An elite dance company of New Zealand's champion highland dancers, renowned for performing innovative choreography worldwide, will perform an exclusive show at the 8th Te Anau Tartan Festival this Easter.

The Highland Dance Company of New Zealand is usually in demand performing its energetic and contemporary acts at festivals, tattoos and shows around the world, but opportunities have been stalled by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Auckland-based highland dancer Imogen Grayson, currently ranked number 2 in the country, performs in an enchanting snow scene from Heart of the Highlands, depicting the legend of the Reel O’Tulloch. Grayson will join the cast performing the acclaimed show at the Te Anau Tartan Festival this Easter. PHOTO: Chris Watson/Profocus Photography

With assistance from the Regional Events Fund, which was created to stimulate domestic tourism and travel between regions through holding events, the Te Anau Tartan Festival’s invitation to the dance company to headline this year’s event was met with overwhelming enthusiasm.

The company will perform a revised version of its Heart of the Highlands show, which included Invercargill in its 2018 tour, specially adapted to suit the Te Anau town hall stage at the Fiordland Events Centre. 

As part of their goal to inspire and encourage other young dancers, the company is giving those competing at the festival the exciting opportunity to apply to be part of the cast. Numbers are limited and priority will be given to Southland-based dancers.

Te Anau Tartan Festival convener Kirsty Pickett, who is also a highland dancing teacher, said the festival committee was extremely excited to be hosting the dance company, and she hoped as many people as possible would take the opportunity to come and witness the spectacle.

“I can’t emphasise enough just what a unique opportunity this is. While we see them in competition around the country, these dancers usually only come together as a troupe for international performances. Shows around New Zealand are rare.

“Although it’s grounded in our traditional technique, the choreography and costuming is contemporary and dynamic and will appeal to a wide range of people. I think people will be genuinely surprised at just how exciting and innovative highland dancing can be. What these dancers are doing for highland dancing is akin to what Riverdance did for Irish dancing.”

Past and present champions and nationally-ranked dancers make up the cast, including the reigning New Zealand Champion, Angus Hendry.

Reigning New Zealand highland dance champion Angus Hendry, of Palmerston North, will join the New Zealand Highland Dance Company in an exclusive performance of its acclaimed Heart of the Highlands show at the Te Anau Tartan Festival this Easter. PHOTO: Chris Watson/Profocus Photography

Full programme details will be unveiled over the next few weeks, but the Dance Company will perform two shows over the course of the Tartan festival, the first to open the festival on Friday, 15th April. Tickets are due to go on sale later this month on the festival website: www.teanautartanfestival.co.nz.

Alongside highland dancing and solo bagpiping competitions, other events planned are the ever-popular have-a-go highland games on Saturday, 16th April, that the whole family can take part in, along with food stalls and a market.

And, for the first time, piping and highland dancing workshops will be offered on Sunday, 17th April, to encourage competitors and their families to stay in the region longer, and learn from some of the country’s leading tutors.

About the Highland Dance Company of New Zealand

The New Zealand Academy of Highland and National Dancing (Inc) was established in 1946 with the objective to raise the standard of technique and execution and establish a fuller appreciation of the art and beauty of the national dances.

The Academy fosters and maintains the Highland and National dances brought to New Zealand by the Scottish Settlers.

In 2011 it established the Highland Dance Company of New Zealand, under the directorship of Julie Hawke (Christchurch) and Robyn Simmons (Blenheim). 

A limited number of dancers may get the opportunity to perform with the elite NZ Highland Dance Company at their Te Anau Show. Photo: Chris Watson/Profocus Photography

Unlike its better resourced ballet counterpart, the national highland dance company is entirely amateur, with all members either in fulltime work or study and keeping up their world-class dancing as a hobby, albeit requiring extensive practice, alongside strength and flexibility training.

National champion Angus Hendry, for example, is a Palmerston North-based lawyer.

Senior dancers audition for places in the company and make themselves available for intensive rehearsal camps and, as opportunities arise, (usually overseas) travel.

Much of their preparation is done at home, with the use of recorded video and video-conferencing.

About the show

Heart of the Highlands will tell the stories and legends that are said to be the origins behind the traditional highland dances of Scotland.

Audiences will see the dancers portray the stags and targe warriors of the Highland Fling, the battlefields of Culloden from which the story of the Seann Triubhas originates, plus an enchanting snow scene depicting the legend of the Reel O’Tulloch.

The Highland Dance Company of New Zealand brings together New Zealand’s top highland dance talent including past and present NZ champion dancers.

Since its inception in 2011, the Highland Dance Company of New Zealand has performed with critical acclaim both within New Zealand and internationally.

Joined on stage by Southland’s own young local dance talent for Heart of the Highlands, be sure to see this spectacular showcase of Celtic legends told in dance.