The Celebration of Scottish Dance

A review of Heel for Heel

Cindy Gray’s Heel for Heel: The Story of Scottish Dance is an affectionate, wide-ranging portrait of one of Scotland’s most enduring cultural expressions. It is a book that celebrates movement, rhythm and connection, as a living, breathing art that continues to bring people together across the world. From Highland dance to ceilidhs, from formal country sets to spontaneous step-dancing, Gray moves through the many forms of Scottish dance with enthusiasm and curiosity, treating each with respect while never losing her sense of fun.

What makes Heel for Heel so appealing is the energy of Gray’s writing. She is not content to catalogue the history or list steps; instead, she draws you into the music, the sweat and the camaraderie of it all. Her tone is warm and inviting. It is easy to feel her affection for the subject. 

At its best, Heel for Heel captures that sense of belonging that dance can create. Gray shows that for many, Scottish dance is a link to family, to place and to shared identity. She also explores how these traditions are kept alive by teachers, parents and communities who pass them on, often with remarkable dedication. The book manages to honour both the formality of competition and the easy, social nature of the dance floor, weaving them into a single story about continuity and joy.

Heel for Heel remains a delight. It succeeds as both introduction and tribute, offering newcomers a welcoming entry point while reminding lifelong dancers of why they fell in love with the tradition in the first place. She writes as someone who has been swept up by the joy of it all and wants to share that experience with others.

By the end, what lingers most is the sense of vitality. This is a testament to endurance and adaptation, showing that Scottish dance continues to evolve, excite and connect people across generations and continents.