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.
Angela McKinnon says
I am deeply saddened by the news of the cancelation of the Gaelic College dance competition. It is a true loss not only to the Highland dance community but also to the Gaelic community as well. Please understand that this event does not take away from other Gaelic and Highland groups, it does just the opposite. The Gaelic college Highland dance competition has been a venue for many local dancers as well as dancers from all over Canada, the United States and afar. This event not only attracts dancers and their families and friends but it also provides an opportunity to those who wouldn’t normally have the chance to see Highland dancing. Highland dancers have attended the Gaelic College for summer sessions, and the March break session for as long as I can remember. When attending the college for lessons I was provided the opportunity to not only begin Gaelic lessons with Hector and Angus but I also developed an interest for step dance and bodhran. If I did not attend the college as a Highland dancer I never would have been provided the experiences of the other disciplines. I feel that all of the disciplines complement one another in their own way. For some dancers and pipers, the Gaelic College is the only venue where they can go to collaborate together to make music and dancing come alive. Dancing is meant to be performed and shared, as is Gaelic, fiddle, piano, drumming, etc. Many youth and adults take lessons throughout the year from various teachers through North America and they are not exposed to the other instruments, styles of dance and other Celtic arts that the college has to offer. I feel it is very important to continue to offer all of the disciplines that have been offered in the past. We, the former college students, have developed not only knowledge for others and what they do but a respect for the ‘true’ culture of Cape Breton. I currently run a Highland and Step dance school out of Bridgewater, NS and I remind my students constantly about how to their dancing is connected to Gaelic, mouth music, piping, drumming, fiddle, etc. My students are not as fortunate as the students who attend the Gaelic College every summer; they do not have the chance to hear beautiful Gaelic songs or to dance to a live piper. It is for these reasons that I have and will continue, along with my students, to attend the Gaelic College competition and sessions. I want my students to have the same wonderful experiences that I have had. I am hurt that this has become a topic of debate and an issue within our small Highland and Gaelic community. I was born and raised in Cape Breton and I am very proud of my roots, I consider the Gaelic College my second home as I worked there for 6 years and I held my wedding ceremony in the hall of the clans, surrounded by my closest friends, of whom are Gaelic speakers, step dancers, drummers, fiddlers, piano players and wonderfully talented people. I hope that you consider my response to this issue and that you can understand how important it is to keep our culture alive as a whole and to allow diversity through the disciplines. Cape Breton Island is known not only for it’s Gaelic and fiddles, but it’s dancers as well. Please support Highland dancing and all things Gaelic.
Angela (MacDonald) McKinnon
Former student and employee of the Gaelic College
Chris MacNeil says
Very well said Angela.
I can see no reasons that make sense for the radical changes the new "CEO" wants to bring to the GC. The people picking fights by saying the GC celtic arts are not sufficiently of the CB heritage are just wrong. The only thing picking a fight serves is to open the door to a "rationale" for the changes. It is truly wrong-headed in my opinion. People need to rise up and say "no, this is not okay".
Jeanie Campbell says
Kelly,.. glad you had the chance to speak to Ms. Carroll, there may have to be some damage control put in place, I have had a few e-mails from friends who are considering enrolling thier young's one at the college of piping in PE.I. in the spring, this affair has ''gone viral'' as the young ones say. The friends I speak of are folks I met at the college when I volunteered at the Ceildhs which took place every Wed, evening at the college during the summer sessions, I wove Tartan blankets and donated them to the college a group of us sold tickets, it was a good fund raiser, and we raised over $2000.00 to help finance the pipe band to enable them to go to Scotland to compete. as well as other events.,there was a lot of good people doing good deeds for the college. We did not look for applause or drum rolls we just did it in good spirit, I hope that has not been lost..
Kelly says
I have finally had a chance to speak with Maureen Carroll, Chair of the Gaelic College Board of Governors. Maureen states "We are not making any cuts to the programs at the Gaelic College". "We are not looking towards a non-competitive format at the Gaelic College". "We have not had discussions with regards to cutting the Highland Dance Competition". "We have not spoken as of yet with the Director of Education and Programming to understand where these views were coming from".
Well, well.
Dance mom says
Highland dance was what first attracted my daughter to the Gaelic College. Gaelic song was one of the disciplines she had chosen to take. She absolutely loved it! If it wasn't for Highland she would never have been exposed to Gaelic song. I am positive that had Highland Dance not been an option, she would never have attended or discovered this part of the Scottish culture she now loves. Thank you so much Kelly for your passion. It feels like a slap in the face for me…can't imagine how you must feel!!
Jill F says
It sounds a bit like 'the vanishing highland dancer'. And will there be a CBC documentary in 20-30 years telling of how we need to revive what has been lost in the culture? Just sayin…