Meet Tamlyn Evans the Mackay dancer participating in the Basel Tattoo

This 20-year-old has been dancing from the age of three and now she’ll be representing Australia at one of the world’s largest celebrations of Scottish dance.

One fit and passionate North Queenslander will be dancing with the Scotts at the world's second largest display of Scottish dance.

Twenty-year-old Tamlyn Evans first started dancing at the age of three when she was inspired to take up ballet at her mother’s studio, Ceilidh Dance, in Mackay.

A trained ballet dancer Tamlyn Evans has since moved on to Scottish highland dance.

“I always wanted to go dancing with her so I joined her one day and I’ve been dancing ever since,” Miss Evans said.

“Everyone I danced with growing up has helped me along this journey.”

Under her mother’s tutelage, Ms Evans learned ballet and was eventually introduced to Scottish highland dancing.

“Its different to everything else,” she said happily.

“Highland dancing is so much more interesting and intense, I just loved it.”

Ceilidh Dance Studio owner, head teacher and mother Tracey Evans herself started dancing when she was six years old and is proud to have started Tamlyn on her journey with dance.

“I guess it all goes back to me,” Tracey said, jokingly.

“I guess my daughter saw me dancing at a young age and she wanted to follow and she ended up also becoming a teacher.”

Tamlyn will be dancing at the Basel Tattoo, which is a kind of military performance and display combining military bands with dance and various other displays.

The Basel Tattoo is the second largest in the world, with 125,000 people expected among the audience watching Tamlyn, 49 other Australians, 25 Canadian and 25 Scottish dancers perform non-stop over the nine day event.

Mackay born and raised Tamlyn Evans will be travelling to Switzerland to represent Australia in Scottish dancing.

“She has to be quite fit, it’s very strenuous,” Mrs Evans said.

This will be Tamlyn’s second major international performance, having performed in Washington DC and New York City as a part of the American Tartan week celebrations.

Tamlyn, while passionate about dance, hopes one day she can dance purely for the joy of it rather than competitively.

“I was lucky enough to get a solo role and that was pretty amazing,” Tamlyn said.

Aside from dancing, Tamlyn is studying Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland.

She hopes to one day perform in the Edinburgh Tattoo, the world’s largest tattoo, but after achieving this goal, she is looking forward to practising dance purely for the joy of it.

Originally published as Meet Tamlyn Evans the Mackay dancer participating in the Basel Tattoo