News Archive
Another Course Alumni
Passes Judges Exam
Posted January
2, 2009
Congratulations to
Lisa Turner
of the Ardlair School of Dance in Australia, SDC On-line Course Alumni, on
passing her Judges’ Exam!
HDAO 60th Anniversary
Gala Ball
Posted
November 18, 2008
The Highland Dancers Association of
Ontario will celebrate their 60th Anniversary with a Gala Ball on
Saturday, May 9, 2009 in Mississauga, ON.
Please click here for more information.
SDC Online Education
Centre - Now Open!
Posted
November 11, 2008
The ScotDance
Canada Education Centre is now open! Many thanks to Deborah Wardrope for
the countless hours of work she put into making this happen. The fee for
the Ed Centre is $40 per year and all ScotDance Canada Professionals may
register for the course by clicking the link on the right hand side of the
page under "Online Registration". Please note that this Education Centre
is intended for ScotDance Canada Professional Members ONLY.
Congratulations to 2 New
Judges!
Posted
November 11, 2008
Congratulations to
2 more Alumni from the SDC Judges’ Course who passed the exam.
Christine
Henderson BC
Laura Melville
Scotland
We wish them all
the best in their judging careers.
Judging Ethics
Propositions
Posted
November 9, 2008
ScotDance Canada submitted 7 Judging
Ethics Propositions to the S.O.B.H.D. which share a rationale. The Judging
Ethics Propositions are 3, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22 & 24. Even though they share
a common rationale, these 7 propositions should be considered individually
and not voted on as a “bundle”.
SDC Online Education Centre - Opening Soon!
Posted
October 5, 2008
For those who attended the ScotDance
Canada Conference in Montreal, you received a sneak peak at the type of
modules that will be presented in the Education Centre. In a separate wing
of the Ed. Centre we have run 7 sessions of the On-line Judges Course. The
professional members’ site will be very similar in look and functionality.
Think of this as library for the SDC members. The first modules that you
will have access to are:
-
Amendments to the Hornpipe Text
-
Amendments to the Irish Jig Text
-
Amendments to the Constitution and
Rules 2006
-
Amendments to the New Highland Dancing
Text Book.
More modules and video instructions will
be added in the future. We are hoping to eventually have modules on all
the National and Highland Dances to assist you with your continuing
professional development.
Keep visiting the SDC web site for
information regarding the grand opening of the new wing of our Education
Centre.
Mrs. Dorothy Kerr
Posted
September 30, 2008
Attachment: Dorothy Kerr
Photo
Mrs Dorothy Kerr was a true legend of
Highland Dancing in Australia and a woman with incredible vision and
foresight. She was a former President of the National Dancing
Association of Australia and Secretary of Ballet Australasia, formerly
The British Ballet Organisation of Australia. A position she held for
over 50 years. She is the founder of the Grand Australasian Festival and
Highland Dancing Championships of Australia.
Her legacy also includes being the
first general secretary of the Australian Board of Highland Dancing in
Australia, when formed in l960.She was honoured for her services to
Highland Dancing with A British Empire Medal.
At the World of Highland Dancing
Conference at Las Vegas she was honoured with five other senior
representatives who had contributed a huge part of their lives to
Highland Dancing and who had also produced a World Champion Highland
Dancer. Our Mrs Kerr was amongst them having produced two World
Champions, Flora Grubb (Carter) and Lynne Dickson Abbot.
She was the Grand Dame of Highland
Dancing in Australia and will be sorely missed by her many many dancing
pupils, teachers, adjudicators, family and friends. She will always be
in our lives. She is survived by her two children, Elizabeth and Peter,
and three grandchildren.
New World Champions
Updated
September 3, 2008
ScotDance Canada
would like to congratulate to the 2009 World Champions Morgan Bamford (New
Zealand) - Juvenile Champion; Alexandra Mattews (Ontario) -
Junior Champion and David Wilton (Scotland) - Adult Champion!
