SDCCS Moncton 2026: Your Complete Guide
What is the ScotDance Canada Championship Series (SDCCS)?
The ScotDance Canada Championship Series (SDCCS) is an annual multi-day Highland dance event which moves to a different Canadian city each year. SDCCS offers many exciting competition and social opportunities for highland dancers starting at age 4 all the way to the most elite competitors in the world.
The highlight of SDCCS for many dancers is the Canadian Championships (hence why SDCCS is sometimes referred to as “Canadians” or “Nationals”!), but the Series also offers competitions for dancers who aren’t competing in the Canadian Championships!
This post includes all you need to know about the events offered at SDCCS, how registration works, tips for getting there and accommodations, how to best experience the Series, and what to expect if it’s your first time attending.
Registration is opening for competitors on in March 2026, so we are giving you the full run-down from our experienced teaching staff & parents who have attended SDCCS for MANY years!
Get official event information and updates from the SDCCS Website, Facebook Page, and Instagram Page.
A Special Year for SDCCS
Each year, hundreds of dancers gather in a chosen Canadian city for a week of tough competition, spending time with their dance community, and getting to enjoy the best dancing the country has to offer.
SDCCS hosts the prestigious Canadian Highland Dancing Championships. In 2026, the 50th Canadian Championship will be held. And if this milestone wasn’t already exciting enough; the Series is heading back to our home province!
Attending SDCCS is an occasion that dancers dream about year-round – there’s no other event quite like it!
In addition to the Canadian Championship, it’s important to note that the Series is open to ALL LEVELS! From ages 4 to adult, Primary to Premier, any Highland dancer from around the world will be able to find an event to participate in at SDCCS.
Of course, the various competition events are exciting, but there are several events unique to SDCCS that are not to be missed! One of our favourite events is the banquet, where even after long days of hard work, dancers slip off their heels after dinner and get ready to party. Plus, the choreography event showcases some of the most creative minds and talented performers around!
SDCCS Moncton 2026
This year, SDCCS will be in Moncton, New Brunswick, at the Avenir Centre.
The Series will be July 5th-10th, with events happening each day, as well as evenings. After giving the event schedule, we’ll unpack what each of the events mean for dancers.
SDCCS 2026 Moncton Schedule of Events
What are the Different Events and Competitions at SDCCS 2026?
Let’s unpack the schedule – what do each of the events mean? Should you register your dancer for it?
Sunday, July 5th
Dancer and Professional Registration (starting Sunday morning and continuing throughout the week)
Dancers and dance professionals have the opportunity to begin registering on Sunday morning. We recommend leaving a good amount of time for your registration – even with the amazing number of volunteers who make SDCCS happen, you should expect a bit of a line up.
However, if you won’t be there on Sunday morning, don’t fret! You can register any day of the week.
Premier International Broadswords (Sunday Morning/Afternoon)
Who it’s for: Premier
The Broadsword challenge is an exciting one that celebrates the friendships that can be formed through the Series.
Dancers prepare the same steps and enter the event as individuals. At the Series, they’re put into groups of 4 to compete together.
Opening Ceremonies Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Canadian Championship (Sunday Evening)
Who it’s for: All dancers, parents, and spectators.
Opening ceremonies are the official start of the event, typically featuring a performance from local dancers, a parade of provincial representatives, speeches from SDC officials, and a performance from a non-Highland dancer (past examples include a comedian, a hoop dancer, and many others!)
We always recommend attending the opening ceremonies, but this year is sure to be particularly special! This year marks 50 years of the prestigious Canadian Championship.
Monday, July 6th
Highlands Day, Pre-Premier Special Event, Premier Special Event (Monday morning and afternoon)
Who it’s for: Primary, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Premier
The first day of competition offers the opportunity to dance for all ages and categories, from Primary to Premier. With Premier (restricted and non-restricted) events in the morning, and Pre-Premier and special events from Beginner, Novice, Intermediate and Premier in the afternoon, there’s something for everyone!
