Dance Entertainers

Scottish Country Dance

Thu, 31 Dec 1903 18:00:00 -0600

Wichita Scottish Country Dancers, under the direction of Andy Aitken, demonstrating traditional dances, including jigs, strathspeys and reels

Sunday under the Highland Tent

11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m.

Scottish Country Dance is a social dance form, done for pleasure and enjoyment. Note how every dance begins with a bow or a curtsey and every dancer dances with every other dancer in the set. Enjoy the varying dance tempos...from fast jigs and reels to slower-paced strathspeys. Admire the men and women in Highland wear; the women in their long white dresses with tartan scarves pinned on the shoulder, men in kilts and white shirts.

To join in the dancing, attend the Scottish Country Dance Gala - 7:30 pm Saturday at Lakeside Park Cabin (behind band shell at Lakeside Park) (separate admission required)

Scottish dancing includes Scottish Highland dance and Scottish Country Dance.

Highland dance is a solo competitive event on Saturday.

Scottish Country Dance is demonstrated on Sunday.

Irish Dance

Thu, 31 Dec 1903 18:00:00 -0600

Corry Academy of Irish Dancing, under the direction of Noreen Northrop

Sunday under the Highland Tent

12 noon, 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m.

Marvel at the distinctive features of Irish dancing...the rigid upper body and straight arms and the quick intricate movements of the feet.

Delight in the complex Celtic designs on the young dancers' dresses. Thrill to the lilting traditional Irish music. Are those dancers wearing poodle socks?

Clogging

Thu, 31 Dec 1903 18:00:00 -0600

Sunflower Stompers, under the direction of Maxine Wallis

Sunday under the Highland Tent

11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m.

High-energy clog dancing is great fun to watch!

In clogging, the rhythm of the dance is kept by the heel. Whenever the heel is sounded, the knee is flexed and then straightened on the following upbeat, resulting in the characteristic up and down motion of the dancer's body.

Clogging is a truly American dance form that began in the Appalachian Mountains.

As the Appalachians were settled in the mid 1700's by the Irish, Scottish, English and Dutch-Germans, the folk dances of each area met and began to combine in an impromptu foot-tapping style, the beginning of clog dancing as we know it today.

The Sunflower Stompers have been performing in the McPherson area since 1998.