Vol 1.1                                                                                      Fall 2009

In this section we literally ask a few questions of a professional involved in Highland dancing. This person could be a teacher, judge, dancer, FUSTA Board member, SOBHD board member or even a piper. We had been mulling over who should be the first person to be interviewed when the obvious person, Christine Lacey, came to mind.  The only question was whether she would agree to do this. We were very pleased to learn she was willing, and what follows here is a wonderful interview that gives a little insight into Christine and her family.  We hope you all enjoy reading it as much as we did.    

Just a couple of notes for those of you who are not yet fluent in Scots; those are not spelling errors or misprints in Christine’s first answer; it is how her father speaks. Also, Christine mentions her husband, Donald. For those of you not in the know, that would be Donald MacPhee, the piper many of you probably practice to (unless you happen to be using the FUSTA CD). Donald also happens to be the brother of fellow FUSTA members Diane Krugh and Donna Cusak.

Q: How long have you been involved in Highland dancing either as a dancer or as a professional and how did you get started in highland dancing?

Well, I can answer both questions with a story that my father told Donald when we were first married.  My father started off by telling Donald - quote -" It wasnae Mrs. Haggarty nor Nancy nor Jinty (my Mum) who is responsible for Christine getting in to highland dancing and winning all they championships - the person that is responsible for all that is me. You see Christine wouldnae sleep at night and it was doing our head in. I was speaking to this guy at the pub where I was havin a pint and telling him about Christine and her no sleeping at night."  Well the person he was telling this to was Mrs.Haggarty's ( Miss Jessie Stewart's ) husband and he told my father. “You send your wee lassie down to my wife's dance class and she will knock the stuffing out of her, she will sleep no bother after that". That was when I was three and I still teach at the same dance school where I was trained , hard to believe it's been 45 years.

Q: How has Highland dancing changed since you started in it? 

When I first started dancing, the championships were determined by your placing in only three highland dances - the Fling , Sword and Seann Triubhas . At some point later the Reel became the 4th dance of the championship and it has remained that way since.

Q: Is that a good thing or a bad thing and why?

I think the championships being decided over the four dances rather than the three has been a good thing. Personally, I loved to dance so adding another dance into the mix was just another opportunity to dance and compete.

Q: What do you like most about Highland dancing and why?

There is a lot that I like about highland dancing. It's a fitness activity and is very healthy . It combines our culture, heritage and history bringing us closer to the past,  whilst trying to perfect the technique while we dance so we look to the future to hopefully make us better highland dancers. Highland dancing brought my husband and I together as well as the many friends we have and the people I have met making this world of ours that little bit smaller.

Q: If you work outside of Highland dancing, what is it you do professionally? 

Since I left school I have been employed by the Bank of Scotland. I have worked my way through the ranks and I am now a Senior Branch Manager with the Halifax Bank of Scotland. I will be celebrating 30 years service with the bank in January 2010.

Q: What is your favorite television show? 

I need to answer this with a couple of different ones, First, there is a "soap " programme in the UK called "Coronation Street."  I know in the States your "soaps" are on during the day, well in the UK they are on at night. And I must admit that I like "Corrie", that's my only "soap" over here.. My favourite "sit-com" would be the "Golden Girls". They do reruns on one of the channels we have and I still laugh out loud, it is one of the funniest programs ever. Finally, I have to say NCIS and CSI. Donald just loves these programmes and they run on a Tuesday night in the UK and that is the night we designate as our night whenever we can. As busy as we both are it's great to just sit, cuddle in, and watch these shows. Donald always reminds me at sometime during the night that this is what normal people do ( ones that don't teach, play in pipe bands or involved in various committees that we get involved with). Donald also just loves it when the good guy wins!!!!

Q: If you could change one thing in Highland dancing what would that be?

That would be dancers "dancing" versus the placing of the technique. Let me state first and foremost I have spent the better part of my life understanding and studying the technique in our SOBHD text book. The teaching and foundation I received from my teacher, Miss Jessie Stewart who was one of the founding members of the Board and one of the few living authorities of highland dancing, worked and worked tirelessly with me on the technique, so I know the importance of what value that has in highland dancing. Stating that,we also worked constantly on making sure that we were dancing "from within", flowing to the music and letting our bodies work in harmony with the tunes being played i.e. all movements and steps being fluid with the rhythms within the music and the pulse of the beats. In my opinion we need to ensure that we as Highland Dancers work to achieve the correct balance between technique and performing.