DATE: Friday, June 27, 1997                 TAG: 9706250190

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 06   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: COVER STORY 

SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:  193 lines

WEE BIT OF SCOTLANDCOLOR, MUSIC, DANCE, ATHLETICS, FOOD AND ANIMALS COMBINE FOR THE FIRST TWO-DAY HIGHLAND GAMES.

IF YOU LOVED ``Riverdance,'' that spectacular production of Irish dancing that has sold millions of videotapes, you'll love this weekend's Hampton Roads Highland Games, sponsored by the Tidewater Scottish Festival.

This popular festival, featuring all things Scottish, takes place Saturday and Sunday at Chesapeake City Park. It will feature a prestigious dance competition and will be held over a two-day period for the first time.

The festival has been expanded this year because it will feature THE national 1997 United States Inter-Regional Highland Dancing Competition, pitting dancers from across the country in heated, rhythmic competition.

Dressed in colorful kilts and other Scottish regalia, the dancers will show off enough skilled and difficult steps and routines to make one forget all about the internationally popular Irish dance gala.

The dance competition's organizer is the Southeastern Region of the Federation of United States Teachers and Adjudicators. The rules of the championships will be governed by the rules of the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing. Judges and pipers participating in the event hail from Scotland, Canada and the United States.

``This is a real coup for us,'' said Eleanor Unger, a Virginia Beach resident who teaches Highland dancing and is president of the annual Scottish festival. ``I had to make a real sales pitch to the governing body to bring the dance finals here to the games. They're only held in the Mid-Atlantic region every six years and for this year we have it.''

Unger said in order to make the dancers comfortable in the possible heat and humidity of a typical Chesapeake summer Sunday, organizers will have the dancers perform and compete under shade tents with fans set up to offer cooling breezes and air movement.

The last time these competitions were held at a Southern Scottish games festival was in 1991 at Nashville, Tenn.

Dancers who qualified for these championships in five separate age groups had to compete in local, state and then regional heats.

``These will all be premier dancers,'' Unger said. ``We'll be getting the best Highland dancers in the country. We're really thrilled about the prospect of having them at our event. We expect up to 150 dancers.''

The contest will feature four events: Highland Fling, Gillie Callum (sword dance), Sean Truibhais and Highland Reel. All dancers will compete outdoors on a wooden platform, three at a time. Unger said the championships will conclude with a ``Parade of the Regions,'' which will include more than 90 dancers all resplendent in colorful kilts and Scottish regalia. The conclusion also will feature the presentation of prizes and trophies.

Unger said the Games' special honored guest this year will be Marguerite Reid of Pennsylvania. Reid brings with her years of teaching and judging experience, including such titles as adjudicator for the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing, examiner for the British Association of Teachers and Dancing, past president of the Federation of United States Teachers and Adjudicators and chairperson of the Philadelphia Highland Games Dancing Association.

``Through almost 50 years of teaching and judging, this remarkable woman has maintained a standard unsurpassed by any other

in the United States,'' Unger wrote in the event's program. ``Her ability to instill in a dancer the spirit of true competitiveness is unique. Seldom is such dedication to one's heritage seen, or such regard and admiration by one's peers recognized.''

Here is a quick look at the events, activities and performers scheduled for the 1997 Hampton Roads Highland Games (see accompanying schedule):

Highland athletics - These sweat-inducing competitions will include tossing a 22-pound hammer and 28- and 56-pound weights; a sheaf toss, where a 16-pound bale of hay is thrown for height; the 100 to 120-pound caber toss, where a log the size of a telephone pole is thrown; and Cumberland wrestling, where burly, kilted wrestlers attempt to throw each other to the ground.

Piping and drumming - The games will feature some of the best local and regional bagpipe players and drummers around, all dressed in colorful Scottish garb.

Music - Several local, regional and nationally known Scottish and Celtic musicians will perform. Included will be Edinburgh native Ed Miller, who will perform traditional ballads and the songs of Robert Burns; The Highland-Aires, a duo of crazy Scots from Lancaster, Pa., who perform an array of good old-fashioned Scottish music; herringbone, a local quartet of Cindy Ressler, John Kays, John Ickes and Beverly Yeskolski who play a variety of styles ranging from folk, bluegrass and rock to Celtic and original songs; Carl Peterson, a true Scot now living in the States who performs authentic Scottish songs sung in his charming brogue; and Bobby Murray, an accordionist and native Scot now living in Canada who accompanies Peterson through a varied program of traditional songs all with that authentic ``breath of heather.''

