Edinburgh Tattoo Debut

The annual Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is the biggest showcase for Highland dancing in the world.

For four weeks the Tattoo takes place before a nightly live audience of 9,000 people

and to millions of television viewers worldwide.

Dance troops from all over the world have taken part

but never from Northern Ireland, until now.

This year a group of girls from Ulster will be given an opportunity

to take part in this spectacular event.

The only problem is, that group doesn't actually exist yet.

Rachel, that's lovely. Hands a bit closer together, Rebecca.

Highland dancer and teacher Georgina Kee is the girl

with the task of bringing the group together.

And, from Scotland, Tattoo dance director Billy Forsythe

is the man with the power to pull it apart.

Bad news, I'm not going to take all 21.

The standard, at the moment, is just not there.

One, two, three, four. Two, two.

So, which girls possess the dedication and the fancy footwork to catch Billy's expert eye?

Up together, down together.

They'll have to pull out all the stops

if they really are going to make their Edinburgh Tattoo debut.

Georgina Kee has come to Edinburgh.

She has a meeting with Billy Forsythe.

Twice world champion, and dance director of the Tattoo for 20 years,

he sets his standards high.

But Georgina already knows the drill.

By joining Billy's Scottish dance troupe at the age of 14,

she became the first dancer from Northern Ireland to perform at the Tattoo

and did so for four years.

Right, Georgie, you've done this before, you know the story.

There's a possibility we might be able to use a group from Ulster.

Do you think there will be enough dancers?

I think there will be when you put together all the dance schools.

There's Donegal, there's Drumquin and there's Enniskillen.

I think if we cover a good enough area and enough of the dance schools,

I think there will be interest there because all the girls, obviously, look up to the Tattoo.

They're already interested in it. I don't know if they ever thought, "I'll ever get the chance to dance."

The commitment has to be absolute.

The standard of dancing has to be a good standard.

If we can get that, I think we can probably do something.

Georgina is well aware of the hard road that lies ahead for any young Ulster dancer

who gets the chance to perform on the famous Castle Esplanade.

It's tough. It's physically tough, it's really demanding on your body.

But this is the perfect example, it is blowing a gale, it's lashing with rain

and, if this was August, the Tattoo would go ahead.

The show has never been cancelled.

There is 9,000 people watching every show, down there on the tarmac.

It's just mad. It is a crazy thought but so exciting.

I'm so excited for the girls as well.

Bready is a small hamlet just outside Strabane.

The Sollus Centre is the hub of local activity.

One, two, three, one, two, three.

Up, up, up, up, up!

'A lot of this community would associate themselves

'as being Ulster Scots.'

We've always had strong Ulster Scots music connection in Bready.

There's always been pipes and drums and drum majors in Bready.

More recently there's been a large dance school of Highland dancers in Bready, as well.

Highland dancing is not strictly a tradition from the lowlands of Scotland,

from where the Ulster Scots originated.

Nonetheless, it is extremely popular in this province

and among these 21 girls, who have gathered from several Highland dance schools in West Ulster.

Over the next few months they will train as one group

in preparation for the all-important Tattoo auditions with Billy Forsythe.

But their fitness levels need to be seriously improved

as they will have to perform seven shows every week during the month of August.

The sooner you do it right, the less you'll need to do it.

Georgina has recruited dance tutors from Scotland to help her

put the girls through a gruelling training regime.

Among those chasing their dream are sisters Jill and Joanne Thompson.

Together, together, and turn.

At home, on the family farm,

the girls have ventured out to the farmyard for their practise sessions.

When we go to practise in the house, me and Joanne,

my mum will shout up, "Keep the noise down," or something.

So, we'll have to try and go somewhere else.

Just always seems to be a problem with where we go.

You don't want to dance because my dad would be there, watching the TV. So, we just come outside.

Then, we realised it will help us for the Tattoo

because we will be dancing on like ground, cement, tar, anything, on the slope.

So, we just need to get as much practise as we can on it and get used to it.

Together, together.

To check that your knees are turned out.

Record yourself, or get someone else to record you.

Or do it in front of a mirror, or something that shows your image, so you can see for yourself

if you're improving.

Yeah, and turn.

Good.

You can see that my right leg is worse than what my left leg is.

See the way your supporting foot needs just a bit more work.

-We have to buck up our ideas if we do want to be in this Tattoo.

