What it looks like
Highland & National
Highland dancing is NZ is composed of groups of dances united by a global technique. The 5 Highland dances (Fling, Sword, Seann Triubhas, Highland Reel and Reel of Tulloch) display a precise stabilized technique centered around 5 positions of legs and their variations (pointed, aerial, etc.) along with 5 positions of arms and their variations. The style is surgically precise and athletic for dances like the Highland Fling and Sword dance, with a huge repertoire of complex steps (many unique to NZ), or flowing and graceful for the Seann Triubhas where the technical precision meets careful elegant interpretation skills. The syllabus of the Academy provides an endless array of diversly complex steps (some of which uniquely preserved in NZ) which in turn can be combined by the skilled dancer into ever renewed dances within the precise and definite norms dictated by Tradition.
NZ has also preserved a great many number of National dances and many variations of it, some unique to NZ. These dances are a good example of the richness, intricacy, variety of a style rooted in Tradition, with a technique which was stabilized but not normalized nor standardized, guaranty of a respectful precise transmission that however gives the dancers their rightful interpreter place.
Highland Sword dance
Shiobhan Smith's sister performing a Sword Dance (Ghillie Callum) in the 18 years and over New Zealand Championships 1989. Video credit: Shiobhan Smith.
Highland Seann Truibhas
Highland dancer Darron Bray dancing a Seann Truibhas at the 1990 New Zealand Championships.
Video credit: Shiobhan Smith.
Irish JIG
In addition to these, NZ had 4 unique Irish step dances, the lively Single Time Jig, with or without the use of the Shillelagh, the deft Double time Jig and its intricate rhythm and steps, the powerful Irish Hornpipe and the 4 dancers’ Irish Reel. These dances, testimony of a hard shoe tradition extinct in other Highland dance styles, use a specific kind of Jig Shoe, sonorous and light, that produces a lovely rhythmical sound to the steps of the dancers. These dances are a celebration of Irish vigor and beauty in dancing and are not meant to be a parody nor a mocking display, they are unique to NZ style of Highland dancing.
Irish JIG
Shiobhan Smith's sister performing a Single Time Jig in the 18 years and over New Zealand Championships 1989. Video credit: Shiobhan Smith.
Sailor's HORNPIPE
NZ Sailors Hornpipe has many historical and virtuoso steps (many unique to NZ) which along with the character dance’s interpretation, make for an amazing, vigorous and elegant dance.And last but not least, NZ has preserved a great many number of National dances and many variations of it, some unique to NZ. These dances are a good example of the richness, intricacy, variety of a style rooted in Tradition, with a technique which was stabilized but not normalized nor standardized, guaranty of a respectful precise transmission that however gives the dancers their rightful interpreter place.
Sailor's HORNPIPE
Highland dancer Shiobhan Smith dancing a Sailors Hornpipe at a local competition in the early 2000's. Video credit: Shiobhan Smith.