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Melina Giesbrecht
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Melina began highland dancing at the age of eleven with M'liss Bunting, enjoying numerous performance opportunities and competitions. Highlights from her dancing days include performing in Folklorama with the Ena Sutton Highland Dancers, the Manitoba Dance Festival and dancing in Scotland.
In 2013, she joined Kids in Kilts as a teacher under the direction of Zoë Bailey. Over the years she has watched the school evolve as a strong community of dancers and families, and her love for teaching has only grown. Melina remains inspired by Kids in Kilts mission to provide quality highland dance training to students at all ages and levels, and looks forward to carrying that vision on.
Melina holds an honours degree in contemporary dance from the University of Winnipeg (School of Contemporary Dancers.) Her professional dance projects include performing with NAfro Dance Productions, Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers and the Regina New Dance Horizons Festival. When not teaching or dancing, you will find her cycling and working at the bike shop during warmer months of the year.
In 2013, she joined Kids in Kilts as a teacher under the direction of Zoë Bailey. Over the years she has watched the school evolve as a strong community of dancers and families, and her love for teaching has only grown. Melina remains inspired by Kids in Kilts mission to provide quality highland dance training to students at all ages and levels, and looks forward to carrying that vision on.
Melina holds an honours degree in contemporary dance from the University of Winnipeg (School of Contemporary Dancers.) Her professional dance projects include performing with NAfro Dance Productions, Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers and the Regina New Dance Horizons Festival. When not teaching or dancing, you will find her cycling and working at the bike shop during warmer months of the year.
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Jennifer Watt
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Jennifer began Highland Dancing at the age of 7 with Linda Aronson and continues to compete regularly under the instruction of Donna Cram. Throughout her dancing career she has been fortunate enough to travel all over North America and Scotland for competitions. One highlight for her is qualifying for the Adult World Highland Dance Championships in 2019 and dancing with 20 of the top dancers in the world. Jennifer also enjoys sharing her love for dance by preforming at MHDA dance outs and Folklorama.
Aside from dancing, Jennifer attends the University of Manitoba where she is studying towards a degree in Evolution and Biodiversity within the Department of Biological Sciences. She enjoys also being able to work in the department as a teaching assistant where she instructs Anatomy and Physiology labs.
Jennifer loves teaching at Kids in Kilts and hopes to inspire students to work hard to achieve their own dancing goals.
Aside from dancing, Jennifer attends the University of Manitoba where she is studying towards a degree in Evolution and Biodiversity within the Department of Biological Sciences. She enjoys also being able to work in the department as a teaching assistant where she instructs Anatomy and Physiology labs.
Jennifer loves teaching at Kids in Kilts and hopes to inspire students to work hard to achieve their own dancing goals.
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Joelle Jobin
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Joelle began dancing at the age of ten in ballet, modern, Métis jigging, and Ukrainian dance. Along with dance, she was a competitive gymnast for 10 years. More recently she was involved with a local Italian dance troupe that she traveled with to perform within Canada, and North America.
She is a graduate of the School of Contemporary Dancers’ (SCD) Senior Professional Program (in affiliation with the University of Winnipeg for a Bachelor of Arts in Dance). Joelle has had the privilege of performing with Harold Rhéaume (Toronto), Stand Up Dance (Victoria), and with Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers. Additionally, she is excited to begin her first year of her apprenticeship with Nafro Dance Productions.
Joelle is excited to help KIK students reach their individual dance goals through training exercises to increase strength and turnout, reduce injury, and to have fun while doing it!
She is a graduate of the School of Contemporary Dancers’ (SCD) Senior Professional Program (in affiliation with the University of Winnipeg for a Bachelor of Arts in Dance). Joelle has had the privilege of performing with Harold Rhéaume (Toronto), Stand Up Dance (Victoria), and with Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers. Additionally, she is excited to begin her first year of her apprenticeship with Nafro Dance Productions.
Joelle is excited to help KIK students reach their individual dance goals through training exercises to increase strength and turnout, reduce injury, and to have fun while doing it!
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Abby Friesen
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Abby is proud to say that she was one of Kids in Kilts’s first students when she began highland dancing at the age of ten, under the direction of Zoë Wreggitt. Since 2012, Abby has performed in a variety events including the Manitoba Dance Festival, the Tartan Tea, Relay For Life, the Red River Exhibition and many other special events. She has also completed several Medal Test levels through the Scottish Dance Teacher’s Alliance.
While taking dance classes with Zoë, Abby has had the opportunity to volunteer for Kids in Kilts by assisting the pre-primary students along with some administrative duties. This volunteering has led Abby to a formal position as Administrative Assistant for Kids in Kilts School of Highland Dance. When Abby is not dancing or writing receipts for Kids in Kilts, she is busy with University.
While taking dance classes with Zoë, Abby has had the opportunity to volunteer for Kids in Kilts by assisting the pre-primary students along with some administrative duties. This volunteering has led Abby to a formal position as Administrative Assistant for Kids in Kilts School of Highland Dance. When Abby is not dancing or writing receipts for Kids in Kilts, she is busy with University.
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Abbey Smirl
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Abbey was first introduced to highland dancing at the age of 7 when she saw Zoë perform in a show. She knew it was something she wanted to try. She began formally taking lessons at the age of 10 and has been a part of the performance troupe program for 7 years. She has had the opportunity to fill the role of assistant teacher in many classes over the years and has always enjoyed contributing ideas to the choreography in all of her classes.
Abbey is very passionate about working with children, which she has learned not only through her role as an assistant at Kids in Kilts, but also while working as a camp counselor during the summer months and through her studies in social work at the Université de Saint-Boniface.
Abbey is very passionate about working with children, which she has learned not only through her role as an assistant at Kids in Kilts, but also while working as a camp counselor during the summer months and through her studies in social work at the Université de Saint-Boniface.
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Zoë Bailey
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Zoë began highland dancing at the age of 5, enjoying instruction primarily from Linda Aronson. Zoë participated in numerous highland dance competitions and events, but her fondest memories came from being a member of the entertainment group, Highland Heart and Soul. Beyond her love of highland dance, Zoë was also an accomplished dancer in the styles of Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Acro, and Lyrical, and received her training from the Senior Professional Program - School of Contemporary Dance and Encore Studios.
In 2009, Zoë fulfilled her long-time dream of opening her own dance school, Kids in Kilts School of Highland Dance. Zoë's vision for Kids in Kilts was to provide opportunities to dancers who were interested in more than just competing, by providing choreography classes and extra performances.
Zoë is extremely proud of the community that Kids in Kilts has created and she excited to see how Kids in Kilts will continue to grow and thrive under the direction of Melina.
In 2009, Zoë fulfilled her long-time dream of opening her own dance school, Kids in Kilts School of Highland Dance. Zoë's vision for Kids in Kilts was to provide opportunities to dancers who were interested in more than just competing, by providing choreography classes and extra performances.
Zoë is extremely proud of the community that Kids in Kilts has created and she excited to see how Kids in Kilts will continue to grow and thrive under the direction of Melina.
