Alma Indoor Highland Dance Competition Marks 50th Anniversary
Article by Christie Freestone, Director of the Mid-Michigan Highland Dance Academy
The swirl of tartan, the rhythm of pipes, and the precision of centuries-old steps will once again fill the Masonic Pathways Chapel as the Alma Indoor Highland Dance Competition celebrates its 50th anniversary. Sponsored by the Alma Highland Festival, the event runs Saturday, November 8, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Highland dancers from across Michigan, the Midwest, and Canada will gather for a full day of competition in Alma’s longest-running indoor Scottish tradition.
Chairing this milestone event and following in her mother’s footsteps is Megan Greening Brown, also the dance chair for the Alma Highland Festival held annually on Memorial Day weekend. As a former student of the Mid-Michigan Highland Dance Academy, Brown competed in this very event. Today, she is not only an organizer but also the mother of Abby Brown, a 15-year-old Alma High School sophomore, three-time Midwest Champion, and rising name in the Highland dance world.
The Alma Indoor began in 1975 at the Alma Community Center with about 60 dancers from Michigan and Ontario. Among the early competitors were Bill and Liz Weaver, Co-directors of the King of Scots Highland Dance Studio in St. Louis, Michigan, who went on to become beloved figures in the local Highland community. Liz recalls, “Bill and I met at that first Alma Indoor. We’ve known each other for 50 years, been married for 45—and never once had an argument… LOL!” The Weavers teach the current U.S. Champion in the junior division.
Since its start, Alma has produced dancers who earned national and international recognition. Alma-born dancer Shirley Finch, a student of Mid-Michigan Highland Dance Academy, won first place in the inaugural U.S. national championship in 1981. Since then, students from the MMHDA have gone on to claim 13 U.S. National Championship titles, carrying Alma’s legacy far beyond Michigan.
The public is encouraged to attend and cheer on the dancers. Admission will be charged at the door. Audiences can expect a lively showcase of skill, music, and tradition in one of Alma’s most unique cultural celebrations.
