Dancing to the beat of a bag pipe

     Kathleen Black of Fuquay-Varina isn’t like most 10-year-olds. She is a fan of vintage television shows like “Andy Griffith” and “Green Acres,” and her taste in music and dance dates back centuries.
     “I don’t know why, but I just like the old television shows,” said Black. “And I love the strength and precision involved in Highland dancing.”
     Black, who has won championships throughout the U.S and in Canada and Scotland, comes by her love of Highland dancing honestly. Her parents Lounette Darroch Black and William Black are of Scottish descent, the Darrochs hailing from the Isle of Jura in the 1700s.
     “Because my background is Scottish, Kathleen has been doing Highland dance since the age of four,” said her mother. “We are from the Anderson Creek Barbecue area of Harnett County, and that is about as Scottish as you can get in North Carolina.”
     A student of Jo Kalat, Black has taken home honors in her age division in numerous competitions. She recently won the Southeast Regional Highland Dance Championship, qualifying her to compete in the U.S. Inter-regionals, and was second runner-up in the Commonwealth Championship in Scotland two years ago. Black has also won the Canada Capital City Championship and was fourth runner-up in the U.S. national highland dance championship this past July.
     In addition, she has performed with a professional dance company, the Carolina Ballet, this year marking her fourth appearance in the ballet’s annual presentation of the “Nutcracker.”
     “I would love to dance ballet professionally one day,” she said. Meanwhile, Black stays busy traveling to Highland dance competitions, swimming, reading, playing violin and sewing.
     “I’m very excited about dancing at Campbell,” she said. “It should be a really fun day.”
     Black’s brother Will is a Campbell junior and her brother Austin is a freshman at St. David’s School in Raleigh. Black is home schooled and attends the Raleigh School of Ballet. She is the granddaughter of Al Black and Millie and Fred Darroch.
     The celebration of Harnett County’s 150 years of Scottish heritage is the focus of Campbell’s 2005 Homecoming activities. The event features Highland music, dance, food and games, as well as a traditional Scottish Worship service, the Kirkin’ O’ the Tartan.