San Jose School of Highland Dancing

Apr 25 - the Red Hat Purple Thistle tartan for Red Hat Day! "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me. ...And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter." ~ Warning! Jenny Joseph (1932-2018) Scottish Dancers! Today's the day to dance in red hats and purple ghillies - or purple hats and red ghillies - for today is Red Hat Day, a day for women of all ages to indulge in fellowship and fun! Originally inspired by a gift of a red fedora and a book of poetry which included Jenny Joseph's famous poem, Californian Ellen Cooper founded The Red Hat Society whose purpose is "to connect like-minded women, make new friends and enrich lives through the power of fun and friendship!" "Red Hatters" wear red hats and purple attire to all functions. Ironically, the author of the poem hated the colour purple. This tartan provides the equivalent bold and joyous colour clash statement of red hats and purple thistles for Scottish Dancers everywhere! Curious? For more on this special day and associated tartan details and colours, visit the website at: https://www.curiousandunusualtartans.com//red-hat-purple-t

Highland Dancers at 'Got Talent Uruguay 2' with a creative version of the traditional Sword Dance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVyLxx3QObw

Today is Tartan Day!

Normally we are in an Easter parade this time of year with our pipe band friends. We are so ready for next year!

Soon there will be dancing again... https://www.facebook.com/BraemarMedia/videos/2602366420069178/

A festive tartan for St. Patrick's Day.

You can also learn the Scottish Sword Dance when we reopen for in-person classes soon. Contact us for more information about our Highland Dance Lessons. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=760854064805943

Happy International Bagpipe Day (March 10)

Get ready for another fun and bright spring tartan.

A Scottish inspired Tartan for Polar Bear Day.

A beautiful tartan inspired by the Frog Prince for Fairytale Day.

A few Scottish highland tunes to celebrate Scotland's national poet Robert Burns, born January 25th, 1759. https://www.facebook.com/BraemarMedia/videos/2530372743936038/?sfnsn=mo

New Year greeting card from 1904.

Happy New Year to our highland friends near and far. May there once again be highland dancing, piping, drumming, and gatherings of our wonderful community.Happy New Year to our highland friends near and far. May there once again be highland dancing, piping, drumming, and gatherings of our wonderful community.

Another wonderful tartan.

Happy holidays with Scottish Highland cheer. https://youtu.be/mjJgamqrUmk

A national dance: The Flora MacDonald at the Braemar Scottish Highland games. https://www.facebook.com/BraemarMedia/videos/3199200696875946/

Highland dancing at Braemar, Scotland. Notice the much faster dance tempo back then.

Sean Connery tribute at the Kennedy Center honors. There will also be highland dancing. https://youtu.be/rpaKMsH60Jo

Happy Leap Day.

Happy Leap Year 2020!

Best wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season.

Pictures from the Show by John Kogan.

The Celtic Year: Imbolc was widely observed throughout Scotland and Northern Europe. Its origins pre-date the Celts. Dolls that symbolized the goddess, Brigid, were paraded from house-to-house to bestow blessings. The custom mostly died out in the 20th century, however it is still observed at the beginning of carnival (the last feast day before the fast) and marks the beginning of lent in Christianity. In our show 'The Celtic Year' the dark season rages in the choreography "Umbra." Tickets available at the door. For information go to www.sanjosehighlanddance.com.

There are still some tickets left for The Celtic Year. In our show 'the Celtic Year' a druid and her helpers pull the disk, marking the changing of the seasons. Have you bought your tickets? THE CELTS, like many ancient peoples of Europe, divided the year into light and dark time marked by eight seasonal festivals. Four of these festivals: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain pre-dated the Celts. The other four marked the two equinoxes and solstices, marking the Sun's progression across the sky. The ancient peoples believed that the Sun was a disk and it was pulled across the sky on a wagon. Festivals and rituals were adhered to in order to ensure the progression of the year and the changing of the all-important seasons.

Ticket sale is open.

Massed Bands and Highland Dancers at the Closing Ceremonies at Pleasanton Highland Games, August 31st 2019 (with dancers from the San Jose School of Highland Dancing and others.) Video by: Lorena Gautschi- Scott

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with the Scottish version of an Irish jig.