CELTFEST 2023 SPRING BREAK HIGHLAND DANCE MINI-CAMP& Workshops

CELTFEST 2023 SPRING BREAK HIGHLAND DANCE MINI-CAMP& Workshops

Mar 22, 23, 24  @ Dance Unlimited Studios, 5748 Culduthel Rd, VICTORIA

         9am -3pm- Levels 2 & 3

·       12-3- Level 1

Instructors: Alexandra MacPhail, Vancouver, Member, SDTA, Teacher

                   Sherril Medd, Victoria, Member, SDTA, RSOBHD Judges’ Panel

                   Carolyn Cusson, (Director), Member BATD, RSOBHD Judges’ Panel

An intensive series of workshops for:

·       Strengthened Technique

·       Competition & Exam Step Preparation

·       Fitness & Stamina

·       Dancing to a live piper & live music (yes, it’s different than to recordings)

·       New Fun Dances (Level 1) & Choreography (Level 2-3)

·       Championship and Premiership Steps

COST: Levels 2 & 3 (Full days): $225   for all competitive level dancers Pre-Premier to Premier

            Level 1 (1/2 days): $150 – for dancers who know their Highland Fling and elements of their Sword

TO REGISTER: www.celticperformingarts.com   |  E: info@celticperformingarts.com | T: (250) 616-1378

INSTRUCTORS

Alexandra MacPhail

Alex started highland dancing at the age of 4 and has competed across Canada, the USA, and Scotland. She has won numerous championships throughout BC, Alberta, and the United States. Some of her proudest achievements include winning the BC Provincial Championships nine times and representing BC at the Canadians thirteen times. Alex has also placed in the top 6 at the Canadian Championships four different times. Along with competing Alex has also been fortunate to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland, and Sydney, Australia to dance with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Highland Dance Team. She also enjoyed performing with The Barra MacNeils in their most recent Canadian Christmas tour. Alex is also a member with the SDTA and has just recently started up her own dancing school based in Maple Ridge, BC. Along with teaching highland dancing Alex is also an elementary school teacher in the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows school district.   

Sherril Medd

Originally from Alberta, Sherril Medd began teaching in 1976, equipped with a passion for Highland Dance and an intuitive sense that through dance, she could create a unique culture that would bring out the best in everyone --- a community that would teach more than just dance, one that would challenge and inspire students to reach their full potential in whatever they do.

Sherril is a Fellow of the SDTA and a member of the RSOBHD. worldwide panel of judges.  Her dancers have had exceptional success in their achievements at both national and international level championships as well as competitive choreography.

Sherril and her husband Terry recently moved to Victoria with their two dogs – Jake and Elwood and are loving Island life, exploring beaches and trails.  They have begun agility training with their dogs- who can’t wait for their daily “practice” sessions! 

Carolyn Phillips Cusson  

Born in Montreal, Carolyn spent the first 10 years of her life stationed on armed forces bases in Canada and Europe with her Air Force pilot family. Despite her later start in Highland Dancing at the age of 11 when she returned to Ottawa, Carolyn won her first Ontario Championship at age 13, and went on to become Eastern Canada Champion, Great Lakes Champion, Western US Champion, runner-up BC Champion, Canadian Interprovincial Champion, and was a World Championship Finalist. She competed and won titles until she was 25 years old.

Moving from Ontario to BC in her last year of high school, Carolyn considers herself fortunate to have trained with many of the greatest Highland teachers across North America and Scotland. Carolyn, in turn, has trained hundreds of dancers, many of them becoming provincial champions and Canadian champion finalists. She and her mother, Donna Macdonell Olsen, formed the Central Interior Highland Dancing Association in Prince George, BC. A Life Member of the BATD, and RSOBHD judge, she enjoys adjudicating, teaching, and sharing her passion for the culture and excellence in the arts all over the world.

Carolyn’s community, business and artistic endeavours have been extensive. She served for eight years as Governor on the Board of Directors for Ballet British Columbia, Canada's fourth largest professional dance organization, for the United Way, and on the Island Crisis Care Society’s Women’s homeless shelter, among other charities. She was appointed Artistic Director for the BC Summer Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies. As a presenter, she has hosted a Vancouver TV business show, and acted, sung and danced in many musical theatre productions and on television. She has served on the Board of the Victoria Highland Games and as Dance Director /Choreographer for Pacific Tattoo. 

Holding an MBA from Royal Roads University, Carolyn is a Management Consultant and Certified Professional Coach with her own company, CUE Consulting. She is also a university leadership, business, and tourism sessional instructor, and often works with many festivals and cultural groups on organizational development and strategic leadership. As Director of CeltFest Vancouver Island which she founded with her husband, piper and composer, René Cusson, she enjoys providing learning and performance events for her community. She has two daughters, Megan and Céitinn, both who were Highland dancers—and who now continue to perform and teach in other realms.