The Ardlair School of Dancing is a multi-dimensioned Highland and Scottish National Dancing school in Mount Gambier, South Australia.  

We provide a supportive and enriching environment for kids with big dreams, parents who want to actively support their child’s development, and for people who care about the well-being, resilience and capacity of young people to lead our society with compassion and positive strength.

Ardlair encourages dancers to take their own journey in Highland Dancing with an array of different classes, displays, examinations, competitions, and life experiences to practice and improve skills in self-belief, resilience, patience, and confidence. 

Why the name ‘Ardlair’?

The Ardlair Stone is a class I Pictish stone that stands in a field in Ardlair, Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is associated with a number of other stones that have been postulated by some to be the remains of a recumbent stone circle. A rough-hewn stone of grey Gneiss, the stone was identified as Pictish in 1901. The stone bears the incised symbols of the Pictish beast, the tuning fork and the mirror.

Miss Lisa first danced in Scotland in 2002 on an 8 week, 3500-mile competition trip across the Scottish countryside at the age of 23. A 50-time Australian state and national champion, she had passed her Australian Teacher’s exam two years prior, and after a significant car accident, had been inspired to one day pass on her time, expertise and love of Highland to young dancers. Her school name would become clear on this trip – and it did – Ardlair!

The school is heavily focused on sustained technique development; injury prevention and positive mindset skills utilising the Adventures in Wisdom kids coaching curriculum to guide champions, beginners or anyone who loves to move to choose their own adventure to achieve their own goals and definitions of success.

Fast forward to today…

Ardlair offers a suite of classes for dancers of all ages and abilities!

Ardlair’s competitive dancers utilise advanced technical support and complimentary dance body conditioning and mindset training. Our dancers have achieved at the Australian Champion of Champions, the International Highland Dancing Championships of Australia,  and the Grand Australasian competitions in their age and ability groups.

On top of competitive success, Ardlair dancers have participated in National Dancing Association examinations with high-level results, and during 2007 transitioned to Victorian Scottish Dancing Association (VSDA) examinations to further encompass the required technical elements of Highland Dancing with the aim to produce outstanding Highland Dancing Teachers, Adjudicators, and Examiners for the future.

We have had four dancers gain their teaching qualification, with more in training, and encourage our senior dancers to pursue professional membership qualifications with the British Association of Teachers of Dancing (BATD).

Ardlair’s display teams complete outstanding local displays throughout South Australia and Victoria. In addition to this, Ardlair is also very proud to have had representatives join Australia’s premier performance group OzScot Australia.

Priscilla Baker and Lisa are also trained instructors in Highland Hustle™, a Scottish dance-based fitness workout for anyone of any fitness level aged 7-70 years, even with no dance background.

We teach dance body conditioning for all dance forms in order to develop good dance technique and to look after the long-term health of the dancer.

Ardlair’s current theme is ‘Choose your Own Adventure’ – this represents the school’s belief that every dancer’s goal is important, and the life lessons learned and experiences had in Highland Dancing are worthwhile for anyone of any age, with any goal or dream.