Highland dancers win medals in Calgary
Two Highland dancers returned to Peterborough after earning five medals each in a national dance competition.
Islay Moore and Ella Horner both took home a handful of medals at the ScotDance Canada Championship Series in Calgary.
They each performed seven dances over three days, placing in five overall.
Islay, 11, competed in the novice division and Ella, 11, was in beginners.
They were up against about 30 dancers per dance, who hailed from Canada, Australia, Scotland, Bermuda, South Africa and the United States. The first day, Islay didn’t place at all.
“But I think it was good for me because I realized that I have to bring my A game,” Islay said Monday.
The championships were the youngsters’ first time competing at a national level.
That made it a bit nerve racking, Islay said, but she didn’t put too much pressure on herself.
“I wasn’t really there to place, I was there to have fun – but I placed, too, so that was good.”
Based on overall points, Islay landed runner up in her 11- to 13-year-old novice division.
The two preteens dance under Lynn Mooney at Ard-Mhor School of Highland Dancing.
Mooney couldn’t go to Calgary with the girls, but heard from them often while they were away.
Islay’s dad also filmed his daughter’s performances, so Mooney could watch live from her computer in Peterborough.
“It was kind of like being there — next best thing, I suppose,” Mooney said.
In addition to group lessons, Islay and Ella started private lessons in February to prepare for the big event.
“They’ve really tried hard, and it just shows you that all the effort they put into it, it really did pay off,” said Mooney.
Mooney hasn’t seen Ella since the competition but had lunch with Islay and her family Sunday.
“You could tell she was still on cloud nine,” Mooney said of Islay.