DANCERS KEEP UP TRADITION : GROUP ENJOYS ELEGANCE OF SCOTTISH COUNTRY STYLE.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

Every Friday night, women in long dresses adorned with tartan sashes and men in kilts and white shirts gather at a church meeting room.

To the recorded sound of fiddles, hornpipes and guitars, the Antelope Valley Scottish Country Dancers step to traditional Scottish music in dances that are elegant, sometimes flirtatious and always energetic.

``It's very elegant dancing, it's very refined,'' said Dave Burrell, 41, who is a member of the group with his wife, Carolyn. ``The music is exciting and the women love to see the guys in kilts.''

Scottish country dance is performed in pairs and in groups, unlike the Scottish Highland dancing, which is more individualistic and virtuoso, Burrell said.

With origins reaching back into 18th-century Scotland, the dances mix footwork resembling ballet and moves characteristic of square dancing.

``It's performed in the ballroom and in the barn,'' said Walter Ranger, 42, one of the dancers. ``It's the most democratic of national dances.''

Country dances are performed in sets by couples in two parallel lines, one of ladies and one of men. As the dance progresses, each couple moves through various positions in sets.

Burrell, 41, was introduced to the dance by his wife about six years ago. Carolyn Burrell had started out with square dancing but didn't care for the music.

``I love Gaelic music,'' Carolyn Burrell said.

The women wear long, white dresses adorned with tartan sashes. The sashes are worn around the left shoulder.

The men wear kilts and white shirts. The men also wear a sporan, a pouch - not a purse, the men say.

Square dancing stems from Scottish country dancing. Unlike square dancing, the steps are memorized rather than called out.

``Square dancing is what happened to Scottish country dancing when they couldn't remember the footwork,'' Burrell said.

Karin Gursky, 28, of Palmdale joined the group about two years ago. She became interested in the dances when she went with her sister to a dance lesson near her home.

``From the first night I was hooked,'' Gursky said. ``The foot positions are similar to ballet. The Scots like to say the French borrowed it from us.''

The dance form is overseen by the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. There are Scottish dance groups in Canada, Hong Kong and Australia.

The Antelope Valley dance group sprouted from a Scottish social club that was formed about 15 years, primarily from Scottish women who had married American servicemen, Ranger said.

Scottish heritage is not a requirement for joining the group; in fact few of the members are actually Scottish. The group's membership ranges in age from 16 to 90.

The dancers will be performing at the American Heritage/Cultural Diversity Celebration at Tumbleweed Elementary School, 1100 E. Ave. R-4, held from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Oct. 25. The group will perform at 5:30 p.m. at the event.

The dancers meet every Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Lutheran Church of the Master, 725 E. Ave. J. Newcomers are welcome.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1--color in AV edition only) The A.V. Scottish C ountry Dancers step to traditional Scottish music.

(2--ran in AV edition only--color) no caption (Scottish dancers)

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News