Continuing the Tradition
The San Jose School of Highland Dancing was founded in the 1960's by Norine Harmon who retired in December of 2005. The school was relocated to Campbell and re-opened in January of 2006, ensuring that the Scottish Highland dance tradition continued in the San Jose area. The school's dancers compete at Scottish Highland games at the local, regional and national level. Dancers also enjoy performing at festivals, parties, parades and demonstrations.
Our History
One of the earliest documentations of Scottish Highland Dancing was in 1285 for a royal marriage ceremony. In the 1500s, old kings and clan chiefs of Scotland would select their soldiers based upon their dance performances in the Highland Games. In the 1850s, Queen Victoria boosted a revival of Scottish Highland culture when she visited Scotland and that revival brought with it the beginnings of the Highland Games as we know them today: large gatherings that showcased the culture of Scotland from heavy athletics, the playing of the bagpipes, and of course Scottish Highland Dance. In the modern era, Scottish Highland Dance is a blend of the old dances and the modern movements that showcase strength and athleticism through technique. Dancers still don the traditional wool kilt and hose.
Our Mission
SJSHD strives to be an active participant in the Scottish community and share the Scottish cultural heritage through participation in private events, public events and performances.
Our Future
We believe that dancers grow in skill and character when they participate in competitions. We encourage our competition-ready dancers to participate in 4 local competitions per year. We are affiliated with the British Association of Teachers of Dance (BATD) for medals tests and teacher training. We strive to have an open, respectful, and focused learning environment.