Dornoch dancer Lily Ana hails 'positive' balance between dance and studies ahead of all-star event in Florida
A young dancer from Dornoch is set to compete on the international stage next year after a successful audition for a "prestigious" championship event in the United States.
20-year-old Lily Ana Cameron will travel to Florida along with her team, CCD All Star Cheer & Dance, after they were awarded a bid to compete at the "Dance Summit".
The event – hailed as "the largest dance championship in the All Star market" – will take place between May 3 and May 5 next year.
It shall be the second United States-based event Lily Ana has competed at.
Mum, Shirley Cameron, said: "We are always very proud of Lily Ana. She always gives it her all in life. These things don’t just happen every day, from starting a dance class in the Doll Hall, to reaching the international stage in Florida."
In 2019, Lily Ana traveled to Florida to represent Scotland in "Dance Worlds", following a gruelling six month series of weekend auditions in Glasgow.
Now at the age of 20, she is preparing to compete in 2024 – but this time she faces a new challenge of balancing her dance commitments with study at university.
Shirley added: "In 2019, the team travelled every week to Glasgow for six months of training with many hours of travelling and overnight stays, which was all self funded. So, she is well aware of the challenges she is facing this time.
"The training and travel is such a huge commitment, as she is now attending university in Edinburgh to study primary school teaching, and she travels up to Inverness to train every weekend.
"The discipline that being involved in dance has instilled in her continues to carry her positively onwards in life and her university work."
Having been a member of the Inverness-based CCD team since 2016, Lily Ana is now a co-captain of the outfit.
She understands the importance of discipline and managing her time effectively, and says that her experience in dance has helped her in her studies.
Lily Ana said: "I have to be very focused and organised. I use the time when I'm traveling from and to Inverness on the bus as study time. I do have to give up aspects of my student social life though, such as going out in Edinburgh.
"By keeping physically fit, I am in a better position to deal with the fatigue. Comradeship and strength of our team really helps too.
"As one of the co-captains of the team I have extras responsibilities, which I feel strengthen my leadership qualities and give me skills and experience which I can use positively in my teaching placements."
"I try to use the positive feeling from my dance experience to deal with my studies positively. The continuous support from family and friends is very important too, and keeps me positive."
Lily Ana and her team will compete in the section international open co-ed lyrical section as CCD Glitter, a group made up of 14 girls and 3 boys.
