To the editor:
In an era when family values, morals, tradition and culture are questioned daily by popular media and outside exposure, it is shocking to see yet another important event for the youth of our community being cut. The annual Gaelic College Highland Dance Competition is one of the longest standing Highland Dance competitions in Canada. For this reason alone, it is a very important part of the history of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and Canada. It is also important to our Cape Breton dancers as an event for these locals to perform for their families and their community without, once again, having to leave the Island. This competition attracts dancers from all over Canada, many of which have relatives in Cape Breton, and plan their summer vacations around the competition.
This past Fall, the Gaelic College elected a new administration which included a new Executive Director and Director of Education. Under this administration, there will be a change in focus at the College, moving more towards the Gaelic language and only ‘non’ competitive studies. There will no longer be study in the Great Highland Bagpipe (only Cape Breton style piping), no Pipeband Drumming, etc. Eventually, they hope to fade out one of the College’s longest standing areas of study, Highland Dance.
The Gaelic College began in 1938 as a Gaelic institution, at a time when Gaelic was a central part of Cape Breton communities–spoken at home and in school. Years later, Highland Dance and Bagpiping were added to the curriculum due to their ties with the language, culture and music, and they have continued through its history. Step Dance and Fiddle were not added to the program until many years later–the early ’80s. I have no issue with a Gaelic focus, I think it’s wonderful. My Dad’s family is from Inverness and spoke Gaelic in their home, and my daughter is studying Gaelic Song at the Gaelic College. My issue is with the disregard for other longstanding areas of study. If, back in the day, Gaelic College administration felt Highland Dance had strong enough ties to be one of the first evolving areas of study, why does the new administration feel it cannot be part of this tradition? Yes, the fiddle and step dance have been a large part of this culture, especially renewed in the past 20+ years, however, they were not original disciplines of study at the Gaelic College back when the Gaelic was center stage, yet Highland Dance was.
In early days, they also ran an annual Gaelic Mod that hosted competitions in Gaelic Song and Story, Highland Dance, and Pipebands. Through the years, the Mod has sadly become extinct, following along with so many events that have been lost to our Island. The Highland Dance Competition, however, has continued to run successfully since its inception. Due to the dedication and loyalty I have felt towards this event, the College’s traditions, and the local dancers, I have continued to organize this for the past 20 years with the support of the previous administrations and community volunteers. I run this purely on a volunteer basis, with no association as is the norm with other competitions.
So why would the Gaelic College pull this event? Their answer, aside from their new non-competitive view, is they don’t feel Highland Dance is connected in any way to the Gaelic Culture!!! I asked where they are getting their history and beliefs, and it was simply stated they just knew these things from being around the Gaelic lifestyle. This is very interesting. Certainly the dancing has changed over time, but it should still have a place in the culture, so it doesn’t get completely lost. Quoting a friend who has his Masters in Ethnochoreology (Traditional Dance Studies): “Both strands of the dance tradition (Highland & Step) should co-habit as they support and inform each other. Highland Flings have been danced to puirt a beul (mouth music) in Scotland for the past 50-60 years”…as have they been danced at the Gaelic College through mouth music in my younger years, and currently with my own students.
Healthy competition for youth has been a reason why many of these Celtic traditions have lasted through a time where media promotes a much more elaborate sense of living for youth. Competition allows young people to set goals, strive for improvement and share their skills with others. Isn’t this what our Gaelic/Cape Breton culture is about: families actually spending time together at community events full of tradition, culture and values? Not to mention the money that goes back in to our community’s economy when 100-200 dancers and their families spend the weekend dancing in Cape Breton (staying at our hotels, buying our gas, eating at our restaurants, shopping at our stores). I think maybe the administration may want to consider attending such an event before deciding its fate.
This is a disappointing loss to Highland Dance, which is a unique art form in many areas around the world. It is a great loss to our history and culture on the Island and within the Province, where Highland Dance competitions and Highland Games have been decreasing annually due to monetary reasons. Why can’t the Gaelic College pursue its ideals with the Gaelic Language, while still allowing the school portion of the institution to teach other just as relevant sectors of the culture? How is it that suddenly a few people get to decide what is a relevant part of tradition at the Gaelic College? If Highland Dance was relevant enough to be a starting new discipline way back in early Gaelic College days, why is it suddenly “not part of the culture”?
If our own Island, an Island that survives on our Celtic culture through tourism, and the Gaelic College, an institution promising to promote the local culture within our community, does not support Highland Dance… then who exactly will?