If you have a dancer age 4, all the way through to adult dancers – you can and should compete on this day! You’ll be blown away by the 9 stages filled with dancers from all over the world.
Monday also includes Special Events for Pre-Premier and Premier dancers:
- Trophy Fling for Beginner and Novice Dancers
- Hornpipe for Intermediate dancers
- Jig in honour of Irene Baird for Premier dancers. There will be a preliminary and final round for this event.
Pin Exchange and CPD Session (Monday evening)
Each SDCCS includes a pin exchange, where all participants are welcome to bring pins that they make or which represent their province or dance school, and then exchange them with other dancers.
The CPD session will be a professional development session open to the many dance teachers and judges who will be attending SDCCS.
Tuesday, July 7th
Closed Canadian Championships (Tuesday Morning and Afternoon)
Who it’s for: Provincial Representatives (top 3 Premier dancers from each age from each province) ONLY.
Moncton will be hosting the 50th annual Canadian Championship event, where provincial representatives for each age group compete for the title of Canadian Champion. Under 16s will dance in the morning, and over 16s in the afternoon.
Dancers DO NOT REGISTER THEMSELVES for this event. They first have to make the provincial team (top 3 for their age) and then your province will register you.
This fierce competition offers the opportunity for dancers who aren’t competing, including ambitious Pre-Premiers, to take in the best dancing Canada has to offer. If your dancer isn’t competing, we recommend stopping by to see some phenomenal dancing that is sure to inspire your dancer. This day also offers the opportunity to explore Moncton!
Looking for more information about how this event works? We have a blog series for that!
Canadian Championship 50th Anniversary Celebration Reception and Dance Party (Tuesday Evening)
Who it’s for: all dancers, parents, spectators, vendors, and more!
The banquet (held this year at the Delta Marriott Hotel) is sure to be one of the highlights of the week! Anyone can buy a ticket to the banquet and enjoy dinner, presentation of the provincial representatives, a dance party, and more.
Provincial team representatives in New Brunswick do not buy their own ticket. When you make the team, our province takes care of this for you! Other provinces – you’ll need to check with your teacher to see how your province manages this.
For all others, you should plan to purchase a ticket if you want to join in on the celebration.
Wednesday, July 8th
Pre-Premier Competition and Premier Nationals (Wednesday Morning and Afternoon)
Who it’s for: Primary, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Premier
Once again, all dancers have the opportunity to compete, with Primary having a second shot at their competition dances, Beginner/Novice/Intermediate dancing reel and Nationals, and Premiers (restricted and non-restricted) competing Nationals in the afternoon.
If you have a dancer age 4, all the way through to adult dancers – you can and should compete on this day!
SDC Young Professionals Session (Wednesday Evening)
Who it’s for: Dance professionals
This professional development is specifically for young teachers (no age limit, but typically ages 16-35). It’s a great opportunity to learn from experienced peers as well as network with other professionals from around Canada!
Thursday, July 9th
Pre-Championship and Canadian Open Championship – in Honour of Our Founding Members (Thursday Morning and Afternoon)
Who it’s for: Premier
This day brings the opportunity for Premier dancers to compete one more (or two more times). The Open Championship is open to all Premier dancers – not just Canadian provincial representatives. This means an opportunity to compete against dancers from all over the world!
Plus, the Pre-Championship (open only to dancers who have never won a championship) takes place in the morning. Dancers under 12 years must make the choice between competing in the Pre-Champ and Open-Championship, but dancers over 12 years can technically compete in two events in one day!
If you’re debating doing both the Pre-Champ and the Open Championship, just keep in mind that this will be taking place at the end of four long days of dancers pushing their bodies to the max. Speaking from personal experience, doing both is certainly possible. “Enjoyable” and “painful” are bridges you may have to cross later down the line.