-Yeah.

If we want to go forward

because if we are not up to standard Billy will just drop us, I know that.

Because Georgina is always stressing this, that he will just tell us, no.

Slide, slide, hop, one, two, three.

Having been brought together from dance schools in Derry, Donegal, Tyrone and Fermanagh,

the girls are unfamiliar with one another, as well as with this new style of dancing.

'They have to dance as a team, they have to dance together

'and that's something Highland dancers aren't trained to do.

'A lot of them are used to dancing on their own, they're used to doing Highland dance competitions

'whereas, now they have to think about another 19, 20 girls.'

As you can see here, the dancers come together and create formations and grips,

like here they have made a boat.

I don't know yet what the theme's going to be for this year

but there will be a new attitude towards looking where you are in relation to other people,

and dancing with maybe 30, 40, 50 other dancers.

Very, very challenging. Sore legs for the month of August

is basically how it is.

Some of the girls, for example like Kathryn, they have other things to work with,

and that's their shyness.

We have to make her strong, we have to get her really confident

and mix with the rest of the group.

Georgina's great. I was just doing dancing because I just did it.

But now I actually love doing it and she's definitely pushed me.

Everybody is supporting me along the way.

So, as long as I just focus on my faults everything should be fine.

But neither Kathryn, Jill, Joanne, nor the 18 other dancers,

have yet secured a place on the Tattoo team

and the auditions are drawing ever closer.

Well, we know they want at least 15 dancers.

Hopefully, we can get more than that in.

At the end of the day, it's down to Billy Forsythe.

It just depends who impresses him and who doesn't.

Whatever happens on the day that's the one thing that's just out of my hands.

Auditions, no entry. I've got a thing about the word auditions.

I always call it a selection meeting. It always sounds better.

If you do it naturally, that's what I am looking for.

The girls have been hearing the name Billy Forsythe time and time again

during the past few months.

Now, at last, he's here

and he's holding their Tattoo dream in the palm of his hand.

You're going to have an audience of 200,000 people live watching you dance

and they want to see how you react when you dance.

I'm not looking for somebody who's won 25 championships.

What I'm looking for is people who enjoy dancing.

You're all far too worried. Keep going, go on.

An audition is an audition. Some people get, some people don't. So, it's up to them.

They put in the effort.

# Dee, doo-pen, dee-dee Doo-pen, dee. #

He's lovely, he's a really nice man. He can be very scary,

but as long as you keep on the right side of him he's lovely.

He might want to think and ponder over a few for a while, I don't know.

He's the boss, his decision's always final.

I wanted to have another look at Joanne and Kathryn.

I don't want to turn them down but I don't know if you've got time to...

Aye, work on it.

I could take these three, but I would be dubious about them

-at the moment, to be honest.

-Right.

But there's a possibility...

Why not put that to them? Say you're a yes, for now.

Bad news, I am not going to take all 21. I'm sorry, girls,

but I can't do it.

Becky, we're OK. Claire, we're OK.

Naomi, happy.

Gemma, fine.

Lynn, fine.

Hannah, OK.

I've got six others,

three of them - Joanne,

Kathryn and Julie.

I'm not convinced completely of because there's a lot there that needs sorted out,

but I'm happy to give you the chance. You're going to have to work hard.

It was just very tense, to start off with because we did make a few mistakes.

Then you just had to prove yourself and be confident and then she just got emotional.

I'll be hugging you all night.

And that leaves three of us.

And I'm sorry girls but we're not going to be able to take you.

The standard, at the moment, is just not there.

It's official. West Ulster Total Dance is born.

Billy has chosen the core members of his team, who gather on the walls of Londonderry for a publicity shoot.

Smile.

'There are going to have to be one team rather than four different dance schools.'

Toe, heel, toe and turn.

'There's a few girls who are as young as 12 and they'll be turning 13 during the Tattoo.'

The oldest girl is 18, Jill from Bready.

So, I'm counting on her to help out and guide the younger ones as well.

They're going to have to be working together, they're going to have to make new friends.

They're going to have to live together for a month.

It's an exciting time for the girls who have been chosen,

but others will have to up their game to secure their place on this team.

I definitely should be practising a lot more.

I don't practise enough and my mum, she's trying to push me.

To push me in the right direction.

