Lacey Fischer, Highland Dancer and Teacher at 16

At 16, Lacey Fischer has fulfilled a dream of becoming a teacher of Highland dance.  It’s been her goal for a long time.

After nine years of dance training, Lacey wrote her British Association of Teachers of Dance examination in March for her Associate Teacher’s certificate with a comment of “highly commendable”.  It qualifies her to teach and have students enter Highland competition under her direction.

Having entered competitions since she was 9 years old, Lacey knows how to face the pressure.  “I prepare a long time,” she said.  “ I try and practice an hour a day, every day.” 

Lacey started dancing at The College of Piping because it was something to try.  She began under the direction of Barbara Brown-Yorke and continued under Jessica MacLeod-Dent and Kendra Jones.

For the last year, Ardyth Johnson taught Lacey, helping her prepare for her teacher’s exam.  Fischer studied with a Marion Riehl Scholarship for several years and won a Doug and Debbie Hall Excellence Scholarship for 2005.

Lacey is one a handful of dancers from the Island who compete in the Canadian Highland Dancing Championships. This will be her 3^rd year at national level competition and she is training under Lindsay Munro, the new Highland dance teacher at The College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts.   

“Last year, I was up against 30 or more dancers in my category at the Canadian Championships.  And a couple of judges had me in the placings so I was happy with that.  This year I will be in the 17 and under level.  I’m one of four dancers who will represent PEI,” said the modest Three Oaks High School student.

In April, Fischer tied for the highest aggregate mark for her age category at the premier level in the East Hants Highland Dance Competition in Nova Scotia.

“My favorite music to dance to is “The Sword and the Village Maid” played by a solo piper.  The tune starts out slowly and builds up to a very fast pace.” Described as a very technical dancer with crisp, clean movements, Lacey Fischer sees Highland dancing as a mixture of fun and hard work that really pays off.