Hints & Tips
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What to Wear
- Shoes - Soft, flexible leather shoes with no heel allow good technique and provide traction: ghillies (Scottish dance shoes), dance pumps, jazz shoes, ballet slippers. For more support, add insoles or orthotics, or a very low heel. Add toe pads for additional cushioning.
- Many dancers use Spenco slip-in (flat) insoles.
- Some dancers use Bunheads gel products such as the Original Ouch Pouch, Ouch Pouch, Ouch Pouch Jr., and Pro Pad, or other toe pads and cushions for ballet dancers.
- See Dancing Supplies for sources of shoes, insoles, toe pads, and more.
- For classes - Scottish country dancing feels and looks best when clothing permits comfortable freedom of movement. For women, that's usually a skirt full enough to take a big step sideways; for men, a kilt, once they are ready for that investment, or trousers, or (in class) shorts. Some women also prefer loose-fitting trousers for class.
- For social dances - Many people dress up slightly more than they do for class.
- For balls - Women wear ball gowns, party dresses or the traditional white dress with a tartan sash.
Men wear full Highland evening attire if they have it; others wear a kilt with shirt and tie or a peasant-style shirt.
Men who do not own a kilt wear dress slacks with a dressy shirt.
Newer dancers can often borrow attire from another dancer for balls and other dance parties.
Dancing Supplies
Local
- The Ferris Wheel - Ghillies, tartan goods and accessories. Tom Ferris, Montgomery Village, Gaithersburg, MD. Please call 301-258-7412 or e-mail tgferris@msn.com for an appointment.
- The Scottish Merchant - Kilts, kilt rentals, kilt hose, flashes, sporrans, belts, sghian dubhs, tartan sashes, brooches, and more. No dance shoes. 215 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. Phone: 703-739-2302.
- Deborah Kammalan - Professional kiltmaker with over 40 years of experience. Pasadena, MD.
- Local events - Scottish heritage events such as Scottish Games, and Scottish dance events such as the Scottish Weekend at Ramblewood sometimes have vendors in attendance who sell ghillies, socks, flashes, tartan sashes, and other Scottish attire.
Online
Scottish Dance Shoes
There are several manufacturers of traditional Scottish dance shoes, ghillies and pumps, all based in the U.K. Some retailers in the U.S. and Canada carry several brands of Scottish dance shoes in stock.
- Thistle Shoes
Thistle Shoes offers high quality country dance pumps (slip-on shoe for ladies) and ghillies, and Highland ghillies. Pumps are either straight or right/left lasted, country dance ghillies are right/left lasted, and highland ghillies are straight lasted. Pumps are available in a variety of colors of soft leather and also patent/metallic/shimmer. Some Highland ghillies offer a choice of stitching color. All styles come with a Noene Shock Technology insole. Several styles of country dance shoes are available with a choice of sole, such as a full Noene insole, a heel, and/or non-slip soles. All shoes are handmade in Scotland, and includes a cotton shoe protector bag. - St. Andrews Shoemakers
(formerly James Senior of St. Andrews)
By Appointment to RSCDS, suppliers of dance shoes. St. Andrews Shoemakers offers several styles of straight and right/left lasted dance pumps (slip-on shoe for ladies), right/left lasted country dance ghillies, and straight-lasted Highland ghillies. Some styles of pumps are available in a variety of colors of leather and also metallic or other fancy finishes, and one style features a heel. One style of country dance ghillie is available in colored leather. All styles come with Poron Shock Asorber insoles. - Billy Forsyth - Scottish Dancing Shoes
Billy Forsyth offers ghillies that are supersoft, supple, cut neat to the foot and shaped to show your footwork to perfection. Ghillies are designed with no front loop, white eyelets, and chrome soles, are available in padded and unpadded styles. Colored ghilles are also available. - Dancewear of Edinburgh
Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Offers several styles and brands of of country dance and highland ghillies from several manufacturers, including their own brand of highland shoes in padded and unpadded styles. Several varieties of pumps and ballet slippers are also available, in addition to other dance shoes and dancewear. Loyalty program offers a 10% discount on future orders. - Highland X Press
Based in South Lyon, MI. Specializes in highland dance supplies, but footwear offered includes several styles of ghillies suitable for SCD. Site offers a style and sizing guide (PDF). Also, used and consignment shoes are sometimes available.
- Thistle Shoes
Scottish Supplies
For socks, flashes, tartan sashes, and other Scottish attire, please visit the links listed at these sites. Some additional sources of dance shoes are also listed.
Other Dance Shoes and Accessories
Ballet slippers, jazz shoes, and dance sneakers are available from most on-line dance supply shops. Some of these shops also carry split-sole ghillies manufactured by ballet shoe companies.
The shops listed below all carry many styles of ballet slippers and jazz shoes, the Capezio split-sole ghillie, dance tights and skirts, and Bunheads toe pads and other pointe shoe accessories for foot comfort.
- All About Dance -- Based in Kingston, PA.
- Discount Dance Supply -- Based in Anaheim, CA.
Insoles
Spenco flat insoles are popular with Scottish Country Dancers. They can sometimes be found in local drug stores, athletic shoe stores, sporting goods stores, or suppliers of outdoors gear, but they are usually easier to find and less expensive if purchased on-line.
For the narrower foot, buy insoles one or two sizes smaller than what is suggested for your street shoe size, to avoid needing to trim the insoles to fit. For the wider foot, buy insoles one or two sizes larger than what is suggested for your street shoe size, and trim to fit, to ensure that the insoles are wide enough at the ball of the foot.
The shops listed below also carry many other types of insoles, arch supports, and orthotics.
- Feet Relief -- Based in San Francisco, CA.
- TheInsoleMan.com -- Based in Greer, SC.
Dance Instructions
- RSCDS Technique Panel - Dances
Official RSCDS guidance about RSCDS-published dances. - RSCDS Technique Panel - General
Official RSCDS technique guidance on steps and formations in the RSCDS Manual of Scottish Country Dancing. - Scottish Country Dance Database (DanceData)
Search SCDDB online for dances, tunes, people, publications, recordings and albums.
(from Strathspey Server) - MINICRIB MINICRIB is a simple database of brief notes covering over 2000 Scottish Country Dances which enables "cribsheets" to be quickly produced for most dance programs. Microsoft Word template available for free download.
- Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary
Scottish Country Dance instructions and dictionary of dance terminology by Reuben Freemantle - Scottish Country Dance Animations Animated diagrams of over 500 dances. Colored squares and circles move to music in the patterns of the dances.
- Key to Scottish Country Dancing Diagrams (PDF)
Etiquette & Custom
- RSCDS Resources for Dancers
Information on steps, formations, dances, FAQs, how to find answers to questions, and more! - What is Scottish Country Dancing, Anyway?
(Anselm Lingnau, Strathspey Server) - Scottish Country Dance Etiquette and Conventions
(Lara Friedman-Shedlov, RSCDS Twin Cities Branch) - Ten Commandments for SCD Balls and Socials
(Frankfurt [Germany] Scottish Country Dance Club) - Basics of Scottish Country Dancing (PDF)
(Ellie Briscoe, RSCDS Northern Virginia Branch) - Hints & Tips for Scottish Country Dancers
(Ian Brockbank, Grand Chain) - Guidelines on Helping Other Dancers
(from RSCDS New York)
Teacher Resources
- Teacher Resources
Zoom teaching tips, instructional YouTube videos, teacher training, and more!