Scottish dance: history and styles

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

What is the name of the Scottish sword dance, which is performed in kilts and bagpipes? Its historical name is Sword Dance, in its traditional form it is still performed with swords. However, another name is mentioned more often - "Highland", and swords are not always included in the performance.

Some of the Scottish dances known today are of indigenous origin, others are borrowed from neighboring peoples and have changed beyond recognition over time. Ballroom (couple) dances in Scotland can be divided into two main groups: keili and country. In addition to them, there are solo dances, male and female.

Kaylee

This group includes paired dances of "native" origin: w altzes, polkas, hornpipes, jigs, three-steps, two-steps, quadrilles. The Scots invented many of their own pas for them, and national melodies were added to the "imported" melodies - for example, straps.

Homegrown customs have also appeared: the Scottish dance "Crazy Polka" is a kind of duel between dancers and musicians: whobreak down faster. They usually dance under the curtain, after which they go to rest. Elements of polka entered the Scottish three-step and two-step.

Hornips (pair dances) can be massive. This includes polkas, quadrilles, w altzes.

Scottish dance Cape Breton is a national variety of tap dance performed in hard boots. Cape Breton is already 250 years old, together with the settlers he moved to Canada, thanks to which he has survived to this day. In the twentieth - twenty-first century, it was again brought to Scotland, where by that time it had been safely forgotten.

Country (Scottish Country Dancing)

This is also a pair dance, but performed a little differently: male and female lines stand opposite each other. Sometimes four pairs are enough, but in some dances the number of pairs reaches sixteen. Partners converge and diverge, lines intersect, the pattern can be quite complex (Slavs, Russians, Ukrainians have something similar).

Highland

An old Scottish dance from the eleventh century, the Sword Dance. It was originally distributed among the mountaineers, later descended into the valleys. According to legend, King Malcolm danced it first on crossed swords (his own and his opponent's), celebrating his victory. Since then, "Highland" has been the main decoration of all military holidays in Scotland. Traditionally this is a male dance, the emphasis is on athleticism and sharpness of movement. Currently, it is performed by girls too: bright and sporty, it fits perfectly into the dance culture of different countries. The Scottish dance "Highland" is performed to the accompaniment of bagpipes, the dress code is a kilt.

In the old days, the dance was part of the ritual before the battle. A belief is associated with it: if a warrior, performing "Highland", injures his leg, he will receive a wound in battle.

Lady's Step

Derived from ancient female solo dances. In contrast to the energetic "Highland", "Lady's Step" is soft and graceful. All female Scottish dances are based on grace and plasticity.

The revival of dance culture

Scottish dance owes its current worldwide popularity to its unique flavor, but not only. At the beginning of the twentieth century, thanks to the efforts of two enthusiasts, Isabel Stewart and Jean Milligan, a movement began to preserve the national dance culture. A group of associates collected a huge database - drawings, melodies, handwritten notes. This was the beginning of the Scottish Ballroom Dance Society, which was given Royal status in the mid-twentieth century.