Hi BHDA families. The Canadian Midwest Highland Dance Festival is this weekend! Thank you in advance to all of our volunteers, and good luck to our dancers.
Our competition is being held at the NationsWEST Fieldhouse on Saturday. Morning events begin at 10 a.m. and afternoon events begin at 1 p.m.; registration for each opens 45 minutes prior to the start time. Morning shift volunteers, please arrive at the Fieldhouse at 8:45, and afternoon volunteers, arrive at noon. Click here for all of the details for our competition and Lloydminster's competition on Sunday. There are two more competitions coming up in Saskatchewan in November: November 1 in Regina and November 22 in Saskatoon. On the Sunday following each competition, the local associations are hosting workshops with the judges. These are awesome opportunities to get feedback from the judges and learn from highly qualified dance professionals! Your teachers encourage you to take part in these workshops, and bring back what you learn to class. Finally, medal tests will be held in North Battleford on Wednesday, November 19. The teachers will be confirming who will be completing which exams in the coming weeks - if you have any questions, please speak with your teacher. The exam day schedule will not be confirmed until one week prior to medal testing. (Medal tests are individual exams administered by the Scottish Dance Teachers Alliance. This year's adjudicator is Sheena McDonald from Scotland.) Hello BHDA families! In this newsletter, you'll find information and reminders about:
October Competition Thank you to all the families who have signed up for their volunteer shift at the October 18 competition, being held at the NationsWEST Fieldhouse. If you haven't signed up yet, go to https://www.volunteersignup.org/488KP. All shifts come with training, so don't worry about signing up for something new! Questions? Email Jamie at jamiedannymac_@hotmail.com. Still need to register your dancer for the competition? The online competition registration form is here: http://www.eventry.net/cmhdf/canadian-midwest-highland-dance-2014 Expense Claims Please note all expense claims submitted to the treasurer must include both the expense claim form and receipts. Find the expense form here: http://www.battlefordshighland.ca/resources-and-links.html BHDA Bus Trip BHDA is tentatively planning a group trip to the Saskatchewan Highland Gathering & Celtic Festival in Moose Jaw and Regina over the May long weekend. This is a great weekend that includes two competitions (Saturday and Sunday) as well as children's activities, pipe band competitions, Scottish heavy athletics, and of course, a great ceilidh. There's no need to commit at this point, but in order to price out some transportation and hotel options, please email Kerilyn at battlefordshighland@gmail.com to indicate your interest in taking part in this trip by November 15. Entire families would be welcome, so let us know how many adults and children would potentially travel with the group. More details to follow in early 2015. Lost and Found It's bound to happen - items are lost, and items are found! Anything left behind at lessons will be posted on our website here: http://www.battlefordshighland.ca/member-news/lost-and-found If you are looking for something, emailbattlefordshighland@gmail.com to have your 'lost' item posted. 2014 Tartan Tea photos At our the September BHDA meeting, it was decided that we would contact the photographer who took the last year's Tartan Tea photos to arrange for refunds and to ensure remaining photos are delivered. Any parents who did not receive their Tartan Tea pictures due to the photographers's computer issues and did not arrange retakes should email battlefordshighland@gmail.com by October 15, 2014. Medal Tests While exact dates for medal tests have yet to be confirmed, teachers will start working with dancers on their set dances over the coming weeks. Be sure to ask the teachers if you have any questions. Upcoming Events October 18 - BHDA Competition - Click here for the online entry form. Registration closes Friday, October 10. October 19 - Lloydminster Open Competition - Click here for the online entry form. Registration closes Friday, October 10. October 23 - Annual General Meeting – 5:30 pm, Third Avenue United Church November 1 - Regina Highland Dance Association Open Competition - Click here for the online entry form. Registration closes October 24. November 2 - RHDA Workshop - click here for more information.
Click here to read the minutes from the September 18 BHDA member meeting.
The next meeting is our AGM and will be held on October 23 at 5:30 p.m. Classes have just started but it is already time to start thinking about medal tests!
Our exams will be held sometime during the last 2 weeks of November. A schedule has not been made yet. Please email Shannon Hamilton-Rask by Sunday, Sept 21 at the latest if your dancer is interested in doing exams this fall, or if you need more information about whether your dancer should be taking part. Dancers are also able to gauge their progress by taking part in annual medal testing. Administered by the Scottish Dance Teachers' Alliance, based in Scotland, medal testing involves dancers performing set dances for an adjudicator who then provides feedback and determines whether minimum standards for the given level have been achieved. Dancers earn beautiful awards through this process. The Canadian Midwest Highland Dance Festival, which includes our local competition and the Lloydminster Open Competition, is just around the corner on October 18 and 19.
Registration opens at 9 a.m. on Monday, September 15. Click here for the online entry form. Our competition is made better thanks to local businesses. If you know of any business that would be interesting in sponsoring the competition either with a cash donation (used to purchase awards) or with an item that could be used in a raffle, please download this letter and contact them. Email Jamie M. to let her know what businesses you've contacted. A reminder that all families (whether competing or not) are required to volunteer at the competition. Click here to sign up for a shift. Once you have volunteered, you will be contacted with more information about the job. If you have any questions please email Jamie M. (For those registering for the competition, ignore the volunteer sign-up section that is part of the competition entry form.) BHDA is ordering black zip-up hoodies with our green logo on the back. The cost is $31 each. Debbie Slabaida will have sample sizes to try on at registration night (September 4) and the first lesson (September 11). The order will be placed September 12 so that the hoodies will arrive in time for the October competition. Any questions, email Debbie or text 306-441-4480.
Here is the schedule for dancer photos being taken on Sunday, June 1 at the church.
12:50 Abigail B 12:55 Kayleigh W 1:00 Masen S 1:05 Lana & Evan MacAngus 1:10 Johanna Y & Kristen Fuhr 1:15 Jayde S & Gillian O 1:20 Molly O & Caybre S 1:25 Anya Y & Mackenzie C 1:30 Olivia G & Natalie V 1:35 Emma B & Sunny C 1:40 Ashlynne D & Sarah B 1:45 GROUP PHOTO- All dancers and teachers please |