Left to Right: Abby, Jessica, Jennifer, Zoë, Melina
Zoë Wreggitt
Director and Teacher
Member S.D.T.A Highland
B.Env. Sc.
Zoë began highland dancing at the age of 5, enjoying instruction primarily from Linda Aronson. Some highlights of Zoë's dance career include being a past recipient of the Junior National Scholarship (Manitoba Dance Festival) as well as the grand prize winner of Kids Quest (Red River Ex). Zoë was also a member of the entertainment group Highland Heart and Soul which performed at numerous events in Manitoba including the West End Cultural Centre, the Brandon Winter Festival, Relay for Life, The Irish Club, and more.
In 2009 Zoë fulfilled her long-time dream of opening her own dance school. Kids in Kilts School of Highland Dance opened in the heart of Old St. Vital at Glenwood Community Club. 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. Kids in Kilts continues to grow and thrive and Zoë could not be more proud of her dancers.
Beyond her love of highland dance, Zoë is also an accomplished dancer in the styles of Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Acro, and Lyrical. She trained with the Senior Professional Program at Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers, and Encore Studios where she taught a variety of dance styles for many years. When not teaching dance, Zoë can be found somewhere outside working in the Environment Field.
In 2009 Zoë fulfilled her long-time dream of opening her own dance school. Kids in Kilts School of Highland Dance opened in the heart of Old St. Vital at Glenwood Community Club. 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. Kids in Kilts continues to grow and thrive and Zoë could not be more proud of her dancers.
Beyond her love of highland dance, Zoë is also an accomplished dancer in the styles of Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Pointe, Acro, and Lyrical. She trained with the Senior Professional Program at Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers, and Encore Studios where she taught a variety of dance styles for many years. When not teaching dance, Zoë can be found somewhere outside working in the Environment Field.
Abby Friesen
Administrative Assistant, Kids in Kilts
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.
Melina Giesbrecht
Teacher
Associate S.D.T.A Highland
Melina began highland dancing at the age of eleven under M'liss Bunting and competed for five years with MHDA. In 2013 Melina completed her Associates exam under the Scottish Dance Teacher's Alliance and began working at Kids in Kilts. Melina's favourite aspect of teaching is seeing the potential in each individual dancer and helping them reach it, celebrating their successes along the way. A highlight of teaching outside of Kids in Kilts was this past March when she visited the Isle of Skye, Scotland and was invited to guest teach at the highland dance school with dancers from all around the country. She is looking forward to another year of sharing her passion for highland dance at Kids in Kilts! Outside of teaching, Melina dances with the Senior Professional Program for the School of Contemporary Dancers and is also pursuing Urban and Inner City Studies at the University of Winnipeg.
Jessica Oliphant
Strength and Flexibility Instructor
Graduate of the School of Contemporary Dance
Jessica began dancing at the age of seven with Lorraine Mclean and later, Linda Aronson. During her thirteen year competitive career, Jessica qualified four times to represent Manitoba in the Canadian Championship Series. In 2009, Jessica traveled to Scotland to attend and compete in the ‘Homecoming 2009 Gathering in Edinburgh’.
In addition to competing, Jessica was a member of Highland Heart and Soul, a Scottish Performing group, where she enjoyed singing and dancing at personal care homes, fundraisers, and many other events for over 10 years. As well, Jessica has enjoyed dancing, tour guiding, volunteering, and representing the Pavilion of Scotland and the United Kingdom Pavilion as an Ambassador over the years.
Jessica 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). In 2014, Jessica traveled to Ottawa for the Canada Dance Festival, where she had the honour of performing in Tedd Robinson’s 60 dancer project. In Jessica’s final year with the SCD she had the privilege of dancing with NAfro Dance Productions, for the first time. She has now been dancing with NAfro Dance for four seasons.
In addition to competing, Jessica was a member of Highland Heart and Soul, a Scottish Performing group, where she enjoyed singing and dancing at personal care homes, fundraisers, and many other events for over 10 years. As well, Jessica has enjoyed dancing, tour guiding, volunteering, and representing the Pavilion of Scotland and the United Kingdom Pavilion as an Ambassador over the years.
Jessica 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). In 2014, Jessica traveled to Ottawa for the Canada Dance Festival, where she had the honour of performing in Tedd Robinson’s 60 dancer project. In Jessica’s final year with the SCD she had the privilege of dancing with NAfro Dance Productions, for the first time. She has now been dancing with NAfro Dance for four seasons.
Jennifer Watt
Teacher
Associate S.D.T.A Highland
Jennifer began highland dancing at the age of seven with Linda Aronson, and continues to compete regularly under the instruction of Donna Cram. Throughout her dancing career she has traveled to competitions across North America and Scotland. Jennifer enjoys sharing her love for dance through participating in MHDA dance outs and performing at the Scottish Pavilion each year. A highlight of her dancing career was placing 4th runner up at the 2017 Canadian Championships Series in Prince Edward Island.
Aside from dancing, Jennifer attends the University of Manitoba where she teaches labs for the Department of Biological Sciences and working towards a Bachelor of Science.
Jennifer enjoys teaching at Kids in Kilts and hopes her passion for dance will inspire the students to work hard and achieve their own dancing goals.
Aside from dancing, Jennifer attends the University of Manitoba where she teaches labs for the Department of Biological Sciences and working towards a Bachelor of Science.
Jennifer enjoys teaching at Kids in Kilts and hopes her passion for dance will inspire the students to work hard and achieve their own dancing goals.
