Celia's Lanark dance school takes top British awards

Their points in the British Championships at the International Festival of Dancing in Musselburgh resulted in the Lanark school becoming top British school in three sections.

The school came second overall in the Highland, then first in the open section – the premier section confined to the top groups; and it came top in the Irish Jigs, and in the Sailor’s Hornpipes.

“It is like waiting for a bus coming, then six turning up at once,” commented Celia, who has run the dance school for 44 years.

Her squad competed during the week, and after the Thursday Celia thought they had a good chance of finishing in the top six.

She had duties elsewhere, and only found out the scale of their success afterwards!

“Sunday was the actual championships, and it wasn’t until the kids came home with all the trophies that I knew!

“I am over the moon,” she said. “I was very surprised that we had won the Premiership because we have never had anything like that before.

“That’s the icing on the cake.”

She singled out Lucy Stewart (10) who won the Lanarkshire trophy, but praised all the children involved.

The top school results were not due to one or two good dancers, but a huge number of talented dancers reaching very high standards these days.

“They work very hard as a team,” she said.

“I am pleased for them, as they put in a tremendous amount of work and their parents support them in earlier starts and late finishes - it is exhausting.”

And the dancers have no time to rest. This weekend sees the championships at Cowal, some open to the best dancers from across the world.