July 1-6, 2023

School of Scottish ARts

In 1965, Highland dance teacher Sally Southerland from Charlotte, NC; Ludovic Grant-Alexander, the director of The Citadel Pipe Band in Charleston; and the developers of Invershiel, a replica of a Scottish Highlands village at the foot of Grandfather Mountain gathered to imagine a summer program to teach dancing, piping, and Scottish history and culture. The first Highland Arts Camp opened in June 1966 with 20 campers on the campus of Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, and the tradition will continue on that same campus in 2023.

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TRISHA BACON

Trisha Bacon began highland dancing when she was six years old at the San Jose School of Scottish Dancing under the direction of Norine Harmon. During her competitive career, she was the winner of eleven championship titles, finished in the top six in the United States Inter-Regional (USIR) Championship ten times, qualified as a World Championship Finalist twice, and medaled in the World Championship finals in 2001. Read more.

Steven MacRae - homepage
STEVEN MACRAE

Steven MacRae has been involved in Highland dancing for over 30 years.  He danced under the direction of his mother, Robin MacRae, in Seattle, WA, and former World Champion, Angus MacKenzie, in Vancouver, BC. As a competitor, Steven has placed successfully in championships throughout the United States, Canada, Scotland, and Australia.  Steven runs the MacRae Scottish Highland Dance School with his mother, based in Seattle, WA. Read more.