The Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing, based in Edinburgh, has created a truly international appreciation of the finer points of Highland Dancing and a world-wide community of Scottish dancers working for and with one another towards even higher standards of excellence.  It is estimated that at least 50,000 young people are actively involved in Highland Dancing throughout the world with at least half of them based in the large Scottish communities of Canada, USA, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

In the 1990s the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing is considered by dancers world-wide as their ultimate authority on the technique, organisation and administration of our ancient cultural heritage, but it was not always so.  Not so many years ago a competing dancer in Scotland took into consideration not only the condition of the platform and the effect of the weather on the day’s activities but also the particular likes and dislikes of the adjudicators on duty.  Sometimes the steps and movements were modified, sometimes even the order in which the steps were danced was changed to meet the “correct” way of dancing as seen by that particular judge.

Now, not only in Scotland, but all around the world, dancers are judged on the same technical basis, to the same standards and under the same competition rules, thus allowing dancers to compete across national and international boundaries.

This would not have been possible without the Scottish Official Board, now celebrating almost 50 years of successful administration of all aspects of Highland dancing from agreement on technique, discipline and deportment to competition organisation and administration.

The Board was formed in 1950 by forward looking Highland dance teachers plus prominent dancers and administrators of the day, with the support of the dance teachers organisations and associations, some of which had already been in existence for up to sixty years.  The British Association of Teachers of Dancing was founded in 1892, the United Kingdom Alliance in 1902 and the Scottish Dance Teachers Alliance in the 1920s.  They all realised the need for a co-ordinating body through which agreement could be reached on matters of technique, style and even dress for dancers.

Just as successful as agreement on technique has been the acceptance by all Highland dancers and teachers of the SOBHD recommended dress for girls and ladies, now taken for granted as the appropriate dress for competitions but somewhat controversial when originally introduced.

The Board’s membership covers every aspect of Highland Dancing from the Professional Teachers Examining Associations through Area Dancing Societies, to organisations which promote Scottish activities of all kinds (e.g. sponsoring Highland Gatherings).

They have all been welcomed for they all have something to contribute in experience, whether that be in competition or on the social or administrative side.

Delegates representing member organisations throughout the world meet regularly in Edinburgh to ensure that rules, regulations and administrative methods meet the demands of each new generation, to take advantage of new ideas in systems and technology and to promote Highland Dancing to a wider general public.

The Board also introduced, in association with competition organisers, a dancers’ development scheme which helps children compete with others of similar ability.  It enables them to monitor their own progress through various categories – Primary, Beginners, Novice and Intermediate – until they reach Premier standard, to compete with champions and, with hard work, to achieve the distinction of winning Championship Trophies themselves.

Through the dedication and efforts of a relatively small number of people working with and through their Associations, the SOBHD has enabled young people in many different countries to enjoy our colourful Scottish heritage, in the knowledge that they are using the same steps and technique as the dancers “back home”.

Today’s communications and modern methods of travel allow dancers to fly regularly between Provinces, States and even countries, taking part in demonstrations and competitions.  Our summer in Scotland would not be complete without the annual influx of first class dancers from Canada, United States, South Africa and Australia.  Indeed the home Scots now look to their laurels as dancers from all of those countries compete and win regularly at the major Championships.

It is encouraging to find our Scottish cultural traditions bringing young people together, not only in Scotland but wherever Scots live, and that means all over the world.  The colour, the zest and vitality, the sheer enjoyment of Scottish Highland dancers is there for all to see and the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing is proud to be the central administrative focus which binds it all together.

For further information on Highland Dancing or the address of a teacher near you

Contact Marjory Rowan, Director of Administration, SOBHD, Heritage House, 32 Grange Loan, Edinburgh, EH9 2NR, phone 0131 668 3965, fax 0131 662 0404.