Charlottetown to Host Highland Dancers for Week-Long Celebration, Competition
Charlottetown, PEI, March 30, 2015 – The City of Charlottetown, SCORE!, ScotDance Canada and ScotDance PEI are pleased to announce more than 800 dancers from around the world will converge in Charlottetown in 2017 for the ScotDance Canada Championship Series being held from June 29 to July 3, 2017.
The dancers, some as young as four years, will come from across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and farther abroad to compete against the best in the world.
“Charlottetown hosts a lot of high-profile sporting events and that’s one of the reasons the city is a leader in the sport tourism industry. What really sets us apart is the diversity in the sports we are able to host in the capital city,” said Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee. “The ScotDance Canada Championship Series has never before been hosted on PEI and the City of Charlottetown and its sport tourism brand, SCORE!, are thrilled to be involved. There is a lot of skill and technique involved in this sport and we look forward to working with ScotDance PEI and their partners on the event.”
“I have never been more excited about our ScotDance Canada Championship Series! How appropriate to be at the home of Confederation, celebrating Canada’s 150 birthday, on the same day as we crown our 2017 Canadian Highland Dancing Champions,” said Bill Troock, President of ScotDance Canada. “The City of Charlottetown has so much to offer – a strong history of hosting major sporting events, a great volunteer base, an outstanding location and venue, and a great combination of Canadian history and Scottish culture. I am truly excited about 2017.”
Competitive Highland dancing is a cultural art form and a sport that combines technique, swift execution of movement, agility, and strength. It is based on the Scottish traditional dance form that has been passed down for generations.
“ScotDance PEI is honoured to have been selected to host the 2017 ScotDance Canada Championship Series. This is the first time – in it’s more than 40-year history – that this world-class event will be held in PEI,” said Barb Yorke, President of ScotDance PEI. “Meetings & Conventions PEI has been a great support, and we are now excited to be working with the City of Charlottetown and SCORE! I can’t think of a better place to host this signature event for ScotDance Canada than on the Charlottetown waterfront at the PEI Convention Centre and Delta Prince Edward.”
The ScotDance Canada Championship Series is an annual five-day event that includes competitions, including the Canadian Championships, and social events that celebrate Scottish culture.
All events are open to the public and the media, and will take place at the PEI Convention Centre and Delta Prince Edward Hotel. For more information on the ScotDance Canada Championship Series, visit: http://sdccs.ca/
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Highlights of the 2017 ScotDance Canada Championship Series:
Choreography Team Challenge and Opening Ceremonies: June 29, 2017
Teams of dancers from around the globe will compete in a choreography challenge. This event is a show in itself, and a popular event for spectators. Hundreds of dancers will participate in the parade of dancers during the Opening Ceremonies, wearing their kilts. Traditional and modern Highland dance performances and local entertainment will surround the celebrity keynote speaker, PEI’s own two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Heather Moyse.
Canadian Championships: July 1, 2017
See Canada’s best Highland dancers compete for the title of National Champion in their age groups. Competitors in this competition have qualified through their provincial championships. In 2017, the Canadian Champions will earn their title on Canada’s 150th birthday at the Birthplace of Confederation.
ScotDance Canada Open Championship: July 3, 2017
See Canada’s best go up against the world’s best. This championship is open to all championship-level dancers from around the world. The prestige of this event is second only to the World Championship held annually in Scotland.
Media contacts:
Jennifer Gavin
Communications Officer
City of Charlottetown
902-629-4102
jgavin@charlottetown.ca
Barb Yorke
ScotDance PEI President
902-888-1368
SDCCS2017@scotdance.ca
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