Photoessay #8 - Lassies to Victoria

The whole Shorecest marching band et al, marched in Victoria this past weekend. This year, I was still enmeshed in softball but next year I hope to go. This picture gives a flavor of the whole entourage. You can see the cheerleaders, the lassies and the band, not the flag girls though.

My youngest daughter is a Lassie in the traditional kilts and white blouses. She's in the center of the picture in the front row on the left.

The Lassies do traditional Highland Dancing and have been a fixture of Shorecrest High School since near the beginning (1961). Technically they are the Lassies and Laddies as they have one boy as part of the troupe this year, you can see him on the far right of the first row in a different uniform.

The Shorecrest Band "the Highlanders" march in traditional kilts. The whole presentation is very impressive with colorful and authentic wardrobe pieces. The kids love it and respect the kilt concept. Whoever designed these uniforms should be rewarded, they are so distinctive. I wonder why, being in the Pacific Northwest with such strong Native and Asian Rim connections, the high school went in for a Scottish theme but it probably sounded like a good international idea in 1961.

My daughter had never had any performing or dancing experience prior to trying out for the Lassies. Many aspirants have had several years of Highland Dancing preparation before the Lassies. But Naomi really bought into the idea of equal opportunity and involvement and announced she was trying out. At first, she struggled a bit with the basics and I thought "we're in no danger of making this" But she persevered and when it was time for the actual auditions, she was quite confident and, indeed, she was selected. This has been a great affiliation and anchor for her in high school.

Lassies? Never paid a bit of attention to them, but now we know.

This definitely looks like Victoria, doesn't it?

Technical aside, I was very pleased to pull an image off the internet and be able to use it for my journal.