Traditional Scottish country dancing is a form of social dance from Scotland that involves couples or groups of couples who trace progressive patterns. Typically, the dances are set to traditional Scottish music that comes from Highland Scotland’s rich Gaelic tradition. The steps used to perform the dances are traditional, too. This type of dancing first appeared in the historical record in England in the 17th century. Scottish dancing as it’s known today dates back as far as the 18th century and features a fusion of country dances with traditional footwork and traditional Highland music. The dance style became popular in upper-crust London society after the Rebellion of 1745.
While it’s the traditional ballroom dance form of Scotland, this style of dancing isn’t easy. However, both the accompanying music and the steps involved are easily recognizable and distinctly Scottish Typically, the dancers wear kilts in their clan’s tartan patterns, adding to the Scottish feel of the dances and costumes. A pair of Scottish siblings who competed in competitive ice dancing created an award-winning ice dancing routine that received a lot of recognition around the world because it was so unique. John and Sinead Kerr found it to be only natural for them to incorporate their Scottish heritage into their skating.
In the video below, you’ll see that the first half of their routine is set to a slow bagpipe ballad. However, as is usual with Scottish music, the tempo speeds up mid-routine with a fast-paced version of Auld Lang Syne as this pair skates effortlessly into the hearts of their adoring crowd. The dancing isn’t the only Scottish thing about this routine. The song Auld Lang Syne is from a poem that was written in 1788 by the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Written in the Scots language, the ancient poem is now a song that is mainstream and sung all over the world on New Year’s Eve at midnight.
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When this young pair of siblings is finished with their routine, the audience is going insane. Not only was this excellent skating, but it was utterly unique and a thing of beauty to watch. Enjoy this video.
