Home of the World Highland Dancing Championships

The most important event in the highland dancing calendar.

As a competitor you’ll be pitched against the finest dancers and perform in front of what’s possibly the most discerning dancing audience anywhere in the world. Are you aiming for the Cowal Gold Medal?

The dancing gets underway on Thursday when the Scottish Championships and the Qualifiers for the World Highland Dancing Championships which includes dancers from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Friday is the new home of the Scottish National Championships. And on Saturday it’s the finals of the World Championship.

We also hold competitions to encourage local, emerging highland dancing talent. If you’re a younger dancer at the start of your career, it’s a great opportunity to experience this great event and dance in front of the experts.

2023 Highland Dancing Entry Forms

Entry forms for the highland dancing competitions a this year’s Cowal Gathering are now live.

Please read the “highland dancing important information” and the provisional timetable  below prior to completing the entry form to make sure your entry is correct.

Highland Dancing Entry Form

Highland Dancing Running Order 2023

AM - 8.30am start

East Platform

Event 8 (7/8 year olds)
Event 9 (9 year olds)
Event 10 (10 year olds)
Event 11 (11 year olds)

Main Platform

Event 55 ( 16 & 17 years old)
Event 56 (18 years and above)


PM - 1.00pm start (approx)

East Platform

Event 12 (12 year olds)
Event 13 (13 year olds)

Main Platform

Event 14 (14 years)

Event 15 (15 years)

Event No. (age group)

AM - 9.00am start

Main Platform

Event J (17 years)

Event K (18 years to 20 years)

Event L (21 years and older)

East Platform

Event A (8 years)

Event B (9 years)

Event C (10 years)

Event D ( 11 years)


PM - 1.00pm start (approx)

East Platform

Event E (12 years)

Event F (13 years)

Event G (14 years)

Main Platform

Event H (15 years)

Event I ( 16 years)

AM - 8.45am start

Main Platform

Argyllshire Championships (events 51, 51A, 52 and 53)

AM - 10.30am start

East Platform

Pre-Premier competitions


12.15 pm approx.

Main Platform

World Championships Finals (events 54, 55 and 56)

HIGHLAND DANCING IMPORTANT POINTS

Thursday – Scottish Championships and World Highland Dancing Qualifiers
  • All dancers must be registered as Premier dancers with the R.S.O.B.H.D. prior to entering the competition. The only exception is non-premier dancers entering events 8 or 9 in the Scottish Championship. They can enter with a non-premier R.S.O.B.H.D. number but they must move to Premier and we must receive the Premier registration number no later than the 31st of July to be allowed to compete.
  • Dancers aged 8 to 15 enter the relevant age category in the Scottish Championships. The top 4 dancers in events 12 and 13 and the top 6 dancers in events 14 and 15 qualify from the Scottish championships to the finals of the Juvenile World Championships on the Saturday.
  • Dancers aged 16 and 17 enter event 55 which is the qualifiers for the Junior World Championships.
  • Dancers aged 18 and over enter event 56 which is the qualifiers for the Adult World Championships.
  • The top 20 dancers in event 55 and 56 qualify to the World Finals which are on the Saturday.
Friday – Scottish National Championships
  • All dancers must be registered as Premier dancers with the R.S.O.B.H.D. prior to entering the competition. The only exception is non-premier dancers entering events A or B. They can enter with a non-premier R.S.O.B.H.D. number but they must move to Premier and we must receive the Premier registration number no later than the 31st of July to be allowed to compete.
Saturday – World Championships Final, Argyllshire Championships and Pre-Premier Competition
  • The Finals of the World Championships will start approximately 12.00 noon.
  • The Argyllshire Championships and the Pre-Premier competitions are both confined competitions and competitors must be resident in Argyll and Bute.
  • The Argyllshire Championships are for Premier Category dancers.
  • The age groups in the Argyllshire Championships are
    • Event 51 – 7yrs and under 12yrs
    • Event 51A – 12yrs and 13yrs
    • Event 52 – 14yrs and 15yrs
    • Event 53 – 16yrs and over
  • The pre-premier competitions are for non-premier category dancers.
    • Event 1 – Primary aged 4 yrs
    • Event 2 – Primary aged 5 yrs
    • Event 3 – Primary aged 6 yrs
    • Event 4 – Beginner aged 7 and under
    • Event 5A – Beginner aged 8 and 9
    • Event 5B – Beginner aged 10 and over
    • Event 6A – Novice aged 11 and under
    • Event 6B – Novice aged 12 and over
    • Event 7 – Intermediate dancers of any age

Please note that the organiser reserves the right to adjust the categories in the Pre-Premier competition depending on the number of entries in each category.

World Highland Dancing Champions 2022

2022

The World Highland Dancing Championships returns in-person, with the Cowal Gathering.

The dancing competitions at the Cowal Gathering kick off on the Thursday of the event with the Scottish Championships and the qualifiers for the World Highland Dancing Championships. Dancers from Canada, The United States, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa travel to Cowal to compete for the ultimate prize in the dancing calendar.

The Friday is the new home of the Scottish National Championships.This event is open to premier class dancers from throughout Scotland. As such it attracts the very best of our own home grown dancers to compete.

The finals of the World Highland Dancing Championships take place on the Saturday afternoon and see the 60 top dancers from across the world compete to be crowned World Champion.

The Saturday is also host to two local (confined) competitions including one which is specifically for the youngest dancers just setting out on their dancing career.