What are the Championship and Premership Steps in Highland Dance?
Highland dancing is a very niche style of dance, and with that, comes a very niche set of rules and way of doing things. Different from most other styles of dance!
When dancers get to the Premier level (wait, what are the levels? Read here!), they can start competing in Championships & Premierships.
But what does that mean? You might ask.
Championships and Premierships are defined as competitive events that have set steps that dancers must perform (ie. they don’t get to pick and choose). Winners of these events also walk away with an official title – like Provincial Champion, Canadian Champion, Halifax Open Champion, etc etc.
Read our complete post about the different types of highland dance competitions >
Let’s dive deeper into how these set steps work, and how they play a role in determining top dancers in major competitions!
The World of Highland Dance: A Set of Steps for Each Dance
In Highland dancing, there are specific steps that are associated with each of the dances. Highland dance has textbooks that describe all of these steps, and tell you the exact technique you’re aiming for.
These steps are all traditional, and have been adapted over hundreds of years to become what they are today.
In a Championship, the dances that are competed are:
- Fling
- Sword
- Seann Truibhas
- Reel (either reel of tulloch, strathspey & highland reel, strathspey & reel of tulloch OR everyone’s nightmare: the strathspey & highland reel & half reel of tulloch)
For dancers under the age of 12, they dance “cut steps”, which means they do a 4 step Fling, while dancers ages 12+ dance a 6 step Fling, and so on and so forth for the other dances. Basically, these dancers are younger so they dance shorter dances.
Fun fact: it used to only be age 9 and under that got cut steps! But they upped the age in more recent years, which was a great move!
In a Premiership, there are way more dances to choose from. So not only are the steps being chosen, but the DANCES are also being selected. Out of this list of choices, 4 will be selected each year:
- Jig
- Hornpipe
- Barracks
- Laddie
- Lilt
- Flora
- Village Maid
- Blue Bonnets
- Scotch Measure
- Earl of Errol
These ones are a bit different than championships, in that the older dancers don’t have to dance more steps. The exception being the Jig & Hornpipe (ie. under 12 will dance a 4 step Jig/HP, whereas 12+ will dance a 5 step). All other dances are cut steps!
*every highland dancer cheers with joy*
Championship & Premiership Steps: A Yearly Selection Process
Each year, dancers can compete in a variety of highland dance events, ranging from local competitions to prestigious championships like the Canadian Championships, World Championships, and Provincial Championships, (click the titles to read our blogs on how these events work!) as well as smaller titles like local or regional championship events.
However, there’s a unique distinction between regular dance competitions and championship or premiership events.
So, what’s the difference?
In August of every year, the Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dance (RSOBHD) selects a set of official steps that must be danced in championship and premiership events for the following calendar year.
What does this mean for competitors? Well, if you’re competing in a championship or premiership event (such as the Canadian Championships or World Championships), you must perform these specific steps.
Not only do you need to know the prescribed steps for each dance, but you also need to include specific alternative methods where required.
Why Are Championship and Premiership Steps So Important to Highland Dancers?
The goal of these set steps is to create a level playing field for all dancers.
By selecting specific steps for championship and premiership competitions, judges can assess dancers on the same criteria, ensuring that everyone is evaluated based on the same dance, essentially.
This makes the competition about more than just personal style – it’s about mastering the specific technical aspects of the dance.
The selection of the set steps means that everyone in the competition, whether you’re from a small town or a big city, has the same opportunity to shine if they can demonstrate great technique of the required movements.
We personally look forward to getting the list of steps each year, and working for many months to perfect a new set of steps to complete for the year ahead!
What Happens If You Don’t Dance the Championship or Premiership Steps?
In Championship and Premiership competitions, adhering to the set steps is not optional.
If a dancer fails to perform the prescribed steps, it will result in disqualification.
However, this is different in regular dance competitions. In local or non-championship events, dancers have the freedom to select their own steps, and this allows for some flexibility and creativity.
While it’s important to still demonstrate a strong command of technique and form, dancers in these competitions aren’t bound by the set steps.
In conclusion, Championship and Premiership events in Highland dance give dancers clear goals to work towards throughout the year.
With specific steps chosen each year by the Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dance, dancers know exactly what they need to focus on in their training. This structure provides a sense of direction, helping dancers break down their practice into manageable steps and giving them something tangible to aim for.
Whether it’s perfecting a Fling or mastering a Jig, these set steps keep dancers motivated, pushing them to improve and stay committed.
It’s not just about earning titles; it’s about growing as a dancer, one new set of steps at a time!
Read Saorsa Studio's Guide to Highland Dance
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