FAQs

Which scenario describes your dancer the best?

My dancer…

• Is currently in Kindergarten, or

• Has never (or very briefly) taken any type of dance classes before, or

• Turned 6 within the past few months

It sounds like Primary would be a perfect fit!

OR 

My dancer…

• Is currently in 1st Grade, and

• Has taken other types of dance classes before, and

• Turned 6 in July 2025 or earlier

Your dancer may be ready for Beginner!

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re ever unsure which class would be the best fit for your dancer. The guidelines listed on our website are very general – every child is different and class placement is based on the recommendation of the teacher.

Purchasing ghillies for the first time can be a bit intimidating, so do not hesitate to ask your teacher for guidance! Primaries and new beginners may initially wear black ballet slippers, Irish soft shoes, or similar dance pumps. Proper ghillies are required for competitions.

When purchasing ghillies, please pay careful attention to sizing - it may even be helpful to measure the dancer's foot. Ghillie sizing is NOT the same sizing as US street shoes and may vary drastically depending on what brand you get. Ghillies are meant to fit snuggly, but not uncomfortably, and often need to be broken in prior to dancing - the leather will stretch! Some of the following stores have a wide selection of fun colors, but please make sure that the ones you purchase are black leather (though the eyelets/stitching might be black, red, white, etc).

For new dancers, we recommend buying ghillies from Highland X Press.

Other suppliers include Highland Pointes, Tartantown, Celtic Corner Store, and Antonio Pacelli.

Just like learning a musical instrument, practicing at home in between classes is vital for every dancer to continue to improve. We recommend practicing every other day: 5-10 minutes for Primaries, 20-30 minutes for Beginners, and an hour for Premiers.

VIDEOS:

• ASHD on YouTube - Primaries' Practice Playlist

• ASHD on YouTube - Beginners' Practice Playlist

• Highland Dancing On Demand by David Wilton Dance Clinics

• Highland Dance Steps - a bit outdated, but this is still a great resources to find videos of individual steps from any dance

MUSIC:

• ASHD on YouTube

FITNESS:

• Fit for Reel by StudioFit

• Highland Wellness and Strength

• Highland Hustle

• Celtic Coaching Company

The following information is about outfits worn for performance, competition, and exams. ASHD's dress code for classes may be found here.

For competitions and most performances, Highland dancers wear very specific traditional outfits. Beginner dancers will first need a Highland outfit: a kilt. More advanced dances will required additional outfits: Aboyne, Jig, and Hornpipe. For exact guidelines, look at the official RSOBHD dress code. Prior to making a purchase, be sure to run it by your teacher. 

For USED outfits:

• ASHD has a small collection of previously-loved outfits available for rent to current students. Email us your/your dancer’s waist and waist-to-knee measurements and we’ll see if we have anything that might fit.

• Oftentimes there are outfits for sale at competitions, workshops, and other in-person events.

• There are several Facebook groups where dancers and parents sell second-hand outfits online:

  • Highland Dance Gear for Sale in Canada & the USA

  • Highland Dance Wear Buy & Sell

  • Highland Dancing Costumes for Sale/Wanted

  • Highland Dancers Over 30 (or Thereabouts) - for adult dancers

  • Highland Dance Boys - for male-identifying dancers of all ages (and their parents)

For NEW outfits:

Most serious dancers prefer to purchase custom-made outfits. However, these are quite a big investment and we do not recommend this option for new dancers and children who are still growing. If you are going to buy new, “kilties” are a good choice for children, who would outgrow a regular, more expensive kilt very quickly.

Make sure you're purchasing a dancer's kilt! Some of these sites also sell regular kilts which would not be suitable for Highland dancers. An easy way to tell is that dancers' kilts are usually made of "dress" tartan, which has large stripes of white. It does not matter which clan tartan you get - while some dancers have family tartans which also make good dancers' kilts, most dancers choose their tartan based on what's available or what pattern they like.

These are some of our favorite suppliers for new outfits (both custom-made and off-the-rack): 

• Highland X Press (Michigan)

• Celtic Corner Store (Ohio)

• Hilter Kilter (Virginia)

• Thistle Do Nicely (Michigan)

• TartanTown (CA)

• Highland in Style (CA)

• Karen's Kilts (CA)

• Bonnie Tartan (UK)

As a worldwide sport, Highland dancing is governed by the Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing, more commonly known as the RSOBHD. This organization publishes the textbooks in which all Highland dances are written down, certifies adjudicators for competitions around the world, and acts as an umbrella organization, governing all of the others mentioned below.