The Gaelic College is run overall by a Board of Governors. This Board makes all final decisions regarding the Gaelic College. If you would like to support the continuation of Highland Dance and the Dance Competition at the Gaelic College, please send any letters of support along to the Board Chairperson: Maureen Carroll maureen@mcarrollconsulting.ca.
Kelly MacAuthur
kelly@macarthurdance.com
Kelly MacArthur is the Director of the MacArthur School of Dance. She has been teaching Highland & Step Dance at the Gaelic College for the past 23 years. Kelly is the organizer of the GC Highland Dance Competition.
John Grimaldi says
Is cianail mar a thacair 'sa Colaisde! Tha mi ag ionnsachadh a Ghàidhlig agus 's toil leam an dannsa cuideachd.
As a late learner of Gàidhlig, I find the decision of the College regrettable. The culture of Nova Scotia is unique and is to be cherished but it is also intimately entwined with Scottish culture, including dance, both Highland and Step, as well as piping. It is impossible to sing a strathspey correctly without experience of the various dance forms associated with it! Puirt-a-beul is dance music!
Leis gach deagh dhùrachd,
John Grimaldi
Glenn Graham says
Yes, but puirt-a-beul is mouth music that the immigrants sang for step-dancing. When sung in the right accent and feel, it is supposed to be the complement to–I emphasize–step-dancing. The two are intertwined. When Gaelic learners want to get those rhythms to puirt-a-beul as they were sung, it would be highly beneficial to listen to the fiddling and piping of the local step-dance music idiom (which are being taught in the 2012 curriculum), as those rhythms have been passed down aurally from generation to generation by the instrumental dance music art-form bearers. It may be fine, or at least entertaining to experiment with trying to add some other style of dance to puirt-a-beul, but it is meant to complement step-dancing.
Kelly says
In Scotland, the Puirt A Beul has always also been associated with the Highland Dance Strathspeys, Reels and Jigs. Just because we haven't been included here doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
As a young student at the Gaelic College, I danced to the Gaelic Choir and elder singing the Puirt A Beul at local halls and concerts weekly. We traveled to communities and did this.
I can back this up with about 100 other Highland Dancers.
My dancers still dance to this ~ even in my classroom. Although I don't have a Gaelic singer there with me, I have the music recorded from Angus and use it steadily in my classes.
Please don't excuse what you aren't aware of.
Glenn Graham says
Kelly, sorry, but you are wrong here. Puirt-a-beul was at the time of immigration, meant for step-dancing, period. Could have accompanied the old highland dances that were actually "stepped" before the "improvers" intervened. It is for step-dancing.
Kelly says
Glenn, I didn't say it wasn't meant for step dancing…I said it has been danced by Highland Dancers! The step dancers don't own it! It has been done.
Kelly says
It is still being danced by Highland Dancers in Scotland to this day.
Glenn Graham says
Yes, and they can dance to puirt-a-beul all they want. And I agree, the step-dancers don't own it. But that form of Gaelic song is rhythmically and accentually a complement to the "stepping" of the step-dancer. In the Gaelic performance context, it always was and is for "stepping" by step-dancers, but all fine and dandy if the highland dancers want(ed) to choreograph some of their moves to it. That's fine with me as long as people are not misinformed. They should, in my opinion, know that this wasn't really done in an informal Gaelic performance context/setting.
Kelly says
Yes John, this will lead to the eventual phasing out of another part of our history. Highland Dance is running out of performance avenues since we are not generally welcomed in the ceilidh/hall setting, and this community seems to think (by what I have read from informed Gaelic speakers and community members on here) that it is 'irrelevant' to the culture and therefore overlooked. Sadly, these same people know little and have never attended a Highland event.
The biggest and funniest thing of all, is that some have said that 'highland dance has had the limelight' and 'overshadowed' these other cultural areas for too long ~ when this could be no farther from the truth!!! The truth is, we have competitions because we can not generally get any other venue to perform or interact due to these community feelings. We have been segregated by this community for 20+ years. And NOT because we want to be ~ we want to join in! They don't seem to want us.
Glenn, that is my whole point. thank you. I think that trying to INCLUDE Highland Dance into the Gaelic community would be a much better focus.
Mary Higgins says
PART 5 – Regarding "The end of an Era at the Gaelic College by Kelly MacArthur.
