Highland Dances
This is the oldest of the traditional dances of Scotland and is a dance performed before battle for luck. It was danced by male warriors over a small round shield, called a Targe, that the warriors carried into battle. The Highland Fling is danced on the spot, and is said to be based on the antics of a stag on a hillside; the grouped fingers and upheld arms representing the antlers. Usually taught first, this dance contains many of the basic movements of Highland Dance.
Sword Dance (Gillie Challum)
Folklore has traced the origins of the Sword Dance to as early as 1054 when Malcolm Canmore defeated MacBeth's chiefs at the Battle of Dunsinane. One story is that the Sword Dance was danced prior to a battle. To kick the swords was considered a bad omen for the impending battle, and the soldier would expect to be wounded. If many of the soldiers kicked their swords the chieftain of the clan would expect to lose the battle.
Seann Triubhas
Pronounced "shawn trews," this Gaelic phrase means "without trousers." This dance is dated back to the rebellion of 1745 when Bonnie Prince Charlie challenged the might of England at Culloden, and lost. As a penalty, Highlanders were forbidden to wear the kilt. This dance of celebration developed in response to the Proscription Repeal which restored to the Scots the right to wear their kilts and play the bagpipes once more. The movements of this dance clearly depict the legs defiantly shaking and shedding the hated trousers and returning to the freedom of the kilt.
The Strathspey and Highland Reel
These dances are performed by four dancers. The Strathspey is never danced on its own in competition and must be followed by a Reel. These dances illustrate the "set" and "travel" steps which are common in Scottish social dancing. The dancers weave around each other making a figure 8 pattern. This dance originated within groups of chilly churchgoers attempting to stay warm while waiting for the minister to arrive.
Scottish National Dances
Scottish National dances are more modern and have been collected from old dance masters. In North America, National dances were not danced in competition until the 1960s. The attire worn by female dancers is called the Aboyne dress, named after the Aboyne Highland Games of Scotland where up to this day, the wearing of the kilt is strictly forbidden to women. The National dances are very similar to Highland dances, but the style is more flowing and graceful. They require a lot of skill to execute correctly, and are more complicated conventional Highland dancing.
Scottish Lilt
The original tunes for the Lilt are 'Drops of Brandy' and 'Brose and Butter. It is now danced to the Battle of the Somme. The Scottish Lilt is claimed by both the Hebrides and Perthshire. The Lilt is a combination of both the Highland and Ballet forms of dance.
Flora McDonald Fancy
This is said to be the last dance Flora McDonald danced for Bonnie Prince Charlie before he fled overseas, but is more likely to be a dance named in her honour. Flora McDonald helped the prince escape from North Uist to Skye disguised as her maid. She emigrated to America but returned home to Skye later in life.
Barracks
"Wilt thou go to the barracks, Johnny?" is a military recruiting song. Members of the military would travel to small towns and perform this dance to either entertain or to attract people to the recruiting station.