
Scottish Highland Dance was developed in the Scottish Highland in the 19th and 20th century and has long been a staple of the Antigonish Highland Games.
Enjoy watching dancers from all over the world as they compete in the numerous, enjoyable dancing competitions
Important Information
- Registration (coming soon)
- Schedule of Competition
- Judge Biographies
- Antigonish Highland Dance Association Website

History of Highland Dancing
Dating back to the 11th or the 12th century, the Highland Dances of Scotland tended to be highly athletic male celebratory dances or triumph or joy, or warrior dances performed over swords and spiked shields. According to tradition, the old kings and chiefs of Scotland used the Highland Games as a way of choosing their best men for their retinue and men at arms.
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Highland Dancing was one of the various ways men were tested for strength, stamina, accuracy, and agility. The Scottish military regiments used to use Highland Dancing as a form of training to develop stamina and agility. Competitive Highland dancing started during the Highland revival of Victorian Britain and was for men only. Ladies began competing only at the turn of the Century. Over the centuries the dancing style has become more refined and now shares many elements from classical ballet. Although historically Highland dancing was restricted to men, today it is most performed by females. No matter who dances them, Highland dances require both athletic and artistic skill.
The Dances

The Highland Fling
The oldest of the traditional dances of Scotland and is a dance of joy performed at the end of a victorious battle. It was danced by male warriors over a small round shield called a Targe. The Highland Fling is danced on the spot and is said to be based on the antics of a stag on the hillside, fingers and arms representing antlers.

The Sword Dance (Mary Dundas Trophy)
The earliest references to the Sword Dance are from the 19th century but it likely dates back earlier. One story is that this was a dance of victory as the King danced over his bloody claymore (sword) and head of his enemy. Another story is that the Sword Dance was danced prior to battle and to kick the swords was considered a bad omen for the impending battle. Today, if a dancer kicks their sword, they are most likely disqualified depending on their category.

The Seann Tribuhas
This dance is pronounced “shawn trews” and translates to “old trousers.” This dance is reputed to date from the rebellion of 1745 when Bonnie Prince Charlie challenged England at Culloden and lost. As penalty, the Highlands were forbidden to wear the kilt. This dance is a celebration in response to the Proscription Repeal which restored to the Scots the right to wear their kilts and play the bagpipes once more. The movements of this dance depict the legs shaking and shedding the hated trousers and returning to the freedom of the kilt.

Strathspey and Reel
These are variations of a strathspey and reel, always performed by four dancers. The strathspey is never danced alone in competition and must be followed by a reel. These dances illustrate the “set” and “travel” steps which are common in Scottish social dancing.

The Flora McDonald’s Fancy (Florence MacMillan Trophy)
This is said to be last dance Flora McDonald danced for Bonnie Prince Charlie before he fled overseas but is likely to be a dance named in her honour. Flora MacDonald helped the prince escape to North Uist to Skye disguised as her maid. She emigrated to America but returned home to Skye later in life.

The Sailor’s Hornpipe & The Irish Jig
Both of these dances are caricature dances developed from the traditional English version. It has become more popular in Scotland than English and is regular featured in Highland Games.
The movements of the Sailor’s Hornpipe, portray the actions used in the daily routines of a sailor’s life, such as pulling ropes, climbing the rigging and looking out to sea. A costume like a sailor’s uniform is worn for this dance.
The Irish Jig is a dance depicting an Irish washerwoman who is angry with her erring husband. The costume worn for this dance is either a red or emerald green skirt and bodice with a full white petticoat and white apron. Red or green jig shoes are worn and there is much stamping and facial grimacing in this dance. In the male version, dancers wear a red or green tailcoat, brown knee britches of corduroy, with a paddy hat and he carries a shillelagh, which is a club made from the forked branch of a tree.

