Scottish highland dance school opens in Blaine

A Scottish highland dance school has opened in Blaine, giving students a chance to learn dances that date as far back as the 16th century and tell the history of the Scottish people.

Lillian McClue opened the Inis School of Highland Dance about five years ago on Camano Island, where she used to live. After moving to Blaine about one year ago, she has decided to continue her school here. She is a certified highland dance instructor who teaches the dance form out of her home studio just off H Street, up the hill from downtown Blaine.

The national dance of Scotland, highland dance is a very old form of dance that teaches students to perform set dances that tell an array of Scottish stories. Some dances commemorate famous Scottish figures, while other dances describe warring between clans or fighting against the English.

“The entire history of the Scottish people is written down in dance form,” said McClue, who is of Scottish heritage and has been studying highland dance ever since she was a young teenager.

As a teenager growing up in Port Townsend, McClue was involved in many different dance forms, including jazz and tap. However, she admired the strength and athleticism of highland dancers, and together with a small group of other dancers, she convinced a teacher to come all the way from Seattle once a week to hold highland dance classes. Later on, the group would take turns carpooling to Seattle for the classes.

As life took her around the country, McClue always sought out a local highland dance teacher so that she could continue her study of the dance form. “Everywhere I went, I always found a local teacher and would continue dancing,” she said.

She gradually worked her way through the different levels of the dance form, which is governed by the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing based in Edinburgh, Scotland. She participated in various competitions, earning a stamp each time she placed first, second or third. Eventually she earned enough stamps to qualify as a professional highland dancer, participating in championships and high-level competitions.

After becoming a professional highland dancer, McClue decided that she wanted to start teaching the dance form to students. “I wanted to impart my knowledge of highland dance to others,” said McClue, who became a certified highland dance instructor in 2004.

She describes the dance form as very athletic. The dance form can have a military-like structure, or it can be flowing and graceful. Each dance ranges from about a minute and a half to three minutes long. The steps performed are set down by the governing body in Scotland, and dances are performed in a group. All of the dancers in the group start out doing the same steps, but as the dance progresses, they each perform different steps to show off their unique skills and abilities. As the dance comes to an end, the dancers once again perform the same steps as each other.

According to McClue, a lot of people confuse Scottish highland dance with Irish step dance. However, the two dance forms have significant differences. For a start, Scottish dancers use their arms whereas Irish dancers don’t. “We jump really high and dance to different positions of the feet, whereas Irish dancers’ movements are closer to the body,” she said. Finally, unlike Scottish dancing, Irish dancing uses hard shoes and resembles “clogging” or Appalachian folk dancing.

All you need to start are soft dance shoes and standard dance attire like a leotard and shorts or tights. When competing, special costuming is required, including a kilt, a velvet jacket and thick wool socks.

Whether or not one has a Scottish background, there are many benefits to enrolling in highland dance. “It aids in coordination and balance and memory,” said McClue. “Highland dance is unique because almost all of the movements we do cross the midline. It works on opposite sides of the body, and it’s a wonderful cardio workout.” Because most of the dancing involves jumping, students also tend to build muscles in their legs and core.

Apart from the physical benefits, there are also social and emotional benefits. McClue said children gain confidence from this form of dance, and they also have fun learning the history and culture behind it. “Everyone who dances is there for each other,” she said. “Everyone is cheering each other on. You don’t compete against each other; you compete with each other.”

McClue’s students will be competing all summer long at highland games all over the Northwest. In the winter, they will participate in indoor competitions in Seattle and B.C. “We never stop training,” she said.

For more information about the Inis School of Highland Dance, contact McClue at inishighland@yahoo.com or 360/224-3683. Children as well as adults may enroll.