<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Thursday <strong>November</strong> <strong>19</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 30 OUR PEOPLE – COLLEEN COLE Life with Highland dancing no short fling Colleen Cole started Highland dancing as a five-year-old and 76 years later she is still immersed in a quintessentially Scottish passion in New Zealand’s ‘English’ city. She reflects on a life-long interest with Chris Barclay When did you take up Highland dancing, and why? I started when I was five in Invercargill. My parents thought I had a bit of a cough, so they thought Highland dancing would do me good. So here I am 76 years later. I faintly remember the first teacher I went to had a lot of kids so my parents took me away to a high school girl, her name was Betty Thompson. She just gave me one-on-one lessons. When we came to Christchurch I went to Betty Carnachan when I was eight-ish. She used to teach Highland, ballet and tap … modern dance. You finished up Highland dancing in a competitive sense when you were 18, an age where many are lost to the discipline. Yet you persevered. What is the enduring appeal? You do make a lot of good friends, though by the time you reach my age (81), you’ve lost a few of them. When I finished dancing I was already a teacher and a judge. I’ve always enjoyed teaching the kids. A lot of people come up to me and say: ‘I remember you teaching at the Cale (Canterbury Caledonian Society) when I used to come along and now I’ve got my grandchildren here.’ Your parents got you involved to benefit your health, but did you ever suffer any injuries when doing, say, the Sword Dance? I never had any, but they seem to have a lot of injuries these days. <strong>The</strong>y seem to pull muscles and pull tendons and goodness knows what. Maybe it’s because of some of the flooring they DEDICATED: Colleen Cole has been involved in the Scottish tradition of Highland dancing for 76 years. (Right): Dressed in her attire aged 8. PHOTO (left): GEOFF SLOAN dance on. We had tongue and groove all the time when we were kids. It (discomfort) was only an issue for me when I got older and I couldn’t turn my knees out so far because of my hips. <strong>The</strong> Scots are known for their fiscal restraint. Is it expensive to get kitted out in a kilt? Some get their kilts made locally, some of them get them from Canada. You can spend a lot of money on kilts, $500 off the top of my head for a new one. When I was a kid we wore the plaid, the jacket. We were really weighed down with brooches and things. Nowadays up to the age of 14 they can wear a nice little waistcoat and a lighter weight kilt. Does the dancer decide what tartan they wear, or is it specified? Do they ever. We only had the Royal Stewart which was all red. <strong>The</strong>n the dress tartans came in and became popular. <strong>The</strong>re’s a rule on how it should be worn, there’s no rule regarding the actual tartan they should wear. Is Highland dancing primarily confined to people of Scottish heritage? My heritage is actually Irish. My maiden name was Fergus. How popular is Highland dancing in New Zealand’s ‘English city, surely it’s a bigger deal in Dunedin, the ‘Edinburgh of the South?’ We have about 20 teachers in Christchurch. Canterbury-West Coast as we call it is the largest centre for dancers and pipers in New Zealand. <strong>The</strong> Caledonian Society and the Scottish Society of New Zealand contribute to the large numbers. We have winter lessons there on Saturday and that brings the children in. Well, we try to bring the children in. <strong>The</strong>re’s a lot of uphill work getting new kids to start. You’ve got to have the parents wanting to do it. Highland dancing was originally a male bastion, but now it’s associated more with females isn’t it? How do you get more laddies involved? Highland dancing was for men in the beginning, not the women, way, way back. Quite often boys come along because their sisters are learning and then the boys get a bit of a grip on it and away they go. But they want to play rugby as well, or football. We’ve got some very strong male dancers in New Zealand, but not many. I could probably count them on two hands, but they carry on dancing right into their 20s. You have two boys, were they encouraged to give it a go? Jason had lovely feet (for ballet). <strong>The</strong> teacher I took him to, she had a son and he’d come to the class too. As soon as that boy stopped that was it for Jason. He started to learn the bagpipes but I think his friends told him it wasn’t the thing to do and he gave it up. I never pushed (eldest boy) Gregory. Wendy, my daughter, learnt Highland dancing. When she got to about 14 her friends said to her: ‘It’s not the thing to do Wendy.’ •Turn to page 32 Watch the in-laws favourite shows in Ultra-High-Def. 65” Q60T 4K Smart QLED TV 9063138 Over the holiday period, you might lose control of the remote. But at least you’ll be able to admire the beautiful picture. <strong>The</strong> Quantum Dot technology delivers one billion shades of accurate colour, that stays true at every level of brightness. No matter how mindnumbing the show. $2,399 $25 per week for 24 months interest free* Offers valid until Tuesday 24th <strong>November</strong> <strong>2020</strong>, while stocks last, unless otherwise stated. Some products on display in selected stores only – please call 0800 764 847 to check availability. Personal shoppers only. *Apple, selected computers, game consoles, gift cards, clearance items and some promotional items are not available in conjunction with interest free offers. 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Thursday <strong>November</strong> <strong>19</strong> <strong>2020</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> 31 PRESENTED BY SELWYN FAMILY FUN DAY # 4 SUNDAY 22 NOVEMBER 10AM-3PM, ROLLESTON VISIT SELWYNMOTORFEST.KIWI ADULTS $5, CHILDREN $2, FAMILY $10 Public admittance and parking opposite Rolleston College. Display vehicles entry off Lincoln Rolleston Road. SelwynMotorFest E. selwynmotorfest@gmail.com PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY Country
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