Highland dance
Highland dance or Highland dancing is a style of competitive dancing developed in the Scottish Highlands in the 19th and 20th centuries, in the context of competitions at public events such as the Highland games. It was created from the Gaelic folk dance repertoire, but formalised with the conventions of ballet, and has been subject to influences from outside the Highlands. Highland dancing is often performed with the accompaniment of Highland bagpipe music, and dancers wear specialised shoes called ghillies or pumps. It is now seen at nearly every modern-day Highland games event.
Highland dance should not be confused with Scottish country dance, cèilidh dancing, or clog dancing, although they too may be performed at Highland games and like competitions.
Basic description of Highland dancing
Highland dancing is a competitive and technical dance form requiring technique, stamina, and strength, and is recognised as a sport by the Sport Council of Scotland.In Highland dancing, the dancers dance on the balls of the feet. Highland dancing is a form of solo step dancing, from which it evolved, but while some forms of step dancing are purely percussive in nature, Highland dancing involves not only a combination of steps but also some integral upper body, arm, and hand movements.
Highland dancing should not be confused with Scottish country dancing which is both a social dance like ballroom dancing, and a formation dance like square dancing.
Some Highland dances do derive from traditional social dances. An example is the Highland reel, also known as the foursome reel or strathspey, in which groups of four dancers alternate between solo steps facing one another and a figure-of-eight style with intertwining progressive movement. Even so, in competitions, the Highland reel dancers are judged individually. All but three Highland dances are danced solo and those three dances are variations of each other.
Scottish and Irish dancing
Many non-practitioners think the two Celtic forms are synonymous. While some dance studios teach both, they are two distinct styles, not just in the attire. In comparison to Scottish Highland dance, Irish dancers rarely use their arms which are held beside their bodies, legs and feet are frequently crossed, and frequent use of the hard-soled step shoes. There is a greater use of choreography than traditional movements.History
Modern Highland dancing emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries. It was "created from the Gaelic folk dance repertoire, but formalised with the conventions of ballet".It seems that forms of sword dancing were performed by warriors in many parts of Europe in the prehistoric period. Forms of sword dancing are also attested in the late Medieval period. Ritualistic and combative dances that imitated epic deeds and martial skills were a familiar feature in Scottish tradition and folklore. The earliest reference to these dances in Scotland is mentioned in the Scotichronicon which was compiled in Scotland by Walter Bower in the 1440s. The passage regards Alexander III and his second marriage to the French noblewoman Yolande de Dreux at Jedburgh on 14 October 1285.
In 1573, Scottish mercenaries are said to have performed a Scottish sword dance before the Swedish King, John III, at a banquet held in Stockholm Castle. The dance, 'a natural feature of the festivities', was used as part of a plot to assassinate the King, where the conspirators were able to bare their weapons without arising suspicion. Fortunately for the King, at the decisive moment the agreed signal was never given.
Sword dances and Highland dances were included at a reception for Anne of Denmark at Edinburgh in May 1590, and a mixture of sword dance and acrobatics was performed before James VI in 1617, and again for Charles I in 1633, by the Incorporation of Skinners and Glovers of Perth,
In 1747, the Dress Act 1746 came into effect which forbade the wearing of kilts by civilian men, went into effect. The act was repealed in 1782 and in the early 19th century, there was something of a romanticisation of Highland culture. This revival, later boosted greatly by Queen Victoria's enthusiasm for it, included the beginnings of the Highland games as we now know them. Highland dancing was an integral part of the Games from the very start of their modern revival, but the selection of dances performed at Games was intentionally narrowed down, mostly for the convenience of judges. Therefore, while the tradition of Highland games seemed at first glance to have fostered and preserved Highland dancing, many older dances got lost because nobody considered them worthwhile to practice, as they were not required for competition. The nature of these displays and competitions also affected the style of the dancing itself.
