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Highland: TeamMember
Highland Examinations

According to the 2017 Edition

Dance Stars
Test One

For dancers ages 3-6. Maximum of 3 tests can be taken on one day.

  • Bow

  • Hands taken from 1st position to 3rd position and back to 1st position 

  • Point close from 1st position to 4th position

  • Toe-Heel movement (with or without elevation)

  • 4 Jumps in 1st position and 4 Claps. Repeat

Dance Stars

Test Two

Ages 3-6. Max 3 star exams.

  • Jumps in 1st position

  • Changes in 3rd position

  • Point close from 1st position to 4th position

  • Spring Points in 4th position

  • Toe-Heel movement (with or without elevation)

  • Single High Cuts

  • Pas de Basques

Dance Stars

Test Three

Same as previous.

  • 16 Pas de Basques to music

  • High Cuts (Single)

  • Pas de Basques over 1st Sword

  • Open Pas de Basques over 2nd and 4th Sword

  • Hop point in 2nd position, Hop point in 3rd position, Hop point in 4th position, Hop point in 3rd position

  • Spring Points over 2nd Sword (with or without turning)

Dance Stars

Test Four

Same as previous.

  • 16 Pas de Basques and High Cuts to music

  • 8 Shedding or 1st Step Highland Fling

  • Shedding RF

  • Toe – Heels 4 Claps (toe-heels with or without elevation)

  • Shedding Turns (one foot only)

  • Point close 1st position to 2nd position

  • Arms to 1st to 2 nd position back to 1st position

Dance Stars

Test Five

Same as previous.

  • Teacher to select 3 movements from 3rd test and 3 movements from 4th Test.

Preparatory

At teacher's discretion.

  • Demonstrate without music: Spring Points

  • Single High Cuts

  • Toe and Heel

  • Pas de Basques

  • Movements of elevation in 1st position (Jumps)

  • 8 Shedding movements or 1 st step Highland Fling

Preliminary

At teacher's discretion.

  • 6 Pas de Basques and 4 single High Cuts repeated 4 times to music or 5 Pas de Basques Assemble, Disassemble into High Cuts

  • Highland Fling 3 steps – 1st, 3rd, 8th; Each step to be demonstrated separately without music.

OR

  • 6 Pas de Basques and 4 single High Cuts repeated 4 times to music or 5 Pas de Basques Assemble, Disassemble into High Cuts

  • Sword Dance (2 steps) 1st, 2nd or 4th; Each step to be demonstrated separately without music

Pre-Bronze and Bronze

At teacher's discretion.

  • PRE-BRONZE TEST (One Dance) Highland Fling 4 steps – no back steps  or Sword Dance 2 slow steps and 1 quick step

  • BRONZE MEDAL TEST (Two Dances) Highland Fling 4 steps and Sword Dance 2 slow steps and 1 quick step

Pre-Silver and Silver

At teacher's discretion.

  • PRE-SILVER MEDAL TEST (Two Dances & Basic Movements) Highland Fling 4 steps and Sword Dance 2 slow steps and 1 quick step and Basic Movements: Brushes (4 RF 4 LF) travelling forward towards examiner. Shuffles (8 times) Hop Brush Beat Beat (2 RF 2LF)

  • SILVER MEDAL TEST (Three Dances) Highland Fling 4 steps, Sword Dance 2 slow steps and 1 quick step, Seann Triubhas 3 slow steps and 1 quick step

Pre-Gold and Gold

At teacher's discretion.

PRE-GOLD MEDAL TEST (Three Dances & Basic Movements) 

  • Highland Fling 4 steps

  • Sword Dance 2 slow steps to include 2nd (open pdb) or 4th (pointing) and 1 quick step

  • Seann Triubhas 3 slow steps and 1 quick step

  • Basic Movements: Backsteps, Shakes from 2nd step of Seann Triubhas (RF then LF), Shake Shake Down movement from 4th step of Seann Triubhas (2 RF then 2 LF)

GOLD MEDAL TEST (Three Dances & Basic Movements)

  • Highland Fling 4 steps

  • Sword Dance 2 slow steps and 1 quick step – 1st, 2nd (open pdb) or 4th (pointing), 8th (crossing and pointing [corner beat side beat])

  • Seann Triubhas 3 slow steps and 1 quick step – 1st, 2nd (shake), 4th (hop brush beat beat) or 5th (balance),16th (heel, toe, and shedding [point back heel toe shed 234])

  • Basic Movements: 4 Progressive Strathspey movements showing body turns, 4 Progressive Reel movements showing body turns

Scottish Award 1

At teacher's discretion.

  • Highland Fling 4 steps – 1st, 2nd (first backstepping [second back second front]), 4th (rocking [point back toe& shake], 8th (two turns)

  • Sword Dance 2 slow steps and 1 quick step – 1st, 2nd (open pdb), 8th (regular last step)

  • Seann Triubhas 3 slow steps and 1 quick step – 1st, 2nd (shake), 5th (balance) ,14th (toe heel and rock) Finish entrechat method 1 (assemble LF front count 5, change

  • Reel: ½ Hullachan or Strathspey & Highland Reel (2 parts) Teacher’s choice of steps 

  • Demonstrate Step: Sword Dance 3rd step (toe heel with any finish)

Scottish Award 2

At teacher's discretion.

