Pictou County highland dancers vie for spots on provincial team
The 39th Annual Nova Scotia Closed Championship & Selection Meet was held recently in Sydney with 11 Pictou County dancers vying for a spot on the provincial team.
Twenty-one representatives were chosen with only the top three from each age category earning a place on the team.
This year, two members of the Pictou County Highland Dance Association achieved this honour and will compete in Charlottetown this July at the Canadian Championship. Annika Murray, 1st runner up in the 12 & under-14 years group, is the 12-year-old daughter of Nicole Boutilier, Greenhill, and Kent Murray, New Glasgow. Emma Hines, earned 2nd runner up in the 16 & under18 years category. She is the 17-year-old daughter of Steve and Michelle Hines, Durham.
The results for the day were:
Premier 10 & Under 12 – Amelia Parker: Sword 6th (tie)
Premier 12 & Under 14 – Sidney Baillie: Sword 5th; – Annika Murray: Fling 1st, Sword 3rd, Seann Truibhas 3rd, Reel 4th, 1st Runner Up and Provincial Representative.
Premier 14 & Under 16 – Ainslie Salter: Fling 6th, Sword 5th, Seann Truibhas 6th, Reel 5th.
Premier 16 & Under 18 – Emma Hines: Fling 2nd, Sword 2nd, Seann Truibhas 3rd, Reel 2nd, 2nd Runner Up and Provincial Representative; – Beth McNeill: Sword 6th.
Premier 18 & Under 21 – Allyson Parker: Fling 3rd, Sword 5th (tie), Seann Truibhas 6th, Reel 4th. 4th Runner Up; – Kiara Sutherland: Fling 6th, Sword 4th, Seann Truibhas 5th, Reel 5th. 5th Runner Up.
Judges for the event were Eleanor Belton, Ontario, Sheryl Joyner, Ontario, and Jane Dunnett, New Brunswick.