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The Highland Sword Dance
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Author: * Catherine Morna - 66 Posts
Date: Mar 27, 2002 - 15:52
The Sword Dance (Ghillie Callum)
There is no Highland Dance older or better known than the Sword Dance, or Ghillie Callum.
The Sword Dance is the ancient dance of war of the Scottish Gael and is said to date back to King Malcolm Canmore (Shakespears MacBeth).
Tradition says the original Ghillie Callum was a Celtic prince who was a hero of mortal combat against one of MacBeth's Chiefs at the Battle of Dunsinane in 1504.
He is said to have crossed his own bloody claymore (the two-handed broadsword of Scotland) and crossed it over the bloodier sword of the defeated Chief and danced over them both in exultation.
This dance of exultation became a tradition among the highland warriors, and in subsequent battles, clansman would cross their swords and dance around them in the same way. In addition to being a test of skill and agility, it was believed that if they could complete the dance without touching the swords, it was a good omen that they would be victorious in the coming battle.
In the first step the dancer performs the steps outside the sword or "addresses" the sword. Subsequent steps are danced over the crossed blades, but notice that once inside the blades, the dancer never dances with his back turned to the swords ~ only a fool would turn his back on a weapon. It requires tremendous dexterity not to displace the swords.
To prove the mettle and strength of our "Warrior Scot" the dancer will clap his hands together near the end of the dance to tell the piper to increase the tempo. The hopping over the swords is where the term "hopscotch" originated, instead of swords the children used lines to jump over.
