The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland

DANCING. 9 3 rise is the worstfeature, there areother points to be considered in judging dancing. In the Highland Fling forinstance, there are certain well known movements that must be performed in a certain manner to constitute good dancing. Perhaps the most characteristic step of the Highland Fling is that in which the dancer, while resting theweight of his body on one foot, moves the other foot round the legon which the bodyis balanced. If balanced on his left foot the right footis brought up first behind, then round to the front,and then behind the left legbefore it is brought to the flooragain. A very simple movement seemingly, but it will be found there isa great difference between the way it is done by a good dancer and an indifferent or bad dancer. In the first place, theleft foot on which the body is balanced, and on which the dancer hops, must have the toe pointing to the proper angle, about 45 degrees; in the second place, the heel must not touch the board ;thirdly, the rightfoot must also be kept at the proper angle;fourthly, the toe must be pointed to­ wards the board; fifthly, sixthly, and seventhly, the right foot must be brought to the middle of the leftleg behind, themiddle before, and the middle behind again. All this time thebody must be properly balanced, the left foot kept about the same part of the board, and exact time kept. A bad or indifferent dancer either will not hold his feet at the proper angle, or he will allow bisleft foot to be flat on the boards,or he willhave the toe of his right foot sticking outhorizontally, or, likeliest of all, he will bring hisright correctlyenough up behindand round before, but will not bring up correctly behind the secondtime, but let it down when it is about half way, or little more,between the front and back. In makinga complete turn when dancing on either foot, the othershould invariably make the threemove­ ments described, but only first-class dancers will be seen to make the third movement correctly. Some dancersmake the move­ ments pretty correctlywith the rightfoot, but not with the left. Back footing, ball cutting, the movementof the arms, the poise of the whole body, all include points inwhich a good judge will