Four North Island dancers have successfully competed at the national level in Highland Dance, continually placing in the top rankings at a competition with over 980 competitors.
Natalee Hunt, age 8, Paisley Barolet, age 10, and Mayumi Hinatsu-Willie, age 12, and Abby McCorquodale, age 13, competed in pre-premier competition at the Scotdance Canada Championship Series in Calgary, which ran from June 29 to July 4.
Natalee Hunt is a novice and she competed in the 7 to under 9 age category. Natalee placed second in the Strathspey and Highland Reel, she placed 5th in the Sword Dance and 7th in the Highland Fling.
Paisley Barolet is a novice and she competed in the 10-year-old age category. Paisley placed 2nd in the Fling, 4th in the Sword Dance, and 5th in the Strathspey and Highland Reel, 3rd in the Scottish Lilt, and 6th in the Flora. Paisley placed 3rd in the Trophy Fling where she competed against novice dancers in the 10-11-year-old category.
Mayumi Hinatsu-Willie is a novice and she competed in the 11 and under 13-year-old category.
Mayumi placed 1st in the Sword Dance, 1st in the Strathspey and Highland Reel, 6th in the Highland Fling, and won the Aggregate award for the Highland Dances.
She placed 1st in the Seann Truibhas, 2nd in the Scottish Lilt, and 8th in Flora MacDonald’s Fancy. Mayumi placed 1st in the Trophy Fling where she competed against novice dancers 12 years and older.
Abby McCorquodale is a premier level dancer. She received a 5th in the Fling in the Premier Highland dances.
For the Premiership Abby was awarded a 4th in the Flora, 4th in the Scotch Measure, and 5th in the Earl of Errol. Abby was 4th runner-up overall for the 13-year-old age category. In the Scotdance Canada open championship, Abby was awarded 6th in the Seann Truibhas.
Dancers at the Championship Series came from as far away as Scotland, Bermuda, Australia, and South Africa.
The ScotDance Canada Championship Series is the premier Highland Dancing event in Canada with anywhere from 800 to 1200 dancers, together with their families and dance teachers, attending each year.
The series features the Canadian Highland Dancing Championships and the ScotDance Canada Open Championships. Events also include Pre-Premier competitions, Premier and Restricted Premier competitions, Pre-Championship, choreography, and special events.
– with files from Robin Hunt and Scotdance Canada.
