TH EH IG HCU TTE R

February 2008
VOLUME #12
No Lessons During March Break Week (March 10 to 14)
Studio Shows: Library Main Branch Sat. April 5, 2008
Time: 2:30 (Start Time)
Examination Date: Sunday June 1, 2008 at Studio
Spring Work Shop With Diane Blackman S.O.B.H.D. Judge
Good to see that
Competitive Dancers are
Scotdance Renewal Reminder
THE HIGHCUTTER
MARY ELLEN CANN SCHOOL OF HIGHLAND DANCING
Time to be posted
taking advantage of the
January 2008
Friday Night Techniques
Competitive Classes Friday Nights 6:30
classes with Mary Ellen!!
New Website: swordhopper.com
Please check out our new website,……
Thanks to the many hours put in by Deb MacDougall our website is finally in it’s last
stages of design. This website will allow parent’s and dancers to keep up with studio
news, activities and supply a wealth of information with highland dancing links.
There is a Blog, Ask a question, studio newsletters, photo gallery, competition results
and much, and much, much more...
Charlotte - Honduras
Mike Wood
Alyssa’s Dad broke his leg. No
Florida for the Woods Family!
Charlotte will flying off to Honduras to help build
a school and other events with her classmates from
College Heights High School during the March
Break.
Rob Turland
Madeline’s Dad almost broke
his foot playing basketball.
No Skiing for Rob!
New Christmas Kittens
Meet Kate Bowland’s
New Kittens!
Charlotte Thanks Everyone for their support in
her fundraising activities!
Thank You All!!
Inside this issue:
2007 - Tax Credits
Quick Notes
1
Tax Credits - 2007:
1
Web Page: swordhopper.com
1
Our Featured Dancer
2
Dancer’s Page
3
Parent’s Page
3
Quick Snaps - Valentines Pink Week
4
Please check your emails in the next
few weeks as these will be mailed to you
Via your email addresses. If you have
NOT RECEIVED IT , Please contact
Mary Ellen as soon as possible!
[email protected]
Our Featured Dancer:
Loren Phippen
I was born and grew up in Scarborough, the elder daughter of Doug and Moira Phippen.
My sister Allison is three years younger than me. I did well in school, but apart from
swimming did not participate much in sports.
I attended the University of Guelph, graduating with a BSc (Hons). I work at Nestle
Waters Canada and live in Cambridge. I currently have three cats. I am a voracious
reader and have devoured thousands of books since I was young. My favourite author is
Mary Higgins Clark, but I don’t have a favourite book. My musical tastes are eclectic.
I was 7 ½ years old when I started dancing with Joy Allen Tolev in West York in 1983. My first
competition was at East York on Canada Day 1984. They didn’t have individual group trophies, but I
won my first overall trophy in September of that year. Living in Toronto, there is no “local” HDA so
every competition had entries from all over Ontario. The competition was fierce with many very good
dancers so if you wanted to win, and I did, you had to practice faithfully. I practiced for an hour every
day except sometimes the day after a competition.
My dream was always to be an Ontario Rep.
I was Ontario Open Champion at Cambridge in 1992 and a runner up in several championships from
1992-1995, but never quite made my dream. In 1995, I was second runner up at the Ontario Closed
Championship and got to represent Ontario at the Canadian Championship in London, Ontario. I was
very nervous, but was 4th runner up in the Adult age group. The next day I won the National Dance
Trophy and the last day I was 2nd runner up in the North American Championship for my age group. I competed for 12
½ years winning over 80 trophies and over 500 medals.
If you want to be a championship class dancer you must practice every day or you will not
have the endurance or strength required!
In 1994 in Calgary I competed in choreography with Colleen Rintamaki and Sheila MacDonald. We placed first in
small group and got to dance at the Calgary Stampede. I gave up dancing at University and at age 24 started with Mary
Ellen Cann, but I don’t compete any more.
My kilt is Dress MacDuff tartan, made when I was 12 by a gentleman who used to make kilts for the 48th Highlanders.
My national outfit is Dress Royal Blue Cunningham.
I passed all my amateur exams, passed associate highland in 1994, and associate nationals in 1995.
I took my members in highland through Mary Ellen in 2004 and hope to get my members in nationals this year.