If you’re have a Premier dancer who has never won a Championship, we recommend doing the Pre-Championship only, but you do have the option to register for the Open as well. For those with Premier dancers who HAVE won a Championship or Pre-Championship, you cannot register for the Pre-Champ, so we recommend doing the Open!
Friday, July 10th
Premier Solos (Friday Morning)
Who it’s for: Premier
Premier dancers (restricted and non-restricted) may enter this event and perform their own solo choreography.
Open Duets (Friday Morning)
Who it’s for: Pre-Premier, Premier
This exciting event allows dancers of all categories (Premier & Pre-Premier) to pair up and choreograph duets to a set tune. Find the tune and all details on the SDCCS official website.
Small Group and Large Group Choreography (Friday Morning and Afternoon)
Who it’s for: Choreography Groups (Pre-Premier and/or Premier)
Compared to the other events of the week, the group choreography events are very unique. Groups spend months creating dances that are exciting, emotional, and thrilling to watch. The hard work poured into these dances is truly impressive!
We highly recommend staying to watch this event, even if you don’t have a dancer competing! You’ll get to see a Highland dancing event that is very different than a traditional Highland dance competition.
WATCH BELOW: Saorsa Studio’s Small Group Choreography Groups, which all earned top 6 awards in their respective age groups at Ottawa SDCCS, 2025.
Registration for SDCCS 2026
Registration for SDCCS opens in batches, as grouped below:
- Registration for Individual Events – March 16th at 1pm EDT.
- Registration for choreography events – March 31st at 1pm EDT.
All registration is handled online – More information on the SDCCS website.
Note that dancers do not register themselves for the Closed Canadian Championship or group choreography events. Those will be handled by a dance professional.
The demand for registration has been seen to place strain on website servers when registration first opens, so be sure to approach the situation with patience.
Volunteering at SDCCS
We HIGHLY recommend that any dance families attending SDCCS fill at least one volunteer role. Why?
- The roles are varied – even if you’ve never volunteered at a dance event before, there’s something you can do to help
- It’s a great opportunity make connections with other dance families from around Canada (making friends isn’t just for the dancers!!)
- The event can’t happen without volunteers – literally! SDCCS runs on volunteer power
- BONUS: Volunteers receive free admission for full or 1/2 day shifts on the day volunteered for
Tickets for Spectators at SDCCS
If you’re looking to watch the competition, you’ll need a ticket for entry. Your options are:
- Full event pass
- Daily pass
In addition to the competition, the following extras are available to enhance your experience!
- Opening Ceremonies/50th Celebration of the Canadian Championship Gala (combined Opening Ceremonies (parade of provincial reps) & Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Canadian Championship Presentation
- Reception + Dance Party Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Canadian Championship
- Pre-Sales Commemorative Souvenir Programme (Very limited programmes will be available at the site)
- Pre-Sales Commemorative Souvenir Pin – deadline to order March 29th
Accommodations and Host Hotels for SDCCS 2026
Organizers have secured hotel blocks for attendees to book in at a special rate throughout Moncton. Check out details and booking information here. Many hotels are now sold out, so if you’re in need of accommodations, don’t wait to book!
Attending SDCCS as a Parent or Spectator
Ticket Information
Entrance tickets and passes are essential for anyone looking to attend the event. We recommend that you buy your passes or entry tickets ahead of time. They will be available at the door, but having the tickets ahead of time will take stress off of your shoulders. It is possible that the venue may hit capacity through the busier days (typically Highlands day and Nationals day), so you may not want to take the chance.
Tickets and passes are typically sold separately from dancers registration, and typically come in one-day, multi-day, or complete event formats.
Additional ticket purchase may be necessary for some attendees to the celebration banquet and gala and opening ceremonies.
Stay tuned to the SDCCS website and social media for upcoming information on entries!
What to expect at SDCCS
If you’re wondering what you can expect out of the week, check out our blog about our experience in 2024 at SDCCS in Kamloops, BC!
Staying Updated
Be sure to follow SDCCS on social media and check out their website for additional information as it becomes available.
See you there!
