ABOUT OUR DANCE SCHOOL
Dunvegan Dance Academy is a non-competitive Scottish and Highland dance school for ages three and older. We are located in central Maple Ridge and we are a small, family-oriented school which focuses mainly on teamwork and community.
Throughout the year students learn dances to perform at care homes and at local festivals; participate in holiday parades in Mission
and Maple Ridge; and can attend extra-curricular parties and events hosted by the school. Dancers have the option of starting
extra lessons at the age of 6 or 7 to prepare them for annual Highland exams.
We organize fundraisers which allow dancers to raise money in their own name to use toward exams, workshops and trips. In 2019 a group of senior dancers traveled to the United Kingdom to tour and perform around Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland. We have not traveled since the covid-19 pandemic, but we are ecstatic to get back at it!
The school is recognized for its original choreography, and is happy to perform on any occasion for any crowd.
A message from our director
I have decided to name the studio after my favourite town in Scotland which is home to the historic Dunvegan Castle.
I first visited Dunvegan (on the Isle of Skye) on my 2001 dance trip and instantly loved it. The castle site is breathtaking with water views practically all around. It is thought to be the oldest occupied castle in northern Scotland, and has been owned and inhabited by the Clan MacLeod for about 800 years. It is extra special to myself and SFSD as two of our alumni are members of the Clan MacLeod, and their family members in Scotland have lived in the village and helped to preserve the authenticity of the castle.
Dancing on the castle grounds in 2001 was incredible. Then, making the return trip with my girls in 2014 to watch them dance in the very same spot, was particularly special. It will always be a highlight in my teaching career. Being involved with the Stave Falls Scottish Dancers for 30 years has taught me so many things and given me so many opportunities that would be unmatched in any other extra-curricular activity. Many have said over the years that “this is more than just a dance school”, and that is the biggest understatement in the school’s 59-year history. In addition to learning the art of Highland and Scottish Country dancing, students have learned stage presence, etiquette, teamwork, dedication, commitment and compassion. The school celebrates time-honoured traditions that may not otherwise be passed along. Dancers are taught to have pride in their community and country while simultaneously respecting nations and cultures the whole world over. I am humbled to have been given the chance to carry on the legacy of Mrs. Macdonald’s work through dance, and I will make it my mission to instil in my students the core values and traditions that she stands for. I am pleased and honoured to learn that so many of our current dancers plan to keep dancing with Dunvegan Dance Academy.