Scottish Dancing

• Scottish Country Dancing
  
  This started out as Folk Dancing, and has become the formal Ballroom Dance of Scotland. It is standardized, organized, taught, and promoted by the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (est. 1923).
  
  There are hundreds of Scottish Country Dances, most of which are danced in longways sets, while some are danced in square formation. All Scottish Country Dances involve multiple couples, with a strong sense of geometric flow, musical phrasing, and cooperative teamwork, in addition to personal and interpersonal physical harmony. This emphasises physical, sociable, and intellectual coordination.
  
  Here is some more information from The Seattle RSCDS Branch
  
  In Toronto there are two dozen Scottish Country Dance groups with weekly dances. The Toronto RSCDS has a monthly dance with live music, as well as classes, workshops, and teacher-training programs. The biggest annual Scottish Country Dance event is the Tartan Ball, in February.


• Scottish Ceilidh Dancing
  
  This is traditional Scottish Folk Dancing. It is easy, sociable, and informal, with no need for classes or teachers.
  
  While some Scottish Ceilidh Dances are done in longways Sets or Square formations, most are simple couple dances with a sequential pattern, such as the Gay Gordons, the Highland Schottische, the Military Two-Step, the St. Bernard's Waltz, and the Canadian Barn Dance Schottische. There are also freely improvised couple dances, such as waltzes, polkas, and two-steps.
  
  In Toronto there is one Scottish Ceilidh Dance group, the Cairngorm Club, which has been dancing monthly since 1920, with live music. The Cairngorm Club also has a Dinner Dance in November. The biggest annual Scottish Ceilidh Dance event in Toronto is a part of the Saint Andrew's Society Ball, in November.


• Scottish Highland and other Step Dancing
  
  This is a Performance Dance form, which includes the Highland Fling and the Sword Dance. Information may be found at the Scottish Official Highland Dancing Association (SOHDA) web site.

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