Biography: Shannon Forrester

National Dance

Shannon Forrester is the director of step dance for the Forrester School of Celtic Dance, and the Director/Choreographer of the “Reel Precision” Step Dancers. Shannon’s dance career began at the age of 4, under the direction of her mother Eileen, owner/director of the Forrester School of Celtic Dance. Shannon has been dancing both Highland and Step Dance for 23 years, and has been instructing dance for more than 12 years.

During Shannon’s competitive years, she was a consistent award winner in Highland, Choreographer and novelty dance competitions in which she has won numerous medals, trophies, and major awards. She has both competed and performed in competitions and folk festivals in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.

Shannon performs regularly with the dance company in approximately 50 shows per year. Her dance company performs not only traditional Cape Breton step dance, but an eclectic blend of Highland, Irish, and Cape Breton repertoire which has captured international acclaim for her original, high energy choreographic flair.

Shannon’s gracefulness and elegant performance style through “Liturgical Dance” has brought her to many churches to enhance the theme of countless spiritual celebrations.

Shannon regularly conducts workshops both locally and abroad. Her teaching has taken her to places as far as Asia, Scotland and through out Canada and the United States. In Scotland in the late eighties and early nineties, step dance was becoming almost extinct. Shannon was excited to teach step dance in Scotland during that time. Locally, she has been approached by many groups visiting the Island who want to partake in her workshops so they may take back to their homeland “a taste of Cape Breton” culture. Some of these individuals have come from Japan and Egypt as well as members from the talented touring group “Up with People”. Shannon is also a member of Perform! a fine arts program which brings together practicing performing artists with teachers and students in public and private schools across Nova Scotia through the visual arts.

Shannon and her dancers were also chosen to perform dance segments in major productions for CBC, which included “The Pit Pony”, and the award winning movie, “Margaret’s Museum”. The dancers have also been featured on “Good Morning America” during a special performance at the World Folk Festival in Utah, USA in 2000.