Highland Dancing Competition Rules

Highland Dancing Competition will conform to SOBHD standards.

Age computed as of day before competition.  Proof of age must be furnished if requested.

Dancing events will start promptly at 9:00 am.

Highest aggregate score for open class will determine the Dancer of the day.

Registration for Primary, Beginners and Novice will begin at 12:00 noon.

Registration for Premier and Intermediate will begin at 8:30 am.

A trophy will be awarded in each Pre-Open class based on four (4) dances.  Primary group winners will receive medals only.  Open class winners will receive medals for each event, except when cash is received.  Trophies will be awarded for each Open Class over the five (5) dances.  The SOBHD point system will be used.

All dancers must show FUSTA Registration Card to an official of this Committee.

The Dunedin Highland Games Committee reserves the right to add or remove Events from the schedule and to make other changes as long as its action is within the scope of the SOBHD and the best interest of conducting the Games.

Questions regarding Dancing and Entries should be referred to Dancing Chairman, PO Box 507, Dunedin, FL 34697-0507.  

Scottish Highland Dancing

When many people think Scottish dancing, they are likely to envision a young woman in a kilt, dancing over swords.  Actually, Scottish dancing is composed of two distinct main types: Highland Dancing, which includes the aforementioned Sword Dance (Gillie Calum), and Scottish Country Dancing, which, despite its name, is a form of ballroom dancing rather than a style of folk dancing.

Highland dancing developed in the rugged Scottish Highlands sometime around the 11th Century and has continued up to the present time.  There are three basic dances in Highland Dancing:  The Sword Dance, the Highland Fling and the Seann Trubhas.  The first two were originally danced exclusively by men before the beginning of battle to ensure good luck and to instill the proper fighting spirit.

Weapons played important roles in these dances.  The Gillie Calum is actually danced on crossed swords, and to touch a sword during the dance was considered bad luck. The Highland Fling was originally danced on the Highlander's small leather shield, called a targ; as a result it is danced in place today.

Because of their warlike nature and their intrinsic importance in Highland culture, these dances (along with the kilt) were outlawed by the English in the wake of the Stuart Rebellion of 1745.  These proscriptions were officially lifted in 1786, and a new dance, the Seann Trubhas or "Old Trousers" was created.

This dance features a kicking motion, which describes and celebrates the Scots' kicking off their hated trousers in order to put on the kilt.  Today, all of these dances are done in modern Highland dress by men, women or children.  Novelty exhibition dances, such as Flora MacDonald's Fancy, the Sailor's Hornpipe and the Irish Jig are danced in special costume.

While watching the dancing competition, spectators often note that competitors are performing different steps.  This is not because the individual is in error, but rather each dancer performs their choice of steps within a range as set out by the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing (SOBHD).  The variety of steps adds interest to a competition, and tests each dancer's ability to concentrate. 

Each Highland Dance competitor is judged on three major points:

• Timing 

• Technique and

• General Deportment.