Leah McIlwrath - Highland Dancing

Congratulations to Grosvenor dancer Leah McIlwrath, Year 13, who recently secured a Distinction in her Highland Dancing Associate (Teaching) Examination, held in Glasgow earlier in the month – the most recent in a long list of achievements in the field of dance.

Leah, who is currently a member of the ‘Michelle Johnston School of Highland Dance’, began dancing in 2012, aged 7, and is a four time Ulster Champion, having secured victory in every year from 2016 to 2019. In addition, she was nominated for a ‘Scottish Dance Teachers’ Alliance Scholarship’ in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021, finishing as runner-up in the overall scholarship in 2018. 

Furthermore, Leah was a member of the Belfast Tattoo Company from 2014 – 2016, while, from 2017 to present she has performed with the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland, which has included performing for the Irish President in Dublin’s RDS Arena.

So too, Leah danced in front of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, HRH Prince Charles and HRH Princess Anne at the Braemar Highland Games in 2018, and is currently one of fifty-two highland dancers rehearsing to perform at ‘Assemble and Leap’, an event which is due to take place in Perth, Scotland, on 12th December, to celebrate 70 years of the Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing (RSOBHD).

Overall, Leah’s dance-related exploits have seen her travel to Canada, the Netherlands, and across the U.K. and Ireland, winning many individual trophies in the process.

Well done to Leah on all of the achievements referred to above – we look forward to celebrating many more of her successes over the remainder of the current season and beyond.

Leah McIlwrath (left), with schoolmate Katie Moore at the recent ‘Scottish Dance Teachers’ Alliance Scholarship’ event, in Motherwell, Scotland.