Celia McCafferty / Orr MBE was selected as Crowning Lady for 2026 on Sunday evening, and will crown Lanimer Queen Ayda Prentice on Lanimer Day, Thursday 11th June.
Celia runs the Celia Orr School of Dancing, teaching Highland, Ballet, Tap, Modern, and Jazz, with the dance school celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2022.
Every two years, the dance school organises a Dance Show, which has raised over £125,000 for local charities and organisations over the years.
Celia was approached by the Sports and Entertainments Committee of the Lanark Lanimer Committee to take over the organisation of the Lanimer Highland Dancing Competition in 1973, an event which was subsequently awarded championship status by the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing in 1977.
While the Celia Orr School of Dancing is her business, Celia organises this competition on behalf of the Lanark Lanimer Committee, with any proceeds being donated back to the Lanimer Celebrations.
The event continues to attract leading dancers from across Scotland, England, and further afield, and the competition has survived many changes of venue from Lanark Racecourse, Castlebank Park, Lanark Memorial Hall, and Lanark Grammar School.
In more recent years, Celia has also organised the display of dancing on the Monday evening of Lanimer Week, prior to the Shifting of the Burgh Standard Ceremony. While this features many of her school pupils, the display is again provided at no cost to the Lanark Lanimer Committee, and provides great entertainment to those in attendance.
The Lanark Lanimer Committee recognised Celia’s contribution to the Highland Dancing Competition by asking her to sash Lord Cornet Bill Tennant in 1989.
In 2003, the Rotary Club of Lanark presented her with their Citizen of the Year award for her charity work.
In 2011, she was made a Life Member of the Royal Academy of Dance. In addition, she is a Life Member of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing (BATD) and the UKA Dance.
In 2013, Celia was made a Burgess of the Royal Burgh of Lanark for services to the youth of the Town and promoting Lanark through dance worldwide.
In 2016, Celia was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to Highland dancing and charity.
(Photographs courtesy of John Prior)
