The Irish dance group of Avery and Madalynn McGregor and Sadie and Kate Bester of Celtic Academy Canada in Port Elgin during a dance camp July 19. The group is training for the upcoming Eastern Canada Oireachtais competition and recently placed first at the Golden Horseshoe Feis held in Milton.
Hub Staff
The Celtic Academy Canada which trains a few days a week in Port Elgin’s Fitness Corner certainly has something to jig about as 11 year old dancer Avery McGregor of Walkerton brought home a medal from the 2018 North American Irish Dance Championships (NAIDC) held in Orlando, Florida July 4.
McGregor, who was representing Eastern Canada, competed with dancers from North America, Scotland, Ireland and Eire and placed in the top 45 after her soft and hard shoe dances.
McGregor said that she had fun dancing at the NAIDC. “We got to see another country and what it was like to be in Florida,” she said. The dancer added that everyone in the world class competition was really talented and although she knew she had gone prepared, seeing their skills “kind of makes me wanna try harder.”
McGregor has a lifelong dance partner in her twin sister Madalynn who recently danced in the Worlds in March of this year. “We just like to dance and practice at home,” she said, adding that the pair likes to do solos and group dances together.
The twins love two things about training in Port Elgin. The first is that sometimes when they finish early they get to go to the beach and the second is Irish Dance coach Mary Foley. Avery said when she grows up she would love to be an Irish Dance teacher like Foley and said, “She's good, she always has a correction for you to get you to work on, it’s helpful.”
During the week of July 16 to 20 Irish dancers with the Celtic Academy from ages 4 to 11 took part in a dance camp to help prepare for the upcoming Eastern Canada Oireachtais Competition, a competition in which Avery placed 12th in 2017.
During the first three days of the summer camp dancers had an opportunity to work on their solo dances while the remainder of the week focused on group dances. Avery said she likes working in groups and performing solos equally. “I like doing both because when you do solo it’s just you dancing but when you dance in teams you get to work together,” she said.
Avery McGregor, age 11, of Port Elgin’s Celtic Academy Canada, recently bought home a medal after competing at the 2018 North American Irish Dance Championships, (NAIDC) held in Orlando, Florida July 4. McGregor represented Eastern Canada at the competition.
Twin sisters Avery (left) and Madalynn have both represented Canada this year on the world stage.
Celtic Academy Canada Coach Mary Foley with young Irish dancers Ariya of Paisley (left) and Anya of Saugeen Shores (right) during their Celtic Dance Camp held at Fitness Corner July 16 to 20.