There is quite simply no way to isolate "Gaelic", as the only valued component worth identifying with the "Gaelic College". I was born in Cape Breton, and I am committed to doing whatever is required to preserve this precious institution and way of life. If I may be of any assistance in attaining a resolution, please feel free to contact me at giomaria@sbcglobal.net. By the way …what is Piping, Drumming and Highland Dancing ……Cape Breton style?? I would be greatly interested in understanding the distinction.
Glenn Graham says
I hav already stated earlier, but to answer your last question on the piping: I agree that the label "Cape Breton" can be an abstract term. The Gaeltacht here stretched right from Cape Breton to North-Eastern NS, and into PEI. I feel that it would be less exclusive, for the pipers, to call the discipline with a new focus "Piping for step-dancers" or "Piping in the Local Community Context". I can't speak for the administration but from what I can gather, this is what the new title entails. After all, that was the style played across the Gaeltacht here with the immigrants, and the style embraced by the locals at the ceilidhs that I attend (again anecdotal evidence). I can state with absolute certainty that not every bagpiper with superb technical skills in the competition circuit plays with the right feel and tempo for step-dancing. Hence, there will only be certain pipers chosen to teach in that discipline.
Chris MacNeil says
You know Glenn, there's much to be said for not arguing from your own narrow perspective. You do not speak for all concerned, and if the comments to Kelly's letter are any indication, there are many, many people very concerned with what is happening — many people with a very long history of connection to the GC, who are just as CB as you probably are, and just as concerned about their traditions. But I hear none of them saying to you "no, we don't want want you want". All I hear them saying is, good, let's add to the GC. All I hear you saying is we need to limit the GC to what I think is the right way.
I am never surprised when someone chooses to devalue and dismiss accomplishments on the basis that those accomplishments are "not authentic". Its insulting, and demeaning. The overwhelming response to these attempted changes will be, I believe, "no, it is not okay — add to, but do not diminish the GC traditions".
Mary Higgins says
PART 4 – Regarding "The end of an Era at the Gaelic College by Kelly MacArthur.
I am deeply troubled to think that we may be portrayed in any way as competing with "Scotland". "Nova Scotia" is as we all know "New Scotland"; it is from where we evolved. While I personally competed at the World Pipe Band Championships, both with a Canadian Band and a Scottish Band, the focus was the same, to attain excellence. I ask, are you aware that the first time the "World Pipe Band Championship Title" was won by a band outside of Scotland; it was bestowed upon a "Canadian Pipe Band", with individuals who had studied at the "Gaelic College" in Cape Breton. I think I may speak on behalf of the vast number of students, Canadians and other nationalities that credit their formative years in Celtic studies to the "Gaelic College" and to the true dedication and commitment made by so many who traveled from all corners of the world to teach us.
Mary Higgins says
PART 3 – Regarding "The end of an Era at the Gaelic College by Kelly MacArthur
As for "Highland Dancing", no longer being significant or an integral part of the "Gaelic College" is ludicrous. Each and every art is intertwined in a way that should never, ever be attempted to separate, as each enhances and in some way completes the others. Highland Dancing cannot be separated from any of the key arts which have been taught for the majority of my life time at the "Gaelic College". The great Highland bagpipe as well as drumming and Gaelic should remain the foundation in their entirety. Simply ask any individual who has studied at the "Gaelic College"!! Most of my colleagues studied there every summer for on average 7 to 10 years. This was what enabled us to compete at a world class level, and be tremendously successful, at the same time always passing on everything we learned to those wanting to develop in their areas of expertise. I feel it critical to say that we all were enrolled in Gaelic studies, it was mandatory; regardless of any other areas of study we wished to follow.
nona macdonald-dyke says
Highland Dance is still being taught at the Summer School! I can't understand how folks get things so mixed up because Kelly MacArthur is on the staff to teach. She's a remarkable instructor.
Mary Higgins says
PART 2 – Regarding "The end of an Era at the Gaelic College by Kelly MacArthur
Barry Ewen brought piping as we know it today when he moved from Scotland and devoted his life to empowering so many to perform, compete, and hold their head high, having studied at the "Gaelic College ". James L. MacKenzie, a world champion in highland dance travelled for as many years as he was able with one intention, to educate and empower the level of Highland Dancing we are now renowned for all over the world. Wilson Young, a world champion drummer, as well as Jim Kilpatrick, who has won the "Worlds in both solo drumming and with his Drum Corps.