Iron Thistle 2013

This past weekend was the Iron Thistle Scottish Heritage Festival and Highland Games, so of course the ladies of LSSD were there to dance their feet off! This year's festival was fantastic. Our instructor coordinated the dance stage, which was full of talented Irish and Scottish dance acts. If you didn't come you missed out!

Our dance sets showcased some traditional dances performed to some not-so-traditional Celtic rock music and finished with an original choreography set to Red Hot Chilli Pipers' "Everybody Dance Now." Check out some photos our sound man/photographer/Laura's husband caught on Sunday!

 

This week Laura also went to Piedmont Public Library to do another Brave story time and mini dance workshop. She will be doing several of these story times throughout the metro during the summer, so check back for dates and locations!

How many ways are there to dance a 6 step Highland Fling?

Thanks to Lila Greco for compiling this information and making the graphic!

The Highland Fling is typically the first full dance learned in a Scottish dance class. It is the only dance performed in one spot, since it originated as a victory dance done by Scottish warriors on a targe, which is a shield that has a spike coming out of the center. While the Fling is often thought to be one of the most confining Highland dances, it is anything but!

Burns Night 2013 Photos

Last Saturday we performed at the Bricktown Brewery in OKC for USCO's Burns Night, joined by our new friend Markayla Adam! Check out a few of the photos from the event:

And just for kicks, check out Laura's little guy in his kilt!

Burns Night 2013

The Ladymon School of Scottish Dance is gearing up for Burns Night 2013! This year's festivities will be held at the Bricktown Brewery in OKC on Saturday, January 26. If you still need to purchase tickets, go to uscoscots.org, because you won't want to miss out on the fun!

Every year thousands of Scots (and honorary Scots) gather together across the globe to celebrate the life of Scottish poet Robert Burns. You may not recognize the name, but we bet you know at least one of his songs! He wrote the quintessential New Years tune "Auld Lang Syne." Throughout his short life Rabbie wrote many memorable poems and songs, engraving himself in the collective Scottish memory.

At Burns Night dinners toasts are offered, poetry is recited, and Scottish entertainment abounds. At the Bricktown Brewery, this year's entertainment will include traditional Celtic music from Black Oak Shillelagh, country dancing by the Black Sheep Ceilidh Dancers, rousing Celtic rock from crowd favorite Scotland Rising, and Highland dance by LSSD's Laura and Lauren, along with special guest Markayla Adam!

We hope to see you there!

Yukon classes now enrolling!

Great news, friends! Laura will be teaching a 6 week Scottish Highland dance class in Yukon, beginning Monday, October 8!

We are so pleased that Yukon has such a fantastic community education program for us to join! Whether Yukon resident or living close by, please take advantage of this opportunity by signing up at www.yukonceonline.com. Class information listed below:

Who: All ages are welcome!
What: A Scottish Highland dance mini-course. Students will learn several Highland dances, as well as a sampling of Scottish Country dance.
Where: The Yukon Middle School 6th Grade building
When: Monday nights from 6:30 to 7:30 beginning October 8
How much: $50 per student

Oklahoma ScotFest 2012

This past weekend Laura and Lauren danced at Oklahoma ScotFest, joined by retired dancer/teacher Norah Dunbar and five-year-old Alora, and it was a blast!

The ladies performed traditional Highland and National dances - but with a few twists! Laura and Lauren showed off modified versions of Sailor's Hornpipe and Scottish Version of the Irish Jig and entertained audiences with dances performed to Celtic rock music, including songs by Wicked Tinkers and Red Hot Chilli Pipers. Audiences were especially wowed by a fun and fast finale - a slightly non-traditional Highland Fling set to a RHCP medley of "Smoke on the Water" and "Thunderstruck!"

Lauren recently learned the Hornpipe. Doesn't she look fantastic? :)

 

Laura performing one of her favorite dances, Blue Bonnets Over the Border.

 

 

Laura and Lauren finishing up the Hornpipe.

 

 

Norah, Laura, and Lauren performing the Highland Fling. The crowd loved the music!

If you have any photos or video of our dancers from ScotFest, we would love to see them! Please email ladymonscottishdance@gmail.com or tag us on Facebook.

Join the Ladymon School of Scottish Dance at Global Oklahoma on Saturday, October 6 for a mix of traditional and contemporary Scottish dance and some on-site mini dance classes! We'll be available at the USCO tent all day.

Benefits of Highland Dance

As a kid, I could've taken up the piano, or ballet, or dirt biking (there's a mental picture for you - me sprawled on the side of the track), but I took up Scottish Highland dance. And I'm glad I did, because it changed my life in ways I never would have anticipated.

Many hobbies or activities can shape other areas of your life, but Highland dance is outstanding in its benefits for dancers! Check out just a few of the benefits of this sport:

Physical benefits:
- It is a complete cardio workout
- It increases flexibility
- It works each muscle group from head to toe
- It increases endurance
- It improves posture (and even fixed my badly pronated feet!)

Mental benefits:
- It improves memorization abilities
- It builds self-confidence
- It teaches respect of self and others
- It broadens horizons by teaching world cultures

While doing this, I got to travel the US and make friends of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Many dancers also travel the world! The possibilities are endless for a Highland dancer.

- Laura Ladymon