For South Island youngsters — these are ancient Highland and Irish dances passed on to them from the generations before them.
Fifty-seven young people from Southland, Otago and Canterbury battled it out on the dance floor at the Piping & Dancing Association of New Zealand, Southland Centre annual competition, held at the Scottish Hall in Invercargill last Saturday.
The Southland Centre marked its 80th anniversary of the annual Highland dancing competition which attracted participants and an audience spanning several generations.
Piping & Dancing Association of NZ Southland president Heidi Boniface said, "We’ve had the biggest number of entries we’ve had in a long time and have had some beautiful dancing today.
"This dancing is definitely still relevant and an art form that continues to grow."
Chloe Young, 13, has been Highland dancing since she was 4 and is proud she is continuing a legacy started by her great-grandparents.
"I’ve got Scottish in me, my nana did Highland dancing and my great-granddad played the bagpipes."
Debra Young made her trip from Heriot to Invercargill to watch her granddaughters perform and saw their Highland dancing as a way of connecting with her grandchildren.
"I started Highland dancing when I was 5 and my parents played the bagpipes, so I enjoy seeing my granddaughters maintain these traditions through their dancing," she said.
Alex Glover wowed the crowd with his Irish double time jig in the under-16 division.
Last year he was awarded second place for the Irish jig at the New Zealand Highland Dancer of the year competition.
He got the bug for the jig when he was 6 years old and has never looked back.
While attending Otago Boys’ High School, he is trained by his coach in Dunedin and also undertakes classes taught by his mother Sandra.
"I just love all the competitions and my goal is to join a dance company and travel all around the world," he said.
- By Nina Tapu
