Highland dancers all heart
A Southland mother and daughter are set to dance together in the Heart of the Highlands show this month.
Invercargill-based highland dance teacher Jolie Hazley and her 6-year-old daughter Greer will be among dancers from throughout the region, including Invercargill, Gore, Te Anau, Garston and Heriot, to perform in the show.
They will perform alongside dancers from the Highland Dance Company of New Zealand on September 8.
Formed in 2010 by the New Zealand Academy of Highland and National Dancing to promote and showcase highland as a dance genre, the troupe comprises some of the country’s best highland dancers, including several current and past national champions.
‘‘They are the top, most amazing dancers in New Zealand,’’ Hazley said.
Each year they travelled throughout the world to perform, including acclaimed performances at the Lorient Interceltique Festival in France in 2016, and a poignant Anzac tribute at the Virginia International Tattoo earlier this year. This is only the second time the company has toured New Zealand and the first time it has brought its original show to Southland.
The dancers will also perform in Blenheim, Ashburton and Oamaru.
Each venue would have local dancers involved in the show, Hazley said. The show will use contemporary highland dance to tell the Scottish legends of how the dances of the highlands originated.
It also features guest performances by Celtic musicians and singers. Former Southlander Leighton Terry, who grew up in Gore and now lives and works in Ashburton, is the only Southland dancer in the troupe.
He has been frequently ranked among the country’s top 10 dancers in previous years.
‘‘If we get many people to support it they will hopefully come back,’’ Hazley said, crossing her fingers. ‘‘It would be a great opportunity for the future.’’
Highland dance was a minority sport with 60 to 80 dancers in the region – 27 of whom would be in the show.
Dance director Julie Hawke, of Christchurch, said: ‘‘This an outstanding opportunity for the Invercargill community to see New Zealand’s leading highland dancers perform explosive and innovative choreography to show the history of our art form.’’
The Heart of the Highlands show is on September 8, from 7pm, at Civic Theatre.
‘‘They are the top, most amazing dancers in New Zealand.’’ Highland dance teacher Jolie Hazley