Since 1949

About Us

Supporting Ontario’s Highland Dancers for Over 70 Years

The Highland Dancers' Association of Ontario is a volunteer parent organization founded in 1949 to promote Highland Dance and Scottish culture and to improve the conditions for dancers at Highland games in Ontario. Today it continues as a volunteer parent association dedicated to the same goals.

About

One of our first steps was to become associated with The Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing in Edinburgh, Scotland. The RSOBHD is the worldwide governing body for Highland Dance. In 1953, the H.D.A.O. received its Charter from the Province of Ontario and in 1999 we became a Registered Charitable Organization.

Since our inception we have worked to promote Highland Dancing in Ontario by organizing Highland Dance competitions. We run three indoor Dance Competitions, two Highland Competitions in February and March and a Nationals Dance Competition in November. As well, we are proud to present the Ontario Closed Championship, the oldest Championship in Ontario, which, since 1974 has served as the Selection Meet for the Canadian Championships.

We also organize the Highland Dance competitions for many of the Ontario Highland Games including the Cobourg Scottish Festival & Highland Games,  the Kincardine Scottish Festival & Highland Games, the Cambridge Scottish Festival, the Uxbridge Scottish Festival and the Fergus Scottish Festival & Highland Games.

Our Mission Statement

• To promote interest in and appreciation of the ancient tradition of Highland Dancing.

• To sponsor exhibitions and competitions of Highland Dancers, and to offer, grant or contribute towards prizes, awards and distinctions.

• To co-operate with other organizations having similar to, in whole or in part, the objectives of the H.D.A.O.

• To do all such other things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objectives.