One of the strongest fields in many years will gather in Maclean to compete in the Dancing Competition as part of the 118th Maclean Highland Gathering, held on Easter Saturday, April 8.
Over 104 dancers have entered in the competition events, which will commence from 9am at the Maclean Showgrounds. The Lower Clarence Scottish Association’s Dancing Contest Convenor, Nicole Cowling, is in her first year in the job after assisting Norma Smith last year. But Norma’s association with the gathering has not ended and she remains a key part of a very experienced organising team in what will an inspirational sixty fifth year involved in the organisation of the Maclean Highland Gathering’s dancing competition.
Nicole said she was “nervous but excited” about the prospect of presenting the competition with such a large, high quality, field assembled for the event. Dancers will come from every east coast mainland state to compete at Maclean with entrants from as far north as Townsville and as far south as Oak Park, a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria. The gathering receives particularly strong support from Southeast Queensland dancing studios and the local area is also well represented with dancers from the Maclean Scottish Town Dancer Centre and the Jacaranda Highland Dancers. Local dancers qualify to compete for the prized Clarence Valley Council Local Scholarships, which provide $300 to further their experience and learning in Highland Dancing.
Dancers from as young as four years old will compete in Easter Saturday’s events. Dances include the Highland Fling, the Seann Truibheas, the Gillie Callum, the Scottish Lilt, as well as the Sailor’s Hornpipe, the Irish Jig and the Flora McDonald’s Fancy.
Primary dancers also who are the youngest or least experienced dancers also dance the Pas De Basques and Pas De Basques and High Cuts. A full day of dancing is promised with the competition commencing at 9am and finishing just before the Massed Bands at around 4pm.
The Highland dancing competition is held in the main showground arena, together with the pipe band competition and the Highland sports – mirroring the practice of the traditional Highland Gatherings in Scotland and allowing spectators seated in the main grandstand on the hill to witness all the action from a central vantage point.
Alister Smith