AWC faculty member to be featured at Scottish Burns Supper
January 9, 2019Yuma, AZ (January 9, 2019) – Arizona Western College Professor Amelia Bowdell will be kicking up her heels to the tune of bagpipes and drums during Yuma’s upcoming Scottish Burns Supper.
The Scottish Burns Supper will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25, at the Yuma Civic Center, 1440 W. Desert Hills Dr. As part of the evening’s festivities, Bowdell will be performing several Scottish Highland dances to live pipe band music played by the United Yuma Firefighters Pipes and Drums band as well as Canadian bagpipers and drummers.
“I am honored to bring this cultural dance to Yuma and La Paz counties. I love the rich tradition of Scottish Highland Dancing, which is thousands of years old,” Bowdell said.
“Originally only allowed to be done by men in the army, because they thought it was too hard for anyone else, the dances were used to assess the military personnels’ strength, stamina, and agility. Although likely to date back to a much earlier period, the first documented evidence of intricate war-dances being performed was at the second marriage of Alexander III to his French bride Yolande de Dreux at Jedburgh in 1285.”
Bowdell first began Scottish Highland dancing 27 years ago at the young age of eight, and began dancing competitively at age nine. After earning her British Association of Teachers of Dance membership, which qualifies her to teach competitive Highland Dancing, she later went on to run her own Scottish Highland dance studio in Massachusetts. She was inspired to dance and teach by her aunt Janis Burkhardt, who is an accomplished Scottish Highland dancer, teacher, and judge. Burkhardt is currently the National Judges Chair for the Federation of United States Highland Dancing Teachers and Adjudicators.
Bowdell has earned several medals and trophies in Scottish Highland Dancing competitions throughout the U.S., Canada, and Scotland during her 11 years of competitive dancing, including several Most Promising Dancer of the Day trophies and the recognition of Midwest Regional Runner-Up Representative.
Tickets for the Scottish Burns Supper are $35 per person, $65 for couples, and $225 for a table of eight. Visit www.YumaShowTickets.com to purchase tickets online.
Dinner will consist of a traditional three-course Scottish meal, plus dessert, whiskey, and haggis to try.
Contact:
Amelia Bowdell
Professor of English as a Second Language
Arizona Western College
Amelia.Bowdell@azwestern.edu
(928) 344-9444