Banks School of Scottish Dancing

This year marks the 30year anniversary of Penninsula Highland Dancing Association (which is now known as Central Coast Highland Dancing) I think that I have been to every one of their competitions except the years I was in Scotland!! On Friday night there was the gala dinner, which was very nice. Then the comp was on Saturday and Sunday. My students danced and did very well. Their results are as follows.... Saturday - Courtney Fling - 2nd Swords - 3rd Overall - 5th. Kirstin - Pre Championship - Swords - 6th Reel - 4th. And overall 6th Sunday Kirstin 6th in the EoE in the national cup. Cailin 2nd in 9Yrs International Premiership 6th in Blue Bonnets in National Cup Brodie (There were 13 in her section for the Fling and Swords, 10 in the Seann Triubhas, 7 in the Reel, 10 in the Lilt and 6 in the Flora.) She got 5th in the Fling, 6th in the Swords, 4th in the Seann Triubhas, 5th in the Reel, 3rd in the Lilt and 5th in the Flora. Ashley Novice - 6th in the Swords and 6th in the Reel Greer...

Today Greer, Courtney-Eilish, Ashley and Kirstin sat their SDAA exams. Greer and Courtney sat Primary, Ashley sat her Bronze (Grade One) and Kirstin sat her Double Gold Bar (Grade six- Student Teachers) Added to this, it was Greer's 9th birthday today! What a thing to have to do on your birthday! An exam!! Well - it was a lovely birthday for her. Greer, as well as the other three all achieved HONOURS in their gradings! (Honours is the highest pass). On the teachers report it said "Justine, your students are an absolute pleasure to examine. Not only are they polite, but they know everything - they are a credit to you. Well done!" I am so proud of them! These photos are from our freezing cold winters morning this morning. We beat the examiner to the hall (she was running late) and the laneway was a wind tunnel. It was FREEZING!!! Don't they all look gorgeous in their studio tracksuits!!!!!!!!

Congratulations Dancers on working so very hard at the NDA competition on the weekend! I was so proud of you!!! You looked great and I thank you for coming to see me before the dances to make sure all was right. Well done to Brodie for her 2nd in the Beginners Flora!!!!!!!! Cailin for her 4th in the Hornpipe on Saturday and 4th in the Championship on Sunday!! Kirstin for her 1st in the Trophy Swords on the Saturday and 4th in the Village Maid, on Sunday, giving her overall 6th in the Adult National Premiership A special mention to Kirstin, who is still recovering from injury. To place 4th, with 24 in it -all of which were champions!! I am sooo proud!!!! Well done to Danielle for trying her very best in the Primary and getting her special participation award.

Firstly, congratulations to all the dancers who performed in the Concert. I have received some wonderful feedback from other dance schools and from individuals about our items. Well done!! COMPETITIONS Good luck to those dancers competing at the Grand Australasian this weekend. And the Internationals at Gosford on the 19th and 20th July. These are two of the biggest competitions of the year, with dancers from interstate and overseas. So work your very best, and anything else is a bonus. A few housekeeping items before these competitions: a) Check your costumes now (including braces for your kilt) b) If you have any questions write them in your journal and show it to me or email me c) Every dancer must be in full BANKSIE uniform every time they step into the venue. d) I will be there to support you but will be moving between stages so don't rely on me to warm you up, However, I will do my best to be in a thousand places at once! But be there ready in plenty of time. e) If you are ...

Video from the concert!!!! Clever kids - Im very proud of you! Well done!! Thanks so much to Jacob for being our Captain Jacob Sparrow, and for jumping in, literally at the last minute to 'dance' with Connor up the back because poor Aidan split his head open 2 mins before we went on stage.

Festival of Tartans Concert was held last Sunday at St Mary's Band Club. Our studio had 2 items in it - If I had a Pirate Suit and Listen to my bagpipes. It was a good fun day, and the kids looked great!! Well done girls and boys! I am very proud of you!!! Videos to come soon! (just uploading them now!)

Congratulations to Madie, Brodie, Lynsey and Cailin for their great results last weekend! Madie won 3rd in the Pas de Basques and Highcuts and 4th in Pas de Basques. This was her very first competition, so especially well done!! Brodie won 3rd in Flora and 6th overall in Beginners Premiership. Lynsey won many prizes in the section dances and 5th overall in the Beginners Premiership. Cailin won 3rd overall in the Intermediate Premiership. This was Cailin's last Intermediate competition. She is a Premier girl now!!!

OZSCOT WORKSHOP BATHURST - AUSTRALIA DAY LONG WEEKEND In class a few weeks ago I got the dancers to write in their journals their memories of the workshop in January. I thought it would be a good idea to focus on what they could remember - a few months down the track. Ceilidh wasn't in the class, so I just copied verbatium from her dance journal when the event actually occurred as I feel she has put some interesting points down.. Enjoy!!! Cailin - 9 years I enjoyed having Grant Davis come and speak to us I enjoyed doing the choreography with Natasha I enjoyed the food I enjoyed meeting new friends I enjoyed having the lessons I enjoyed the learning I enjoyed the accomodation I enjoyed the great teachers! I enjoyed the YES YES YES!!! Greer - 8 years I learnt alot from Ozscot. It was a great excerience for all of us. I loved the choreography that I got to do with Lisa. Grant Davis was a good inspiration too. Ceilidh 8 years - copied out from her Dance Journal First we had Mr Grant. I...

The New South Wales Committee of Highland Dancing will be holding their annual fundraising concert on Sunday 15th June at St Marys Band Club, St Marys, Sydney. This is a really wonderful day. Studios from all over NSW and ACT participate in this event. They do studio items as well as massed traditional dances (like the Fling and Swords) The kids really enjoy it. My dancers have a wonderful time and I love choreographing for the event. I always have a dance that has the "Banksie Babes" in it. Last year we had Darcy and Noah as our two littliest babes - Noah was still only 1 and Dee was 2. It was very very very cute! The audience just LOVE seeing the tiny ones up there on the stage!!! This year I am doing a dance that is inspired by a childrens book by Pamela Allen called 'If I had a Pirate Suit'. The entire studio will be involved in this dance. Added to that, my more senior dancers will do a broadswords. So - if you're not busy and would like a wonderful afternoo...

Dancers from my studio took part in the Scottish Act of Rememberence on Anzac Day. It was very lovely and special.

On the Easter Weekend 8 dancers from my studio travelled to Newcastle for Champ of Champs. It was a wonderful weekend and I am VERY VERY VERY proud of the girls and boys!!! I will update with a full list of results later, but here are some photos of the kids.

Congratulations to the Murray Girls on their awesome results at Newcastle Competition a few weekends ago. Both girls are coming back from injury - Well done - Im proud of you!! Courtney's results - sat 1st march 2008 1st Fling 4th swords 2 ST 3&2 3rd Flora Kirstin on Saturday - 1st Fling 1st Lilt this = 1st in the Title 2nd in the Lilt 4th in the S/T 5th B/J So all = 4th in the Title 4th Fling 3rd Swords 2nd ROT 1st HL 1st Flora Kirstin got on the sun 2nd March 2008 3rd in the Lilt

Here are 2 of my Tartan Totts!! Arent they cute! I had to snap them when they were standing in their 'champion pose!'