Shannon Forrester stands next to a display in tribute to her mother Eileen Forrester and their family at her Coxheath studio, which was put up for the launch of the memorial scholarship they are creating for her mother, who was a pioneer of Cape Breton’s Scottish dance scene. Nicole Sullivan / Cape Breton Post Nicole Sullivan / Cape Breton PoArticle contentEileen Forrester was on a training call required to keep her dance adjudication certification the day before she died.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentAt 74, Forrester wasn’t in good health and had gone through many challenging health battles through her life, but her dedication to Scottish dance never waned and she was always involved.Article contentArticle contentIn celebration of what would have been her 75th birthday and the 60th anniversary of the dance school she founded, Forrester School of Dance has launched a memorial scholarship.Article contentArticle contentThe Dr. Eileen Forrester Legacy Scholarship will be awarded to one Highland dancer and one dancer of another genre in June 2025.Article contentForrester School of Dance owner Shannon Forrester said the scholarship is a tribute to her mother’s legacy.Article content Eileen Forrester was only 16 years old when she started the Forrester School of Dance. She died recently at the age of 74 after teaching thousands. CONTRIBUTED Photo by Emily Conohan /CONTRIBUTEDArticle contentLIFELONG PARTNERArticle content“It’s the preservation of dance. And it’s so important that dancers have the opportunity to continue dance past high school,” she said.Article content“It’s something that will carry them forward in their academic studies, to be able to have dance as an outlet for their emotional, mental, spiritual and physical well-being. Dance, as you know, for me, it’s been a lifelong partner, a lifelong companion that I’ve never let go of.”Article contentScotDance Canada will help pick the yearly Highland Dancer Scholarship and local high schools will help choose the other recipient.Article content“One scholarship is going to go to a ScotDance Nova Scotia Highland dancer, because my roots, our roots, are Highland. My mother was a Highland dancer and teacher,” said Forrester, who owns the Forrester Centre, which is an event/wedding venue, cafe and dance studio.Article contentArticle content“And then the second part, the second scholarship, is going to a dancer of all genres, because my mother loved all genres of dance. And she adjudicated all genres of dance throughout her adjudication career.”Article content Eileen Pottie-Forrester is taken down the aisle by daughter Shannon during her 50th wedding anniversary vow renewal in 2021. CONTRIBUTED Photo by Nicole Sullivan /ContributedArticle contentEILEEN’S LEGACYArticle contentA pioneer of Cape Breton’s world-renowned Highland dance scene, Eileen Forrester believed dance was for everyone and not always about competitions.Article contentShe created performance opportunities at local, national and international events, including a trip to the U.K.Article contentThousands of students have been impacted by her mentorship and generations of families studied with her.Article contentHeather Campbell and her sister took lessons from her, starting in the 1970s. Now Campbell’s daughters do.Article content“She has mentored so many dancers, thousands of dancers over the years, some of whom have gone on to start their own dance schools,” she said.
‘Never stop dancing’: Cape Breton dance icon’s legacy lives on with scholarship