Then who knows, maybe my judges!
.
Dancer’s Page:
Are You Ready ?
Websites
Ask the Judge?
Dancer’s are you ready for your up and coming
competition season?
Here are some tips to get you in top form to get
those ribbons, medals and trophies!
•
Practice everyday, for 15 to 20 minutes.
•
Practice basic movements slowly to get the
tightness and the correct placing of positions.
•
Review all your competitive dances weekly.
•
Keep notes of corrections from dance class.
•
Video tape yourself practicing and review
and then make corrections.
•
On weekend practice with a studio friend and
give corrections to each other!
•
Attend Friday night classes at 6:30.
•
Schedule private or semi-private classes.
•
Listen to your teachers & work hard to make
corrections to your dances that they have
given to you while in class!
•
Do extra stretching during the week!
Get your parents to stretch with you!
•
Your first competitions of the season will tell
you if you have done all, some or none of the
above suggestions!
I have been dancing for many years and Scotdance Canada: www.scotdancecanada.ca
I am now13 years old.! What is the most Dance.net: www. dance.net
important thing that you look for when
Toe and heel: www.toeandheel.com
judging?
REPLY - from Judge Elizabeth Colye
Basic Technique, Good elevation, good
turnout and timing!
Highlandnet: www.highlandnet.com
Scottish dancenet: www.scottishdance.net
Lines in Design: www.linesindesign.com
REPLY - from Judge Gail Danysk
First as a Judge I look for dancing that
is technically correct. I look for a well
turned out dancer with accurate
positions, long turn out aerial positions
and strong, steady elevation. I look for
dancers who makes the difficult
movements appears strong and finished
yet effortless that gets my top placing!
REPLY - from Judge Sharon Farrar
There are some judges who “look for”
evaluating a dancer’s performance. They
must perform the dance without errors!
They must be dress correctly! I look for a
dancer who pays attention to the whole
body and not just the feet! Arms, head
and body positions are just as important!
Floppy arms and bent over bodies DO
NOT get a placing from me when I am
judging!
Artistic Valentines from a young Naomi Scott
Pages from the Past!!
Taken from ‘Highland Dancer Magazine’
Spring 2003 Pg.28
Scotdance Canada 2008 Victoria, B.C. July 2-6, 2008
Important - Change of Opening Date for SDCCS 2008 Entries!
A new entry form for SDCCS has been posted to reflect the new change of opening date. Acceptance dates are as follows:
SDCCS 2008 Entry- Opening online 10am PST March 10th; postmarked not earlier than March 10th
SDCCS 2008 Choreography Entry- Opening online 10am PST March 20th; postmarked not earlier than March 20th.
Please Note
Mail in entries sent on the OLD ENTRY FORM will be accepted, if post-marked on or after March 8th. However entries
on the NEW ENTRY FORM, which is watermarked "ScotDance Canada Official Entry Form" will be accepted only if
postmarked on or after March 10th.
Parent’s Notes:
Please check out the listings of the Summer 2008
Highland Games entry forms in the reception
area. Please check with Mary Ellen before
entering competitions. If you are looking for
competitions in other Provinces, United States or
Overseas please ask. World wide entry forms are
available on line. Email Mary Ellen if you are
interested.
Costumes: If your dancer is competing at any of
the up and coming indoor competitions, please
make sure that your dancers outfit still fits before
the competition.
Did You Know?
*REMINDER TO PARENTS*
Guelph Public Library Book
Club Blog!
If your dancer is a soon to be Novice
Dancers they need to bring notebooks to
class to keep track of all the new dances
that they will be learning for this category!
GPL is now able to extend their discussions to you
in our on-line forum. Everyone is invited to offer
their opinions and discussions of the three monthly
books!
Lovely Bones - Without Words - The Road
http://guelphpubliclibrarybookbuzz.blogspot.com
Examination: Date is June 1/08
Dancers exam lists will be posted shortly.
Please check to make sure your dancers
name has not been missed from the list.
Dancers who have not taken part in exams
before will be approached if we feel she is
Did You Renew Your Dancers Scotdance Card? ready to take part in this event!
Dancers at the Robbie Burns Shows
Guelph Civic Museum & Royal Senior’s Home
Alex and Madeline
Alex’s first Inter. Competition