Introduction to the World Champion Highland Dancer Gareth Mitchelson dances ‘The Sword Dance’ accompanied by Piper David Low at Kildrummy Castle Gardens. The track is from the Ross Records video On The Banks of The Don filmed in 1999. There have been over 267,000 views so far. Gareth also dances the Seann Truibhas accompanied by Piper David Low in Kildrummy Castle Gardens.  

The track is also from the Ross Records video On The Banks of The Don presented by Robert Lovie. Search on YouTube ‘Ross Records Highland Dancing Playlist’ to see more dance tracks. Also: Enter ‘Ross Records Bagpipe Music Playlist’ in YouTube Search for more Pipers and Pipe Tunes.  

The Sword dance is one of the best known of all Highland dances, an ancient dance of war. Performance of sword dances in the folklore of Scotland is recorded from as early as the 15th century. History of the Scottish sword dance Gillidh Callum was a figure in Scottish apocryphal folk belief, said to be Noah’s bagpiper. According to these beliefs, Noah, upon first drinking fermented wine, crossed two vines and danced above them while Gillidh Callum played the bagpipes, thus inventing the ancestor of the Highland sword dance (gillie callum).  

As a part of the traditional Scottish intangible heritage, the performance of the Sword Dance has been recorded as early as the 15th century. It is normally recognised as the war dance with some ceremonial sense in the Scottish Royal court during that period. The old kings and clan chiefs organised the Highland Games as a method to choose their best men at arms, and the discipline required to perform the Highland dances allowed men to demonstrate their strength, stamina, and agility. The earliest reference also mentioned that the dance is often accompanied with the music of bagpipes.  

The basic rule requires the dancer to cross two swords on the ground in an “X” or “+” shape and to dance around and within the 4 quarters of it. The earliest reference to these dances in Scotland is mentioned in the Scotichronicon, compiled in Scotland by Walter Bower in the 1440s. The passage regards Alexander III and his second marriage to the French lady Yolande de Dreuxat Jedburgh in Roxburghshire on 14 October 1285. At the head of this procession were the skilled musicians with many sorts of pipe music including the wailing music of bagpipes, and behind them others splendidly performing a war-dance with intricate weaving in and out. Bringing up the rear was a figure regarding whom it was difficult to decide whether it was a man or an apparition. It seemed to glide like a ghostrather than walk on feet. When it looked as if he would disappear from everyone’s sight, the whole frenzied procession halted, the song died away, the music faded, and the dancing contingent froze suddenly and unexpectedly. ndle Making in Early Scottish Days