She's doing her warm-ups, just some pas de bas and high cuts,

just part of her warm-up routine.

Billy Forsythe will be back in two months. Kathryn needs to impress.

We don't get practising every day but we do try most days.

Some days it's really annoying because she's like you need to walk,

you need to keep yourself fit, you need to practise that, get your toes out.

You know, jump bit higher, keep those arms straight. It's really annoying.

-It's for your own good.

-I know!

-I'm my own worst critic, but she's like the second...

-I'm critical too, yes.

Yes, she's a wee bit slow at picking up the steps,

she's not as confident but something like the Edinburgh Tattoo

could be brilliant for a young girl like that.

That could bring that girl out of her shell

and give her the confidence that she needs.

I'm just heading to the Donegal, at the minute.

I teach a class in Cully Orange Hall on a Wednesday.

There's four girls in the Donegal class

that are heading to the Tattoo as part of the team.

They're quiet, shy, nice wee polite girls,

but they're all great dancers and all really dedicated to their dancing.

One, two, one, two, three.

One, two, one, two, three.

Sisters Sarah-Ann and Lynn McElhinney

put heart and soul into their Highland dancing.

They've even persuaded their father to allocate them a dance studio in the house

although, there's a bit of a family issue over the size of the mirrors.

He didn't want to buy really dear mirrors

in case we weren't going to use the room so we got these ones.

We couldn't get ones that were long enough for the whole body

so, we put them down so we could see our feet

and then we have this mirror here

if we want to look at our hands, to make sure they're OK.

Are they saying I'm a cheapskate?

The mirrors were over 200 euro until I know you're going to use the room

I'm not going to pay 200 euro for no mirror.

They have proven to me,

I suppose they do use the room and still haven't got no mirror.

But I think there'll be a mirror on the wall

when they come back from Edinburgh.

Jill and Joanne's mother, Janeen, is going to the Tattoo as a chaperone.

She's looking forward to it.

But she's a little anxious as Jill's place is confirmed but not Joanne's.

Joanne was a wee bit uneasy at the time.

I think it was just nerves that got her in the first place.

She'll get there and she has improved in her dancing quite a lot.

Jill, how many dance classes do you have on Joanne?

The uncertainty and the waiting will soon be over,

as Billy is due back today.

I'm feeling pretty fine right now but as Billy approaches the hall

I will be feeling a bit more nervous because we know now,

as the last time he was here he told three girls that they couldn't go.

We've been working hard since Billy's last been here,

so I don't think, hopefully not, that no-one will get turned down.

One, two, three, four.

Pivot, pivot, pivot, go!

Billy's return has Georgina on edge as well.

A wee bit nervous but they've all worked hard and I've prepared them for everything,

but sometimes nerves can get the better of people.

15 of the girls are sure of their places,

but will these three get to join them?

There is a chance that someone might not be going

but everybody's put in 100% and if they're not going

it's just because either they had a bad day

or just something wasn't working out for them.

Afternoon, girls. Oh, don't sound so enthusiastic.

0K, girls, thank you.

From what I've seen today, the girls that I did

have a slight question mark the last time...

I am quite happy to take you to Edinburgh, have you as part of the team

and make sure that you do a good job over there.

I'm over the moon since all three of us got the opportunity to go now.

So, we're all going as a team. It's all good.

The big day is here and the members of West Ulster Total Dance arrive in Edinburgh,

all kitted out in their new team gear.

It's an exciting business moving into what will be their home for the next five weeks

in the university halls of residence.

From now on life is going to be all about dance.

One week of intensive rehearsals and four weeks of performance.

They'll be drilled to the highest level from dawn until dusk, every day.

It's early morning. The troops are on the move and so are the girls.

At their first rehearsal at Redford Barracks,

Billy Forsythe assumes a much tougher, less forgiving role.

Left, right, left, right, line, where's the line?

Arms up together and down together.

The full dance troupe comprises the girls from West Ulster

plus 32 dancers from Scotland.

Billy has just one week to get everyone in step.

Georgina is also turning up the heat.

The whole theme of the dance is basically around the sea

and fish and fishermen and the fishing industry.

And these dancers act as if they are shoals of fish.

You will see all the different costumes all mixed up.

All the bright colours.

And then, for the next part, they are going to actually make the shape,

like the basic shape of a fish.

These front dancers will act as like the point of the body,

-then the back group as the tail.

