ABSTRACT
Scottish dancing has been celebrated for its high spirit and energy, and dance stands out as a striking feature of Scotland's cultural fabric throughout recorded history. In the 1800s, a complex network of dancing masters spanned the country and filled a demand for dance education that reached through all social classes. Two separate groups emerged to preserve and resurrect Scottish dances. Both groups aimed to create wider platforms for dances signifying Scottish identity and culture. One, the Scottish Country Dance Society, was formed in 1923, founded by Ysobel Stewart of Fasnacloich and Jean Milligan. Most of the early references in this study come from English-language sources, with quite a number of them written by observers and explorers unfamiliar with Scottish culture. In this process, the act of seeing, and perhaps the effect of being seen, can be an active component of the situation described.
