Dancers: Shannon Cressey, Lindsay Ellis, Megan Hall, Meghan Pike, Danielle Senyk

Musicians: Tim Fanning, Robyn Carrigan, Stephanie Cadman

Actor: Alison Ward

Director/Choreographer: Susan Nase

“In its traditional form, Highland dance is not an expressive dance form. It is athletic, virtuosic and powerful, but the movements are heavily structured, and the technique is rigid. The stories and history of the dance form, however, are rich, expressive and captivating. After the Highlanders were decimated at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, the British government banned kilts and bagpipes and set out to destroy a clan system that for centuries had sustained a culture, a language and a unique way of life. In our work, we are tackling questions about what is true: How and why do we tell these stories in modern High-land dance? Can we reclaim Scottish culture through dance?”

Susan Nase (Director/Choreographer) was a competitive Highland dancer for over 15 years, competing at the provincial, national and world level championships and became a certified teacher with the Scottish Dance Teachers Alliance in 1997. She is a co-founder of Shot of Scotch, a professional premier-level Scottish highland dance performance company with branches in New York City and Vancouver. Under Susan’s artistic direction, Shot of Scotch Vancouver strives to create new, exciting, contemporary dance pieces maintaining a high standard of modern-day technique, but also remaining true to the deep Scottish roots of the centuries old art form of Highland dance.