A TEAM of seven local highland dancers are set to entertain on an international stage this July.
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Kaitlin Collins, Ellen Bolger-Rowe, Esther Dean, Sophie Hogan, Hannah Martin, Neve Moore and Shennae Webster were selected for Australia’s OzScot contingent to perform in Switzerland.
OzScot is based in Bathurst and showcases highland dancers from across the country.
Dance director Cheryl Roach OAM said being selected to perform is an amazing opportunity for the young women.
“There’s not too many places here in Australia where you can dance for 9000 people in a performance,” she said.
Mrs Roach said it will be a busy trip to Switzerland for the performers.
“There are five days of rehearsals, 15 performances in eight days with street parades and performances for a VIP publicity event,” she said. “The lead dancer of the team will be Esther Dean who was part of the original team that danced in Basel in 2007.
“This will be the first appearance for the other six local dancers.”
The trip has now been made a little easier with an $1800 funding boost from Reliance Credit Union’s community support fund.
“It’s for costumes, it won’t cover the full cost but it’s a fantastic assistance, it means there’s money the girls don’t have to provide,” Mrs Roach said.
OzScot are not new to international appearances, with their first overseas performance in 2002 at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland.
Since then groups have also performed in Oman, Nova Scotia, United States of America, Switzerland and also 15 separate performances in the Netherlands.
Previous OzScot performers are now employed in a wide range of industries.
“Some of the girls are now dancing professionals, some have gone on and done modelling, some are chemical engineers,” Mrs Roach said. “Some are professional women and some are still studying.”
In their upcoming performance the group will be working with the Scots College Pipes and Drums from Sydney and the Central Band of the Royal Air Force in the UK.