DANCING

Highland dancing requires the strength of an athlete and the grace of a dancer to perform the vigorous style of movements. Originally, the Highland Fling, Ghillie Callum (Sword Dance), and the Seann Triubhas were solo dances of the Highland men. Highland dances have remained basically the same in character over the centuries, although the steps have been refined. The following are some of the dances you will see in competition at the Portland Highland Games:

A dance of victory in battle, the Fling is the classic solo dance. The steps are simple, the tempo uniform and the dancing area small; the reason for this being that the dance was originally performed on the Targ (a small round shield carried into battle by a clansman). Most Targs had a sharp spike of steel projecting some five to six inches from the center. Dancers learned to move with dexterity because a careless step could prove more than little painful.

A very difficult dance, requiring both strength and technique, the Sword Dance is the ancient dance of war of the Scottish Gael. Tradition has it that King Malcolm Canmore in a battle in 1054 fought and slew one of Macbeth's chiefs at Dunsinane. He triumphantly danced over his claymore (a large two-handed sword) which was crossed over his enemy's sword.

(Pronounced "Shawn Trews") --The Seann Truibhas, translated from Gaelic to mean "old trousers", is a dance in two parts; flowing and graceful steps are first, followed by steps in a quick tempo. The movements and motions depict a person shedding his trousers and returning to the freedom of the native Highland kilt. This dance is associated with the period following the Act of Proscription of 1745, when it was a punishable offense to wear the kilt, and thus trews were worn instead.

Unlike the previous dances which are all solo, the reels are group dances, although participants are judged as individuals. Legend has it that the reel originated outside a locked church on Deeside when chilly parishioners danced to keep warm while waiting for a tardy clergyman.

Common to many parts of the British Isles, this dance derived its name from the fact that it was usually accompanied by the music of the "horn pipe", a common instrument comparable to our present tin whistle. In time, the dance became popular among seafaring men and is now associated with sailors. The modern dance is performed in nautical costume and imitates many typical shipboard activities usual in the days of wooden ships and iron men.

These dances are among a group of Scottish National Dances now being performed at Highland Games. The Aboyne dress is worn for some of these dances. This very feminine costume resembles the native dress worn by women in Scotland in times past.

The Irish Jig danced at Highland Games is meant to be a parody of an Irishman in a highly agitated state of mind. Arm movements are an intrinsic part of Scottish dancing, and so the Scots added them to the Irish Jig in a humorous salute to their Celtic brethren across the Irish Sea.