Page "Scottish highland dance" Paragraph 28

The Highlander developed “ as a necessary preparation for the management of the broad-sword … used in certain dances to exhibit their dexterity ” ( Logan, James.

The Scottish Gael p. 440 ) this included dancing over two naked swords which are laid across each other on the floor, some while a dancer moves nimbly around them.

Dextrously placing the feet by a peculiar step in the intervals between crossed blades, as in the Ghillie Chalum, has long been linked with dances before a decisive battle or as a victory dance.

Legend has it that on the eve of battle the highland chief would call out the clan ’ s best dancers, who would dance the sword dance.

If the dancers successfully avoided touching either blade, then it was considered an omen that the next day's battle would be in the clan ’ s favour.

A more practical explanation behind the meaning of this dance can be found in the training halls of older styles of fencing, where students of the sword developed their footwork by following geometric patterns of crosses, squares and triangles marked out on the floor.