An Overview of Highland Dancing

Highland Fling

This is a victory dance performed by soldiers and clansmen on the small round shield carried in battle (the targ). Quick, precise steps were necessary as the sharp steel spike projecting from its center, making one false step rather painful. Today, it is not danced on a shield, but is danced in place, approximating the area of the original dance.

Sword Dance

The "Gillie Callum," or Sword Dance is an ancient dance of victory and war, dating back to the days of King Malcolm Canmore. The story is that the King danced over his bloody claymore after vanquishing his enemy, one of Mac Beth's generals. It was considered a bad omen for the following battle if the blades were touched during the dance.

Today's Sword dancer "addresses" two swords, performing the first steps outside their crossed blades. Subsequent steps are danced over the blades, but once inside their field, the dancer never dances with his back turned to the swords - only a fool would turn his back on a weapon. It requires tremendous skill not to displace the swords. Toward the end of the dance, to prove their skill and endurance, the dancer will clap hands together to tell the piper to increase the tempo.

Sean Truibhas

The literal translation from the Gaelic, means "old trousers" and is pronounced shawn trews. The dance movement depicts a person impatiently shedding the unfamiliar trousers, forced upon him by the English victors following the failed Stuart Rebellion of 1745. He was anxious to get back to the freedom of his native Highland kilt.

The National Dances

The Scottish Lilt

This is one of the dances known as National Dances. They were not originally danced by men as were the Highland Dances. The attire worn by the females is different than for the Highland Dances. It is known as the Aboyne "Dress," originating from the Aboyne Highland Games in Scotland, where up to this day, the wearing of the kilt is strictly forbidden for women. The Scottish Lilt is gentler. more flowing, and more graceful than the energetic Highland Dance. It still requires a great deal of skill to execute correctly, borrowing its intricate steps from classical ballet of the eighteenth century. Today, men also compete in this dance.

Irish Jig

The dance may seem out of place at Scottish Games, but the dance is not peculiar to Ireland alone - and many Games have become a celebration of Celtic, not just Scottish, heritage. The Jig danced at Highland Games is a parody of a washer woman in an agitated frame of mind. The dance represents the anger she feels with a group of young boys who have knocked her freshly hung laundry to the ground making it necessary for her to rewash it.

Sailors Hornpipe

The Hornpipe was originally a crude woodwind instrument common throughout Britain in the 1700's. Small, cheaply made and not requiring any great skill to master, it was the instrument of the common folk. It became popular with sailors, when Britannia ruled the waves, and the sun never set on the Empire.

Eventually a hornpipe referred to tunes in a particular rhythmic style. Still later the dances accompanying that style became known as "Hornpipes".

The dancer's steps mimic naval activities, such as climbing the ropes, hauling in the anchor, searching for land, saluting and officer, and more.

See Highland Dancers compete in all of these dances at the Dancing venue.

Dancing Competition Rules

Dancing Coordinator: Margaret Howard

Highland Dance lessons at Howard Highland House

Dancer Images are by Norma Siegle and can be purchased at Tartan Images.com

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The Egg Dance by Pieter Aertsen

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