Highland dancers to compete at Scotdance USA National Championship
July 16, 2026 | By Waterbury Roundabout
Vermont Scottish Highland dancers Katherine Levasseur and Charlotte Stone with their regional dance championship trophies. Photo courtesy of Highland Dance Vermont
Two Highland Dance Vermont dancers will compete at the national championship in Dallas later this month.
Katherine Levasseur of Hinesburg and Charlotte Stone of Bradford qualified for the ScotDance USA National Championship to be held July 22-26. Known as the United States Inter-Regional Championship, the event is considered the “Super Bowl” of Scottish highland dance.
Levasseur runs Highland Dance Vermont, which holds classes in Waterbury and Essex.
Dancers qualify for the national competition by placing in the top three overall in their respective age groups at six regional championship events. Stone and Levasseur competed at the East Region Championship in Maryland, held at the Southern Maryland Celtic Festival in April. Stone was second runner-up in the 18-and-under-22 age group; Levasseur was second runner-up in the 22-and-over category.
The five-day ScotDance USA national event will host hundreds of dancers from across the United States, Canada, and Scotland for both the national championship and additional open competitions. In the championship event, dancers perform multiple traditional Scottish dances such as the Highland fling and the sword dance, using specific steps.
Stone recently took part in the 2026 Royal Nova Scotia Military Tattoo in Nova Scotia, Canada. A Highland dancer for more than 10 years, Stone is a student of Levasseur’s and an assistant instructor. This is her first time competing at the national championship. A 2024 graduate of Hanover High School, Stone is a sophomore at the University of Vermont, where she is working toward a bachelor's degree in exercise science.
Levasseur began Highland dance as a child, competed through her teenage years and returned to dance in her 30s, opening Highland Dance Vermont in 2022. This is her first year qualifying for the national championship, where she and Stone will represent Vermont.
“To share such a big moment for myself with an outstanding student is incredibly meaningful,” Levasseur said.
She acknowledges the challenge of returning to the sport. “It looks different as an adult than it did when I was a teen,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot from experiencing this myself, and I’ve worked hard to improve as both a dancer and a teacher, this last year especially.”
A graduate of St. Johnsbury Academy and the University of Vermont, Levasseur earned full Highland dance teaching credentials in 2022. She works as a communications and public affairs consultant.
With classes in Waterbury and Essex, Highland Dance Vermont trains dancers of all ages, providing opportunities for performances and competitions. More information at highlanddancevt.com.