On Thanksgiving weekend, I was headed to Toronto for the SDTA Scholarship & Conference. If you’re not familiar, the SDTA (Scottish Dance Teachers’ Alliance) holds this event annually, moving it around North America each year—last year, it was in Calgary (click to read about it!), and this year, Toronto was the host. It’s an intense but exciting weekend, where dancers who have excelled in their exams come together to compete for scholarships and take part in some pretty incredible workshops.
We had seven dancers from Saorsa Studio nominated for the scholarship based on their exams from last year, and six of them traveled to compete!
Thursday Evening: Travel Day!
I flew out on Thursday evening, not just as a dance instructor, but also for For Reel Apparel as the official clothing merchandiser for the event. So in addition to all the prep that comes with a big dance weekend, I had to get ready to run our booth (which is a crazy busy weekend for us literally every year).
I arrived in Toronto and, after checking into the hotel, wandered around to find the event space where the booth would be.
Within the first 5 minutes of walking into the hotel, I ran into all our dancers, which immediately made the whole place feel a little more like home.
After some big hugs, I spent the night prepping for the booth setup and working through inventory, and they were off to get their buns done for the next day by Rhaya’s mom lol #braidedbungang
Friday Morning: The Chaos Begins
Friday started with stress.
I woke up at 6:30AM and checked my phone to see that Cindy (my FRA co-founder) had texted me at 2AM saying she wasn’t sure if our pre-order merchandise suitcase had made it onto the plane. Cue instant panic because there were 83 orders waiting to be picked up. 😅
While Cindy made her way to the airport to sort that mess out, I headed downstairs to meet up with Cindy’s sister and grab some extra inventory we had mailed ahead. After that, I was off to set up the booth.
The day was packed—not just for us at the booth, but for our dancers.
They were participating in masterclasses, performing solos, and sitting written theory exams. The scholarship groups were split by age: Juvenile (10-11), Junior (12-15), and Senior (16+), and each age group had a different schedule throughout the day.
Watching the solos was definitely a highlight—our dancers absolutely killed it.
Of course, Friday was also the busiest day at the booth.
People were coming by to pick up their pre-orders
People placing new orders
But just as things were getting rolling… our payment system decided it needed a two-hour update. This probably happens because we only do in person events approximately 2 times per year but 2 HOURS??!! Brutal.
Anywho, we eventually got it sorted out, and got caught up on payments and orders finally, and the day was smooth sailing from there!
By the evening, it was time to switch gears. Cindy and I headed to the Judges & Teachers Reception for some networking, while the dancers had a movie night with friends from Saorsa and new friends they’d made at the conference.
Saturday: Workshops and Waiting for Results
Saturday kicked off the workshop portion of the weekend, but the results from the scholarship competition were kept under wraps until the awards banquet later that night.
The dancers spent the day in a variety of sessions—everything from traditional dances like the Fling and Sword to unique offerings like yoga for dancers, breathing techniques, and ballet for Highland dancers.
The SDTA always does an amazing job with these workshops, and our dancers were checking in throughout the day, sharing what they were learning and how much they were enjoying the classes.
How our dancers enjoyed the weekend
How did you find the process of preparing for the weekend?
“It was a lot of hard work! We had lots and lots of sessions to get us ready for theory and our dances. It was all worth it because I got to enjoy a fun weekend with my friends and learn lots of new stuff” – Rhaya
“Lots of work, but worth it! My dance teachers helped make sure I was prepared. Theory is the most difficult to prep as it’s studying instead of dancing. My friend Rhaya’s Mom organized a studio study session with all the dancers going to the SDTA right before we left!” – Kaia
What was your favourite event in the scholarship event?
“My favorite part of the scholarship was dancing my solo. I love this because it is fun and I reqlly got to show my personality on stage. I also loved the Master Class because we had to learn new choreography which we were able to perform for our parents. I love learning new choreography” – Rhaya
“Anything involving choreography is always a favourite!” – Kaia
What was your favourite part of the workshops?
“The Breathing class with bubbles and rubber duckies, and leaping across the floor in Highland for Ballet” – Kaia
What was your highlight of the weekend?
“Choreography! Spending time with dance friends!” – Kaia
“My highlight was the Banquet. I loved being there with my friends and supporting them. I also loved the dance afterwards because I got to hang out with my friends and we made some new friends too!” – Rhaya
Later that evening, it was time for the awards banquet! I was so proud of our dancers for all the hard work in preparing for this event. Regardless of results, they showed up and represented the studio so well!
Here’s a quick recap!
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- Rhaya: 2nd in Tribute, 2nd in Masterclass, over 85% on her written exam, and 3rd in her solo. She placed 5th overall! 🏆
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- Kaia: 4th in the written exam (there was a three-way tie for 1st, so she technically tied for 2nd!)
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- Anna: Judges’ recognition in her written exam
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- Sophie: Judges’ points in Masterclass and recognition in her written exam
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- Ashlynn: Tied for 5th in the written exam
Our gals danced the night away at the banquet, and I spent the evening grabbing dinner with Cindy & her sister at an amazing Mexican spot (which resulted in Cindy and I not being able to handle the spice and having to take tums and go to bed at 10PM RIP)
Sunday: Wrapping Up
Sunday was the final day of workshops for the dancers, and while they were soaking up the last of their sessions, Cindy and I ran the booth for a few more hours before I had to catch my flight home.
ALSO my gals surprised me with a visit to the booth singing happy birthday, bearing balloons and a present for me. The sweetest <3
I love any weekend that we get to spend surrounded by the highland community. Not only does the SDTA conference mean I get to meet up with Cindy to run the booth for the weekend, but we also get to reconnect with dance friends from all over the world.
The SDTA Scholarship & Conference is more than just a scholarship competition & conference —it’s a weekend full of learning, growth, and connecting with other Highland dancers from all over North America.
Our Saorsa dancers pushed themselves on stage, bonded with new friends, and took in valuable lessons from some of the best instructors in the world.
It’s a reminder of why we do what we do at Saorsa—providing opportunities for everyone, creating a dance family, and offering room to grow, both in and outside the studio. I couldn’t be prouder of how our dancers represented Saorsa Studio, and I can’t wait for what’s next!
Watch Nicole's Weekend in Toronto for the 2024 SDTA North American Conference
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