Schottische

The Schottische (pronounced 'shot-ish', from the German for 'Scottish') is a partnered country dance that was one of the most popular ballroom dances of the Victorian era, despite having no particular connection to Scotland. It originated in Bohemia in the early 19th century — possibly as a slower variant of the Polka — and was brought to England in the 1840s, where it became a staple of the ballroom repertoire alongside the Polka, the Waltz, and the Mazurka.

The dance is characterized by a distinctive step-step-step-hop pattern, executed in 4/4 time with a characteristic accent on the hop. The basic pattern travels sideways, and the dance includes a series of turning figures that give it a graceful, flowing quality. Unlike the Polka's bouncing energy, the Schottische has a more measured, dignified character that made it popular in the more formal ballroom settings of the Victorian era.

The Schottische survived the decline of Victorian ballroom culture by taking root in the folk dance traditions of several countries. In Texas, a variant called the Texas Schottische became a staple of country dance events. In Scandinavia, the Schottische was adapted into several regional folk dance forms. In Scotland — despite the dance's misleading name — it became part of the Scottish country dance repertoire.

The Schottische is typically danced at 100 to 120 BPM, considerably slower than the Polka and with a more flowing, less bouncy character. The 4/4 time signature and the moderate tempo give the dance a stately quality that is well-suited to the folk music traditions in which it is most commonly found — fiddle tunes, accordion music, and the various folk dance forms of Northern and Central Europe.

The music for Schottische is drawn from the folk traditions of the countries where the dance has taken root. In Texas, the dance is typically done to country fiddle music and Western swing. In Scandinavia, it is danced to the local folk music traditions — Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish fiddle tunes. In Scotland, it is danced to Scottish country dance music — the reels, jigs, and strathspeys of the Scottish tradition.

For social dancing, the Schottische is one of the more accessible folk dances to teach and learn. The basic step pattern is simple and repetitive, the music is widely available, and the dance's moderate tempo gives beginners enough time to think through the footwork. It is a natural complement to the Polka in a folk dance curriculum, offering a slower, more graceful alternative to the Polka's driving energy.

The Schottische is danced today primarily in folk dance communities — at contra dance events, Scottish country dance clubs, and Scandinavian folk dance groups. It is also a standard figure in the Texas country dance tradition, where it is danced at honky-tonks and dance halls alongside the Two Step and the Waltz.

The dance's Victorian origins give it a historical interest that appeals to dancers who are drawn to the social dance traditions of the past. Victorian dance events — where participants dress in period costume and dance the Polka, the Waltz, the Schottische, and other Victorian ballroom dances — have a small but dedicated following, and the Schottische is always a featured dance at these events.

For teachers introducing students to folk dance, the Schottische is an excellent starting point. Its simple step pattern, moderate tempo, and graceful character make it accessible to beginners, and its presence in multiple folk traditions gives it a broad cultural context that can enrich the learning experience.

A Schottische practice playlist should be anchored by the traditional folk and fiddle recordings that define the style's historical roots — Scottish reels and strathspeys, Scandinavian polskas, and the German and Czech folk dance music that gave birth to the schottische in the nineteenth century. These recordings have a quality of rhythmic clarity and melodic directness that is perfectly suited to the schottische's simple, walking-and-hopping footwork. The best schottische music has a clear, steady pulse in the 110-130 BPM range and a melodic line that invites the body to move with ease and grace.

As your schottische vocabulary develops, expand your playlist to include the broader world of folk and traditional dance music — Irish reels and jigs, American old-time fiddle tunes, and the contemporary folk revival recordings of artists like Altan, Battlefield Band, and Old Crow Medicine Show. These recordings share the schottische's essential qualities of rhythmic drive and melodic clarity, and they provide an excellent musical context for developing the footwork precision and the musical responsiveness that distinguish accomplished schottische dancers.

For social dancing at folk dance events and festivals, the schottische is typically danced to live music provided by a folk band. The live music context adds a dimension of spontaneity and musical responsiveness that recorded music cannot replicate, and it is one of the great pleasures of the folk dance tradition. If you have the opportunity to dance to live music, take it — the experience of dancing in real time with live musicians is one of the most rewarding aspects of the folk dance world.