Brigadoon Children's Village - Youngsters of all ages will enjoy stories from Grannie MacLeod and members of the Norfolk Story League; puppetry by the Whappadoodle Puppets; hayrides; animal exhibitions and demonstrations by the Chesapeake 4-H and Cloverbud's Critters; and demonstrations and displays by the Tidewater Weaver's Guild, Tidewater Knitting Guild, Tidewater Quilter's Guild and the Bay Area Sheep Producers Association.

Herding Dog trials - Those intelligent and lovable border collies show how they earn their room and board by running four sheep through five obstacles on a course.

Terrier events - The Colonial Terrier Club will show off a variety of terrier breeds who will participate in flyball competitions and a grand parade.

Vendors - Vendors will be selling all manner of things Scottish including historical and genealogical books, tomes of Scottish poetry and songs, regalia, costumes, kilts and foods.

British cars - Automotive buffs will see a large display of classic and historical British cars.

Haggis hurl - What's a Scottish festival without some homage to one of the country's traditional foods, the haggis? It's a dish made out of the lungs, heart and other innards of a sheep or calf mixed with fat, seasoning and oatmeal and then boiled in a sheep's stomach. Will the festival sell any? ``I don't think we could even give that stuff away,'' said Unger. ``What's the point?'' Needless to say, the hurl will feature contestants standing on an empty whiskey barrel and throwing a bean-bag with the shape and weight of a haggis. The one who throws it the farthest, wins. MEMO: Tickets to the Hampton Roads Highland Games, available at the

gate, are $8 for adults, $5 for youth seven to 17 and free for children

six and younger. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos including color cover by MORT FRYMAN

Leslie Savvas dance to the music of bagpiper Rick Perkins.

Elizabeth Constantine of Chesapeake will be among the local Scottish

dancers.

Photo by JAN HARRIS

The festival will be highlighted by the national 1997 United States

Inter-Regional Highland Dancing Competition, concluding with a

``Parade of the Regions.''

Those intelligent and lovable border collies show how they earn

their room and board.

Among the athletic competitions is the 22-pound hammer toss and

other weighty events.

Graphic

SCOTTISH FESTIVAL

Saturday

8 a.m. - Registration, competitive events

8:30 a.m. - Competitions begin

10 a.m. - Opening ceremonies

11 a.m. - Parade of dogs (parade field)

11:30 a.m. - Pipe bands (parade field)

Noon - Terrier display (parade field)

1 p.m. - Children's games (parade field)

1:30 p.m. - Pipe bands - (parade field)

2 p.m. - Haggis hurl and knobby knees contest (parade field)

4:30 p.m. - Massed bands (parade field)

Sunday

8:30 a.m.:

United States Inter-Regional (USIR) Highland Dance Championships

for divisions 11 & under, 13 & under and 15 & under

Novice athletic competition (parade field)

Herding dog trials (athletic field)

11 a.m. - Highland wrestling (athletic field)

Noon (following lunch break):

USIR Highland Dance Championships for divisions 17 & under and 18

& under

Tug-O-War (athletic field)

Highland wrestling finals (athletic field)

Herding dog trials (athletic field)

3:45 p.m. - Parade of Highland dancing regional teams, Award of

Champions at main stage and dance-off at the dance stage

4:45 p.m. - Closing ceremony.

HIGHLAND DANCING SCHEDULE

Saturday

8 a.m. - Registration for pre-premier division

8:30 a.m. - Beginner, novice and intermediate Highland dancing

10 a.m. - Opening ceremonies

10:30 a.m. - Primary and pre-premier continues, followed by solo

choreography

Noon - lunch break and premier registration

Afternoon - Premier nationals and group choreography

HIGHLAND GAMES

Saturday (amateur and junior divisions) 8 a.m. - Registration

9 a.m. - Events begin featuring stone, hammer and weight throw.

The morning events also include Highland- and Cumberland-style

wrestling

10 a.m. - Break

10:30 a.m. - Events resume

Noon - Lunch break

1 p.m. - Events resume featuring caber toss, sheaf toss and

weight throw.

Sunday (novice division)

8 a.m. - Registration

9 a.m. - Events begin featuring stone, hammer and weight throw

10 a.m. - Break

10:30 a.m. - Events resume

Noon - Lunch break

1 p.m. - Events resume featuring caber toss, sheaf toss and

weight throw

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