14 Jul 2014

Shirley-Anne Thomson on 70 years in highland dancing

From Nine To Noon, 10:10 am on 14 July 2014

Shirley-Anne Thomson, aged 79, has an incredible almost 70-year history of highland dancing in New Zealand, including performing for royalty, in prisons, and in countries all over the world. She is part of the New Zealand contingent traveling to Edinburgh to participate in the famous Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. The 36 highland dancers taking part are performing in combination with a kapa haka group - the first time at the Tattoo that kapa haka and highland dancers have taken to the stage at the same time. Shirley-Anne is the choreographer of the highland dance component. The group will be performancing in front of a live audience of 220,000 over 25 shows during the month of August. Up to 300,000,000 more people will watch the spectacle on BBC television around the world. This year's Tattoo boasts the largest ever massed pipes and drums group at the event, with a cast of more than 1000 people.