora is open ended for all
who care to enter.
Iain MacPhail and his band flew in to
Rio straight from the annual Gillies’
Ball at Balmoral Castle, hosted by
Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Family.
After supplying the music at the
Caledonian Ball, Paissandu Ceilidh
and Macaé Ceilidh, he flew out again
on his way to Japan. Such is the scope
of Scottish Country Dance music in
the world today.
In the elegant Golden Room of the Copacabana
Palace Hotel we were entertained
with a display by the Petropolis Highland
Dancers and members of the Pipe Band.
These are all Brazilians who have received
tuition in Scotland, supported by the
St. Andrew Societies of Rio de Janeiro
and São Paulo. The buffet dinner was of
the high quality which only the
Copacabana Palace Hotel can provide.
The dance floor was filled to capacity
all night for reels, jigs and strathspeys
by the Iain MacPhail Scottish Country
Dance Band interspersed with bursts of
popular music for all ages from Serginho’s
disco. [See more photos by Jimmy Frew on
p.11 & in colour on the BCS website].
The format for the Rio Caledonian
Ball has remained the same for many
years. Judging from the number of
enthusiastic youngsters who were still
up on the floor to join hands for “Auld
Lang Syne” at three in the morning on
the 3rd October, there’s no need for us
to meddle with it. In a land of instant
gratification and new trends that don’t
last more than a few days, an annual
Caledonian Ball may no longer be
fashionable to some. Nevertheless,
with the kind of support it has been
receiving from the Copacabana Palace
Hotel, York Research, Macaé Oilmen’s
Golf Association, IRM Services, TSC
Offshore and Rig Project Solutions,
our next generation -- the future of the
Society -- has been rediscovering what
was almost about to be lost; the value
of tradition.If the 2010 Caledonian Ball
improved attendance was a welcome
shot in the arm, the traditional “end of
the dancing season” ceilidh with the
Iain MacPhail Band at the Paissandu
Club was absolutely jam packed. For
an evening of exclusive Scottish
Country Dancing, it was further proof
that the Society can still draw in the
crowds and we look forward to the
weekly Tuesday nights at the Paissandu
Club, starting again in April 2011.
The 2010 week of Scottish events with the
Iain MacPhail Band ended with the
5th annual golf match in Búzios
against our friends of the Macaé
Oilmen’s Golf Association. The score
now stands at 4-1 to MOGA. This year
the golf was sponsored by IRM Services
and the prizes were donated by Philip
Healey of RILI/PECUS Seguros.
After a buffet lunch around the bar at
the clubhouse, to the music of Iain and
the band, we all set off for the
Sheraton Hotel in Macaé for the 4th
annual Ceilidh. Every year this event
has become more and more popular.
In fact, some of the Rio committee had
been teaching Scottish Country
Dancing in the Sheraton Hotel the
previous evening, such is the
enthusiasm in Macaé. Once again, the
dance floor was never empty all night,
with the Eightsome Reels, Strip the
Willow, Dashing White Sergeant and
the Gay Gordons setting the pace,
interspersed with Serginho’s all time
hits. The 25th Iain MacPhail Band
South American Tour is already
guaranteed for October 2011.
We are now preparing for the next event,
which is the ever popular Quaich golf
tournament at its traditional home, the
Teresópolis Golf Club, on 20th November.
For further information, contact
Robin Brown at robinbrown@br.inter.net
or Philip Healey at phil@rili.com.br.
Many thanks to all who made the 2010
Scottish Week such a great success:
Robin Brown, Susan Reid, Fiona
Brown, Suzan Carter, Audrey Hieatt,
Philip Healey, Cristina Nogueira,
Ana Campbell, Margaret Frew, Rob
McInnes and Pete Campsie. Thanks also
to Philip Carruthers, Nick Walker and
Robert Shinfield.
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
Annual Poppy Gala Ball (Dinner Dance):
This prestigious event will take place at
the world renowned Copacabana
Palace Hotel on Friday 12th November
2010. Cocktails 7:30pm, Dinner 9pm.
The final details of this complex
undertaking have been worked out
and the advertising machine will swing
into action shortly. However, it seems
our few words to date and the Events
Calendar entry have already stirred
some into enquiring about ticket
availability for this not-to-be-missed
occasion. Clearly the message is “buy
as soon as you can” when the tickets go
on sale. Insider information tells me it
will be an outstanding night.
Remembrance Service: Don’t forget
either that our Remembrance Service
will be held at Christ Church on Sunday
14th November 2010 at 10:30am, even
more poignant this year as it will be the
last conducted by our Welfare Committee
Chairman, Reverend David Weller.