Dancing Through Life

Looking back over my last few blog entries, I realize that there are numerous holes (dare I say it, gaping ones at that) in my account of my Scotland adventure thus far.  I apologize!  I will try to remedy this as soon as possible - probably once I am able to wrap by brain around my academic schedule.  For those of you who are interested, here are the classes that I am currently enrolled in:

IR3030 - Human Rights in Theory and Practice
EC2003 - Economics Statistics
SC2004 - Scotland, Britain, and Empire, 1603-2000   (Scottish History!!!!)

(I'm sure from this list you can tell which ones I love and the one that I don't particularly enjoy... :) )  After being in class for a little over a week, I've decided that there are many strange and inexplicable things about the British education system:

     - Firstly, the more advanced a class (or as they say, module) is, the more academic credits it's worth, BUT the less amount of time you spend in class!  For example, my human rights class is worth 30 of my total 60 credit course load, yet there is only one 1-hour lecture a week and one 1-hour tutorial (basically, a smaller discussion section of the class).  Who decided that that was the way it should work??
     - Secondly, professors do not willingly assign reading in lower level classes, taking the approach that we should be reading anything and everything we can about the subject.  No particular textbook is set for the class, and no guidelines as to what to read for each lecture/class meeting are distributed.  Yet, you are still expected to be reading something!
     - Thirdly, the word "mandatory" is consistently replaced with "compulsory."  Just an interesting difference in terminology.
     - Fourthly, there is not a set period of time between class periods to allow students to get from one classroom to another.  Each professor has the right to teach right up to the end of the hour (though most classes so far end with about five minutes to spare).  So if you have back to back classes....well then lucky you.  (Thankfully, everything in this town is about 5-8 minutes away from everything else - unless you're a physicist, chemist, mathematician, biologist, you like to exercise frequently, or you live in an apartment.  Then everything is more like 20-30 minutes away.  Also - fun little tangent:  you do not 'major in' subjects here.  You 'read' them.  And if you are reading, for example, the Classics, you would refer to yourself as a Classicist.  I'm not sure if that phrasing pertains to all fields of study or just classical ones, seeing as the only person I've heard use the term was, in fact, a self-described Classicist and also made reference to the Latinists among the Classicists.)
     - Fifthly, the grading system here is something else.  While most British universities graded on a percentage basis (90% = A etc), St. Andrews decided to be different and grade everything on a 20 point scale.  And the professors grade way harder than they do at home, so much so that a 7/20 = passing....that's a 42% instead of our usual 50% passing grade!! Weird.

I'm sure there are other aspects of the British system that are equally as bewildering, though none are particularly coming to mind at the moment.  :)  My Human Rights professor even commented after class last week how certain things in the education system just do not make sense.  Granted he's American, but it still makes me feel more justified in making this comparison. :) :)

I apologize for the large amount of text in this post!  So to break up the monotony of 12pt Georgia font...

The beautiful sunset out my window on Valentine's Day

So why the title of this post? (besides that it's a lyric from one of the best songs ever from the musical Wicked)

The University of St. Andrews does not offer any fine art classes as part of its curriculum, but it does have a large and thriving Dance Society!! (another fun note - we do not have 'clubs'.  We have societies. i.e. the Fine Wine and Cheese Society, the Harry Potter and Gin Society....you get the idea).  As most of you know, I absolutely love dancing!  I take classes at William and Mary and am a member of Orchesis, the College's modern dance company (so much orkdork love!!!).  The Dance Society here at St. Andrews offers classes throughout the week in all styles of dance (from tap to breakdancing to highland to ballet and everything in between!) -- so I stopped by the Sports Centre this evening for a jazz class and a ballet class!  It was so wonderful to take class after not dancing for 2.5 months and not rehearsing for Orchesis for 3!  Wow - I'm sure I am going to feel it tomorrow.  :)

It was amazing to see the universality of dance during classes today.  Even though everyone (in both classes) clearly had different levels and styles of training, we all innately understood the various movement combinations and the corrections given.  It's like dance has a language of its own. :)

It was particularly interesting to take the jazz class since jazz dancing is an almost strictly American style.  Ironically, I think I was one of the only, or the only, American in the class! :)  The Dance Society also puts on a show at the end of Spring term in one of the theaters in town, and each class performs a choreographed piece (participation of class members is optional) -- which totally reminds me of my dance studio days before college!  And of course, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to perform (performing in Scotland?!  How on earth could I say no?!) :) :) So, now I have something to look forward to in the beginning of May besides exams! :) :)

Now, my dear friends and family, I do believe it is time for me to retire - though I have so many things that I am just dying to tell you!  Be on the lookout for more coming from me soon - including an updated list of things I have learned on this trip (i.e. that American colleges simply do NOT know how to throw a good dance party).
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Until then,
Cheers!