Chris Oldfield, Naracoorte Community News
Alan Phillips remembers highland dancing in public for the first time during a Naracoorte Caledonian Society function at Bool Lagoon when he was four years old.
Now he is a 10-year-old State champion highland dancer, eager to compete in as many competitions as he can.
But the prizes are not everything.
For Alan, his greatest passion is just being able to perform, meet up with “lots of friends” and have fun.
Alan developed a passion for all things Scottish from an early age and decided he wanted to be a highland dancer.
His mother, Mary Phillips, learned to play the bagpipes when she was four years old, so supporting her son to follow his passion was a natural thing to do.
After playing the bagpipes for 40 years, Ms Phillips is an accomplished musician with Naracoorte Highland Pipe Band and a member of the Naracoorte Caledonian Society.
“We were at a practice night once in a hall…and I saw some others there (Highland dancing),” Alan said.
From then on, he started lessons with Lisa Barker at the Ardlair School of Dancing.
“He was still at kinder,” Ms Phillips said.
Six years ago, Ms Phillips was one of the pipers at one of the Caledonian society’s annual evens at Bool Lagoon.
After just two highland dancing lessons, Alan was eager to perform in public.
“I was four when I danced at Bool Lagoon and I really liked it – it was fun,” he said.
“I asked Mum if I could do it again, and she said ‘Yes’.”
He kept attending lessons and practising as often as possible.
Within a short time, a highland dance competition was being held at Daylesford in Victoria.
“I got two first prizes,” Alan said.
Ms Phillips said those prizes were for pas-de-basque and hicut dance.
Since then, Alan has had lessons each week and practises as often as possible as well as most weekends.
He has danced at many events and attended a raft of competitions, winning numerous prizes for his age level most years.
“But not last year when I had my appendix out,” Alan said.
Ms Phillips said many events had also been cancelled during the last two years as a result of Covid-19.
Last month Alan competed in a State championship, performing many dances in the SA 2022 Garrick-Stewart School of Highland Dancing Competition.
During the competition he won six first prizes and one second.
And overall, Alan won first prize for his age level, making him a State champion highland dancer.
While Alan and his family live in Mount Gambier, Ms Phillips returns each week for work commitments and to practise with the Naracoorte Highland Pipe Band as well as participate in all of the town’s Caledonian society functions.
At the July 1 Tartan Day celebration in Naracoorte, Alan’s first prizes at such a high level were celebrated and applauded by his support group, Naracoorte Caledonian Society.
As part of the celebration, and in between several “Toasts to the Tartan”, Alan performed for his home crowd of almost 60 members of the Caledonian society.
Dances included the highland fling and the sword dance, but they are not necessarily his favourites.
“I just like them all,” Alan said.
Anyone interested in learning the bagpipes, drums or joining the Naracoorte Caledonian Society can contact Ed Coventry via Odd Jobs and More on 0475 428 989.
This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.