  • Highland Fling 4 steps – 1st, 5th Alt (out in in out in backstep 234), 4th Alt (shake and turn), 8th (two turns) 

  • Sword Dance 2 slow steps and 1 quick step – 1st , 5th (diagonal points [open pdb point point]), 8th (regular last step)

  • Seann Triubhas 4 slow steps and 2 quick steps – 1st, 2nd (shake), 4th (hop brush beat beat), 5th (balance),13th (point back front backstep),14th (toe heel and rock), Finish entrechat method 2 (assemble LF front count 5, change 6, two entrechats

  • Reel: Strathspey and Reel of Tulloch - (2 parts Strathspey and 4 parts Reel of Tulloch) Teacher’s choice of steps

  • Demonstrate Steps: Highland Fling 6th step (crossover) and 6th step 3rd Alt method (crossover with shake)

Scottish Award 3

At teacher's discretion.

  • Highland Fling 4 steps – 1st, 5th (point back front out in backstep), 6th - 3 rd alt method (crossover with shake), 8th alt (one turn)

  • Sword Dance 3 slow steps and 1 quick step – 1st, 4th (pointing), 3rd (toe heel step any method for ending), 8th (regular)

  • Seann Triubhas 4 slow steps and 2 quick steps – 1st, 3rd (diagonal travel [face corner and do hop brush beat beat then two outward brushes changing feet then hop brush beat beat pivot turn to face other corner]),4th alt (hop brush beat beat travelling backwards [hbbb shake shake spring x3 with shuffles, repeat])), 8th (leap and shedding),18th (point back backstep backstep),14th (toe heel and rock) finishing method 1 (one leap)

  • Reel: Strathspey & Highland Reel (2 parts Strathspey and 2 parts Highland Reel) to include 6th (balance and round the leg) and last step (highcuts)

  • Demonstrate Step: Sword Dance 6th step (reverse points)

Scottish Award 4

At teacher's discretion.

  • Highland Fling 4 steps – 1st, 2nd (point back point front backstep), 6th – 4 th alt method (shake and turn), 8th (two turns) 

  • Sword Dance 2 slow steps and 2 quick step – 1st, 6th (reverse points), 7th (open pdb quick step), 8th (regular last step) 

  • Seann Triubhas 4 slow steps and 2 quick steps – 1st alt (second half is pdbs), 2nd (shake), 5th (balance), 9th (entrechat and shedding), 14th (toe heel and rock) & 16th (heel toe and shedding) finishing Entrechat method 3 (assemble LF front count 5, leap with change 6 7, entrechat and a 8)

  • Reel: ½ Hullachan – 1st (pdb in), 2nd (shake with 4 HCs to end), 6th (balance and round the leg), last (highcutting)

  • Demonstrate Steps: Basic Reel steps 8th (assemble and travel) & 10th (shuffle)

Scottish Award 5

At teacher's discretion.

  • Highland Fling 4 steps - 1st, 5th alt (out in in out in), 6th – 2nd alt method (crossover with pause), 8th (two turns)

  • Sword Dance 3 slow steps and 1 quick step - 1st, 2nd (open pdb), 3rd (toe heel step to finish with High Cuts), 7th (open pdb quick step)

  • Seann Triubhas 4 slow steps and 2 quick steps - 1st, 2nd (shake), 6th (leap and highcut), 10th alt with travel (highcut in front and balance), 15th (pointing and backstepping), 16th (heel toe and shedding) finishing Entrechat method 4 (assemble LF front, entrechat, leap)

  • Reel: Strathspey & Highland Reel (2 parts Strathspey and 4 parts Highland Reel) Basic Introduction (pivot 5 point 6 pause 7 up 8), 2 parts Strathspey with 2nd Alt finish on bars 7 & 8 (back front out leap) Highland Reel – 2nd (shake and travel with 4 highcuts), 7th (backstep and travel), 10th (shuffle) and last (highcutting).

  • Demonstration Step: Highland Fling 7th step (double shake and rock)

Scottish Award 6

At teacher's discretion.

  • Highland Fling 4 steps - 1st, 2nd (point back point front backstep), 7th (double shake and rock), 8th (two turns)

  • Sword Dance 3 slow steps and 1 quick step - 1st, 5th (diagonal points), 6th (reverse points), 8th (regular last step)

  • Seann Triubhas 4 slow steps and 2 quick steps - 1st, 2nd (shake), 7th (entrechat and highcut), 11th (heel and toe [side heel close 1/2 lose heel close]), 13th (shedding with backstep [point back front backstep]), 18th (backstepping [point back backstep backstep]) finishing Entrechat method 5 or 6 (assemble LF front count 4, leap 5 6, entrechat and a 7, leap 8 OR assemble LF front count 4, leap with change 5, entrechat and a 6, leap no change 7, entrechat and a 8)

  • Reel: Strathspey & Reel of Tulloch (2 parts Strathspey and 4 parts Reel of Tulloch) Alt. Introduction (rise on 8 [surprise intro]), 2 parts Strathspey with 3rd Alt finish on bars 7 & 8 (2 leaps [no change, change]) Reel - 1st (pdb in), 4th (brushing), 5th alt (highcuts and spring points [no highcuts for ending]) and last.

  • Demonstration Step: Highland Fling 6th step – 5 th alt method (crossover with shake and low cut)

Highland: CV
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