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.
Heather Gillis says
As a Piper from Antigonish, who attended the Gaelic College in the past I am offended by the Gaelic College's new vision on two points. I believe that Antigonish and Pictou Counties are just as Scottish/Gaelic as Cape Breton. My grandparents spoke Gaelic. My entire "pedigree" is entirely of Scottish ancestry. Is the Gaelic history of our counties completely irrelevent? Does my area of Nova Scotia care less about its history and holding onto culture? Why isn't it referred to as the Gaelic culture of Nova Scotian Gaels. It seems rather exclusive.
I'm a piper, and I've taught many students from Cape Breton. Is their playing more "Cape Breton" style than mine? Yes, I do compete both as a soloist and with a grade 1 pipe band, but I also can play for dancers whether they dance step or highland. I am baffled, insulted, hurt, and enraged.
Kelly says
Thank you Heather. There is a small pocket of the Cape Breton culture that is supporting these views. VERY small. Please do not think that all of the traditional elements and people of Cape Breton feel this way! I have traveled the world with my dancing…both HIGHLAND & STEP. 'Some' of these people have barely been outside of Cape Breton, and they form a narrow minded judgmental point of view. I share your outrage and thank you for your words.
Cape Breton has gotten a good deal of negative attention in the past number of years because of its 'inclusive' view with its claim to its 'owning' traditions. This, along with a narrow minded point of view by 'some', will add to the diminishing support of the culture they are trying to expose.
I have had MANY emails and inboxes already stating as you have ~ about this 'inclusive' view that many people in Cape Breton have towards the culture they believe they own in certain pockets of the Island. I live on the Island, but to many in 'certain' areas ~ because I live on 'the other side of the Island' (as was actually stated to me at a Celtic Colours event I danced a few years back), I am not respected as a Step Dancer! Shocking to me since I did all my Step Dancing with people from 'the other side' of the Island and never took a step in Sydney! It's a lose lose battle really.
Please take the time to email me your thoughts to present to the Board :)
Glenn Graham says
In my opinion it is not a small pocket of Cape Breton Culture just supporting "these views". It is my conjecture that for a very long time a large portion of the area's population have felt that they did not have anything in common with the Gaelic College institution. This includes a lot of well-known musicians and step-dancers, mainly because of the College's programming, and also due to its lack of attention to considering hiring more of the variety of many various world-class step-dancer-musician-teachers who were never given a chance to teach there. Mind you, the 'regulars' are all great teachers/dancers/musicians. However, there is no empirical evidence supporting your notion that this is a "small minority" supporting theses changes Kelly. Your "majority" could very well just be those who had attended or taught at the College, or feel some connection to the predominant cultural art-forms taught there, which much of the local population feels no connection to. It could very well be that a silent majority a) doesn't even know that this debate is happening and b) feel that they can do much about the situation as seemed so in previous years, and are simply waiting for this to all blow over, so the College can continue with its mandate, and they can then feel more connected to the institution. There are no stats to prove either your statements or mine. This is pure conjecture on your behalf and mine.
Heather, I agree that the label "Cape Breton" can be an exclusive 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.
Kelly says
Very valid points Glenn. Also, this is surely my opinion! I am speaking for the heart.
What it all comes down to is the kids. They want to come and learn. They love Highland ~ as well as all the other disciplines. It is not fair to take this away after thousands and thousands of their dollars were spent to learn these studies at the GC.
Regardless of the terminology, semantics, 'names' put on all this cultural debate…we love what we do and deserve some respect as well. I don't think any of us who do this (in what I see anyway) want anything to do with the politics or have had anything to do with how this community you describe feels or believes. We have just been doing our thing and loving it, and certainly not meaning any harm to anyone!!!!!
ashley macisaac says
what about hiring a highland dance teacher who can play fiddle and piano while they highland dance and play a set of spoons with there elbows???????and maybe harmonica too- i here alir petires mother might be available.just off off joke- but seriously-why is there anything wrong with competition dance even if fiddlers dont compete(and may i add that not only did natalie highland dance but she as myself and others did compete in sackville nova scotia in fiddle contests,so assuming copetition wasn't at all involved with our upbringing is really sort of funny,andI pretty much think NAtalie and myself have proven our upbringings to be pretty "gealic"-sorry for my typing before as i am on a new rim playbook and the screen is small for my fingers
ashley macisaac says
oh i just noticed they are teaching ancing -that is great – as for competitions at the college- -i guess thehighland games willmake up for that loss- so if teaching is stillthere good to hear- as for thecompetion,if it is amoney loser- ok- as long as teaching is still there.hope everyone goes to the gaelic college next year who has had an opion onthis story-and spends somemoney to keep it going strong- more so- congrats ongetting a provincial story on this subject- that is what the college needs morethan anything- press and attention.
Kelly says
Thanks Ashley, it's great to have support from the fiddle community ~ and those who grew up in this area of the culture being described. I danced with Natalie for many years, and she still includes Highland Dance in her performance at every show. She mixes it with the Step Dance ~ as do many of us who have a mixed background. She supports all areas of the culture ~ as it seems you do as well ~ and the two of you have proven over and over that being open minded will take you much farther than judging and deciding without experiencing! What you two have done to expose the culture cannot be denied. I know I'm thankful.
I believe as well Glenn, that without the Gaelic College programs thus far, the Gaelic Language would have little other outlets of exposure, and that the GC has brought more Gaelic into the limelight already with all the kids coming there for other disciplines, and finding out they enjoy the Gaelic as well. So how can the Gaelic community sees no ties? They should come and experience it.
