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Four, three, two, and now one.
Talented young Queenstown Highland dancer Heidi Dalton, 11, can finally call herself New Zealand’s Highland Dancer of the Year for her age, following last weekend’s competition of the same name in Nelson.
Heidi, who started Highland dancing when she was about 2 and a-half, came fourth in her age group in 2023, third in 2024 and second last year, taking the crown this year from the other nine 11-year-olds, following consistent performances in seven dances across two days at the NZ competition.
Her mum, Queenstown Highland Dance Club teacher Carleen, says she is incredibly proud of Heidi, and grateful to Garston teacher Sandra Glover, who has also helped with her coaching.
“[Heidi] is pretty humble about it … but she does work really hard.
“It’s not like anything comes easy .. she just quietly works away herself with direction.
“We’ve been attending these big competitions for a long time and it’s not easy.
“Like anything, it costs [a lot], but we’ve got to give the kids the opportunity … I think it’s really trying to get the message out there that kids have got to enjoy it.
“And if they work hard, they reap rewards.”
Heidi will be in action again this Saturday — this time on home turf — during the third annual Queenstown Highland Dance Club Competition, being held at Arrowtown’s Athenaeum Hall from 8.45am, following a piping in by members of the Queenstown and Southern Lakes Highland Pipe Band, until about 3pm.
Another New Zealand Dancer of the Year champion, Zara Glover — Sandra’s daughter — will be competing, along with a host of other local dancers, many of whom placed highly in Nelson.
For the first time this year, the Queenstown competition will also include an Allcomers Fling, enabling anyone to give Highland dancing a crack — Carleen expects that to happen about 10am.
tracey.roxburgh@scene.co.nz
