Showcase of youth talent at Paisley’s Lagoon
The Renfrewshire Highland Dancing Championships at the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley delivered a lively display of junior talent, with two pupils from a Greenock-based school among those collecting medals. The event, which brings together young competitors from Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, underlined the strength of grassroots dance training on both sides of the regional boundary.
Stage Door Studios entrants Vaila MacKenzie, aged 10, and Reyna McIntyre, aged 8, travelled from Greenock to take part. Vaila finished runner-up in the 11 years and under confined competition—a category contested by dancers from across Renfrewshire and Inverclyde—and lifted the Stage Door Studios Cup, donated to the event by the school. Classmate Reyna placed fourth in the same section, adding to the school’s haul.
Coaching team and community effort
The pair train several times a week in the Victorian Suite under teachers Vikki Warnock and Katie Little. The result capped a busy spell for Vaila, who had secured a pre-championship title at the Strathclyde Highland Dancing Championship in Shotts the previous week, a trophy that her teacher Katie also won in 2015. The competition in Paisley benefited from fundraising support coordinated by Vikki alongside other tutors in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, reflecting the collaborative approach that helped the championships take shape.
“As a school, we’ve had quite a lot of input into the build of the championships which is nice. To see the kids gain from the hard work that’s gone into that is lovely. The championship was a great day and we were absolutely buzzing with their results. They had been working so hard towards it and it all paid off.”
Speaking about the schedule beyond Paisley, Vikki noted the pupils’ intensive training during the school holidays as they turn attention to the next major milestone on the dance calendar.
Next stop: the Cowal stage
Both dancers are now preparing for Cowal Gathering in August at Dunoon Stadium, where they plan to compete in the Scottish National Championships and the Scottish Open Championships. The contest is widely regarded within the Highland dancing community as a pinnacle of the season, attracting young performers who have progressed through local and regional fixtures such as Renfrewshire’s event at the Lagoon.
The Paisley championships again underscored the role of local venues and volunteer-led fundraising in sustaining opportunities for young performers. For Renfrewshire families, the proximity of a high-quality competition helps reduce travel demands and keeps costs down, while giving parents and carers the chance to support participants locally. With teachers from both Renfrewshire and Inverclyde contributing to the organisation, the championships also served as a practical example of cross-county cooperation in youth arts.
Results snapshot
| Competitor | Age | Section | Paisley result | Upcoming focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vaila MacKenzie | 10 | 11 & under (confined) | Runner-up; lifted Stage Door Studios Cup | Scottish National & Open at Cowal Gathering |
| Reyna McIntyre | 8 | 11 & under (confined) | Fourth place | Scottish National & Open at Cowal Gathering |
What it means for Renfrewshire
Hosting the championships in Paisley provides a local platform for participants from across Renfrewshire and neighbouring Inverclyde to test themselves in a competitive setting before stepping onto larger stages. It also keeps attention on the Lagoon Leisure Centre’s role in accommodating youth cultural events, complementing its broader community sport and wellbeing remit.
- Renfrewshire’s championships drew young dancers from across the local area and Inverclyde.
- Greenock-based Stage Door Studios celebrated runner-up and fourth-place finishes in the same section.
- Attention now turns to August’s Cowal Gathering and the Scottish National and Open Championships.
For the young dancers and their coaches, the Paisley outing was both a reward for daily practice and a springboard to the national stage. As the Cowal Gathering approaches, their experience at the Renfrewshire Highland Dancing Championships offers a timely confidence boost and a reminder of the value of well-supported local competitions.