-OK!

As rehearsals progress it becomes clear that the complex choreography

is far removed from the more traditional style of Highland dancing that the girls are used to.

Joanne, for one, is feeling distinctly uncomfortable

about performing a fish wiggle.

My legs cannot cope with the weight of my top half.

Just a struggle with my legs.

I don't like it at all. It's stupid. And it's...narrgh.

Well, this year there is quite a few steps that aren't necessarily proper Highland.

People think Highland dancing is stuck in a bit of a rut.

So, I think it's an effort to pull it back up into like a modern audience thing, really.

I think some of it's lovely.

I'm not so fond of wiggling down being a fish, but I don't have to do it.

BAND PLAYS

As rehearsals move out into the courtyard of the barracks

the girls get to meet some of their fellow performers.

Spectating over and another run through.

These practise sessions are becoming more and more demanding.

And back, Kelly back. Lauren, move forward.

Sadly Georgina isn't able to stay for the opening night

due to work commitments back in Ulster.

But before she leaves she needs to feel certain that her girls

will be at the top of their game for the big night.

They probably feel it now,

you can see some of them looking at you, giving wee looks as if to say, "My feet are killing me."

They'll probably be sore tomorrow. You just have to harden your muscles.

Despite atrocious weather Billy leaves everyone in no doubt

that the show must go on.

While Tattoo producer Brigadier David Allfray arrives with some words of encouragement.

-And it's about straight lines, isn't it?

-Yeah.

When we march it is exactly the same principle.

-Looking out of the side of your eyes. Looking that way.

-Yeah.

Really challenging. Easy to say, difficult to do.

The end of another long, hard day

and the girls return exhausted to their halls.

But chaperone Janeen knows how to lift their sagging spirits.

These are the new T-shirts that have been brought out specially for the Tattoo.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2011.

On the back it has got 11 and, as you'll notice,

it says on here West Ulster Total Dance Company.

ALL CHEER

At last the girls arrive for their first rehearsal on the Castle Esplanade.

It's amazing, it's class, it really is, fantastic.

I'm gobsmacked, it is nothing like I expected.

I didn't think it was going to be this big and now that we're all here, it's massive.

With Edinburgh's imposing castle towering over them

it all suddenly seems a very far cry from practising back home in their bedrooms.

I think there's about 9,000 people in here watching us.

To think we're going to be dancing in a full stadium is absolutely amazing.

Kind of nervous, but it's going to be class.

It's been absolutely terrific having the Irish girls here

because they have been so nervous.

I knew that would happen, I warned them it would happen.

When they get here this is such a big event and they suddenly realise

they're not just one little group of dancers, they're part of a whole team

on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle in front of 200,000 people live

and probably 100 million around the world, later on in the year, on television.

August 5th. The day of reckoning has dawned.

And for Kathryn, especially, it's time to see whether all her hard work has finally paid off.

At the start and whenever Billy came over for the first time

he had a few concerns about me and a few other girls.

I knew that I had to fight harder than the rest of the girls because I had a lot more to prove.

But I really think I've proven myself now and I think now I know what's here

and what's happening and there's really no turning back now, tonight.

There are mixed emotions for Georgina.

She's travelled a long, hard road with these girls,

but she won't be here to help them through the nerves and excitement of their first performance.

'To a certain extent my job is done.'

Me going away and leaving them, yes, I feel guilty, but...

it will probably be the making of them as mature dancers.

Five, step and six.

They've just put in so much hard work, they've...

I'm just really proud of the girls and what they've done.

And it will pay off for them and everyone will be proud, too.

With the audience taking their seats, the 61st Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

is about to get underway.

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the 2011 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Some people are nervous, other people are very excited,

some people are really giddy but we're all pretty excited.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

From the local hall in Bready to the Tattoo arena in Edinburgh,

for West Ulster Total Dance the dream is about to come true.

Tonight our Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Highland dancers

and West Ulster's Total Dance group.

It's like a...it's amazing out there.

-Went really well.

-Brilliant.

-Brilliant.

-Amazing. I'm buzzing, such a good mood.

It's amazing.

The atmosphere and everything was just class.

Your heart was in my mouth, which I was really excited to do it. It was the best feeling, it really was.

Until you see it you never know if it's going to work.

That one definitely worked.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the cast of the 2011 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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