James Scott Skinner's brother, Alexander "Sandy" Skinner, performing a sword dance while accompanying himself on the fiddle, c. 1880's.SWORD DANCE [1]. AKA and see "Gillie Callum," "Kheelum khallum taa fei," "Tail Toddle. Scottish, Strathspey (whole time). A Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. The famous six-step Scottish sword dance is a solo dance performed over crossed swords laid on the ground. The is a colorful legend that the sword dance was created in mediaeval times by Malcolm Canmore, who, after killing one of Macbeth's chieftains, crossed his sword over that of the vanquished and danced about them in celebration. Unfortunately, there is no direct evidence that a dance was performed over crossed swords until the 17th century or so, and the tale seems to be a product of, or a magnification by, 19th century romanticism.
Printed sources : - Robert Bremner (For the year 1769 a collection of scots reels, or country dances), p. 108 (as "Kheelum khallum taa fei"). Hardie (Caledonian Companion), 1992; p. 51. Skinner (The Scottish Violinist), 1900; p. 21.
See also listing at : See Skinner's handwritten manuscript for the tune at the University of Aberdeen's Skinner site [1]
