Many moons ago, in the far-flung corners of Scotland, locals could often be caught doing a few steps while someone played a tune on the fiddle - be it in a village hall or at a kitchen ceilidh.
Throughout the 19th century, the people of the Highlands were forced to evacuate their homes in order to make way for sheep grazing. Many Scots settled in Canada, while Cape Breton Island in Eastern Nova Scotia also received around 30,000 Gaelic-speaking Highlanders. Here step dance was kept alive, while in Scotland it almost died out. However, over the past decade there has been a revival of step dance in Scotland.
A number of organisations have made step dance accessible to children.
These include the Fisan, which runs Gaelic music, song and dance festivals throughout Scotland; Step 2000 in Inverness and Scottish Youth Dance, as well as several education projects in schools and communities. Several funding bodies, including the Scottish Arts Council have also recognised the benefits of teaching step dance to children, and of preserving this Highland tradition.
What's the appeal for children?
Step dance is a very rhythmic and expressive form of dance, and holds great appeal for children of all ages. To hear the percussive sound of the steps, dancers wear hard-soled shoes. For children who have any experience of tap dancing, step dance will seem quite natural, as modern day tap finds its origins in step dance and other, older dance styles. It is not regimented like other dance forms, such as ballet, where children are required to learn specific movements and a set routine of steps. Neither is there any competitive structure, where children are sometimes put under a lot of pressure to execute specific steps in a particular way.
In contrast, step dance allows children the opportunity to express themselves by exploring different percussive sounds they can make with their own feet. Kids love stamping, jumping and hopping! Naturally, it's a great way to channel children's energy, while encouraging them to be creative.
Step dance can be fun for kids of all ages and abilities. A step can be anything from a simple walking movement to a complex sequence of shuffles, hops and stamps. It's also an effective way of developing children's co-ordination and physical awareness.
Although step dance is primarily a solo dance form, a typical workshop might begin with a selection of movement games, in which children interact with each other. For example, children could be asked to form a train, and proceed around the space using their feet to simulate the rhythm of the locomotive, using different steps to indicate the train slowing down or speeding up, and so on. Children can also be asked to clap simple rhythms and then work out how to recreate these rhythms with their feet using some basic steps.
The basic steps
Step dance is commonly made up of two types of footwork - strathspeys and reels. The steps are named from the type of tune to which they are danced.
A strathspey is in 4/4 time, as is a reel, although the reel timing comprises of eight quavers. The strathspeys are used to create tension before releasing into the reels.
Basic Strathspey Step
* Count 1 - step on to left foot
* Count 2 - hop on left foot executing a low kick with the right leg
* Count 3 - step on to right foot
* Count 4 - hop on right foot executing a low kick with the left leg
* We would normally repeat this step four times.
As well as dancing on the spot, this step can also be performed with everyone standing in a circle. They dance clockwise for four bars, and then repeat the sequence in the opposite direction.
Basic Reel Step
(count 1 & 2 & 3 - 4 - )
This is a little bit more complicated!
* Count 1 - step on to left foot
* Count &2 - execute a low kick with the right leg scuffing the right heel forward and then brushing the right toe back (ie, heel-toe shuffle)
* Count & - hop on the left leg
* Count 3, 4 - tap right toe twice
* Repeat on opposite foot.
The rhythm of this step can be remembered by saying: 'Step, heel, toe, hop, tap-tap-.' It might be easier for children to remember the rhythm by saying to themselves: 'Let's go for a pic-nic-.'
There are many simple variations of the basic reel step. For example: * Instead of executing two taps at the end, replace the second tap with a stamp, bringing the foot down harder and slightly further forward * A further variation would be to substitute the final tap with a quick toe-shuffle.
Often in step dance workshops, we will incorporate step dance with other dance forms, particularly ceilidh dancing, an informal form of Scottish country dancing. Children love these group dances and, although step dance is usually performed solo, it can be included within social ceilidh dances.
The music
Traditionally, a singer, piper or a fiddler has provided the accompaniment for step dance. The music is from the traditional Scottish repertoire and is usually energetic and lively. As the strathspey rhythm is unique to Scotland, these steps can only be performed to the appropriate Scottish music. The reel steps, on the other hand, can easily be danced to any related Celtic music, for example Irish reels or Cape Breton music.
It is fantastic if you can get a live musician to accompany your workshop, as this creates more atmosphere than a CD or cassette. Live music can be unpredictable and children respond to this. Many musicians are happy to allow children to explore their instruments and may play some simple rhythm games with the group. In addition, having a live musician allows you to steer the class in different directions as appropriate to the mood and/or ability of the children.
If you do not have access to a fiddler or a piper, but would like to try some step dance with your out-of-school club, there are some excellent CDs available to help you create the right atmosphere. For teaching step dance try Dance on the Fiddle by Karen Steven. Other good choices include Stepping on the Bridge by Hamish Moore and The Driven Bow by Alasdair Fraser.
For more information, including how to contact a live musician in your area, email Fiona Dalgetty at fionainscotland@hotmail.com.You could also check out two groups that offer step dance tuition at:
