Young Encinitas resident wins age division at 2023 ScotDance USA National Championships

Encinitas resident and Scottish Highland dancer Reese Brubaker, 8, recently won the 2023 ScotDance USA National Championships in her age group. The competition took place on July 22 in Portland, Ore., where she competed to win the national title in the 7 and under 10 age group.

Scottish Highland dancer Reese Brubaker

(Lindsey Brubaker)

Reese is taught by her grandmother, Linda Armstrong, who lives in Carlsbad. Linda, a former dancer, has been a dance teacher for several decades and has taught multiple world champion Scottish dancers. She has coached dancers from Canada, Scotland and the United States, where she has taught generations of dancers.

Reese started dancing at 4 years old, goes to lessons twice per week and practices nearly every day getting ready for competitions. She’s traveled across the state and recently to Vancouver, Canada.

Reese has learned many valuable lessons through Scottish dancing, including how fun it is to make friends across the world and visit new places. She’s become an expert traveler and has also learned about goal setting and how working hard a little bit every day can yield great results. In addition she has learned the balance of being a focused competitor and good sportsmanship.

Other than dance, Reese also loves to draw, make books and play with her puppy Maisy. Her favorite subjects in school are math and writing.

Reese comes from multi-generations of Highland competitors. Her mother, Lindsey, competed in Highland dancing until she switched to bagpipes at age 11. Lindsey competed throughout her teens and 20s in the Los Angeles Scottish bagpipe band where they competed in the world bagpipe competition in Glasgow, Scotland, multiple times. Lindsey met her husband and Reese’s father while playing in the band, where he was a drummer.

Reese and her family plan to travel to Scotland soon where Reese will compete in other competitions. —News release