For nearly 80 years, Adeline Duncan was involved with Highland dancing.
Mrs. D taught in Victoria and trained many outstanding dancers including two World Champions, Jennifer Lindsay and Angus MacKenzie. Her other pupils read like a who’s who in Highland dancing – Cheryl Rafter, Jennifer Wilson, Anne Reid, Kathy Whyte, Lynn Griffiths, Kathy Giebelhaus, Laurel Adamson, Gayle Allen and of course, her daughter Heather Jolley. In addition to these active teachers there is a long list of successful competitors whose names are prominent on all the trophies at the BC Highland games.
Mrs. D has been the recipient of many accolades. She was elected an Honorary Member of the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing in Edinburgh, Scotland. She was named an Independent Member of ScotDance Canada. She also was presented with the Atholl Clasp recognizing her contributions to the Highland Dancing Community. She is a former member and examiner of the British Association Teachers of Dance and the UKA.
Mrs. D always had a keen interest in anything to do with Scottish culture. Her husband, Ian, was a very well-known pipe major and through him she became actively interested in piping, and pipe bands. Mrs. Duncan was a lifetime supporter of the City of Victoria Pipe Band, and through the marriage of her niece, Nancy to the pipe major of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band she became a fan of them too!
Although she was a very successful teacher, judge and adjudicator, Adeline made every attempt to attend meetings, workshop and competitions. Her advice to young teachers was “Never presume you know everything – you can always learn. There has never been a workshop that I attended where I didn’t learn something!”
She always enjoyed watching any competition, big or small, whether she knew the dancers or not. She was particularly pleased by the successes of her great-niece Fiona Lee, who is carrying on the family dancing tradition.
Mrs. Duncan passed away early morning, July 23, 2009. We have lost a true legend in Highland dancing!
Reproduced and edited from an article by Elizabeth Johnston in the Canadian Highland Dance Experience – Past, Present and Future.