Ardlair is not like other dance schools as it isn’t all about the winning. The people here are like my second family and they support me in dancing as well as in my other endeavours such as school work and netball. I take pride in my dance school as it takes pride in me. Kellie
Our experience with Ardlair has been overwhelmingly positive. Highland dance is a large part of our children’s lives; it may sound strange to say that Ardlair is about more than dance but in our experience, it is absolutely true. As parents, we can see our children developing in a very beneficial way and much of that influence and guidance has been through Ardlair and in particular Lisa.
Parents of Amelie, Tilly, and Aidan
I have a lot of friends at Ardlair. Everyone helps each other and is so nice. Miss Lisa helps me to be the best dancer I can be. Rachael
Ardlair provides a safe, family oriented environment for dancers of all ages and abilities. Lisa engages the dancers in her delivery of age-appropriate dance fundamentals and encourages each dancer to be the best they can be, whatever that may be! If you are looking for fun, a challenge, or just a supportive environment for your dancer to develop confidence, Ardlair ticks all of the boxes! Rachael’s Mum 🙂
My wife and I first met with Ardlair when the Penola Pipe Band was asked to play in a fundraising festival for the Millicent Hospital. Participants were required to march down the main street to the show grounds and later to play at the grounds. When the band was forming up prior to the march I noticed a group of highland dancers across the road and asked if they would care to follow directly behind the band to make a bigger, better and more spectacular Scottish entrant. This led later in the day at the show grounds to both parties forming a partnership to perform. Ardlair, at that time, was Miss Lisa together with a group of enthusiastic, excited, small kilted learners.
From this introduction, my wife and I have always thought of the Ardlair group and made contact to invite them when any Celtic/highland engagement or private function was being organised, as pipers and dancers go together like haggis and whisky! We have always endeavoured in our invitations to generate an interest with children and adults hoping the sight of the dancers to stir up Scottish heritage, or a “want to do“ with other youngsters to keep and increase the highland heritage to which Mount Gambier was so strongly involved in from its foundation.
Since that first introduction ( 2002 ) we have seen the children grow from learners, through the grades, dancing competitions, displays, pageants, and private exhibitions to later, teenagers and adulthood, when they eventually leave, knowing their highland interest and enthusiasm has rubbed off onto others with wee ones coming forth onto the floor. Both Margaret and I have been involved in our Scottish heritage for many years and we were becoming a little concerned that in all our family members nobody was “taking up the sword” of our ancestry.
Till – one day – a little lass from China ( Li-Xin ) became our one and only granddaughter. As an infant she attended the parties and highland society outings we and Ardlair attended and somewhere along the way the dance spirit was awakened with Li-Xin, now a senior dancer, helping out with the little ones of Ardlair. As grandparents of an Ardlairian, we can only offer our sincerest thanks to the Ardlair school in providing the family, comradery, training in a healthy lifestyle, kindness and social interaction which is provided to all the dancers and families who attend. Lixin’s Grandparents
My time of 12 years spent with the Ardlair School of Dancing was filled with laughter, hard work, and experiences that led me to a lifelong love of Highland dancing. The spirit of Ardlair that is fostered through Lisa’s passion and the other members of your dance family, creates an atmosphere of continuous support and encouragement to be your best dancer. Ardlair allowed me the greatest opportunities to succeed in competitions, examinations and exhibition experiences, that I know could only have been sourced through Ardlair.
In addition to this, having Ardlair as my dance upbringing guided me to the most tailored, personal and considered dance tuition I could have received with the inclusion of planned championship and premiership seasons. As well as extra lessons with Lisa and other outstanding teachers from across Australia and the world. Only a true love, passion, and drive can achieve greatness in Highland dancing which is what I hope to accomplish as a teacher, having Ardlair as my leading inspiration. Marita Everett – Ardlair, 2003 – 2015
