Chatsworth Country Fair

Highland Dancing
Situated on the house side of Queen Mary's Bower

Organised by Coleen Hutchison

Assistant Organisers: Iona Goodchild and Heidi MacDonald-Mather

SATURDAY: THE MARLYN HALLIDAY SCHOOL OF HIGHLAND DANCING
Demonstrations commence at 12.00 pm, 2.00 pm, 3.30 pm, 5.00 pm
Piper - Garry Mills

SUNDAY: THE COMPETITIONS
Adjudicator - Coleen Hutchison
Pipers - Garry Mills and Steven Watterson

Dances for the Sunday Competitions will be selected from the following:
The Highland Fling, The Sword Dance, Seann Triubhas, Strathspey & Half Tulloch, Scottish Lilt, Flora MacDonald, Sailors Hornpipe & Irish Jig.

Prizes: Gold, Silver & Bronze medals will be awarded in each event.

A Little Dance History

THE HIGHLAND FLING is reckoned to be our oldest national dance, and was inspired by the graceful movements of deer on the hillside.When the dancers hold their arms aloft in this dance they are depicting the antlers of the stag. In the days of long ago, soldiers dancing the Highland Fling had to do so on their battle shield, laid flat on the ground, and that is why the Highland Fling is danced on the spot.

THE SWORD DANCE: another of our oldest Highland dances is GHILLIE CALLUM (Sword Dance) and this dates back to the eighth or ninth century. The earliest story we have concerning Ghillie Callum is of a duel between Malcolm Canmore and one of the Macbeth's chiefs. King Malcolm killed his opponent, whose sword he laid on the ground placing his own sword on top in the form of a cross. Expressing the joy of victory, King Malcolm is said to have danced round and over the swords to the music of the harp.

SEANN TRIUBHAS (Old Trousers): after the Jacobite Rising of 1745 The Seann Triubhas was created at a time when it was forbidden to wear the kilt or tartan.This was an endeavour of the government to put down Scottish Nationalism with a rigorous hand. Trews were unpopular with the Highlanders who invented a dance with many steps that suggest kicking off the trews or shedding the shackles of English rule from their feet.