When competing, the dancer wears a family kilt with the tartan pattern that her mum and uncles all wore when they competed.
The nine-year-old recently attended New Zealand Highland Dancer of the Year, held in Nelson, where she competed against top Highland dancers her age from around the country.
Esther Harry, 9, of Lucknow School, was runner-up in the nine-year-old age group at the Highland Dancer of the Year competition held in Nelson. Photo / Warren Buckland
In her age group, she was highly commended for her highland fling; she was fourth for her sailors hornpipe, third for the Irish jig, and then took out first for the sword dance.
Esther's scores mean she is now ranked runner-up for the nine-years age group nationally.
When asked how it felt to win all her awards, Esther said she felt excited and overwhelmed.
Esther's dance teacher Nicole Brocklehurst from Nicole's School of Dance in Clive is proud of the young dancer's performance on the national stage and said Esther danced well while away.
Although she went down south for the dancing, Esther was also excited to see her best friend, also a highland dancer, who lives in Tauranga.
During their time away in Nelson, Esther and her mum decided to do some clothes shopping.
Esther said, "I was very excited about the mall because we have no malls in Hawke's Bay."
While highland dancing is hard work, it is also fun, Esther says, and the young dancer would like to see more kids her age giving it a try.
