Highland dancer aims to improve dancing standards
BLAIRGOWRIE – Local highland dancer returns from her trip to Scotland wanting to up the dancing standards in South Africa.
Blairgowrie resident and highland dancer, Shannon Anderson, recently reflected on her third time of participating in the Rothesay World Championships in Scotland and her sixth place in the sword dance category.
“Scotland never fails to impress me. Every year I learn something new and set new goals for next year based on what I saw and what I would like to achieve in the new year,” said Anderson.
“Highland dancing in South Africa is considered a hobby to many, but many of the international dancers consider it a full-time sport. And myself and the rest of the girls who went to Scotland, hope to bring back and help improve the standard in South Africa. We aim to be fitter and stronger and focus on presentation.”
With new-found inspiration, Anderson looks forward to the Choreography Festival on 27 November, an inter-studio competition where studios choreograph dances based on different highland dancing movements. “Our studio looks forward to this event every year, as it gives us, the dancers, the opportunity to choreograph our own steps and work as a team to represent our studio in the best way possible,” said Anderson.
She practices highland dancing at The Robinson Studio, which has won the senior choreography award in the Choreography Festival for the last couple of years and hopes to continue its winning streak this year.
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