Current Tutor 2023: Andrea started dancing in England when she was 9 years old and continued dancing after moving to New Zealand a year later. In 2013 she had the pleasure of teaching fortnightly at Tawa Club, practising for her teaching certificate. She gained her teaching certificate at Cambridge Summer School 2013-2014.
Current Tutor 2023: Chris joined the dancing world at the young age of 6 in a small Waikato town. Over the years he became more involved becoming part of the local club’s committee, and later the Lower Hutt Club’s committee. In 2016 Chris was approached by the (now defunct) Kelburn Club and invited to become their tutor. He taught the club for 5 years before they closed the doors for the final time in 2022. During his time he began working toward his teaching certificate and is now at the final stage.
Damon started dancing as a fifteen-year old and is convinced that his fitness and flexibility owes much to that early involvement. His parents and his brother all danced, and he still meets up with his brother on the dance floor from time to time. Damon has taught at day schools, weekend schools, a Winter School in Australia and Summer Schools in New Zealand. Damon and his wife, Gaye, have extended their knowledge and appreciation of the “family” of Scottish Country Dancers in recent years by dancing in England, Scotland, France and Germany.
Gaye’s dancing began with Irish dancing at the age of six. She became a Teacher and Adjudicator in her early twenties and ran her own Irish dancing school for twenty years. Since gaining her certificate in SCDing in 2011 she has taught at 2 NZ Summer Schools, a Winter School in Australia, along with Wellington Region classes, weekend & day schools around Australia & NZ. Gaye’s great passion is devising dances. She has published 5 books with 1 more in the pipeline and enjoys enormously corresponding through email with teachers & dancers who have seen & danced her Youtubed creations.
Iain gained his teacher’s certificate at the Cambridge Summer School 2013-2014. He is now the new tutor of the juniors, replacing Diane. He has helped relieve the junior class when Diane has been unavailable and has also been teaching Eastbourne on and off over the last few years.
Elizabeth comes from a Scottish background where both her parents were born in Scotland. This led to her taking an early interest in Scottish Country Dancing and she began attending Linden Club at the age of 9. This interest developed and she gained her full teacher’s certificate in 1981. She has tutored Linden, Plimmerton and Lower Hutt Clubs. She has taught at several Summer Schools, weekend schools and has taken numerous region classes.
Diane has been dancing since 2000. She successfully gained her teacher’s certificate during the Dunedin Summer School 2010-2011. Since qualifying she has taught at the Wellington Region classes, JAM Camp, weekend schools & Summer School. She taught the club’s Children’s Class for 8 years.
Catherine began Highland Dancing as a child, and picked up Scottish Country Dancing in 1982 after completing her Highland Dancing diploma. She taught Highland Dancing for 20 years, and is currently an adjudicator. Catherine gained her Teaching Certificate in Scottish Country Dancing at the beginning of 2010. She taught the Lower Hutt club for three years, and has taught regional classes at all levels. Catherine currently relieves at various clubs as requested.
Susanna has been Scottish dancing ever since she can remember, around New Zealand and during her OE in Germany. She gained her teacher’s certificate in January 2010. Susanna is reasonably busy bringing up the next generation of dancers and can now assemble a full set within her immediate family. Every so often she manages to come to club and teach the grownups too.