Besides the RSOBHD, there are two other types of organizations: national governing bodies and examining bodies. Here in the United States, our national governing body is ScotDance USA. This is a professional organization which also organizes all Highland dance competitions in the United States. Our examining body is the British Association of Teachers of Dancing. More commonly known as the BATD, this organization certifies teachers via professional exams and offers amateur dance theory exams to dancers of all ages and levels (a.k.a. "medal tests").

HISTORY:

Scottish Highland dancing is an ancient sport and artform, which originated as a way for Scottish warriors to stay fit during the winter and learn the complicated footwork necessary for fighting. As such, many of the traditional dances we do have military origin stories - the Highland Fling was a victory dance, the Sword Dance was an omen of good (or bad) luck prior to battle, and the Seann Triubhas tells the story of the Jacobite Rebellion. In the 19th Century, Scottish National dances were introduced in order for women to participate. Dances such as the Scottish Lilt, Flora MacDonald's Fancy, and the Village Maid are noticeable for their grace and balletic influence. Today, both men and women perform and compete in both the Highland and Scottish National styles, in addition to character dances such as the Sailor's Hornpipe and the Scottish Version of the Irish Jig. Learn more.

We like to say that Highland dancing is the perfect blend of traditional art form and modern competitive sport. While not required, participating in competitions is an important part of the Highland dance experience! Competitions are where the Highland dance community comes together, and we have found they are a positive, supportive, and family-friendly experience.

BENEFITS: 

• Show off the hard work you put in during class and at home practice

• Gain confidence and stage presence

• Spend quality time with classmates, family, and new friends from across the country

• Practice good sportsmanship – learn how to win and how to lose graciously

• Stay motivated - dream big and work hard to achieve your goals!

The Primary category is for the youngest dancers, ages 4-6. Dancers are ready to compete once they know the “16 Pas de Basques” and the “Pas de Basques & High Cuts” dances and can do them independently to music. Some Primaries also compete in the Fling and the Sword Dance, if they have learned them yet. At this age, the goal is to get used to being up on stage and to fall in love with Highland!

• Receive a medal or ribbon for your placing (1st - 6th) in each dance.

• A small participation gift is usually given to all Primary dancers.

• No overall trophies are awarded.

• No pressure to advance categories.

All dancers age 7 and up start their competitive journey in the Beginner category. Dancers are ready to compete once they know the Highland Fling and the Sword Dance and can do them independently to music. Beginners also compete Seann Triubhas, Reel, Lilt, and Flora.

• You will receive a medal or ribbon for your placing (1st - 6th) in each dance.

• A trophy is awarded to the overall winner of each age group.

• Every time you place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in the Fling, Sword, Seann Triubhas, or Reel, you will receive a stamp on your card

• (maximum one stamp per competition). Stamps are not awarded for placements in Lilt or Flora at the Beginner level.

• Groups are divided by age, depending on the number of dancers competing that day.

After receiving a stamp at six separate competitions, you are eligible to move up to Novice. From there, you’ll continue earning stamps to move up the ranks to Intermediate and then Premier.

Interested in competing? Talk to your teacher! 

Most dancers will need to have taken at least one full semester of class before they're ready for competition. We highly recommend attending a competition as a spectator first to get a feel for what it's like and so you know what to expect.

There are four different categories within Highland dancing:

HIGHLAND DANCES:
These are the oldest, most famous dances that we do. Many of them have military origins and are characterized by their strength, power, and precision. All dancers wear the kilt when dancing Highland dances.
Dances include: Highland Fling, Sword Dance, Seann Triubhas, Reel of Tulloch

NATIONAL DANCES:
National dances were originally thought of as women's dances, even though they are done by dancers of all genders. They are characterized by their grace and balletic influences. For most National dances, females wear a different outfit called an Aboyne.
Dances include: Scottish Lilt, Flora MacDonald's Fancy, Village Maid, Blue Bonnets

CHARACTER DANCES:
Character dances tell a story, more so than any other dances. The are percussive in nature and are more similar to tap. They're also the only dances which each have their own outfit, and jig is the only dance where dancers wear hardshoes instead of ghillies.
Dances include: Scottish Version of the Irish Jig, Sailor's Hornpipe

CHOREOGRAPHY:
Unlike all the other dances above, which are written down in textbooks regulated by the RSOBHD, in choreographies dancers put a modern twist on Highland dancing by combining traditional movements in unique combinations to different types of music.