A few years ago, Lewis and Susan Tumlin took a trip to their native Scotland.

While impressed with the rolling hills and easy camaraderie of the natives, the best souvenir that they brought back to the states was a passion for dancing.

“It was like stepping back into time,” Lewis Tumlin said. Reels, jigs, and strathspeys make up, Scottish Country Dancing which is a form of social dance involving groups of mixed couples of dancers tracing progressive patterns according to a predetermined choreography.

“It’s all in fun,” said Lewis Tumlin. “This is a way to dress up and show your heritage with other people.”

Contrary to popular believe, the Scots don’t rely heavily on bag pipes for music.

Ms. Tumlin said Scottish Country Dancing uses accordions and fiddles.

“The music is fun,” Ms. Tumlin said.

There’s the Irish Rover, Flowers of Edinborough and the Montreal Rendezvous, some of the more popular dances. There are over 10,000 known dances.

Couples are grouped into bunches of three or four and step in time to synchronized steps to lively Scottish reels, jigs, and hornpipes.

“It is the old barn dancing that was kind of the ballroom dancing of Scotland,” Ms. Tumlin said. “It’s been around for ages.”

As far back as the 18th Century Scottish Country Dancing was used as the axis for most social gatherings in Scotland.

Over the years other types of dancing, such as square dancing and line dancing and have ties to Scottish Country Dancing which gets its basic steps from ballet.

With roots that tie together different cultures and genres, Scottish Country Dancing is not just for those of Scottish descent.

“You don’t have to be Scottish to learn and enjoy Scottish Country Dancing,” Tumlin said.

The typical Scottish Country Dance “social” lasts about three hours and Ms. Tumlin said the bulk of that time is spent spinning around the dance hall.

“It’s a good physical and mental workout,” Ms. Tumlin said.

Scottish County Dancing has come to Cartersville and the general public now has a chance to learn the basics without having to leave the States.

Every first and third Friday the Tumlins host a Scottish Country Dance class at Heritage Baptist Church on Douthit Ferry Road.

The first night is free; each visit thereafter is $3 per person.

No experience is required and no partner is required.

All that’s needed, said Ms. Tumlin, is a desire to learn and have fun.

“I just encourage everybody to try it,” Ms. Tumlin said. “It’s a lot of fun.”