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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!
May 6
Irn Bru Day
Orange and Blue
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"Irn-Bru gets you through!"
~ Irn Bru's motto
Thirsty after all that dancing? You’d be hard-pressed to find a more fittingly orange-and-blue beverage than Scotland’s beloved Irn-Bru—famously billed as the country’s “second favourite drink.”
Named for the vivid orange of industrial iron girders and the proud blue of the Scottish flag, it’s as bold in reputation as it is in colour. Admittedly, pairing it with the traditional Scottish dance Orange and Blue takes a bit of imaginative license—but then again, the title itself may already be doing a bit of that.
The tune Orange and Blue has been danced to for over two centuries and appears in early 19th-century fiddle collections, including those by Nathaniel Gow. It is also widely linked to the older Gaelic melody Brochan Lom, a piece of traditional mouth music that has picked up several alternate titles over time. In that sense, Orange and Blue is likely a later naming layer—one of those tidy, descriptive titles that helped traditional tunes travel beyond their original context.
This orange-and-blue three-couple strathspey by John Mitchell has straightforward figures and finishes with a reel of three, making it an easy way to “get you through”—whether or not there’s a glass of something fizzy and suspiciously orange waiting nearby.
The title itself invites speculation. Some reference echoes of Ulster and Scottish colour traditions, others of political hues or fraternal societies—but there’s no single definitive answer. Like many traditional tunes, it seems to have gathered meanings as it went.
So, raise a toast to the dance, the dancers, and the music, with either Scotland's first favourite, or second favourite drink ! Slainte! 🕺 💃 🧡 🧡 🧡 💙 💙 💙🥤🥤🥤
Orange and Blue
Irn-Bru, often hailed as Scotland's other national drink, next to whisky, boasts a rich and vibrant history that traces back to 1901. Originally launched under the name "Strachan’s Brew" by the Barr family in Falkirk, Scotland, the soft drink underwent a rebranding to "Iron Brew" in 1946. This was due to its original advertising slogan, "The High Standard Beverage," which emphasized its purported invigorating effects akin to the strength of iron. However, following a 1946 law requiring product names to be more literal and less misleading, the iconic beverage adopted the phonetic spelling "Irn-Bru" to retain its identity while adhering to the new regulations. This quirky spelling became synonymous with its bold, distinctive branding.
Over the decades, Irn-Bru established itself as a cultural icon in Scotland, known for its unique, fiercely guarded recipe that reputedly includes 32 secret ingredients and is known only to two members of the Barr family at any time. The drink's bright orange color and its complex, sweet flavor that hints at citrus and spices have endeared it to generations. Additionally, Irn-Bru has been noted for its cheeky and irreverent advertising campaigns that often play on Scottish humor and identity, further cementing its status not just as a beverage, but as a symbol of Scottish pride.
For more about this famous beverage, click its namesake tartan!
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
