Utahn wins national highland dance competition

TAYSORSVILLE, Utah — In the latter half of July 2024, a group of young dancers set foot in Boston, Massachusetts. For all, it was a huge opportunity, but for Jacqueline Ritchie, it was even more.

The team, comprised of girls mostly under the age of ten, were on their way to compete in a national highland dance championship. And Jacqueline — or Jay — was about to become a champion.

The Scot Dance USA National Championship 2024, abbreviated as SDUSA 2024, is exactly what the name implies. A competition for the best highland dancers in the nation. Contestants have to work their way up through state and regional competitions in order to qualify for nationals. 

That meant these girls were going up against the best highland dancers from across the country. 

Facing challengers and challenges

With the pressure on, Jay and her teammates faced down both their competitors and their own personal hurdles.

For Jay, one of the biggest challenges was one common to any performance, but no less difficult for it. The age-old struggle: when it feels like your performance wasn’t as good as your practices.

The award-winning coach

Fortunately, the team had an excellent coach. Kelsey Deklerk, herself a highland dance national champion, runs the Crane School of Highland Dance and is the lead instructor for Jay and her teammates. 

She and many other dance instructors have been working for years to build strong highland dance programs across the state.

“Utah has the second largest population of highland dancers in the country,” said Deklerk.

Pushing through

For this year’s national championship, both Jay and Deklerk pointed to physical and mental perseverance.

“If I disqualify,” Jay said. “I just forget about what happened. And I just move on and I just get ready for the next dance.”

Sweet victory

After the dust settled on the dance floor, Jay was announced as the U.S. national champion in the seven and under ten bracket.

“I was crying the whole time, honestly,” said Lynee Ritchie, Jay’s mother. “Even before the awards started because she’s just worked so hard to get here. And as soon as they announced her, I was just floored.”

All in all, the team scored big, bringing home an impressive array of trophies across the board.

Among the many awards the girls brought home, one had special meaning to both Jay and her teacher.

“Jay is the second Utahn to ever win U.S. champion.” Deklerk said.

“And Kelsey was the first,” Jay replied, smiling and gesturing to Deklerk.

Looking to the future, the team prepares for a trip to Scotland for the world championships later in August.

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