Sisters' Highland dancing and piping talent runs in the family for Inverness teens
The Kelman family of Dalneigh has more silverware than they know what to do with. Their home is decorated with a vast array of trophies, quaichs and plaques and their cupboards are brim with further awards.
Their collection is a display of the continuous success of their two daughters – Lily and Grace Kelman – in their traditional Scottish talents.
Lily is a third generation Highland dancer following in the footsteps of her mother Yvonne and grandmother Irene Maclennan.
Just last year, Lily was crowned the world champion in the Juvenile section at Cowal Gathering in Dunoon. This year, she faced the challenge of injury in the run up to a world championships which saw her move up an age division and be one of the youngest dancers competing in the Junior category.
Despite these obstacles, Lily showed immense determination and passion for her sport, shining on the world stage and coming home as reserve champion in a division with over 100 competitors.
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Younger sister Grace is an award-winning bagpiper. Grace shone at this year's Inverness Music Festival winning a haul of trophies, and went on be take the title of best junior piper at this year's Northern Meeting in Inverness – an event that is seen the world's oldest piping competition.
This award was given for the best aggregate performance in either the Under-15 or Under-18 categories from across the entirety of Highland and Moray.
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The continuation of these Scottish traditions has a clear influence on the family and is something that they all do together.
Yvonne grew up as an avid piper and started to pipe for Highland dancers at Highland Games across Scotland from the age of 14. She said: “I am in the City of Inverness Pipe Band. I play the pipes, Lily plays the tenor drum and Grace has just joined the band last year with her pipes."
This is also the way that Yvonne met her husband Jason. “He plays the drums as well," she said. "He hasn’t played in about a year but he played the snare drum, that is where we met because we were in the drum and pipe band together.”
Yvonne added: “The girls had a shot at each to see what attributes they were better at and Grace just naturally took to the pipes and Lily just naturally took to the dancing. The talent was there, I could see it in each of them. Grace wasn’t really that bothered about the dancing, she found it too physical and that it took your breath away. So she found the pipes a lot easier and Lily had no patience for the pipes whatsoever. I actually had to throw her out of the pipe class when she was about six because she was disruptive!”
Lily added: “Mum was my initial inspiration. She got me into Highland dancing because she was piping for the dancers anyway and my granny was also a dance teacher so it sort of runs in the family. The family support I have had has been great. My mum comes with me to competitions most weekends and at the big competitions, most of my family come to watch, my grandparents and dad and Grace come too.”
At some points, the talents of the two youngsters do come together, as Grace sometimes pipes at competitions where Lily is dancing.
When asked if the sisters had ever combined their talents, Grace joked: “We do sometimes, but it is quite rare.”