We would also like
to congratulate Scottish Championship winners Morgan McDougall, ON
(8 years), Phillipa Swartz, BC (12 years) Katie Lee, AB (14
Years). Full results are available at
www.cowalgathering.com.
ScotDance Alberta 2008
Conference - October 18 & 19 - Calgary
Updated
September 3, 2008
The annual ScotDance
Alberta conference will be held in Calgary on October 18th and 19th of
this year.
Please click here to download the registration form.
2009 Championship Steps
Updated August
12, 2008
The 2009
Championship Steps have now been published.
Check them out on the "2009 Championship
Steps" page!
Maxville Revised Judges
Placings
Updated August
12, 2008
There was an error
in the judges placings at the recent Maxville Highland Games.
Please click here for the revised judges placings.
2008 Australasian
Championships
Updated August
12,
2008
First of all the National Dancing
Association of Australia would like to congratulate ScotCance Canada on
staging the very successful ScotDance championships in Vancouver.
Our 50th Anniversary of the Grand
Australasian Championships of Australia was held in Sydney on the
5th/6th July. One of our 6 adjudicators was Gail Danysk from Calgary.
The Grand Australasian Championships
have always tried to have an overseas adjudicator for the past 30
years. Record entries were received.
These prestigious championships held
a cocktail party on the Saturday Night, and presented all the former
winners of the Adult Australasian Championships with a commemorative
medal and certificate. All former winners spoke and what
an inspirational night for all present.
Flora Carter (Grubb) who won in
1959, spoke of the boat trip which took 6 weeks to England to compete
in the Worlds. How each day she had to practice in the children's
playroom on the ship after 3 pm each say as the ship swayed with a
record player. The people of Newcastle fundraised to send Flora to the
Worlds which she won in l960. She taught Justine Daley who won the
Australasians a record 4 times in Adult, twice in 13/14/15 years and one
as a 12 year old. She then went on to place 5th in the World. Jan Roach
who won in 1964 to 1966 spoke of how she still does a fling every day.
Lorraine Paytyen who was a 3 time winner from 1960 to 1962 was also
present. Congratulations were received from Scotdance Canada and many
many more people. All former Australian Board of Highland Dancing
presidents were present. Great names have won, including two former
world champions, overseas past world champions and so many have placed
in the Adult Worlds at Cowal.
Teachers and representatives from all
over Australia were present. Each Championship had every State of
Australia represented, plus New Zealand Dancers.
Marjory Gilbert our first Australasian
winner was unable to be here due to ill health, the same for Mrs
Dorothy Kerr, whose vision for Highland Dancing in Australia speaks for
itself. It is sad that in the weeks prior we learnt of the passing of
Kevin Desereaux who won the Australasian in l967.
On Saturday and Sunday all former
champions presented the prizes and the recipients were thrilled. We
also had a march past of all former Australasian winners.
Maureen Fyffe, Vice President of the
National Dancing Association of Australia.
SDCCS 2008 Update
Updated July 7,
2008
Congratulations to
Cheryl Rafter and the 2008 organizing committee for a fantastic job! The
Championship series was very well organized and we heard nothing but
compliments. Anyone who has been involved in running this event in the
past knows how much work goes into hosting and Cheryl and her team are
commended for a job very well done!
For results and pictures please click here
to visit the Championship Series website.
New SDC Independent
Members
Updated July 7,
2008
At the July 2008 AGM,
two new ScotDance Canada Independent Members were selected. We would like
to welcome Bill Troock (AB) and Anne Sutherland (ON) who were nominated
and selected based on their outstanding contribution to ScotDance Canada
over the years. Congratulations!
ScotDance Canada Forums
Posted March
20, 2008
Click the
Forums/Message Boards link on the left hand side of this page under
Navigation to visit our forums. Please read the instructions to learn how
to set up your own username and password prior to accessing the forums.
Please note that, other than the SDC General Forum, the forums are
password protected. A list of who to contact in order to receive a
password for these sections is listed on the Forums page.
