WELCOME TO AN ENTERTAINMENT SITE FOR SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCERS!
Enjoy this curated selection of theme-related dances for celebrations and holidays, or find a dance associated with a special calendar day, or EVEN your own birthday!
Jul 1
Canada Day
Oh Canada
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"🎶 With glowing hearts
We see thee rise
The True North, strong and free
From far and wide
O Canada
We stand on guard for thee"
~ Canada's National Anthem
Happy Canada Day to all dancing friends and family!
Today we celebrate the history, heritage, and enduring spirit of a nation stretching from sea to sea. Marked with family gatherings, fireworks, music, or dancing, Canada Day celebrates the people, traditions, and stories that have shaped Canada for more than 150 years!
The Constitution Act of July 1, 1867, marks the day the three British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada united to form a single country known as the Dominion of Canada. Although the nation would continue to grow as additional provinces and territories joined Confederation, July 1 has remained Canada's national birthday!
No Canada Day celebration would be complete without a heartfelt rendition of "O Canada." The stirring melody was composed by Calixa Lavallée in 1880, with the original French lyrics written by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier for the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day celebrations in Québec City. The familiar English lyrics most Canadians know today were penned by Robert Stanley Weir in 1908 and have undergone several revisions over the years. "O Canada" served as the country's de facto national anthem from 1939 before being officially proclaimed Canada's national anthem on July 1, 1980, as part of that year's Dominion Day celebrations.
Scottish country dancers can celebrate the occasion with a namesake dance, "O Canada," a 32-bar reel for five couples in a square set, devised by Dorothy Hargreaves of North Vancouver. Dorothy created the dance for Scottish country dancers gathering in Vancouver's beautiful Stanley Park on Canada Day, July 1, 2014. The dance concludes with an eight-bar progression, as described by Sue Petyt and Jane Gammon in Fisherman's Reel! "Oh" and "O"! 🕺 💃 ❤️ 🤍 ❤️ 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🥳 🎆 🎆 🎆
Oh Canada
July 1st is Canada Day!
"O Canada" is the Canadian National Anthem:
O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
Ô Canada!
Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!
Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,
Il sait porter la croix!
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
See below for video of the dance performed by The Deep Cove Scottish Country Dance Club of Vancouver, British Columbia in 2014.
Happy Canada Day to all our Canadian friends and relatives! For more Canadian vintage photographs and ephemera, click the vintage souvenir map of Canada.
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
