Dancer Diary: Nicole at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Throughout my dance career, I’ve travelled to Scotland countless times for the month of August to compete, as there are championships almost every weekend leading up to the World Championships at the Cowal Highland Gathering. Every year that I went, there would typically be at least one or two dancers that I knew from Canada who would ALSO be going for the month of August, but they were instead headed to perform for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (REMT).  Performing at REMT was something I started dreaming about when I wa ..read more

Saorsa Studio Dancers Travel to Calgary for the SDTA North American Scholarship Conference Dancer Diary In September, five hard-working Saorsa Studio dancers traveled to Calgary, Alberta to participate in the Scottish Dance Teachers Alliance (SDTA) North American Scholarship Conference event! The SDTA conference is a fabulous opportunity for dancers to spread their wings when it comes to traveling, studying dance theory, making new friends, and preparing to dance at a prestigious event.  In this blog, we’ll take you through what the SDTA Conference is, how our dancers got involved, thei ..read more

What are Medal Tests? If you’re a Saorsa Studio dance fam member with a dancer age 3+, September is the time when you start getting emails from us about Medals Testing. We realize that reading those two words together may mean absolutely nothing to you, so let’s dive in! Medals Testing = Highland Dance Exams The term dance exam sounds scarier than it really is! Dance exams (or medals testing) is a non-competitive means for dancers as young as 3 years old to show off their skills to an examiner and get written feedback on what they’ve presented. This not only helps them improve, but it ..read more

How to Enter a Dance Studio Ready to Move! Are you ready to begin your journey into the world of dance? Whether you’re finally taking the leap into a new hobby or you’re sending your child to their first dance class experience, the first dance class of the season is an exciting and memorable experience. It’s a chance to express yourself through movement, build confidence, and maybe even discover a lifelong passion. At Saorsa Studio, we pride ourselves on fostering those magical dance developments and experiences. But before you take your first steps on the dance floor, there’s one essential ..read more

Saorsa Studio Fredericton Has Grown! Saorsa Studio began in 2013 as the Nicole Odo School of Highland Dance. Throughout the years, Nicole has occupied several different studio spaces throughout Fredericton (even a parking lot during the pandemic!) In summer of 2021, we moved into our beautiful Northside studio. Peppercreek Plaza has been a great home to us, and it has allowed us the space for our dance programming to blossom and grow. Fall 2023 marks a new phase of Saorsa Studio, with the opening of our Southside studio location in the Charlotte Street Arts Centre! Find us: Saorsa North Fi ..read more

The History of Women in Highland Dance Trailblazing a Path Forward Today, most highland dancers are women. Here at Saorsa Studio, we are a woman-owned and run business, with a teaching staff of strong and inspiring women. We teach dance to mostly girls and women (but don’t let that deter you from getting involved if you/your child do not identify as a woman/girl! We love our students of all genders).  While highland dance today is dominated mostly by women, it hasn’t always been this way. Up until the early 20th century, highland dance was performed exclusively by men. Let’s explore how ..read more

The Importance of Technique in Highland Dance As we’ve discussed in our previous posts, technique is extremely important to highland dancers. In competition, technique takes up  the largest portion of the criteria of a dancer’s score: Technique: maximum of 80 marks Timing: maximum of 10 marks General deportment: maximum of 10 marks A dancer’s technique is evaluated based on the expectations set out in the RSOBHD dance textbooks. Let’s unpack what that means for competitive dancers, how this works in classes and in competition, and how our instructors keep up to date on the latest tec ..read more

What Are Highland Games? Your Guide to Traditional Scottish Festivals For many highland dancers, Highland Games season is the highlight of the year. And we’re not the only ones! Highland Games have something for everyone – from food, to music, to throwing around big rocks!  Image via Moncton Highland Games Steeped in Tradition Highland Games are traditional Scottish events that combine athletic competitions, cultural activities, and community gatherings. These games originated in Scotland and have since spread to other parts of the world with Scottish heritage.  The games typic ..read more

How to Pin a Plaid on an Aboyne Highland Dance Costume Guide As a dance teacher, I’m often asked at dance competitions how to pin the plaid (often referred to as a “plaidie”) on the National costume. Particularly for Pre-Premier dancers new to the competition scene, this costume can be tricky. Unfortunately, although I’ve been wearing this costume for over 10 years, my answer to that question is always “let’s go find my mom”. My aboyne costume tartan is Dress Red Scott Dance Mom Expertise That’s why my mom, Angela Francoeur, is here to give us all a lesson in National dance attire.  ..read more

Highland Dance Wellness Anyone who has seen highland dancers practice their craft can attest to the fact that it can be hard on the body.  During competition, performance, classes, practicing, and other training, dancers exert a lot of energy as they push their bodies to the max. Maintaining physical wellness is essential for preventing injuries, optimizing performance, and keeping dancers in the sport longer. Your Guide to Post-Dance Recovery Luckily for you, we’ve been in the game for a while and seen a thing or two. This post is all about how dancers can protect their bodies be ..read more