Complete List of
Canadian Inter-Provincial Championship Winners
Posted March
17, 2008
Have you ever
wondered who has won the Canadian Inter-Provincial Championships since
they were first held in 1974? A complete list has been added under
Downloads, Other Resources. Thanks, Donna Jean, for keeping this list up
to date!
Online Judges Course
Posted March 11,
2008
A new course started on Friday, March 14th. For more information and to register for
the course, please visit the Online Judges
Course page of this website.
Entry forms and results
Posted February
19, 2008
Make sure no one
misses your event by posting your entry form on our website! Send
your entry forms in either PDF (preferred) or MS Word format by clicking
HERE.
Then, once your
event is over send us the results for posting in our
Results section. For any Competition Organizers using Highland Scrutineer,
simply use the option within the program to create an HTML file and send
it by e-mail for immediate posting. In the meantime, if you have a complete set of results that you would like
posted, please click
HERE to send them by e-mail.
Congratulations to our
new Canadian judges!
Posted February
9, 2008
We would like to
offer our congratulations to the newest (Canadian) members of the SOBHD
Judges Panel! All of these ladies were students of the SDC Online Judges
Course and took the exam in November 2007:
Shannon Bixby,
AB
Pierie Danysk,
AB
Kendra Jones,
SK
Erin Mansfield,
ON
Sherril Medd,
AB
Amanda Minta,
AB
Brenda Predham,
AB
Kristin Stolarz,
AB
Ashley Stowkowy,
BC
In addition, we would like to offer
our congratulations to Marie Grimes of the US, also a student of
the SDC Online Judges Course!
WAY TO GO, GIRLS!!
Congratulations to
Fiona Lee, 2007 World Junior Champion!
Posted January
12, 2008
 ScotDance
Canada and especially ScotDance British Columbia is very proud of their
2007 Junior World Champion Fiona Lee. If you are looking at lineage, Fiona
can boast it. Fiona’s mom, Nancy Davis, was a Champion Dancer. Fiona’s
father is Terry Lee, PM of the SFU Band, and one time Highland Dancer. Her
great aunt is Adeline Duncan and her teacher is Mrs. Heather Jolley,
daughter of Ms. Duncan. Fiona's grandmother was a great piper as was her
Great Uncle Ian Duncan. It is hard to top that pedigree! Dancing and music
are definitely in her blood.
Fiona is a first
year student at Simon Fraser University studying criminology. Besides
traveling to Scotland every year to compete in Cowal, Fiona also dances
with the SFU Pipe Band and has traveled to New York to perform in Carnegie
Hall and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. When asked about Fiona,
former World Champion Angus MacKenzie stated “definitely proud of her
accomplishments but thoughtful and so very humble”. Those are the
characteristics of a true champion inside and out of the dancing
community.
It is a
partnership that prepares the dancer to perform to their potential.
Fiona’s partner and mentor is Heather Jolley. This is not Heather’s first
trip to the World’s Winner Circle. She stepped into the circle with
Estelle Clewes in 1992. Heather is a founding member of ScotDance Canada.
She is one of the visionary ladies that built the foundation of our
National Body. She was honored and acknowledged for her contributions by
being named an Independent Member of ScotDance Canada and is still an
active member on the executive. She is also an Honourary Life Member of BC
Highland. The SOBHD recognized her many contributions to the Highland
Dance community and awarded her the Athol Clasp this year.
Heather has
lived in various provinces across the country and developed champions from
coast to coast. Can you image the class in Winnipeg with Delma Hutchison
(Wilson), Glenda Bergner and Donna Cove (Cram)? Excellence personified!
Heather was an accomplished champion dancer winning the
“Then-Considered-Canadian-Championship” at the CNE in Toronto. Heather’s
dedication continues as she teaches in Vancouver
and is the founder of
Tartantown.