(Ashley, the highland dance competition feeds itself, and there is fundraising that can be done ~ so that's a non-issue).
Glenn, my majority does not only extend to those involved with the GC. You see above that Ashley feels that it's a fine thing to do it all, and I have some Gaelic speaking/teaching friends who feel this way as well. You cannot deny the thousands of messages, emails, letters and responses I have had ~ many from people I have never met.
Bottom line is that we can all co exist without ruining anything for the other. Most importantly, it's about the kids who want to come and learn, and spend their money in our Province and on our Island.
Kelly says
I also hope everyone can discuss and still attend…if the courses they choose are offered.
yes Ashley, Highland Dance is still there for this summer, but I was told directly by the Director of Education that it will be phased out of their program because it doesn't fit their ideals. So sad.
Ed Pearlman says
There are a lot of myths about Scottish culture and Cape Breton culture and the Gaelic College should be careful about addressing them. Everyone seems to buy into something different, so making sudden changes based on a current theory of culture should be very carefully examined before applying a permanent solution to a temporary problem or a passing fad.
There is a close connection between many of the moves in Cape Breton stepdancing and Highland dancing. My wife, Laura Scott, has choreographed dances to demonstrate this. Why not explore this kind of thing further? Pipers in Cape Breton have explored the old style of piping, and personal styles, free from the army style of piping. Why not explore in Cape Breton, at the Gaelic College, the old styles and personal styles of Highland dancing? There used to be 20 Fling steps, now there are only a few because of standardization. Why not explore this? But you'd have to have a Highland dancing program to do this, to know what has changed, otherwise you'd be operating in ignorance.
Competitions have preserved many arts, and have turned some arts into sports, like many dancing competitions — and yet competition in the arts has been a strong cultural tradition. It happens in Cape Breton in stepdancing. It was a strong part of Scottish fiddling in the Highlands before the Clearances. Dance competitions were the way dancing masters made a living–by having students win, and then gaining more students. Many people bitterly dismiss them — but why not explore their history and relevance to the culture?
There is much to do, and it's possible, if budgets demand it, to cut down on things. But to cut things out is to destroy, and to spread ignorance rather than knowledge. These cuts sound like unimaginative and political moves based on a faddish view of Cape Breton culture. I hope this lively discussion makes some people in charge rethink their decisions long enough to take a clear-eyed look at what the Gaelic College is there for, and to open up Gaelic arts education rather than suppress it. A huge number of Cape Breton's Gaelic speakers were lost in the past few decades, and something should be done about it, but don't destroy other parts of the culture to do so.
–Ed Pearlman
Ann E. Gray says
Very well expressed, Ed. Thanks.
Brenda Parker says
This is extremely disappointing. I just sent a note to the address that you gave above Kelly. It is one of the highlights of the summer. The scenery is breathtaking and I love watching the dancers in their kilts dancing on the hill with the highlands in the background. It's the closest you can be to Scotland in Nova Scotia. This is part of what I consider Gaelic culture.
Kelly says
Thank you for writing such a beautiful note Brenda. It's nice to see the dancing taken for what it is…beautiful and STILL part of Cape Breton ~ no matter what the base.
Jen Mombourquette says
Good job Kelly – supported 100%. I also have many memories of the Gaelic Mod competitions and always wished to attend the programs but was too busy to go… as I was dancing for local concerts, tourists, family, houseparties, reunions, fundraisers, nursing homes, etc. alongside other "traditional" gaelic singers, fiddlers, pipers and stepdancers. Highland dancing is frequently overshadowed by other aspects of Cape Breton gaelic culture, but I have to say we are a proud bunch with a strong history of its own in Cape Breton and NS. Surely, the Board of Governors will realize they are operating from an uninformed perspective. Highland dancing should remain in the program in it's rightful place within CB tradition and yes, I do hope they can also expand on the gaelic language preservation/instruction. Maybe we need to get Natalie (MacMaster) involved – who can deny highland dancing didn't influence her roots? (Sorry to drag your name in here Nat) We all integrate traditions of this amazing island we live in – that makes us so unique and as such we ought to respect the individual arts/crafts that represent what Cape Breton is today. The College would be making a huge mistake if they aim to pigeon-hole themselves by cutting programs such as these. I am very proud to say that the highland dancing and piping community that I know is open-minded, respectful, and inclusive of various art forms… recognizing the connections and influences we have on each other. Letting go of such a long-running tradition would certainly taint my view of the College. I was looking forward to attending the College myself in the near future since I have developed an appreciation and small skillset of other arts along the way. Will work on my letter to send on…because down the road, I would love for my 4 children to attend the Gaelic College to further their interests and skills in song, fiddle, piping, language etc. that all started with introduction to highland dance way back when….Signed, another Cape Breton highland dance teacher
Ron Moss says
I have never visited Cape Breton and walked the halls of the college that teaches so much about the Celtic, I find it sad that a few can decide for the many. Here in the United States the same is true as politicians decide for the rest of us. I would say that because of Kelly who has brought this to our attention that the people should organize and present a united front to the board about how displeased you are. Glen Stout said the culture is a living thing, it moves and changes but keeps the true concepts of what it was created from. It sounds like the comments that I have read, that the majority of people who live in Cape Breton know what their culture and heritage, for they and their desendents have lived it. They are proud of who they are and want to share it with the world. Keep your feet firmly planted in who you are as a people, but don't be narrow minded in your approach. Live, breath life into your school and embrace all of your heritage with open arms.