Florence MacMillian Memorial Award
Florence MacMillan was a premier dancing instructor in Antigonish who brought champion dancers like Mabel MacInnis, Gerarda MacDonald, Janice Macquarrie and Patsy MacAdam into prominence. She bucked the dancing establishment with her methods and eventually saw her students win seven out of eight provincial qualifying berths for the 1968 national championships. However, she did more than just instruct, she motivated her first generation of advanced highland dancers, mainly Janice MacQuarrie and Gerarda Macdonald to excel as teachers and choreographers. Because of Florence, her students and now their students, Antigonish can make some legitimate claims for excellence in Highland dance. The Florence MacMillan trophy is presented to the Premier dancer from the Maritimes who performs the best Flora MacDonald Fancy at the Games. An appropriate dance commemorating a well-loved personality.
See Previous Winners
Previous Winners:
Year Name
1967 Gerarda MacDonald
1968 Gerarda MacDonald
1969 Janice MacQuarrie
1970 Gerarda MacDonald
1971 Rita Lynn MacDougall
1972 Debbie Robson
1973 Sheila MacNeil
1974 Clare Kiely
1975 Kathy MacKinnon
1976 Sherrie Green
1977 Debbie Robson
1978 Heather MacKinnon
1979 Patti Ann MacLeod
1980 Clare Kiely
1981 Clare Kiely
1982 Patti Ann MacLeod
1983 Sherrie Lynn Murray
1984 Clare Kiely
1985 Jennifer Richardson
1986 Donna Cameron
1987 Donna Cameron
1988 Michelle MacGillivray
1989 Michelle MacGillivray
1990 Donna Cameron
1991 Michelle MacGillivray
1992 Jesselyn Petrie
1993 Sabra MacGillivray
1994 Sabra MacGillivray
1995 Sabra MacGillivray
1996 Sara Cluett
1997 Sabra MacGillivray
1998 Sabra MacGillivray
1999 Stephanie Grant
2000 Stephanie Grant
2001 Stephanie Turnbull
2002 Stephanie Grant
2003 Stephanie Grant
2004 Stephanie Grant
2005 Stephanie Turnbull
2006 Sarah McKenna
2007 Stephanie Grant
2008 Sarah McKenna
2009 Sarah McKenna
2010 Sara McKegney
2011 Victoria Boily
2012 Jillian MacLeod
2013 Sara McKegney
2014 Leah Campbell
2015 Robin Scott
2016 Shelby Lynne Dalziel
2017 Scout McKee
2018 Scout McKee

Mary Dundas Memorial Award
See Previous Winners
Year Name
1960 Leanne Pugsley
1961 Sheena Hold
1962 Terri Brean
1963 Eileen Pottie
1964 Eileen Pottie
1965 Eileen Pottie
1966 Frances Cooke
1967 Janice MacQuarrie
1968 Debbie Smith
1969 Janice MacQuarrie
1970 Janice MacQuarrie
1971 Heather MacKinnin
1972 Marianne Skinner
1973 Julia Ann BrayBrook
1974 Heather MacKinnin
1975 Heather MacKinnin
1976 Cheryl Verriere
1977 Sherri Green
1978 Clare Kiely
1979 Jill Young
1980 Claranne Floyd
1981 Glenda Landry
1982 Michelle MacGillivray
1983 Danielle Trudeau
1984 Krista Gunn
1985 Ann Milne
1986 Krista Gunn
1987 Sara Cluett
1988 Sabra MacGillivray
1989 Kelly Anne Carey
1990 Jennifer MacDonald
1991 Stephanie Grant
1992 Stephanie Grant
1993 Stephanie Grant
1994 Stephanie Grant
1995 Stephanie Grant
1996 Shelley Lynn Walsh
1997 Sonya Doucette
1998 Shelley Lynn Walsh
1999 Marielle Lesperance
2000 Marielle Lesperance
2001 Marielle Lesperance
2002 Marielle Lesperance
2003 Marielle Lesperance
2004 Marielle Lesperance
2005 Sarah McKenna
2006 Robin Scott
2007 Jillian MacLeod
2008 Jillian MacLeod
2009 Micayla Matthews
2010 Cornelia Geib
2011 Larissa Godin
2012 Abigail Maeg
2013 Morgan McDougall
2014 Morgan McDougall
2015 Carly MacDonald
2016 Hannah MacDonald
2017 Elise Berrevoets
2018 Olivia Burke