When not at home
teaching or choreographing numbers for the SFU Dance Troupe, she is
traveling the world judging and teaching workshops.
Congratulations
Heather and Fiona, 2007 was a very good year.
Submitted by Angus MacKenzie & Deborah Wardrope
In Memory of Norine
Harmon
Posted August 25, 2007
It is with great
sadness that we share the news that Norine Harmon of San Jose,
California passed away peacefully a t
home in her sleep, December 1st, 2007. Highland Dancing has lost a good
friend and pillar of Highland Dance in the United States. Our thoughts and
prayers are with her family and all those she touched in her life. Cards
can be sent to her husband, Dennis:
Dennis Harmon
1268 Lassenview Drive
Lake Alminore Peninsula,
CA 96137
A celebration of Norine's life was held Saturday, 15th
December in
San Jose.
FUSTA has updated their Hall of Fame page, Norine was actually added to
this prior to her death and there are a couple of very nice photos and
brief summation of her Highland Dancing life at
http://www.fusta.us/halloffame.htm (you may need to cut and paste
this link into your web-browser).
If you would like to contribute a charitable donation
in honor of Norine, please contact any of the four following
organizations:
Alzheimers Association
http://www.alzheimersassociation.com/
National Breast Cancer Organization
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/give-hope/
The
Ronald McDonald House
https://donate.rmhc.org/NETCOMMUNITY/S
2007 World Champions &
Canadian Qualifiers
We would like to
extend our congratulations to the new 2007 World Champions:
Juvenile - Morgan
Bamfield, New Plymoth NZ ...
Junior - Fiona
Lee, BC Canada
... Adults - David Wilton, Forfar UK
We would also like to extend a further congratulations to our Canadian
dancers who finished in the top 6:
Juvenile -
Olivia Freeman-Shaw, ON (2RU), Bevin Wiley, AB (3RU), Lucy Muir, ON
(4RU), Jamie Conrick, ON (5RU)
Junior –
Fiona Lee, BC (Champion), Beth Whitfield, ON (1RU), Stephanie Wilson, BC
(2RU), Alexandra Matthews, ON (3RU)
Adult –
Marielle Lesperance, ON (1RU), Daniel Carr, ON (2RU)
Canadian dancers also had success in the Scottish Championships on Friday,
with 3 dancers winning their categories:
Mykaela
Johnston, ON (10 years), Laura Mack, AB (11 years), Bevin Wiley, AB (12
years), Keely McPhee, AB (15 years)
Finally, we would like to congratulate all of our Canadian dancers who
qualified to compete in the World Championships:
Juvenile:
Bevin Wiley, AB (Champion 12 years) – Treyven Robitaille, ON – Katie
Lee, AB – Jamie Conrick, ON – Olivia Freeman-Shaw, ON – Lucy Muir, ON –
Keely McPhee, AB - Sarah Peitsch-Tyerman, BC - Samantha Beach, BC - Jane
Sevick, AB
Junior:
Emma Davis, NS - Alexandra Matthews - ON, Fiona Lee, BC - Katlyn
Gerrior, NS - Stephanie Wilson, BC - Beth Whitfield, ON
Adult:
Stephanie Grant, NS - Vincent Collins, BC - Anne Thomson, ON - Desmond
Worfolk, SK - Katie Trydal, BC - Marielle Lesperance, ON - Daniel Carr,
ON
Posted August 9, 2007
The following was submitted by Maureen Fyffe ...
The 49th Prestigious Grand Australasian Championships of
Australia were held at Newington College, Stanmore, Sydney. As usual the
championship day was spectacular. 110 Dancers competed for the 6 Grand
Australasian Championships. The championships were all class with
champions from every State in Australia and New Zealand participating.
So many people commented on the wonderful atmosphere and presentation of
our championship day, and mentioned by email how classy the event was.
Both days finished on time with over 250 entries for the two days.
Adjudicators were Deborah Ward from Canada, Beryl Leslie, NSW, Lynelle
McAtee from Qld, Fionia Borcherds, Dianne Harrison and Maree Allen from
NSW.
