Angus MacKenzie: A Passion for All Things Scottish
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ANGUS MacKENZIE displays the kilts which he sells at Tartantown in Coquitlam
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COQUITLAM - Angus Mackenzie has been teaching Highland dancing in the Lower Mainland for the past 25 years.
He studied Highland dancing in Victoria under Adeline Duncan and was the first Canadian to win the adult world championship title in Scotland. Soft spoken and modest about his world-class achievements, Angus prefers to focus on his own Highland dance students.
He is currently teaching a total of 100 children spread out over four studios located in West Vancouver, South Vancouver, Squamish and Port Kells. Several of his students even make a weekly trip up from Seattle to study Highland dancing with Angus MacKenzie.
Mackenzie is proud of his dancers' achievements. A number have gone on to win championships in Scotland.
"One of my boys, Cameron Collins, has won third runner-up in the world championship juvenile section, fifth runner-up in the juniors, and he's been the western Canadian and the North American champion," said Angus. "He's done tremendously well, just unbelievable."
Cameron's brother, Vincent Collins was also in the top 20 adults at the world's this year. Angus said, "These boys have really put their name on the map in North America."
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CAMERON AND VINCENT COLLINS, two champion dancers with the Angus MacKenzie School of Highland Dancing.
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Angus is also teaching many young girls, including Kaitlin Sullivan who was a trophy winner this year in Scotland. Colleen Chambers also did well in the Canadian championships in different classes, and Katie Rattray, who is only eight years old, danced in Scotland and won quite a lot in junior this year.
Angus MacKenzie accompanies his dancers to the championships in Scotland. He says that he just loves Scotland, not any particular part of Scotland but all of Scotland.
Actually, Angus MacKenzie's whole life is Scottish. When he is not teaching Highland dancing, he works at the famous Tartantown specialty store in Coquitlam. He also teaches adult ceilidh dancing at the Scottish Cultural Centre and if the centre needs help, then he helps out there. It's Scottish seven days a week and he loves it!
"I wouldn't do what I do, if it wasn't a passion," Angus said, "if you want to be in anything and you want to be good, then you need to have a passion for it. I work hard but it gives me great satisfaction to see the kids do well and I love the kids."
For more information and to enroll in the Angus MacKenzie Highland Dance School, call: 604-683-kilt (5458) or visit: www.angusmackenziedancestudios.com.
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