Playing for Highland Dancers - The Highland Fling

[@BethRitterGuth]

It's so wonderful to see children learning the dances 🙂

[@jesseburnette6028]

Some great tips to accompany the playing. Very informative.

[@traildogisla]

One day I want to play for dancers, my aunt was a top level dancer in her day, I'm a very middle 4b piper at the moment

[@austinlong3052]

Hi Neil, I throughly enjoyed watching your video on you playing for this highland dancing competition along with your ideas and thoughts from past experiences. I myself am just starting out in competitive piping and eventually would like to play for highland dancing competitions in the future when I am more competent in a wider variety of strathspeys, reels, hornpipes, and jigs along with my piping skills in general. It is something I would really like to do because I enjoy watching this kind of sport and competition. How were you able to do this competition? Were you asked or did you ask someone to play for it? Asking for future reference because like I said it is something I want to do in the future. I am from over the pond in the United States and would like your advice on this topic. Happy Piping, Austin

[@NeilClark-FalkirkPiping]

Hi there... I've actually been playing for Country and Highland on and off since I was 15... I really enjoy it, but competitions are a different kettle of fish! Now and again does me.. Every week would be a bit of a time warp job, and they are out every week. I got asked by my local games... which this is, and then ended up playing for loads, until I broke my ankle. 6 hours standing was beyond me for a while. Dancers love having a live piper, just make sure your tempos are steady and you'll be in demand. Try and find a local dance school, team.... just say to them. It's a bit of a closed shop, but they'll at the very least be interested. Try the dancing associations.. They'll snap you up. Be prepared for a VERRRRRYY long day at comps tho., Having said that.. it's great fun

[@austinlong3052]

Hi, Thank you for your insight about this specific piping topic. It helps me prepare and better understand for my future in piping with this sport. I understand in this video you went over some more simpler strathspeys some of which I know along with some others. I know you said about keeping some of the tunes simpler for younger dancers and possibly maybe playing ones maybe a little more dense for older dancers. I know this question can vary from competition and country depending on where you are at, but when you were asked to play, were you given a list of strathspeys, reels, hornpipes, or jigs to learn for the dance competitions? I guess what I am asking is do you coordinate what you play with your dancers or do you just play what you know within reason and logic based on skill set, or type of dance like the sailors hornpipe/dance or the sword dance. This was something I wasn’t really sure about the logistic side of it with tune selection at different competitions and dances besides with what you already said before. Anymore information or insight from your experiences is greatly appreciated. Austin