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Kimberley Cranbrook Highland Dance celebration

A 40th anniversary ceilidh

This past weekend, the Kimberley Cranbrook Highland Dance Association hosted a highland dance competition. This year, the occasion was extra special because it was the 40th anniversary of the competition.

To mark the occasion, a Saturday night ceilidh was held at the conference centre. It featured performances by the Kimberley Pipe Band, award winning pipers and dancers, and more. The evening ended with a dance with live entertainment.

“We had 131 dancers from all over BC Alberta and the US come to Kimberley to compete in our 40th annual anniversary competition,” said dance teacher and event coordinator Liela Cooper. “Competition was sponsored by the Kimberley Cranbrook Highland dance association. It was organized by myself and Hali Duncan. Then the usual competition excitement, where our kids won numerous metals and trophies we had a huge Ceilidh celebration that night. The music was awesome by Phil hood, Jared Albright. And Lennan Delaney.

“Prior to the party music, the Kimberley pipe band played some music, we were gifted with a dance performance by the 10 time provincial champion, six-time Canadian champion and current first runner-up in the world championships, Melissa Carnegie from Alberta.

“One of our Best pipers in the world and a member of the SFU pipe band …world champions …was one of our dance pipersa at our competition. Besides performing with our pipe band on Saturday night, he also gave a short recital of some of the most amazing pipe tunes I’ve ever heard and the fastest fingers I’ve ever seen! Was truly highlight of the night.

“After the Band played and Melissa and Alastair performed, then we had the winners of the large group and small group choreographies from earlier in the day do their performances at the Ceilidh

The competition was the 40th year in a row for Cooper’s involvement with Kimberley Cranbrook Highland Dance and former students Shalni Prowse and Lori Kepke honoured her with a gift.

“Certainly the highlight of my night,” she said. “After that it was just party with Phil Hoodf’s band until everybody ran out of steam. Was an awesome night. We couldn’t have done it without some of the corporate sponsorship that we received from, Kimberley Arts, Kimberley Pipe Band, Symphony on the Mountain, Western Financial Place, Tourism Kimberley, Remax Blue Sky Realty, Ladies Auxiliary Branch 24, Cranbrook and District Community Foundation, City of Kimberley and Sandor Rentals.”



Carolyn Grant

About the Author: Carolyn Grant

I have been with the Kimberley Bulletin since 2001 and have enjoyed every moment of it.
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