HISTORY OF THE BC HIGHLAND DANCING ASSOCIATION
The B.C. Highland Dancing Association was formed on February 15, 1934 for the "betterment of highland dancing". The charter was registered in Victoria on January 27, 1936 for the grand total
of $48.00.
The first competition held by the new association was on April 21, 1934. The financial receipts from this competition show Revenue of $57.25 and Expenses $57.76 for a deficit of fifty-one cents.
In 1939 The Association decided to hold six monthly competitions during the winter to prepare the dancers
for the summer games. An aggregate cup was given at the end of the season to the top dancers in each class and each dancer was also given a candy bar. In the "Professional" class, monetary prizes in 1934 were $5.00, $3.50, and $2.50. In 1944 those awards were increased to $10.00, $7.00, and $5.00. In 1940 it was determined by the BCHDA that a novice was "anyone who had not received a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th in an
Open competition". It was also decided that if a dancer had won a medal for tap dancing they could still be a Novice for Highland Dancing.
In the 1935 season there were 200 members, but this dropped to 45 in 1938/39. The first record of the number of competitors was in 1941 when there were 66 (a note was made that the low number was due to the war). Interest in Highland Dancing gradually increased to 83 dancers in 1943, 96 in 1944, 153 in 1947,
166 in 1948, and 175 in 1949.
Some interesting information from the minutes of these early years:
• A motion was made in 1934 to purchase a first aid kit, the price of which was not to exceed $1.00.
• Annual dues were initially $1.00, raised to $1.25 in 1946.
•
In 1942, car tickets were authorized for officers as " they may have to travel considerable in the city".
• The first life membership was given in 1948 to Mr. Arthur Butler who had been President of the BCHDA for 11 years.
It is our intention to compile a complete history of BCHDA by encouraging previous members to contact us with any documentation (programs, minutes etc,) they may have. We will also publish the memoirs of dancers, teachers, judges, and parents who have been involved with BCHDA over the years.
**READ
A STORY FROM ONE OF THE FIRST BC DANCERS**