Highland Dances were originally danced by men only, but now they're performed more by females than males by far. Dance steps are standardized by the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing (SOBHD) and competitions are held world-wide. In the United States, six geographic regions hold a qualifying competition each spring from which the top three finalists from each region are selected to compete at the United States Inter-Regional Highland Dancing Championships. Judges evaluate a dancer on the following criteria:
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Timing refers to the ability of the dancer to follow the rhythm of the music. Dancers must place feet, arms and head in very precise position simultaneously with the music. |
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Technique means the correct execution of footwork in coordination with head, arm and hand movements. |
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Elevation is the ability to spring vigorously above the dance platform and counts heavily. But: regardless of how showy a movement may appear, it can never really be a winner if performed out of position. |
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General deportment covers the interpretation the dancer displays in performing the dance. Balance and general appearance are very important. And, it's important that no matter how difficult the dance really is, the dancer must display supple movement with effortlessness, pleasure, freedom from elaborate showiness, and an unhurried attitude. |
Traditionally,
Highland Dancing and Scottish National Dancing competitions are accompanied by
bagpipes. The style of music pipers play today dates back to the 16th
Century, when the MacCrimmon family, pipers for McLeod of Harris, worked out not
only the form of the bagpipes, but also the intricate fingering on the
chanter. The music itself consists of the melody, which is played on the
chanter, backed up by continuous and unvarying tones from the three drones.
The Highland Fling
A
dance of victory in battle. Traditionally, the ancient warriors and
clansmen performed this dance on the small round shield [targ] which they
carried into battle. One can understand the quick footwork and dexterity
of the dancer when it is pointed out that most targs carried a pinpoint sharp
spike of steel projecting some 5-6 inches from its center. A false or
careless step could be more than a little painful.
The Sword Dance (Thillie Callum)
The
ancient dance of war of the Scottish Gael. It is said to date back to King
Malcolm Canmore. There is no Highland Dance older or better known than the
Ghillie Callum. Tradition holds that the original Ghillie Callum was a
Celtic prince who was a hero of mortal combat against one of MacBeth's chiefs at
the Battle of Dunsinane in 1504. He is said to have taken the chief's
sword, crossed over it with his own on the ground before him, and danced over
them both in exultation.
The Seann Triubhas
Pronounced
'shin trews' in Gaelic; in English it translates to 'old trousers'.
Origins are obscure; it definitely depicts a person in the act of shedding his
trousers. It's said by some that the dance came about in 1783 when the
British Disarming Act of 1747 was finally repealed and Scots were allowed to
wear their tartans and kilts once again. The dance mimics a Scot shedding
his britches (during the slow, first part of the dance) and returning to his
tradition of Highland dress and custom (during the final, up-tempo fling-like
step).
The Strathspey & Highland Reel
Of
all the Highland Dancing events in which the competitors vie, the reels are the
closest approach to social dancing. Even these, however, are individual
competitions. While the teams consist of four dancers, the judges mark each
competitor individually. Legend has it the reel originated with well
wishers waiting for the minister to arrive at the church for a wedding on a cold
day. The chilly group danced as a means of keeping warm.
The Irish Jig
This
dance may seem to be out of place at Scottish Games, but the dance is not only
an Irish tradition. The Scottish version however, is meant to be a parody
of an Irish washerwoman in an agitated state of mind. While the steps are
traditional, the arm movements are not. Arm movements are an intrinsic
part of Scottish dance, and so the Scots added them to the Irish Jig as a
humorous salute to their Celtic brethren across the Irish Sea.
Scottish Lilt - Flora MacDonald's Fancy - Scotch Measure - Earl of Errol
These
four dances [and others] are known as Scottish National dances. They're of
modern origin and have been collected from old dance masters. In America,
National dances were not danced in competition until the 1960s. The attire
worn by female dancers is called the Aboyne dress; named after the Aboyne
Highland Games of Scotland where to this day, the wearing of the kilt is
strictly forbidden to women. The National dances are very similar to
Highland dances, but the style is more flowing and ballet-like. They
require a lot of skill to execute correctly, and spectators will note that often
the rhythms are more complicated than conventional Highland dancing.
The Sailor's Hornpipe
This dance is common to many parts of the British Isles. It derives its name from the fact that the musical accompaniment was usually played on a hornpipe rather than on bagpipes. Hornpipes were common instruments in those days. They were comparable to our present-day tin whistle. In time, the dance became popular among seafaring men and is now associated with sailors. The modern Hornpipe imitates many shipyard activities common in the days of wooden ships and iron men.