Kilts Must Be Worn In Highland Dances

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29746, 13 February 1962, Page 12

Kilts Must Be Worn In Highland Dances

(New Zealand Press Association) -*VT» r-U IO-

AUCKLAND, Feb 12. The Piping and Dancing Association of New Zealand has ruled that all its members, whether male or female, must wear kilts when they are Highland dancing, according to the Dominion secretary (Mr W N. Macrae).

Mr Macrae was restating the rules after a recent assertion by the senior marquess of Scotland, the Marquess of Huntly, that the kilt was a traditionally masculine garment and never intended to be worn by women

Mr Macrae said the Piping and Dancing Association bad existed for more than 50 years, and during that time there had been practically no alteration in its rules “The rules were formulated from old books, some of them dating back 300 and 300 years," he said. The Highland dancer’s costume includes a kilt of finely pleated wool with a kilt-pin, a doublet or jacket to tone with the kilt, a jabot or a blouse with rows of

gathered lace, a plaid worn over the shoulder, full tartan or diced woollen hose, and a head-dress, either a Glengarry. Balmoral or broad bdtaneL

The kilts should be not higher than one inch above the middle of the knee-cap and the same length all the way round. Hose should be worn four fingers below the centre ot the knee. Male dancers who wore the kilt should have a white shirt and tartan tie, Mr Macrae said. Only men could wear the sporran. The association has ruled that girls are forbidden to wear the sporran Mr Macrae said his association was allied to the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing, and its rules were governed by the Academy of National Danc-

ing. The rules would be varied only in summer, when girls were allowed to wear simply a jabot or blouse with their kilt, and no jacket. “Hatred is self-punish-ment.”—Hosea Ballou.