Hinesburg, VT – Charlotte Stone, 20, of Bradford and Katherine Levasseur, 35, of Hinesburg will compete in the ScotDance USA National Championship in Dallas, Texas on Saturday July 25, 2026. The national championship, known as the United States Inter-Regional Championship (USIR), is the “Superbowl” of Scottish highland dance. 

Dancers qualify by placing in the top three overall in their respective age group at the regional championship events, of which there are six around the United States. Stone and Levasseur competed at the East Region Championship in St. Leonard, Maryland on April 25th, hosted by the Southern Maryland Celtic Festival. Stone placed 2nd Runner-Up in the 18 and Under 22 age group and Levasseur placed 2nd Runner-Up in the 22 and Over age group. 

The five-day ScotDance USA national event will host hundreds of dancers from across the United States, Canada, and Scotland who will compete in open competitions, choreography, dance challenges, and the North American Championship. The United States Inter-Regional Championship on Saturday is only open to those dancers who qualified in the preliminary regional events, like the East Region Championship, held in the six regions of the country in April and May. 

In the championship event, dancers are given set, championship steps to perform and are judged individually. They will compete in the four Highland dances: the Highland Fling, Sword Dance, Seann Triubhas, and Strathspey & Reel of Tulloch.

Charlotte Stone is a student of Katherine Levasseur, who is the owner of and instructor at Highland Dance Vermont. Charlotte has taken Scottish Highland dance lessons for over a decade, competing across the northeastern United States, parts of Canada, and even in Scotland. She earned her Associate teaching credentials with the British Association of Teachers of Dancing (B.A.T.D.) in 2025 and is an Assistant Teacher at Highland Dance Vermont. In addition to attending the national championship this summer, Stone earned a place on the highland dance team for the 2026 Royal Nova Scotia Military Tattoo and performed at that event in June and July. 

Stone said she is looking forward to the opportunity to compete at the national championships. “This is a goal I have worked toward for a long time,” she noted. “Qualifying to compete at the national championships means a lot to me and it’s exciting to see this dream come true. I stepped up my training before the regional championship and I’ll be working hard as we prepare for July.” 

In addition to her dancing, Stone is a sophomore at the University of Vermont where she is toward a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. She graduated from Hanover High School in 2024. 

Katherine Levasseur is a student of Cathie Peitzsch-Gibbs of Hyattsville, Maryland and takes weekly classes with Ms. Gibbs via zoom. She started dancing at age 6 and Highland dancing at age 10 in St. Johnsbury. An active and competitive dancer throughout her teens, Levasseur was a runner-up in the 2007 and 2008 East Region Championships but never quite qualified for the national stage. She returned to dance in her 30s, opened Highland Dance Vermont in 2022, and started competing again as an adult dancer. She was a runner-up at the 2023 and 2025 regional championships. 2026 is the first year she’s broken into the top three in her age group, thus qualifying for the USIR.  

“I am so excited,” said Levasseur. “To share such a big moment for myself with an outstanding student is incredibly meaningful. Charlotte has worked diligently to achieve this goal and I have full confidence she will give the national championship her very best. She juggles her own training and cross-training with a heavy academic load, assistant teaching, and a part-time job. The work ethic she brings to this is commendable and she will represent all of us – Vermont, the East Region, and her hometown of Bradford – well.” 

Levasseur is a graduate of St. Johnsbury Academy and the University of Vermont. She earned her Associate teaching credentials with the B.A.T.D. in 2007 and her full Member credentials in 2022. In addition to dancing, she works as a communications and public affairs consultant and lives in Hinesburg with her husband and elementary school-aged daughter, who is also dancing with Highland Dance Vermont.

She added, “for myself, this is a dream I thought might always be just out of reach. And honestly, to be dancing in my mid-30s in a 22 and over age group is incredibly challenging. I put in hours of extra work each week in my home practice and cross-training. It looks different as an adult than it did when I was a teen, and I have to be extra mindful of cross-training, nutrition, recovery days, and injury prevention. I’ve learned a lot from experiencing this myself, and I’ve worked hard to improve as both a dancer and a teacher, this last year especially. I’m proud of myself for achieving a personal best this year and am looking forward to competing in Dallas.” 

ABOUT HIGHLAND DANCE VERMONT

Highland Dance Vermont trains dancers and aspiring dancers in traditional Scottish technique while enhancing their personal development, fitness, and confidence. Led by Katherine Levasseur, Member B.A.T.D., Highland Dance Vermont is dedicated to creating an inclusive community where dancers of all ages and abilities can enjoy classes, performances, and competitions. 

Intro to Highland classes are available this fall in Waterbury and Essex. Learn more at highlanddancevt.com 

###