Heather Highland Dancers' Traditions

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Scottish Highland Dance
Madison, WI

Traditional clothes are different in every culture. Men don’t wear pants in all parts of the world! The kilt is an important part of Scottish traditional dress, and many Scottish men and boys are proud to wear one.

Kilts might look like skirts, but they’re different! Kilts are made from heavy wool. They wrap around the waist and the material overlaps in the front. Kilts fasten on the side with buckles. The front is smooth and the back has lots of pleats. The heavy pleats make a beautiful swinging movement during dance. Highland dancers wear kilts at knee length. Both men and women wear kilts, but men always add a sporran.

Look at the two photos to the right. They show a young woman and a young man wearing Highland dance attire. Both dancers are wearing kilts, but what about the rest of their outfits? What is the same about the clothes? What is different?

Highland Clothing:

sporran | flashes
tartan hose | brooch

To perform Highland dances, men wear a kilt, a sporran, a jacket, kilt hose with flashes, and a bonnet. Women wear a kilt, tartan hose, a blouse, and a waistcoat.

The Heather Highland Dancers also perform Scottish national dances. Women wear a different set of clothes for national dances: a gathered skirt, a blouse, a petticoat, and a brooch. You can see the women’s national dress below. Men wear the same set of clothes for both Highland and national dances. They change for only two dances. They wear knickers for the Irish jig and tartan pants for the trews.

Let’s Celebrate!

Many people with Scottish ancestors love to celebrate their heritage. One favorite way they celebrate is with a “Burns Dinner.” Robert Burns is a Scottish poet who died in 1796. People love his work so much that they gather on his birthday each year (January 25th). They drink Scotch whiskey and eat foods like haggis, neeps and tatties. They read “Robbie’s” poems and recite others in his honor. Often there’s music and dance. The Heather Highland Dancers perform at the St. Andrew’s Society’s Robert Burns Dinner in Madison every year.

Another favorite way to celebrate Scottish culture is at Highland Games. These events are usually large outdoor gatherings with lots of activities. If you go you’ll find Scottish Highland dance competitions, Scottish country dance exhibitions, performances by pipe bands, and athletic games like the caber toss.

Learn More!

You can go to a Highland Games in Wisconsin! In June, go to the Scottish Fest/Milwaukee Highland Games in Glendale, and in September, visit the Wisconsin Highland Games and Celtic Fling in Waukesha. Find out more about these events and other topics related to Scottish Highland Dance at Resources for Students.


	What Do You Know?	Dressing to Dance

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