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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, July 7, 2016 | 26 John Bkila Editor jbkila@oakvillebeaver.com Ellen Ferguson and Jessica Bolton will perform at the Basel Tattoo, July 21-30 by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff Oakville dancers headed to Switzerland Oakville Scottish highland dancers Ellen Ferguson, 17 (at far left), and Jessica Bolton, 19, will be performing at the Basel Tattoo in Basel, Switzerland. The event runs from July 21-30 and showcases international military bands, display teams, musicians and tattoo formations (a military performance of music or display of armed forces). Pictured at far left, Ferguson competes in the World Highland Dance Championships qualifying round in Cowal, Scotland, in August 2015; while, Bolton is seen in front of Edinburgh Castle, in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, also in August 2015, where she danced with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. | submitted photos Artscene "Connected to your Community" T wo Oakville dancers will be showcasing their talents and skills on an international stage later this month. Ellen Ferguson and Jessica Bolton, two Scottish highland dancers who train out of Burlington's Aspects of Dance, have been selected to dance at the Basel Tattoo in Basel, Switzerland, which runs July 21-30. A military tattoo is a show performed by international military bands, display teams, musicians, and tattoo formations (a military performance of music or display of armed forces). "It's an amazing opportunity," 17-year-old Ferguson told the Oakville Beaver. "When I started highland at (age) four, I had no idea that dancing would allow me to do things like this. I've been fortunate enough to dance all over Canada, the U.S. and in Scotland, and now Switzerland." Bolton, 19, spent last August dancing in Scotland at the 2015 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and said she was excited to have the opportunity to perform in the upcoming Basel Tattoo. "It was such an incredible experience to dance before huge crowds, but also to meet so many other performers from around the world. I'm really lucky to have the chance to do it again this summer," she told the Beaver. Both girls are accomplished, premierlevel highland dancers and have won several competitions and championships. They have performed as soloists and in groups. Training under renowned highland dance teacher and choreographer, Eleanor Belton, Ferguson and Bolton are part of the senior competitive highland dance group, and have won the small group choreography competition at the Canadian Highland Dance Championships for the past three years. Both dancers also performed at the closing ceremonies of the PanAm Games last summer. "Highland dance is such a physically demanding, precise form of dance, yet, it's not as widely recognized as most other dance forms," said Belton. The girls work so hard and so much of our focus is on competing. It's wonderful to have the opportunity to showcase their talents in a performance setting. Highland dance teacher and choreographer Eleanor Belton "The girls work so hard and so much of our focus is on competing. It's wonderful to have the opportunity to showcase their tal- ents in a performance setting." Bolton and Ferguson were selected after submitting a resume and an audition video. They will be performing with approximately 35 others dancers from Canada as part of the Canadiana Celtic Highland Dance Team, which is directed by Stephanie Grant and Stephanie Turnball. The pair will arrive in Basel on Saturday, July 16 for rehearsals and promotional events. The Basel Military Tattoo is the second largest military tattoo in the world -- second only to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Big Movies, Small Prices! 171 Speers Road (at Kerr) Oakville General: $8.50 children (3-13): $6.50 Seniors (65+): $6.50 Tuesdays: $5.00 905-338-6397 www.film.ca facebook.com/filmca @Filmcacinemas The BFG (PG) July 1 The SecreT liFe oF PeTS (G) July 8 GhoSTBuSTerS (STc) July 15 ice AGe colliSion courSe (STc) July 22 STAr Trek Beyond (STc) ) July 22