New Zealand Pre-Premier Award
In 1989, a dance troupe with family and friends from various parts of New Zealand, chifley Auckland, Hamilton and Whangarei visited the Antigonish Highland Games. Some of the New Zealand delegations were descendants of Nova Scotia who left St. Ann’s for Waipu, New Zealand, in the late 1950’s.
The “Highland Games” culture is strong in New Zealand and members of this particular group made a habit of celebrating the midnight before the Waipu Games each New Years with a mass participation “all hands up and all feet dancing” hillside Highland Fling on Donald Fraser;s land overlooking the Bream Bay. For Games lovers, these games are a must to see.
Pat Bourgoyne on behalf of this dancing troupe presented the Antigonish Highland Society with an intricately carved Maori plaque to commemorate their visit. The warrior faces on the shield are inset with Paua (abalone) shells.
The late Peter Ryan of Auckland taught many of the dancers in this group, but illness prevented of making the trip to Nova Scotia. To commemorate his work with youth, the trip his mates took, and in in celebration of the links between Nova Scotia and Waipu, is presented annually to an Antigonish Town or County Pre-Premier dancer in Beginner, Novice, or Intermediate who has been chosen by the judges as the dancer demonstrating the “most promise”.
See Previous Winners
Previous Winners
Year Name
1989 Julie MacPherson
1990 Jacklyn MacDonald
1991 Valerie Chisholm
1992 Shenna MacDonald
1993 Susan Boyd
1994 Jill Deyoung
1995 Susan Boyd
1996 Katie Rawding
1997 Bridget Coady
1998 Tara Chisholm
1999 Robin Scott
2000 Emily Ives
2001 Jillian Scott
2002 Katie MacDonald
2003 Kayla MacDonald
2004 Janelle Marchand
2005 Breah MacEachern
2006 Riely Wilson
2007 Maria Landry
2008 Courtney MacDonald
2009 Erin Gilfoy
2010 Hannah Delorey
2011 Megan Smith
2012 Julia Mae MacDonald
2013 Jaelyn Rovers
2014 Jaelyn Rovers
2015 Adelaide MacDonald
2016 Ava Rogers
2017 Yashita Ghore
2018 Brooke Hayne

Wilena MacInnis Penny Award
Few exemplified more the spirit of love of the Gael than the late Wilena MacInnis Penny did. Born in Cape George, she served the Antigonish Highland Society in many ways in addition to being the society’s first female President and then for several years Games Chairperson.
Wilena’s efforts helped sustain and invigorate the Highland Heart and gave an authentic voice to that which we are “Clanna Nan Giadheal” (Children of the Gael).
In recognition of her outstanding contribution to the preservation of Scottish Culture and tradition, this trophy donated in her memory is presented annually to the Premier Dancer from Antigonish Town or County who accumulates the highest number of total points in the Premier Competitions. Originally, this included all events held during the games with the exception of Pre-Championships, Championships, some special events, and Restricted Premier because some dancers were ineligible to compete in these events. Today, the New Scotland Open Championship, the Florence MacMillan Flora Special Event and the Highland Heart Open Premiership contributes to the accumulations of points.
See Previous Winners
Previous Winners
Year Name
1994 Stephanie Grant
1995 Valerie Chisholm (tie)
1995 Stephanie Grant (tie)
1995 Kara Spencer (tie)
1996 Jessica McKenna
1997 Valerie Chisholm
1998 Sabra MacGillivray
1999 Jessica McKenna (tie)
1999 Stephanie Grant (tie)
2000 Holly Arsenault
2001 Holly Arsenault
2002 Stephanie Grant
2003 Stephanie Grant
2004 Stephanie Grant
2005 Robin Scott
2006 Robin Scott
2007 Sarah McKenna
2008 Sarah McKenna
2009 Sarah McKenna
2010 Breanna Heffernan
2011 Lindsay MacCormick
2012 Lindsay MacCormick
2013 Erin Gilfoy
2014 Megan Smith
2015 Megan Smith
2016 Jaelyn Rovers
2017 Erin Gilfoy
2018 Karly Boyle