CHLOE SCOTT

Mulgrave School Class of 2009 Interviewed by Michelle Noble | October 2017

hloe had been patiently waiting all spring long when the letter she’d been hoping for arrived - she C had been chosen to be a part of the International Highland Dance Team 2017! This huge accomplishment meant she would be travelling to Russia in August to dance at the annual Spasskaya Tower International

Military Music Festival in Moscow’s Red Square. Chloe’s passion for dance found its way back into her life after graduating from Mulgrave, and she has learned to eloquently balance this passion with her academic career. In this Alumni Spotlight, Chloe shares her experience and relays what it was like working at Mulgrave and building an Alumni Relations programme for the school.

ABOVE: Chloe with the International Scottish Highland Dance Team in the Grand Kremlin Palace.

You have recently returned from performing at one of the most vibrant and memorable festivals in the world with the

International Scottish Highland Dance Team. Can you tell us a little bit about this festival and what it was like performing in the Kremlin?

The Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival (Kremlin Military Tattoo) is held annually in Moscow’s Red Square. This year, the festival celebrated its 10th year, and included over 2000 cast members from around the world.

Performance groups included military bands from eight different countries, including Egypt, Italy, Belarus, Yerevan Drums (all-female drum line) from Armenia, Top Secret Drum Corps from Switzerland, Taoist Monks, and the European Union Celtic Pipes and Drums.

The show ran for 10 nights, and I had butterflies in my stomach every night as we skipped onto the square towards St. Basil’s Cathedral, accompanied by the European Union Celtic Pipes and Drums mass band. We also had the opportunity to perform on three national television spots, march in a parade, and have a private tour and photoshoot at the Grand Kremlin Palace. What was the audition process like and how were you selected to perform?

The call out for auditions came in October 2016, and I worked

with my teacher to ensure I was as prepared as possible. With it being an international call, we were required to submit audition tapes online, showcasing dances the Dance Director had set. I filmed and submitted my audition tape in January, crossing my fingers that the work I had put into the process would pay off. In March, I received an email that read “You’ve been chosen to be a part of the International Highland Dance Team 2017! Congratulations!” I was ecstatic to have been selected to join the team, comprised of 48 dancers from Canada, USA, the UK, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia,

South Africa, and Russia. We travelled as invited guests of the Russian government to Moscow in August to rehearse as a team for the first time, just four days before opening night.

Once selected, what did you have to do to prepare for the show?

Shortly after submitting my audition tape, I had an old injury flare up, and I wasn’t certain I’d be able to dance. I spent a lot of time in physio and yoga and worked hard to maintain a high level of fitness without risking further injury or inducing pain.

ABOVE: Backpacking in Pemberton Valley with Brandon Pao, Ashley Peet and Nima Jelveh (Class of 2009).

The care I took paid off when I arrived in Moscow and began six-hour long rehearsals, as I felt strong and ready to give it my all.

What would you say is your biggest accomplishment in your dancing career?

While my main focus is my professional career, Highland Dance is a fun and unique hobby that has led to many opportunities I’ve been able to take advantage of over the past nine years. Dancing on the International Scottish Highland Dance Team is my biggest accomplishment as a dancer, while a close second would be dancing on the Vancouver School of Highland Dance Choreography team and tying for 2nd place at the Canadian Championship Series in Winnipeg in 2016.

Has your dancing career enabled you to travel?

Highland Dancing has enabled me to travel both nationally and internationally. Moscow and Halifax, where I danced on the Irish and Highland Dance Team in the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, are highlights. As a competitor, I have regularly travelled to cities across BC, Alberta, and Western Washington.

What is the difference between Scottish Highland Dancing and Irish Dancing? get asked a lot! Both are complex step dances. In Highland Dance, we use arm positions similar to that which you would see in ballet, whereas Irish dancers keep their arms stiff to their sides. Highland Dance is traditionally accompanied by bagpipes, and is rooted in military history. Many people differentiate Highland Dance as ‘the one where you dance over swords’!

Though you danced a lot as a child, you shifted your focus from dance to your academic studies during your senior years at Mulgrave. What re-ignited that spark once you were in university?

My sisters and I danced competitively while in elementary school. When I came to Mulgrave in Middle School, I continued to dance recreationally, but my parents really encouraged me to explore all the new opportunities available to students at Mulgrave. I am grateful that they did, as I have such fond memories of performing in school musicals, participating in service learning and outdoor education trips, and developing leadership skills as a Service Action Council member and Prefect.

At Simon Fraser University, I was seeking a way to balance my studies, make new friends, and keep active. During my first semester, Highland Dance was being offered through the student rec centre. I loved being back in class so much that I made the decision to return to competition. I have since had

the privilege of training with a wonderful team of dancers at the Vancouver School of Highland Dance (VSHD). I’ve found good company in my fellow dancers; there are many dancers who have continued dancing through their twenties and thirties for reasons similar to mine.

After studying at SFU in Communications and English Literature, you took on the position of Alumni Relations Coordinator and spearheaded the establishment of Mulgrave’s first Alumni Relations programme. Why was this something you were interested in pursuing?

Mulgrave School holds a very special place in my heart, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to return to Mulgrave and be part of the creation of a programme I see immense value in. I had spoken with graduates of other private and IB schools, where Alumni Relations programmes thrive based on a long school history. Being a young school, I saw (and continue to see) an Alumni Relations programme as beneficial to both alumni and the school as our school community continues to grow and evolve. By providing a platform to create and sustain relationships beyond graduation, I think there is amazing potential in the networking and mentorship opportunities that can be established through an Alumni community.

What was your favourite part of your role at Mulgrave?

Coincidentally, my favourite part of my role at Mulgrave was working with alumni on the Spotlight Series. I enjoyed connecting, and in some cases, reconnecting, with former students and learning about their university experiences, chosen career paths, and adventures. I believe that through recognition of alumni, current students might be inspired to try something new, apply to a certain university or programme, or learn about a career they are interested in pursuing! I see the Alumni Spotlights as an opportunity to bridge the current Mulgrave community with the alumni community.

What do you do in your current role for the Sea to Sky School District?

Currently, I work at the Sea to Sky School District, which stretches from Furry Creek to D’Arcy, BC. I serve as both the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools and the Communications Officer. My roles are challenging and dynamic, and, similar to my role at Mulgrave, they provide me the opportunity to foster positive connections among internal and external stakeholders. One of the highlights of my role is producing a bi-monthly column in the Whistler Question newspaper. Topics on which I have written include BC’s new curriculum, specialised programming, including an Environmental Stewardship course, and initiatives put forth by the school district’s Aboriginal Leadership student group.

Favourite Mulgrave moment?

ZoomFest was something I looked forward to every year - arguably more than any holiday break! Completing the Juan de Fuca trail as part of the Duke of Edinburgh programme is also a cherished memory and an experience that I attribute my love of backpacking.