Beach Highland dancer London Webb set to compete in Canadian Championships next week in Ottawa
By MATTHEW STEPHENS
When she’s not hanging out with friends, making art, or at the beach swimming, beach resident London Webb is practicing dance at the Breck School of Highland Dance in Stouffville.
At the young age of just seven years old, Webb has already garnered the title as the 2025 Ontario Champion for Highland dance when she won the provincial championships back in early June.
Highland dance is a style of competitive solo dancing founded in the Scottish Highlands as early as the 11th and 12th centuries, with deep connections to Gaelic folk traditions.
Highland dance competitors are judged by their technical precision, athleticism, and grace.
In light of her latest achievement, Webb will join team Ontario to represent the province at the Canadian Championships in Ottawa during the first week of July.
As she prepares for the Canadian Championships, Webb spoke with Beach Metro Community News to reflect on her emerging career in the world of dance.
“I started Highland dancing when I was five years old. My mom was a Highland dancer and asked if I wanted to try Highland. She took me to my first class, and I loved it. I love how difficult it is, and how you have to be really smart to dance the steps correctly with the right technique. It’s a big challenge and I love it,” said Webb.
Webb was first introduced to dancing at the age of four by her mother Haley. She spent the earliest years of her career practicing acro and ballet dance styles before following in her mother’s footsteps to become a Highland dancer.
An average week for Webb consists of lots of training, with classes four days a week, as well as time spent practicing at the studio and home.
To take part in the Ontario Championships, competitors must be at least seven years old. Despite instructors often looking to older students to compete, Webb’s dance teacher Lisa Breck quickly saw her potential and moved her up to premier league, the highest category in Highland dance, at seven years old. She won her first championship in Halifax back in March.
Webb has grown up in the Beach and attends Williamson Road Junior Public School.
According to her mother, Webb’s teachers have been highly supportive of her dancing career thus far.
“Her teachers at Williamson have been huge supporters of her dancing, especially this past year as she has missed some school in order to travel across Canada and the United States for competitions,” said Webb’s mother Haley.
Family and friends have also been with Webb every step of the way, travelling across the province to cheer her on and show their support at competitions.
“Her friends and family are all so proud of her achievements. They cheer her on, push her to be the best that she can be and support her by coming to watch her dance at various competitions across Ontario,” said Haley.
In August, Webb will be travelling to Scotland to compete in both the Commonwealth Championship and the Scottish Championship for Highland Dance.
Despite not being old enough to qualify for the World Championships held in Dunoon, Scotland, Webb said she plans to continue to practice so that she can one day compete alongside the best Highland dancers in the world.
“My goal is to one day qualify for the World Championships in Scotland. I’m not old enough yet and I know I have to work really really hard to get there,” said Webb.