We hope to see you all next year to help us celebrate our 50th
Grand Australasian Championships in July 2008, which will be a very
special event, especially for all those that have won a prestigious
Austraslian Championship. 7-9 Years: Abby-Jane Taylor, NZ; 10-11 Years:
Eli Roe-Daniel, Tas; 12-13 Years: Rachel Bonus, WA; 14-15 Years: Emily
Brown, Vic; 16-18 years: Chantelle Burke, NSW; 19 Years & Over: Kara
Broughton, Qld; Spirit Award: Marita Everett, Vic.
Posted August 9, 2007
This is an important
reminder for any Canadian dancers travelling to US competitions. Please
be aware that the Temporary Cards issued in Canada are not accepted in
US. The temporary cards are unique to Canada and not recognized south of
the border.
Heather Jolley awarded Atholl Clasp
Posted March 21, 2007
Christine
Lacey, SOBHD Chairman, presented Heather Jolley with the Atholl Clasp.
The following is her speech: The
Atholl Clasp was born out of the Millennium Champions Challenge. Malcolm
Appleby, a renowned Gold and Silversmith living locally in Pitlochry,
suggested a gold brooch as a raffle prize. His design depicted the
Scottish Rose. Over-all dancing winners at the Challenge received a
silver-gilt brooch; 2nd and 3rd place winners
received a silver brooch and 4th, 5th and 6th
received a bronze brooch. Also at the event Miss Jessie Stewart became
the first recipient of the Atholl Clasp.
The Atholl Dancing Association wanted the
memory of this friendly event to live on through the presentation of "The
Atholl Clasp". This has been funded through the sales of the video/DVD of
the Champions Challenge and has a bank account of its own. The award is
given to people within the dancing community who have served their sport
extremely well. The recipients have given their lives to Highland
Dancing. Nominations are given to the Board each year and the
Office-Bearers select the recipient. To give you an appreciation of the
quality of who has received this ward, I will call out the past recipients
2000 - Miss Jessie
Stewart
2001 - Miss Evelyn
McLaren
2002 - Mrs Margaret
Todd
2003 - Miss Marjory
Rowan
2004 - Mrs Adeline
Duncan
2005 - Miss Jean
Ritchie
It is with great pleasure that I now present
the 2006 Atholl Clasp award to Miss Heather Jolley.
2006 - Miss Heather Jolley
Heather, I know there are many people in the
room today who you have influenced in one way or another with their
passion for Highland Dancing.I am so happy to be making this presentation
to you today, as if it wasn't for you initially asking me to stand for the
position of Chairman back in 2005 at the BATD Congress in Vancouver, I
would not be standing here today.
Quote form Jean
Swanston – Atholl Highland Dancing Association "I think it is very fitting
that Heather should win this award. Apart from her work in Canada, she has
her annual trip to Scotland and visits the Atholl area which is right in
the very heart of Scotland. Just ask her about "The Highland Nights" and
Kinloch Rannoch in the sun and of course the rain……………!! "
Heather please come
forward and accept the 2006 Atholl Clasp.
Posted September 28, 2006
The
love of Highland Dance is simply evident in some people. These people
inspire us and support our continued growth and development. Their
contributions to our success are not always apparent or recognized;
however, their impact cannot be ignored. Today, we would like to honour
such a person.
With a
quiet and gentle demeanour, she has provided guidance to our
Organization. Respectfully, she has listened to our initiatives and
supported the path we chose to travel. She is an ambassador of Highland
Dance and respected not only in Canada but world-wide.
ScotDance Canada this week has introduced a special class of membership
that embodies all the characteristics I have just mentioned and it was
evident immediately who the first recipient should be. Ladies and
gentlemen, please join me in welcoming ScotDance Canada's first Honorary
Member, Miss Shendl Russell, Chairman of the Scottish Official Board of
Highland Dancing.
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