Markéta Vrána Gasnárková, hailing from Brno, embarked on her dance journey as an adult. She remains dedicated to various forms of Scottish traditional dance in her practice, occasionally branching out into other styles. Her dance journey started in 2012, when she started learning social Scottish dancing, gradually expanding to include ceilidh, Scottish country dancing, solo highland dancing, and step dancing in her repertoire. In recent years, she has been delving into the almost extinct Scottish (percussive) step dancing.

She founded the small dance ensemble Feidh focusing on showcasing Scottish step dancing in performances. Rooted in similar traditions to its Irish counterpart, Scottish step dancing has significantly influenced contemporary Highland competitive dances that are characterized by soft, graceful movements infused with balletic elements. Scottish step dancing remains relatively niche in Scotland, although its popularity has seen a surge during the lockdown period.

Markéta’s workshop, “The Scottish Party Minima,” will explore social dances with a special focus on fostering connections with fellow dancers. Through learning the ceilidh and other simple country dances, participants will experience the joy of movement intertwined with social interactions.