What is “Worlds” in Highland Dance? And how does it work? Most sports have an equivalent to the World Highland Dancing Championship – whether it be annual or every once in a while like the Olympics. Highland dance hasn’t made it into the Olympics (yet!) but this is as close as it gets. This is the third and final part in our series of how the largest elite competitions in Scottish highland dancing work. In this post, we’ll be discussing the be-all-end-all of global Highland Dance: the World Championships. How does Highland Dance Work? Read part one and two of this series where we dove into t ..read more

Behind the Scenes of Saorsa Studio – June 2024 Welcome to the monthly Saorsa Studio Snapshot! These monthly posts will give you some insight into what’s on the go at our studio – from competition and performance results, to our student of the month, to the new initiatives we always have on the go? Current dance families can find a more detailed version of this newsletter in their inbox. Heads up! This is our final behind the scenes blog for the September 2023-June 2024 dance season! Registered dance families will continue to receive a monthly newsletter in their inbox, but our blogs will be o ..read more

What is "Canadians" in Highland Dance? And how does it work? Other sports have the Canada Games. For Canadian highland dancers, it’s all about the ScotDance Canada Championship Series (SDCCS) (also sometimes referred to as “Canadians”, “Nationals” , or “the Series”). This is part two in our series of how highland dance provincial, Canadian, and world championships work. In this post, we’ll discuss the Canadian Championship and the ScotDance Canada Championship Series. How do Provincials Work? Read part one of this series where we dive into the Closed Provincial Championships which happen ..read more

How to Prevent Highland Dance Injuries What Causes Common Injuries + How to Protect Yourself Competitive highland dancers are used to pushing their bodies to their limit – that’s where some of the best progress is made. Staying healthy as we expand our physical capabilities is essential to longterm success – continuing to dance through discomfort can lead to serious injury and time off from dance. What missteps cause common injuries for highland dancers? Common Highland Dance Injury Causes #1: Overuse Excessive practice in dance can lead to stress on muscles, bones, and tendons. While it ..read more

What is "Provincials" in Highland Dance? And how does it work? For Canadian highland dancers, highland dance provincials (also sometimes referred to as a “selection meet”, “provincial championships”, and others) is a highly-anticipated event.  Each year, competitive Premier dancers gather in each province to try and earn a spot on their provincial team.  We’ll be explaining what a championship actually is, what makes provincial championships so special, and what those who “make the team” actually earn. Keep an eye out! Keep an eye out! This is part one of a three-part series div ..read more

Behind the Scenes of Saorsa Studio - May 2024 Welcome to the monthly Saorsa Studio Snapshot!    These monthly posts will give you some insight into what’s on the go at our studio – from competition and performance results, to our student of the month, to the new initiatives we always have on the go Current dance families can find a more detailed version of this newsletter in their inbox. May Reminders for Saorsa Dancers Registration for Summer 2024 Classes is now open! Details below  We have an exciting session on injury prevention with the Wellness Zone coming u ..read more

Where to Buy Highland Dance Costumes and Supplies We’ve covered a lot of topics about the world of competitive highland dance on this blog, but there’s always one question still being asked at the studio, competition, and online. Where do you buy all of this stuff? You can’t exactly order a kilt on Amazon. I mean, maybe you can. But it’s probably not legit enough to compete in. We’re going to cover where you can get used, new, and custom highland dance costumes. Plus, where to find dance class essentials, ghillies, and everything else you could need as a highland dancer! Looking for contex ..read more

Behind the Scenes of Saorsa Studio - April 2024 Welcome to the monthly Saorsa Studio Snapshot!  These monthly posts will give you some insight into what’s on the go at our studio – from competition and performance results, to our student of the month, to the new initiatives we always have on the go Current dance families can find a more detailed version of this newsletter in their inbox. April Reminders for Saorsa Dancers There are NO CLASSES on Monday, April 1st (Easter). Save the date: Year-end recital dress rehearsal May 27th + A few other extra performances for our compet ..read more

Competition Etiquette for Dancers and Attendees Because of the highly social and often tense environment at dance competitions, your off-stage etiquette can be just as important as your performance on-stage! Highland dancing is different than other sports. It’s not a place where you can be yelling on the sidelines, for one. And there are other rules, like you can’t talk to the judge. At each and every event you attend, you’re representing your dance studio and your dance family! It’s critical when attending these events that you display kindness, professionalism, respect… the list goes on ..read more

Packing for a Highland Dance Competition We’ve all been there… You prepare for a dance competition for weeks. You practice your dances, book your hotel room, pack up the car, and get to the event venue to finally get started. And you realise that you forgot something.  Whether it’s your lipstick, your socks, your sports bra, or half of the stuff you need, it’s never fun.  Today we’re sharing our packing list with you. It’ll be organised by costume, so you can reference the lists for various competitions with different dances. Not everything on the list will apply to everyone (i ..read more