Another good reason to enjoy Scottish Country Dancing

**Andrewson** · 30th March 08, 08:24 AM

In Jamie's thread here we all gave good reasons why we enjoyed SCD. I certainly agree with those: good exercise, good company and sheer good fun. But so far as I recall, no one mentioned one obvious reason. Maybe it was just so obvious as not to need saying, but that is not going to stop me now.

SCD gives us the opportunity to dance in the kilt. If you haven't tried this, you don't know what you are missing.

Yes, of course, all here know about the feeling of freedom we get from wearing the kilt. That feeling is just enhanced by any kind of vigorous activity like dancing. The jumping, swirling and traveling at speed demanded by fast reels and jigs - and even the elegant setting steps, spins and turns done in strathspey time - produces even more sensual pleasure when done in a kilt.

Even my English SCD friends have been known to admit that once you have tried dancing in a kilt you don't want to dance in any other kind of clothing, certainly not in trousers. And it seems to be a common experience across the world where SCD is practiced that when a "native" is persuaded to try SCD in a kilt, they are converted to unbifurcated comfort right away.

Now that I have enough kilts to wear one regularly, I do wear a kilt to SCD practice classes as well as to dances. Quite often I am the only man there in a kilt. This is not because the others disapprove in any way or that they won't wear a kilt themselves. Most do wear a kilt to dances. It is just that most have only one kilt and it is kept for special occasions.

I am now at the age where I can largely please myself and while I need little or no excuse to wear the kilt, I will certainly kilt up for any outing that looks as though it might involve dancing, no matter if this is only for a short time, or very informal.

Don't you agree?

**McMurdo** · 30th March 08, 08:31 AM

I would completely agree with you, however I may be a tad biased I've never tried SCD in anything but a kilt.

**michaelbeeman** · 30th March 08, 08:36 AM

I've never had the chance to try SCD, but I'm going to look into it. I don't know if there are any groups in my area, but it sounds like a good way to help rehabilitate my leg.

**Panache** · 30th March 08, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by Andrewson

...Now that I have enough kilts to wear one regularly, I do wear a kilt to SCD practice classes as well as to dances. Quite often I am the only man there in a kilt. This is not because the others disapprove in any way or that they won't wear a kilt themselves. Most do wear a kilt to dances. It is just that most have only one kilt and it is kept for special occasions.

I am now at the age where I can largely please myself and while I need little or no excuse to wear the kilt, I will certainly kilt up for any outing that looks as though it might involve dancing, no matter if this is only for a short time, or very informal.

Don't you agree?

SCD is a great excuse to wear a kilt, SCD is a great excuse to get some vigourous exercise, SCD is a great excuse to get out and meet some very nice people, SCD is just great!

Doing Polite turns without a kilt just isn't the same.

Cheers

Jamie

**Kiltman** · 31st March 08, 05:37 PM

I agree 200%, everyone should experience SCD in a kilt.

**Rex_Tremende** · 1st April 08, 02:37 AM

Well, I've never tried SCD, but I enjoy country-western line dancing and two-stepping in a kilt. This weekend I made a rare appearance at my local saloon in jeans, and was forever hiking them up on the dance floor - absolutely not necessary in a kilt. Yep, dancing in a kilt is better.

Regards,
Rex.

**greenguzzi** · 1st April 08, 03:19 AM

Interesting! I'm new to X-Marks the Scot, and I'm sorry to say that I had not heard of Scottish Country Dancing before. So I just Googled it, and discovered that it seems pretty big here Downunder. (Now I'm wondering how I could have missed it before!)

The Ozzie website doesn't have many pictures. The only pictures I could find were on the Tasmanian site. Lots of tartan, mostly on women and bairns though, they seem to have a shortage of adult men.

It's looks like fun. I'd need a lot of lessons though, I've never danced before.

**Andrewson** · 1st April 08, 06:23 AM

Thanks for all the supportive statements in this thread.

Maybe this is the moment to point out that the wearing of kilts for SCD has next to no historical justification, at least for most people.

The Fletts in their authoritative "Traditional Dancing in Scotland" (1964) report on the Kilberry Ball, held until 1914 in Argyllshire. It was a dance for country people of a remote district, held in the granary of the home farm on the estate:
"The party from the 'big house' was in evening kilt and ladies' dinner frocks. One or two of the pipers were in the kilt. The rest of the company wore their Sunday clothes ... [Men] wore their Sunday boots, which subsequently became their working boots, [and their best Sunday suits]."

The founders of the Scottish Country Dance Society (later 'Royal' SCDS) in 1923 seemed to be determined to drag the country dances out of the barns and into the elegant ballrooms of the upper classes (they thought this was the best way to ensure that the dances were preserved as a living tradition) so they emphasised the dress of those aristocrats and we got the active promotion of the kilt as appropriate wear for SCD. Incidently we also got the promotion of the light weight 'ballet' slippers as footwear which had quite an influence on the steps that were taught as appropriate for SCD. We have to admit that the whole SCD thing today is highly artificial from a historical perspective

Not that I really care. I am just happy that these historical mistakes led to my greater enjoyment today.

**Panache** · 1st April 08, 07:44 AM

I'm trying to imagine pas de basque or strathspey setting step in

"Sunday boots, which subsequently became their working boots"

a bit less graceful I should think.

Cheers

Jamie

**Galician** · 1st April 08, 10:22 AM

I must admit that "artificiality" definitely comes to mind with the SCDS. I say this as one who loves to dance.

There is even a group which meets blocks from my work place, and I've joined them for their Burns dinners. Maybe it's being a neophyte to their repetoire, but a good number of their dances give me pause about participating on a regular basis. The steps can be sooooo compicated!