Highland Dance
| Highland Fling | Sword Dance |
| The Highland Fling is the oldest of the Highland dances. It is a dance of victory in battle. The ancient warriors performed this dance on a small round shield known as a “targ.” The dancer must be in top physical condition to perform this quick footed dance. The fingers and arms represent the antlers of the Highland stag (deer). | The Sword Dance is an ancient dance of war. It may have been performed as a pre-battle dance where touching the sword was a bad omen for the battle ahead |
Sailors Hornpipe
Sailor’s Hornpipe is common to many parts of the British Isles. Its name comes from the “hornpipe,” which is comparable to the present-day tin whistle. The modern Hornpipe dance imitates many shipyard activities common in the days of wooden ships iron men.
National Dances
National dances are very similar to the Highland dances, but the style is more flowing and balletic. The female dancers wear the Aboyne outfit (skirt and plaid), which was designed for the Aboyne Highland Games in Scotland. The male dancers wear the kilt or tartan trews. These dances include:
- Earl of Errol
- Flora
- Lilt
- Blue Bonnets
Donations
Due to the CoVid-19 pandemic and the logistics of sponsoring an international event the 2020 and 2021 PNW Scottish Highland Games and Clan Gathering were cancelled. We are continuing to solicit donations to help us defray our operating costs of the past two years which included but were not limited to internet, phone, etc. and our biggest expense multiple storerooms where the “Games” are stored. This journey has been a struggle but with your help we can navigate and survive these unprecedented times and go into the 2022 solvent and whole! YOU are appreciated. Thank you!