The second dance of the Primary grade in Highland dancing, a short solo that builds on the basic pas de basque step by adding high cuts.
Pas de Basque and High Cuts is a short solo dance from Scottish Highland dancing competition. It takes the basic pas de basque step, the light springing step from foot to foot that opens every young dancer’s training, and adds high cuts to it, so the child is asked to do the same step as before and then something a little more demanding with the working foot. It is best understood as the second rung of a ladder: the plain Pas de Basque comes first, this dance follows, and Highland Fling and Sword Dance come after.
In the Highland dancing championship template the item belongs to the Primary grade, the lowest of five progression grades (Primary, Beginners, Novice, Intermediate and Premier). The governing rule book says a competitor under seven may compete in Primary until their seventh birthday and then becomes a Beginner, and that only four dances may be offered in Primary: Pas de Basque, Pas de Basque and High Cuts, Highland Fling and Sword Dance. The template records this item as Individual, open to both genders, with a hundred-mark maximum.
A round is brief. The dancer is called to the floor, takes the opening position and starts on the first note of the music. The adjudicator watches the timing of the springs, the height and neatness of the cuts, the carriage of the body and the arms, and the dancer finishes on the closing note. Several children usually dance together in a round, so a steady entrance and a clean ending count as much as the steps themselves.
Organisers run it as its own item, rather than folding it into the plain Pas de Basque, because the two ask for different things: the first tests whether a child can place and time a single step, the second whether they can keep that step tidy once the movement gets bigger. It also keeps very young dancers competing only against each other. The rules ask organisers not to award trophies in Primary, so the day is about learning and the adjudicator’s feedback rather than cups.
Where Pas de Basque and High Cuts is run
On eTalenter Pas de Basque and High Cuts appears in one template only, the Highland dancing championship template, where it is the second item of the Primary grade. Highland dancing competitions are held at games and festivals across Scotland and in Scottish communities in Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa; this page describes only the item as that template carries it, with its progression-grade structure rather than age bands.
- Scotland, United Kingdom
Key facts
- A solo dance, recorded as Individual and open to both genders
- Offered in the Primary grade only, for dancers under seven; at their seventh birthday a dancer becomes a Beginner
- One of only four dances Primary may enter, alongside Pas de Basque, Highland Fling and Sword Dance
- Published marking is out of 100 per dance: Timing 10, Technique 80 and General Deportment 10
- Organisers must not award trophies in Primary, and a mark should be awarded whenever possible rather than a penalty
- The template carries a ten-minute ceiling, an app default because the rules print no time limit for this dance
On eTalenter, Pas de Basque and High Cuts is filed under On Stage and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 1 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, Pas de Basque and High Cuts is most often entered as an Individual competition, typically scored out of 100, commonly time-limited to around 10 minutes where a limit is set.
What judges look at in Pas de Basque and High Cuts
What a Pas de Basque and High Cuts panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- Technique, worth 80 of the 100 marks: the basic spring from foot to foot kept clean, with the high cut lifted to a consistent height and the toes pointed throughout
- Timing, worth 10 marks: every spring and every cut landing on the beat, with the start taken on the first note and no stopping for a count
- General deportment, worth 10 marks: an upright, lifted body, steady head, tidy arms and a confident walk on and off the floor
- Consistency between sides: cuts that are crisp on one foot and low or heavy on the other lose marks, so both sides must match in height and speed
- Keeping the basic step clean when the cuts arrive: the added movement must not make the springs untidy or the dancer drift off the spot
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Pas de Basque and High Cuts under Scoring Setup, or start from the full folk dance judging criteria guide.
How to prepare for Pas de Basque and High Cuts
How entrants and their teachers usually get Pas de Basque and High Cuts right on the day:
- Learn the plain pas de basque first and only add the cuts once the basic step is steady, because the cuts are judged on top of it, not instead of it
- Practise the cuts slowly in front of a mirror, lifting to the same height every time, then add the music at the exact tempo you will dance to
- Count aloud, “one and two and”, so each spring and each cut is tied to the beat, and film a short clip to check that the left and right sides look the same
- Build stamina with short repeats: a young dancer who tires halfway through lets the cuts sink, so run the whole dance twice in a row in practice
- Rehearse the walk on, opening position and final pose in competition shoes and kilt, so nothing is new on the day
- After each event read the adjudicator’s comments, pick one correction such as even cut height, and work only on that before the next competition
Ready-made event templates that include Pas de Basque and High Cuts
Open any template to preview it in eTalenter and install it as a live, editable event.
| Template | Category | Score label | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Dancing Championship (RSOBHD) | On Stage | Marks | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Pas de Basque and High Cuts judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter’s templates it’s most often run as an Individual entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
What is the difference between Pas de Basque and Pas de Basque and High Cuts?
They are two separate dances in the template. Pas de Basque is built from the basic step alone, while Pas de Basque and High Cuts adds high cuts to it, so it is a little harder and is usually learned second. Each is entered and judged as its own item.
Who can enter Pas de Basque and High Cuts?
In the template it sits in the Primary grade, which is for dancers under seven. A competitor stays in Primary until their seventh birthday and then becomes a Beginner, so older dancers would enter a different grade.
How is it scored?
The published scheme is 100 marks per dance: Timing 10, Technique 80 and General Deportment 10. The template records the item with a 100-mark maximum so the panel can enter one mark per dancer.
Are trophies given in Primary?
The rules say organisers must not award trophies in Primary. Results can still be recorded and shared on eTalenter, but a festival following the rules would use certificates or comments instead of cups.
Want the full judging picture? Read the full folk dance judging criteria guide, or browse every on stage competition item.
Try Pas de Basque and High Cuts in eTalenter
See every ready-made template that runs Pas de Basque and High Cuts, and install one as a live event — age groups, rules and scoring included.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.