General News
7 January, 2025
Dancing draws big crowds
The Highland Dancing has drawn what’s believed to be its biggest crowd in recent years.
While there has been a larger crowd drawn to this year’s Highland Dancing performances, the Highland Games saw fewer dancers this time.
Dancers between the ages of four and 19 performed and competed this year, many who came from as far as Mount Gambier and Melbourne.
Those involved in the Highland Dancing have encouraged young people to consider taking it on.
Morag Bouche is the secretary of the Victorian State Committee of Highland Dancing and the president of the Victorian Scottish Dancing Members Association.
She has attended the Maryborough Highland Gathering for over 30 years, and said there were larger crowds this time compared to recent years.
“As far as spectators watching, we had quite a number of people there for the whole day, it was one of the biggest crowds, ” she said.
“But it wasn’t the biggest for our dancers, we did have less dancers than normal this year.”
Ms Bouche said that one of the reasons for the decline is the lack of highland dance teachers in regional Victoria.
“To get teachers up into the country would be great, we don’t have any at the moment,” she said.
Ms Bouche said that many gighland dancers do other dance forms too.
“It’s different, it’s probably more individualised and the classes are smaller, a lot of our dancers still do other dances,” she said.
“But for dances like ballet, the foot positions and forms are similar, so they can compliment each other to a certain degree.”
Ms Bouche said that you don’t have to be Scottish or have Scottish heritage to highland dance.
“Absolutely, you don’t have to, anyone can do it,” she said.
“It’s good to continue the heritage and make sure that lives on.”
She also said that people wanting to join don’t have to take part in competitions.
“By joining through local Highland Dancing groups and schools, you don’t have to compete, if people can just try, and do it for fun,” she said.
However, for Zara Theobald, who started dancing at the age of seven, competition has taken her all over Australia.
Originally she did ballet and jazz before seeing highland dancing at a show in Dandenong and stuck with it ever since.
“I get to make friends. I know so many amazing people that I wouldn’t know if I didn’t do dancing,” she said.
From dancing in front of King Charles to receiving the prestigious cowal medal, plus goals of reaching Scotland in 2025, Zara has big plans.
With the help of the Scottish Business Network Victoria who donated the prizes she is running a beauty product raffle to help get her to Scotland for her highland dancing.
Running from the Maryborough Highland Gathering through to the Melbourne Highland Games & Celtic Festival the raffle will be drawn on March 23, 2025 at 5 pm. Tickets can be bought in person and online.