Grab your Dancing Shoes!

Over the next couple of months, Antigonish residents can expect several dance recitals and competitions in the Antigonish community. For those looking to check out some local talent, the Antigonish Creative Dance Association will host its annual student choreography showcase on the 25th of February. Expect ballet, hip pop and contemporary pieces and mix of solos, duets, and small groups.

The dance team recently competed in the Atlantic Collegiate Dance Competition. This event was their first dance competition in over three years, since Covid prevented previous competitions from taking place. The event was hosted at the University of New Brunswick, with dancers from across the Atlantic region competing at the university level. The StFX dance team performed both solos and group pieces, with both Isabelle and Makayla winning awards in their solo categories. The dance team also performed a halftime dance at the X-men's basketball game.

If you happen to be staying over the summer, be sure to check out the annual Highland Games happening July 2nd to the 9th. Last year’s festival included parades, dance championships, kilted golf tournaments, Gaelic language and tradition workshops, and tug-of-war competitions. This year’s events are not yet finalized. The dance competitions will be at the pre-premier, open premier, and open championship levels, with the youngest category being 10-12, and the oldest at 19 and over. One of the annual competitions is organized by the Antigonish Highland Dance Association (AHDA), an organization with the goal of promoting and preserving highland dance in the town, they have been hosting annual competitions since 1863.

Visitors can expect performances of the Highland Fling, the Sword Dance, the Seann Tribuhas, and the Flora Mcdonald’s Fancy. Awards like the Mary Dundas Memorial Award, New Zealand’s Pre-premier, Wilena Macinnis Penny Award, and the Florence Macmillian Memorial Award are all up for grabs. If you are interested, the festival will be looking for volunteers to help run the Games. Last year, there was also a youth artwork and writing contest for children aged 5-13. Winners of the contest won a free family pass to the Games.