Anita MacDonald

Cape Breton

Anita MacDonald is an accomplished musician, dancer, and Gaelic singer from Little Narrows, Cape Breton. She began stepdancing at age four and has wowed audiences with her impeccable timing and neatly choreographed steps. Anita’s fiddle playing has a distinctive sound that comes from her influences and variations on tunes that she has learned over the years from her musical family and teachers. She is the granddaughter of Little Narrows fiddler and guitarist, Charlie Ellis, and noted fiddle player and composer Raymond Ellis is her grand uncle. Anita’s passion for Cape Breton music has inspired her to work extensively with the cultural component of Féis an Eilein, in Christmas Island.

Anita’s energetic style has enabled her to perform extensively throughout Cape Breton and she is often sought after to conduct workshops in music, dance, and song. She has been featured on Jean MacNeil’s Instructional Stepdance Video: Spring In Your Step, Cape Breton Live Radio: Take 01 and Rita MacNeil’s “My Cape Breton Home” Television Special.

She is currently in her third year of a Bachelor of Arts degree, focusing in History and Gaelic, at Cape Breton University. Anita was the 2011 recipient of the Frank “Big Sampie” Sampson Award as awarded by the Festival Volunteer Drive’ers Association and supported by Lakewind Sound Studios. “Stepping Stone” features 14 tunes and songs. Anita released the album during Celtic Colours in 2011.