"If we dance a dance in Manheim, the same dance is being danced the same way in London or Berlin or anywhere in the world where there is a branch of Scottish country dancers," said Sandy Leyh, a teacher with the Red Rose Scottish Country Dancers. If you'd like to be a part of an international activity, now's your chance. The group will hold four weeks of basic classes on Tuesdays from March 7 through 28. The classes will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Manheim Train Station, 210 S. Charlotte St.

"You do not need any experience at all to enjoy this," Leyh stated. "You don't have to come with a partner. ... At the basics class, we're going to learn the footwork involved with Scottish country dance." She said the classes will also feature party dances called ceilidh to break the ice. "We'll use those as warmups for fun to get people moving, and then we'll learn one of the steps and put it into some easy dances," she explained. Members of the Red Rose Scottish Country Dancers teach reels and jigs, which are fast dances, as well as strathspeys, which are slower dances.

Leyh has been involved in Scottish country dancing since she saw a demonstration more than 25 years ago in Elizabethtown. "I fell in love with it," she recalled. "I thought, 'Wow! I want to do this!'" She joined a group in Harrisburg, but when the group realized a lot of the members were making the drive from Lancaster, someone suggested they start a local group. "They appointed me to do that, and I thought, 'Well, we'll give it a go. It won't work,'" she said with a laugh. "Our club actually marked our 25th anniversary during COVID."

Leyh said she loves many things about Scottish country dancing. "It's a neat activity, it's fun and social, and it's great exercise. It's really good mental and physical exercise," she noted, adding that she has participated in workshops and dances throughout the region as well as in other parts of the world. "We are a very hospitable group. You always know you're welcome."

Leyh emphasized Manheim is a particularly cool place to try Scottish country dancing, because the region was settled by Scots. "This is part of our heritage," she stated. "Scots have always done this type of dancing." All of the dances taught by the Red Rose Scottish Country Dancers come from books published by the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, and new dances are written every year.

"I like to encourage young people to come out and try this," Leyh commented. "It's a nice way to meet other young people with a common interest. ... Everyone should give it a try. If you like music, if you like moving, getting some exercise and meeting new people, come join us. It takes a while to get really comfortable with it, but we're patient."

Participants should wear soft-soled shoes and wear a mask to classes. For more information or to register for classes, call Leyh at 717-615-7511.