A Nanaimo teen has become a world champion in Highland dancing.
Annalise Lam of Brigadoon Dance Academy was the overall winner in the junior division in Highland dancing this past weekend at the Cowal Gathering in Dunoon, Scotland.
The 17-year-old finished first in the fling, first in the sword dance, sixth in the seann triubhas and fifth in the reel and the combined results added up to first overall.
Lam, in an e-mail interview with the News Bulletin, said it feels unreal to be a world champion.
sa国际传媒淭he title of junior world champion exceeded all of my expectations,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淭he competition is so stiff, you just never know how you will place.sa国际传媒�
She called it an incredible experience to step onto the renowned Cowal stage, and hearing applause there made her feel like she had sa国际传媒渕ade it.sa国际传媒� Lamsa国际传媒檚 technique was strong, her steps felt familiar and she competed with passion and elation.
sa国际传媒淚 did not hold back at all. I felt like I had found my place; Highland dancing was exactly what I was meant to do,sa国际传媒� she said.
After her dances were finished she was one of the competitors to receive a sa国际传媒榗allbacksa国际传媒� to the stage, meaning she had placed in at least one of the dances, so she was sa国际传媒渙ver the moonsa国际传媒� even before the results were announced.
sa国际传媒淎s a little girl I dreamed of being a world championsa国际传媒a国际传媒� Lam said. sa国际传媒淚 thought I would become world champion when they announced my name, but now I realize that I became the champion in the years of hard work I put in.sa国际传媒�
All that work and dedication now feels sa国际传媒�100 per cent worth it,sa国际传媒� she said.
sa国际传媒淚 am so grateful that I took the risk and put myself out there so I could have this experience of a lifetime,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚 will truly never forget that day.sa国际传媒�
Earlier in the week, Lam and a Brigadoon teammate, 16-year-old Keltie Willis, competed in the Commonwealth Highland Dance Championships. Lam won gold medals in both the reel and the seann triubhas, silver in the fling and placed fourth in the sword dance.
Brigadoon Dance Academy instructor Diena Henry said in a message to the News Bulletin that she sa国际传媒渃ouldnsa国际传媒檛 be more proudsa国际传媒� of her dancers.
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