Eden McNeil
Hi there!! My name is Eden Storm McNeil and I graduated from Denny High’s Dance Academy in 2018. The Dance Academy provided me with technique, knowledge and understanding of the art and allowed me to progress as a dancer. I was also able to gain multiple qualifications throughout my 6 years at the Academy and eventually graduating with an A in HNC Dance Artist. The Dance Academy also provides students with after school classes in order to enhance training and allows students to develop their skills across the board. After graduating I auditioned for multiple musical theatre/dance colleges and was lucky enough to gain a place at my top choice - The Urdang Academy in London. I am currently a student there and I am studying for my degree in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre, in hope that when I graduate I become a professional within the industry. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the Dance Academy’s help and tutoring and I will be forever grateful for the opportunities, support and guidance that were given to me throughout my school career.
Cleo Campbell
My name is Cleo Campbell and I graduated from Denny High School in 2018, leaving Dance Academy behind which was a huge part of my school life for 6 years. I am currently in my 3rd year at NCLAN completing my BA in Musical Theatre studies, and without a doubt I wouldn’t be here without my Dance Academy experience. When I began my journey with DA I was a very shy pupil and this subject changed my future for the better by building my confidence and self-esteem. I was given many opportunities in class, workshops and trips to showcase our work with my year group which built my confidence performing on stage. This ranged from ‘Go Dance’ with the opportunity to dance at the Glasgow Theatre Royal and promoting Glasgow Commonwealth games at the baton relay. These opportunities allowed me to gain experience in the performing industry, work as a team and most importantly make memories. My DA time was spent closely with my fellow peers in class and in rehearsals that I created a strong friendship group which we supported and encouraged each other to succeed in our Dance studies. In my S5/S6 year I progressed to sitting my HNC in Dance which was a massive opportunity to be given. This allowed me to explore my creativity by choreographing solo/group pieces and also challenged my theory side by learning about body conditioning and anatomy. Towards the ending of my DA experience it was time to move onto my career and I was supported massively by the head of DA, Miss McEwan. She was helpful in guiding and supporting me to being successful in my place at college to study Musical Theatre. Reflecting back my DA experience has given me opportunity to grow, be creative, build confidence and find a sense of independence as a pupil. These are all skills that I now use 3 years on and I hope to be as successful in my MT studies as I was with my DA studies, a place that I will always hold close to my heart.
Rachel Laird
Rachel Laird was a member of the first ever Denny High Dance Academy, Team Purple, back in 2008 and graduated in 2014. During her time at DHS DA she was a member of the National Youth Dance Company of Scotland for 4 years and was lucky to perform and tour to India, Belgium, Ireland, London (Sadler's Wells) and throughout the UK. Rachel then went on to train at Scottish School of Contemporary Dance gaining a HND, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance BA (HONS) in Contemporary Dance and Copenhagen Contemporary Dance School Post Graduate Diploma in Contemporary Dance.
Rachel is a professional freelance contemporary dancer and has worked with multiple companies including English National Opera in their production of Orphée, Peut-Être Theatre in SHH...BANG! tour to China, Roisin O'Brien Dance, A Truefitt Collective and The Natashas Project. In 2019 Rachel co-founded Sliding Doors Collective, dance theatre duo, and have performed their work Penthouse Hickies at Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Dance Base), Resolution Festival (The Place) and Dance Live (Citymoves). She has also appeared in music videos for Cuckoolander (Mercury) and Hilang Child (Good to Be Young).
Thankful for the opportunities the Dance Academy offered and always remembering where she came from fuels her work to this day and coming back to teach in Scotland and share the skills she has learnt over the years means a lot to her.
Nicola Thomson
Although I had danced since the age of 3, The Dance Academy was where my love of dance really started. I dedicated 20+ hours of my week on top of school to dance because I truly found my passion in life. The Dance Academy gave me an outlet to focus on my technique and performance and shaped me as a dancer for going out into the professional world. Not only that but I developed some very valuable lives skills like the definition of true hard work, dedication and commitment and I will forever be thankful that the DA exposed me to that at such a young age. I was very lucky to live my childhood dream and make it as a professional dancer at 18 year’s old, working as a Dancer/Aerialist with Norwegian Cruise Lines as one of their youngest performers for 4 years. I travelled the world, worked with pioneers such as Lynne Taylor-Corbitt (the Choreographer for the original Footloose 1984 and Emmy Award nominee), Patti Wilcox (Choreographer for Broadway’s Motown the Musical), Tiger Martinez (Director and Owner of VEGAS! THE SHOW) and many other legendary figures in the theatre world. I was also lucky to perform in the Broadway show, ‘SWING! The Musical’ and No1 ranked show at sea, ‘Elements’. I, unfortunately, suffered a serious aerial injury that ended my career at the young age of 22. However, with the life skills I’ve learned from the Dance Academy and from mentors such as Mrs McEwan, Mr Patterson and Mr Miller, I now run my own, successful business as an Online Fitness Coach where I help women become fitter, happier and more confident and it is incredibly rewarding. The Dance Academy didn’t only help me develop as a dancer, it helped me develop as a young woman and the lessons I’ve learned are invaluable skills that I apply to my everyday life.
Paige Gilchrist
Throughout my time in the Denny High Dance Academy I learned so much about dance but also about life skills that I now use every day. Through the Dance Academy I sat my Higher Dance in S4 and then my HNC in Dance Artist over S5 and S6, going through this accelerated route made me push my dance skills and technique training as well as my choreographic skills. Doing this also helped me to develop leadership skills, teamwork skills, time keeping, self-motivation and so much more. Through gaining these skills and qualities at a young age as well as having a love for dance I decided to start my own dance classes ‘infusion Dance’ at only 17 year old. 4 years later we are now a very busy and successful dance school who have danced in London, Disneyland Paris, sent pupils into further training in dance, gone on to win competitions and so much more. Throughout these 4 years I have sat different dance teaching exams including Actotrix, hip-hop/street and disco freestyle. Thanks to the Dance Academy I was able to build this successful dance school as well as study and University to become a PE teacher and shape my future to be able to have a job I LOVE!