Extracts of an interview by Scotland on LineDecember 1999

Interviewee: Gareth Mitchelson

Subject: 'the Mitchelson family Highland Dancing legacy'

Why did you choose to dance Highland Dancing?

My mother, Wilma Tolmie, is a Highland Dancing teacher and as such I was never far away from Highland Dancing- at her classes & when she was competing at the Highland Games - I presume that one day at a class I just started dancing (and have never stopped since!)

Is anyone else in your family involved with Highland Dancing?

My whole family has a very strong involvement in Highland Dancing.

My mother danced and still teaches, her sister (Lilias Tolmie) danced, my brother & sister both dance, my wife teaches and my dad plays the bagpipes and organises Highland Dancing competitions.

At what age did you begin?

I started dancing when I was around 6 years old, as did Deryck. Ailsa started when she was 3.

Who was your Highland teacher?

My mother, Wilma Tolmie (her maiden name - the name under which she competed and now teaches), was (and indeed still is) our Highland Dancing teacher.

What advantages were had by having your mother as your teacher?

The main advantage of having our mother as teacher is that she was always with us. After each dance at every competition we got an objective criticism of our performance together with a mini lesson on how best to correct our faults. However, if you had a bad day - you soon knew about it!

Your family has seen considerable success in competition. What have been your main achievements?

Yes, we have been very successful in competitions. Our most prestigious achievements have been at the World Championships held at Cowal Highland Gathering where in fact 5 members of my family have taken top 3 honours:

My mother (Wilma Tolmie) Adult World Championship in 1965

My aunt (Lillias Tolmie) 3rd place in the Junior World Championship in 1964

My sister (Ailsa) 2nd place in the Junior World Championship plus the SOBHD Champion of Champions award in 1990

My brother (Deryck) 6 times World Champion 1985, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1994 & 1995 plus the SOBHD Champion of Champions award on several occasions and having won every Championship in Scotland (that existed during his competitive career)

In addition, I won the Adult World Championship 4 times in 5 years between 1985 and 1989.

My mother has a very successful Highland Dancing class in Dundee and can boast numerous Champions and World Champions across all ages. My sister, Ailsa, and my wife, Donna, also run successful Highland Dancing classes.

Do you take part in any non-competitive activities?

Yes. A great deal of our time has been spent out with competition. We have taken part in many Scottish shows, including the traditional fiddlers rally in the Kings Theatre, Aberdeen and less traditional shows in Edinburgh & Glasgow. These shows required the dance to be more visibly expressive that competition would allow. For this reason we have spent a considerable amount of time creating new moves and experimenting with the use of traditional steps and movements to allow the spirit of the dance to be released.

In 1996 we were approached by Paul Basset, of Glasgow's Mayfest festival to bring Highland Dancing to the theatre in a 'new and exciting way'. To this end we formed the dance group 'Celtic Spirit'. The name of the group reflects the energy of the dance whilst maintaining the Scottish link. The dances contain traditional movements and rhythms combined in a non-traditional way and have included running split leaps and sword fights!

Has dancing ever presented you with the opportunity of World travel?

Yes. We have taken part in many European Folk Dance Festivals and also had some travel further afield.

For many years Deryck, Ailsa & I were members of the world-renowned British Caledonian Airways Pipes and Dance Group, which entertained at Scottish or promotional events the world over. As part of the promotional work we travelled extensively to Africa and the US, and the opportunity to dance to the sound of a full (Grade 1) pipe band is one that will be hard to beat, and that I will certainly never forget.

With the exception of Antarctica we have danced in all the continents of the world - Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Australasia.

Some of most far flung trips were

Deryck, celebrating B-Cal's inaugural non-stop flight from Gatwick to Tokyo, where he spent some 6 weeks dancing and sampling life in Japan with the B-Cal pipe band.

Ailsa, taking part in World Vision's Australasian tour, where she spent 6 weeks touring New Zealand taking part in daily performances, before returning home via Honolulu

What is your best advice regarding Highland Dancing?

Enjoy it.