Highland Dance Competition

Entry Forms

Entry forms for the 2010 Kincardine Scottish Festival & Highland Dance competition are available by logging onto the Highland Dancers’ Association of Ontario website (www.hdaontario.com). Click onto Entries.

Click here for the 2010 Competition Results through the HDA website.

The Competition

The Kincardine Scottish Festival & Highland Games are proud to showcase the talents of over 200 Highland dancers on July 3, 2010. Highland dance is a competitive sport that is open to both males and females. Dancers have the opportunity to work their way up the ranks from Primary to Premier. Highland
Dancers are awarded merit for their appearance, position of hands and feet
and the execution of the dance steps. Dancers are judged by the Scottish
Official Board of Highland Dancing adjudicators.

The Sword Dance

The Sword Dance is executed over two crossed swords. The dancer jumps over and around the swords. This was originally danced by Malcolme Canmore after a battle near Dunsinane, The Sword Dance, is a victory dance. Subsequently, the dance was done prior to going to battle. If the sword was touched during the dance, it was considered to be a sign of bad luck.

The Seann Triubhas

‘Seann Triubhas’ means ‘old trousers’ in Scots Gaelic. This dance represents the celebration of the repeal of the Act of Proscription. This Act, which was enacted after the English victory at the Battle of Culloden, banned the wearing of the kilt or even tartan.

The Irish Jig

The Irish Jig is a spoof on an Irish Washerwoman. The tale behind the Jig tells a washerwoman who is angry because her husband has come home late from the pub and has squandered all their money. Another version of the tale is that the washer woman is angry because the neighbourhood boys have stolen her laundry from her clothesline.

The Sailor’s Hornpipe

As the name suggests, this dance portrays the life and duties of a sailor. Performed in a special ‘sailor’s suit,’ this dance is extremely vigorous and impressive to watch. Although the dance employs the same basic positions and many of the same movements found in other dances. The Sailor’s Hornpipe is unusual in its extensive use of the ‘inverted positions’ wherein the knees and feet are turned in briefly. This contrasts to the ordinary conventions of Highland Dance.

The Highland Fling

The Highland Fling, the Dance of Victory, should be imagined being performed on top of a small round shield. The shield would have a five inch spike projecting through the center, thus the need for quick footwork.