Organisations
Most dancing prior to the 1900s was not organised at a national or international level. Judges of competitions were local persons, without specific standards for attire or the steps to the danced. Local Caledonian societies trained young dancers in the way of each society. Slowly consistency of steps was achieved, and dancing-specific organisations were established.Dancers now undergo written examinations and practical assessments to become a teacher, and then further training and testing to become a dancer examiner, then competition judge or adjudicator.
Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing (RSOBHD)
Many if not most Highland gatherings worldwide recognise the Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing, formed in 1950, as the world governing body of Highland dancing. The 'Royal' title from the Queen of the United Kingdom was approved by 16 November 2019. The RSOBHD standardised dance steps for competition purposes, established rules for competitions and attire, and certifies competitions and instructors. The RSOBHD World Highland Dance Championship has been held annually at the Cowal Highland Gathering since 1934. Today this RSOBHD World Championship is sanctioned by the RSOBHD at three levels: Juvenile, Junior and Adult. Only RSOBHD-registered dancers may compete at this RSOBHD championship.The RSOBHD is made up of representatives from many different Highland Dancing bodies and associations from around the world. The Board comprises delegates from the examining bodies, affiliated organisations in Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United States which represent the many Highland dance organisations in those countries.
The RSOBHD board sanctions Highland dancing championships although does not actually organise any of them. There are non-RSOBHD sanctioned championships run by non-RSOBHD aligned organisations at which registered RSOBHD dancers are forbidden to take part by the RSOBHD. At competitions and championships run by non-RSOBHD organisations, all dancers are welcome, however if they choose to participate they may receive a ban from the RSOBHD. Similarly, dancers not registered with the RSOBHD are forbidden to dance at RSOBHD sanctioned competitions by the RSOBHD. Each year the RSOBHD selects the championship steps to be performed by dancers at championships around the world. An official RSOBHD Highland Dance technique book for dancers and teachers has been published.
Other dancing bodies
Other organisations that qualify Highland dancers, teachers, and judges and hold competitions include:- the Scottish Official Highland Dancing Association
- the New Zealand Academy of Highland and National Dancing
- the Victorian Scottish Union.
Highland games and competitions
At Highland games, the Highland dances were at first danced only by men. Women would take part in social dances, and girls did learn solo dances as part of their general dance classes. In fact, dancing masters would often encourage their most promising students to perform solo dances at their end-of-term 'assemblies'.In the late 19th century a young woman named Jenny Douglas decided to enter a Highland dance competition. As this was not expressly forbidden, she was allowed to enter. Since then the number of females participating in the sport has increased until today where almost all dancers are female. There have been numerous female World Champions crowned at the Cowal Highland Gathering since they began organising the competition in 1948. The first international competitor to win the Adult World Championship was Flora Stuart Grubb of Australia with Hugh Bigney being the first American to win the title in 1973. Indeed, the first three Adult World Championships were won by ladies: May Falconer, Motherwell, Margaret Samson, Stirling. This feminisation of folk arts is a common pattern in the process of their 'gentrification', especially after they no longer serve a functional role in a male-centred, warrior culture. Males are still well represented at the world championships.
Highland dancing competitions may be held solely or as part of larger events. The small annual Scottish Glen Isla competition is almost inconspicuous on the roadside, and is beside piping events and some heavy game events. Canada's Glengarry Highland Games on the other hand is one of the largest dancing and piping events on the North American calendar. Many of Australia's competitions are held indoors as a solo activity, while Canadian and Scottish competitions are associated with Highland games with a nearby hall available in case of inclement weather. Competitions can also be held without being associated with a Highland games, usually in a local hall or sports centre. Similarly, Championships where set steps must be danced are often held inside sports centres across Scotland due to the space needed for the number of dancer.
As far as competitions were concerned, until the early 20th century the usual dances seen were the sword dance, the seann triubhas, the Strathspey and Highland reel, the reel of Tulloch, and the Highland fling. Since then, various other dances have been added to the competition repertoire. For example, two character dances, The sailor's hornpipe and the Irish jig gained popularity in music hall and vaudeville productions.