Highland Dance Competitions
The OHDA organizes five highland dancing competitive events a year, including Canada's
Capital City Championship, under the sanctioning of the
Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing (SOBHD) of Scotland.
There are 5 classes of competitors in highland dance competitions:
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Primary - dancers who are under 7 years old
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Beginner - dancers stay at this level until they have
a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place at 6 different competitions, but for
at least 6 months
-
Novice - dancers stay at this level until they have
a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place at 6 different competitions, but for
at least 6 months
-
Intermediate - dancers stay at this level for one year from
the date of the first intermediate competition
-
Premier - dancers at the highest level
There are age classifications in each group,
so each dancer competes not only against dancers of a similar standard
but also against dancers in their age group.
Dancers are judged on three basic areas:
- Timing, which is the ability of the dancer to follow the rhythm
of the music in the dance. Dancers must place feet, arms and head
in very precise positions simultaneously with the music.
- Technique, which concerns the dancer's footwork and the coordination of head, arms and hands.
Good positioning of the feet is most important.
- General deportment, which concerns the dancer's interpretation
and ability to capture the spirit and motif of the dance and
includes balance, overall appearance, bearing and carriage of the
head, arms, body and hands. Upright posture is essential, and the
dancers must exhibit a happy demeanor.
Although the dances are very athletic,
they must be danced with seeming ease, with no signs of strain and
free of elaborate showiness.
There are 3 types of competitions:
-
Championship - open only to Premier dancers. Dancers must dance the highland
dances according to the championship steps, which are set each year by the
SOBHD. Dancers are judged by 3 different judges.
-
Open - open to all levels of dancers. Dances are prescribed in advance, but
dancers can chose the steps.
-
Choreography - may be open to all levels of dancers. Dances are choroegraphed by the
dancers and their teachers.
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