Of all the National dances, the Village Maid is most heavily influenced by ballet technique. This dance is unusual in that there is very little hopping and the dancer often steps flat onto the foot (the majority of Highland and National dances require the dancer to remain on the ball of the supporting foot throughout). Legend says this dance depicts a young barmaid dancing on a table to entertain her clients.
Flora MacDonald's Fancy is a tribute to Dame Flora MacDonald, a hand maid to Bonnie Prince Charlie. It is said that Dame MacDonald herself created this dance and performed it on the hillside on the Isle of Sky for the Prince. Dame MacDonald helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape from capture after the Battle of Culloden and, due to her dedication to the cause, is now considered a national hero in Scotland.
The Earl of Errol is almost certainly based on an 18th-century Irish-style hard shoe dance, although Highland dancers today perform it in the usual soft-soled ghillies. The steps were choreographed for the Earl of Errol, a small town in Aberdeenshire.
Dances
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The dances listed below represent the most commonly seen dances today, though there are many more. There are three distinct styles of Scottish Highland Dances: Highland dances (traditionally male), National dances (traditionally female), and Character dances.
The Highland Fling is generally the first dance beginning students learn. There are several legends behind the origins of this dance. One is that the Fling was performed after battle as a victory dance on top of the targ (shield) of a conquered opponent. This story would explain why the dance is performed on one spot, as traditional targs have a large spike in the middle of them. A slip to the side would have been more than a little painful! Another legend tells of a wee Scottish lad who was wandering the Highlands when he encountered a large stag leaping around the fields. He was so enthralled by the sight that he ran home and mimicked the stag’s movements to demonstrate its beauty to his father. This story would explain the hand positioning of Highland dancers, which resemble the antlers of a stag.
The Sword Dance is performed around and over a set of crossed swords. The most common legend behind the origins of this dance is that, after defeating MacBeth at Dunsinane, Malcolm Canmore laid his opponent’s sword on the ground, place his own on top of it, and danced over them in victory. Soldiers later adopted this as a pre-battle tradition, seeking omens for the tumult to come. If you made it through the dance safely, you would win the battle. If you touched the swords, you would be injured. If you kicked the swords, it was an omen of impending death in battle. If many of the soldiers kicked their sword, the chieftain of the clan could expect to lose the battle.
The Seann Triubhas (pronounced “shawn trews”) is Gaelic for “old trousers”. After the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1746, the English banned all things traditionally Scottish, including the wearing of the kilt. The movements of the first steps of the Seann Triubhas demonstrate how constricting trews (trousers) were and then demonstrate the shedding of the foreign trews, using sweeping movements like brushes and shakes. After the dancer claps his hands, the faster finishing steps (reminiscent of the Highland Fling) demonstrate how much easier it is to move in the beloved kilt.
The reels include Strathspey & Highland Reel, Strathspey & Half Tulloch, and Full Tulloch (or Hullachan). Reels are the only dances performed in a group of four, although dancers are still judged individually in competition. The legend behind reels tells of church parishioners who arrived at the kirk (church) one very chilly morning to find that the minister was running late. In order to keep warm, then began to dance, and reels were born. These dances feature moving steps, in which the dancers weave intricate figure eights around each other, as well as setting steps (Highland Fling steps
The Scottish Lilt is said to be a courting dance performed by the Scottish gentlewomen to show how graceful and feminine they could be. The Lilt is unusual in that it is danced to a triple meter, while all other Highland, National and Character dances are danced to a duple meter.
The Scotch Measure can either be danced as a solo dance or with two people, in which case it is called a “Twasome”. The steps of the Scotch Measure are supposed to depict Scottish courtship rituals.
Wilt thou go to barracks, Johnny? was originally a recruitment dance for the Scottish Army. A recruiting officer would use the dancers to attract people to his recruiting station. The steps and movements represent the strength, agility, and determination a soldier would gain while going through basic training. Another legend says that the Johnny was a test for new soldiers. If he could complete this physically demanding dance without tiring, then he was fit enough to fight in battle. The Johnny is commonly danced to the pipe march, “The Barren rocks of Aden".
performed on the spot) and propelled pivot turns, the only time Highland dancers are permitted to touch each other on stage. The reels are also the only Highland dances which originated for recreational, rather than military, purposes.
Also known as the Hielan’ Laddie, Highland Laddie is the name of an ancient Scottish popular folk tune, “If thou’lt play me fair play”. As with many old melodies, various sets of words can be sung to it and Robert Burns’ poem, “Highland Laddie, Highland Lassie”, has been the most memorable.
Following the Cardwell Reforms of 1881, all British Army Highland Regiments were required to use “Highland Laddie” as their Regimental March. This dance is another example of military roots in Highland dancing. It is said the dance was developed by the soldiers of World War I.
There are two character dances: the Irish Jig and the Sailor’s Hornpipe. Both borrow from the spirit of other British Isles (Ireland and England, respectively) and require costumes unique to the dances. Most dancers enjoy the variety of steps in these dances, which are similar but also very different from Highland and national dances, as well as using their acting skills to portray characters.
The Irish Jig is a Scottish caricature of, and tribute to, Irish stepdancing. When danced by a female, the dance is said to be about an angry wife scolding either her husband who came home drunk from the pup, a leprechaun who is tormenting her, or children or a pig who have run through her yard and the dirtied the washing that was hung out to dry. When danced by a male, the dance is said to be about the story of Paddy’s Leather Britches, in which a careless washerwoman has shrunk Paddy’s fine leather britches and his is waving his shillelagh and showing his fists in anger.
The four Highland dances were originally only danced by men. Today, the Highland dances are the basis of all major championships. Each dance is made up of a series of set steps and dancers can choose to compete with whichever steps they prefer at regular competitions. Set steps for championships are determined prior to the beginning of each year by the SOBHD, Highland dances are performed in the kilt.
National dances require similar technique to Highland dances, yet the style is more flowing and ballet-like. Spectators will note that the rhythms are often more complicated than in the Highland dances. The majority of national dances were choreographed to be danced by women during the 19th century, as women were not originally allowed to don the kilt and perform Highland dances. National dances are performed in the Aboyne costume, which is more feminine than the kilt, the exceptions being Wilt thou go to barracks, Johnny? and the Highland Laddie, which were traditionally male dances and are performed in the kilt.