Scottish Gatherings are a way for Scots and descendants of Scots to gather and celebrate their Scottish heritage and to share it with the public in general. Scottish Gatherings vary in size and length, depending in many factors. On average they are two or three day events. Some are shorter, while some are longer. There are several links at the end of this page that list the many Gatherings around the USA as well as around the world. Whether small or large, you will find some or all of the following activities at a Scottish Gathering:
Scottish Athletic events are a tradition of most Scottish Gatherings. The ancient beginnings of the contest were social or military in nature. Today these events have established rules and techniques.
Clachneart: Putting the stone is a contest related to the ancient "Stone of Strength." The stone weights between 16 and 28 pounds. It is thrown like a modern shotput. The longest of three attempts is judged.
Weight Throw: The 28-and 56-pound weights are thrown horizontally for distance. The athlete has three attempts to obtain the longest distance. Crossing the toe board nullifies the throw.
Weight Toss: A 56-pound weight is tossed backwards vertically over a bar. The weight must not knock down the bar. Three attempts are allowed at each height. The bar is raised and successful athletes advance. Highest final toss wins.
Caber Toss: The origin of this event is obscure, but is referenced as early as the 16th century. The object is to lift and toss a log (caber) so that it rotates end-over-end. The tossed end should land pointing directly away from the athlete. The straightest toss, not the longest toss wins.
Hammer Throw: The Scottish hammer has a 4' 2" long handle with a 16 or 22 pound lead ball at the end. It is swung around to gain momentum and then released. The longest of three throws determines the winner. The athlete must maintain his balance and may not cross the "trig," a 4' 6" toe board.
Sheaf Toss: The sheaf is a burlap bag containing 16 pounds of fresh hay. It is lifted and thrown with a three-tined pitchfork. The sheaf must clear a cross bar without knocking it down. Three attempts are permitted at each height.
Band and solo piping and drumming competitions are held at almost every Scottish festival in the world. They are regulated by regional Pipe Band Associations, which define the general rules.
Band contests are adjudicated by at least two piping and one drumming judge. Solo competitors are assigned only one judge. Judges are expert musicians in their own right and must be qualified by the sanctioning Association. Contestants are evaluated solely on musical ability. Dress and marching or drill capability are not considered.
Contestants are evaluated on tone and tuning, execution and expression, and clean starts, stops, and transitions. Good tone and tuning is achieved when the instruments are in tune with themselves and, for bands, each other, and provide a full and pleasing blend of sound. Execution and expression applies not to the tunes played, but how they are played. Execution deals with unison (bands - all notes played together) and precision (all notes and ornamentation's played properly). Expression determines whether the same tune is boring or interesting. Expression is probably the most subjective of the criteria as it cannot help but be influenced by each judge's personal preference. Finally, for bands, all of the instruments must start and end cleanly and together, without early or late individuals, and the "breaks," or transitions between tunes (which often involve tempo changes) must also be clean and precise.
All of these factors are a function of experience and practice, and these levels differ widely among both bands and individuals. In order to make contests equitable, a grading system has been established to ensure that everyone competes at the same level. Bands are graded 1 - 5, Grade 5 being for beginners. Piping soloists are graded as Open, and 1 - 5 (practice chanter).
Dancers compete individually for medals, trophies and in some contests, prize money. While there is more than one dancer on the platform at the same time, they are judged individually. The judges watch for deportment, timing, style and technique. Deportment includes their behavior and appearance. Timing is whether they are executing the movements according to the rhythms specified by history and by their evaluating school. Style points are given for the dancer's ability to show the proper character and expression of the dance. Technique is the greatest portion of evaluation. Each step uses specified positions of the feet, hands and head on specified beats of the music. Executing each step correctly according to the historical accuracy of the dance is an accomplishment that takes years of hard work and attention to detail. The dancers are divided into competitive categories, based upon experience. These categories are Primary, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, and Premier. Inside each of these categories, the dancers are divided into age groups, based upon the number of dancers entered in each category.
The Highland Fling: This is the national dance of Scotland, and will be performed by all of the categories of dancers. It is noted for its simplicity and grace of style. The arms represent the antlers of a deer and the movements reflect a stylization of the movements of a deer in the Highlands of Scotland. Legend tells us that this dance was performed so that a young man could explain to his father why he had not killed a deer for the family feast. The youth was speechless from fear to be able to tell his father about his reluctance to kill such a beautiful animal, so he danced for his explanation.
The Sword Dance: This is perhaps the best known of all the Highland dances. This dance is noted for the complexity of the leg movements and for the strength it takes to perform. This dance was done by Scottish soldiers before a battle both for enjoyment and also for superstitious reasons. It was believed that the soldier would die the next day in battle, or be wounded, if his foot touched or kicked the sword. Some people believe that the military commanders would actually postpone a battle if too many of his men touched the sword the night before.
The Seann Truibhas: This dance shows the influence of ballet on the Scottish art form. After the rebellion of 1745 failed to gain Scotland's independence, England passed the Acts of Prohibition. Among other things, these Acts prohibited the wearing of kilts and forced the Highlanders to wear trousers, or Truibhas. This dance portrays the joy of the Scottish people when the Acts were repealed and they were allowed to wear kilts again. The first part of the dance shows the dancer shaking off the despised trousers and, at the end of the dance, the steps resemble the steps of the Highland Fling, show that the kilt is now on and Scottish traditions are again being upheld.
The Strathspey and Half Tulloch Reel: This dance is said to have originated one cold Sunday morning while a congregation near Spey, Scotland, waited for the traveling minister to come hold services. The people waiting for church created this dance in order to stay warm. Reels are very popular in Scotland. The American Virginia Reel is thought to be a later version of a Scottish Reel.
Scottish country dancing is centuries-old ballroom dancing that has its roots in 17th-century England. When country dancing spread into Scotland in the late 1600's, it became an integral part of Scottish culture and was enjoyed by all classes of society. The fact that country dances were held in the Scottish Court, ballrooms and barns, explains why these dances are not classified as folk dances, which are defined as dances of the common folk. By the same token, these dances survived long after they lost favor in the ballroom because they remained part of Scotland's ordinary social life.
"Country" refers to the type of dance. It is a corruption of "contra" which means "against" and refers to the fact that the dances are generally done in a longways set composed of two lines, partner opposite partner.
What distinguishes Scottish country dancing from its English counter part are the steps, which are greatly influenced by the French ballet and Highland dance masters of the 18th century, and the distinct rhythm and drive of the music.
The Caledonian Society of Cincinnati