Irish vs. Scottish Jig

Irish and Scottish 'dance off' at the Monterey Highland Games 09.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• scottish
• highland
• dancing
• irish
• dance
• jig

[clausuperestrella]

aww my girlfriend is scottish :) so proud of her country :)

[HollieHocks989]

I am a highland dancer myself so I'm all the way on the Scottish!!!!!!!!

[manvericalimpi]

@anFidhlear I think you may be getting mixed up--the trend in Irish dancing (at least solo dancing) is to make the tempo slower and slower, so as to allow more time for fancier footwork. (Hence the Scottish jig here being too fast.) We even have the distinction to the poin now where, when you're competing, they ask you whether you want a "traditional" jig (or reel, or hornpipe, etc.) or a "slow." (At the lower levels. After a certain point it's just assumed you're doing slow!)

[anFidhlear]

@manvericalimpi I agree it's kind of comparing apples to oranges. Point of interest: there has been a trend in Irish dancing where the dancers just want the tunes played faster and faster, whereas Scottish or Cape Breton dancing is done strictly to a very specific tempo, as it has been for hundreds of years. I'm confused as to why the Irish don't just add more fancy footwork if they want even more of a challenge rather than trying to do everything at lightning speed.

[anFidhlear]

Dear everyone: First of all, this was all done in good fun. Second of all, try reading a history book. There was a migration of people from Northern Ireland into Scotland, but the mixture of what is Scottish People living today are descendants of the "Scots" from Ireland, the Picts who were native inhabitants of Scotland, and Vikings who travelled over from Norway.

All Celts are cousins and related, and furthermore we are all human beings so quit your bickering.

[manvericalimpi]

The only bad thing is that the jig has to be so fast for the Highland dancer that the Irish dancer doesn't really get to show off any really sophisticated steps. I saw another "dance off" for the reel where it was just the opposite problem--the Scottish music was too slow for the Irish figure dancers!!! So even putting the two styles side-by-side it's hard to really compare them.

[irishaware]

Scotland was founded by the Irish.

Scot is Roman Latin for Irish people.

Not a thing regarded as Scots, kilt (more English) whiskey (Irish) bagpipes (Older in Ireland) was theirs in origin.

[AthCliath23]

Irish cailín wins, as is usually the case when there is a face-off of any sort between the Irish and scots.

[CFCShame]

@asschun The Scottish are nothing like the Irish at all, only dumb stupid Yankee Americans or Plastic Paddie Yanks link the two.

[SerenityCrysweet]

my chap scottish god i love em so much

[asschun]

scottish are the same as irish

[CallumJ230]

Why is every one ranting on about Ireland, England and Scotland? were not that different, after so many years of migration between countries and history im sure were all linked in some way, though everyone forgets about the Welsh.