VCS Dancers

Many Highland gatherings worldwide, and almost all in the United States, recognise the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing (SOBHD), formed in 1950, as the world governing body of Highland dancing. The SOBHD standardised dance steps for competition purposes, established rules for competitions and attire, and certifies competitions and instructors and the like. A World Highland Dance Championship has been held annually at the Cowal Highland Gathering since 1934. Today this World Championship is sanctioned by the SOBHD at three levels: Juvenile, Junior and Adult.

The SOBHD is generally recognised by the majority of competitive Highland dancers as the world governing body of Highland Dancing. It is responsible for the standardisation of Highland Dancing around the world. It is made up of representatives from many different Highland Dancing bodies and associations from around the world. The main function of the SOBHD is to bring about co-operation between recognised associations, organisations, individuals, and dancers connected with Highland Dancing.

The board sanctions Highland Dance championships although does not actually organise any of them. There are other non-SOBHD sanctioned championships run by non-SOBHD aligned organisations at which registered SOBHD dancers are forbidden to take part. Similarly dancers not registered with the SOBHD cannot dance at SOBHD sanctioned competitions. This has and continues to cause some confusion for dancers. Each year the SOBHD selects the championship steps to be performed by dancers at championships around the world. They also publish an official Highland Dance technique book for dancers and teachers.

The Board comprises delegates from the Examining Bodies (professional teaching associations), Affiliated Organisations in Australia (Australian Board of Highland Dancing Inc.), Canada (ScotDance Canada), South Africa (Official Board of Highland Dancing (South Africa)), New Zealand (ScotDance New Zealand), and the United States (Federation of United States Teachers and Adjudicators) which represent the many Highland Dance organisations in those countries. Representatives of organisations in the UK, a limited number of Competition Organisations, Independent Members, and Honorary Members also have voting rights with the SOBHD.

The SOBHD maintains a World Wide Judges Panel to which entry is by examination. Those examinations are held periodically in different cities and countries with at least an annual exam in Scotland. A World Wide Registration Scheme for dancers is also operated by the SOBHD. Competitive dancers register with the local SOBHD Registration Agents within their own country, i.e. ScotDance Canada. This applies to all except those in Scotland who register with the SOBHD through their Edinburgh headquarters. Dancers carry an SOBHD Registration Card which shows their current performance category or level and it entitles them to compete at all competitions within that category anywhere in the world.

The membership of Examining Bodies and Affiliated Members of the SOBHD comprise qualified teachers. The represented Competition Organisers and many Associate Members run competitions under SOBHD rules. Competition Organisers not in direct membership of the SOBHD, of whom there are hundreds throughout the world, may run their competitions under SOBHD rules, usually under the auspices of an SOBHD Affiliated Member, such as ScotDance Canada (Canada).

However, the SOBHD is not the only governing organisation which has garnered a significant degree of adherence. In New Zealand, Highland dancing is regulated by the New Zealand Academy of Highland and National Dancing, in Australia by the Victorian Scottish Union. Another organisation, the Scottish Official Highland Dance Association, operates quite separately from the SOBHD and has many adherents, predominantly in Scotland, but also in other localities including Australia and New Zealand.

The British Association of Teachers of Dancing (B.A.T.D.) the Scottish Dance Teachers' Alliance (S.D.T.A.) and the United Kingdom Alliance (U.K.A.) are professional bodies based in the United Kingdom who conduct Highland Dance exams around the world and certify professional Highland Dance teachers. Teachers who are members of any of these associations must pass a dancing exam as well as an oral theory test. Members of any of the associations are required to adhere to a code of conduct for their association as well as follow the by-laws of their association. The associations offer professional development for teachers while sometimes offering workshops for dancers. All three associations are voting members of the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing, giving them a role in regulating Highland Dancing worldwide.

The associations have identical syllabi for the traditional Highland dances, however they have slight technical differences for some National dances. Most Highland Dance teachers in North America are members of either the B.A.T.D. or the S.D.T.A., while the U.K.A. has members mainly concentrated in the United Kingdom. Either B.A.T.D., S.D.T.A., or U.K.A. methods of performing the National dances are accepted in competition.

Teachers must be full members of one of the three professional teaching associations to have their students compete worldwide in competitions sanctioned by the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing. These associations along with the SOBHD ensure that the standard and technique of Highland dancers continually improves, while allowing dancers to compete worldwide with the confidence that their technique will be universally recognised by SOBHD judges.