Each 16 beat section of the music is considered a 'step'. Generally 8 beats are performed using the right foot, then 8 beats for the left. This means Gareth danced 640 beats. Each 16 beat step is scripted and Gareth has published the steps that he's used for his 40 step. You can find them on his web blog.
For dancers registered with the SOBHD, the accepted highland dances are described in their textbook. These dances are Fling, Sword, Seann Truibhas and Reel. I don't remember off the top of my head how many steps are described for each dance in the text book, but there are more in the book than we actually dance when we perform a dance. Each year the SOBHD will establish which steps are to be used in Championships, which means every dancer who competes in a Championship HAS to dance those steps for the highland dances. Outside of Championships, dancers are free to dance any one of the steps used in the textbook.
I would say that 90% of the steps that Gareth used in his 40step are not found in the SOBHD text book. He has searched out older steps from old text books, older dancers and other sources. He also danced to a fairly fast tempo which is not used these days either.
There are various dance associations that license their teachers to teach Highland dance, but they must follow the technique and steps as described in the SOBHD text book. The SOBHD has also standardized the Irish Jig and the Hornpipe which the associations use as well. The Scottish National dances are not standardized by the SOBHD, but the dance associations have published their methods which are accepted by the SOBHD.
*SOBHD = Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing
Thanks Dixiecat for that explanation. I was wondering, as I watched, just how I could pick out the steps.
It is certainly a very impressive display of dancing stamina. I do the much less energetic Scottish Country Dancing which has only a fraction of the elevation of Highland. I know how much that can take out of my feet, knees and legs. I am in awe at his fitness.
And it is all in a very worthy cause. Duchenne's distrophy is a very cruel wasting disease. I can't imagine how I'd cope if a son of mine had been diagnosed with it. I hope I'd have the guts to get out like Logan's Dad, Gareth (the dancer), has and do what I could to raise awareness and cash.
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