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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 younger dancing days include performing in Folklorama with the Ena Sutton Highland Dancers, the Manitoba Dance Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
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 took over as director of KIK in 2020 and remains inspired by Kids in Kilts mission to provide quality highland dance training to students at all ages and levels, and has found great joy in carrying that vision on.
Melina holds an honours degree in contemporary dance from the University of Winnipeg (School of Contemporary Dancers) and also works at the Movement Centre of Manitoba as a Conductive Education Assistant for people living with neuromotor challenges.
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 took over as director of KIK in 2020 and remains inspired by Kids in Kilts mission to provide quality highland dance training to students at all ages and levels, and has found great joy in carrying that vision on.
Melina holds an honours degree in contemporary dance from the University of Winnipeg (School of Contemporary Dancers) and also works at the Movement Centre of Manitoba as a Conductive Education Assistant for people living with neuromotor challenges.
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Katherine Walc
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At the age of 5, Katherine was inspired to become a highland dancer through watching a performance at the pavilion of Scotland during Folklorama. She joined Kids in Kilts later that year in 2011 under the instruction of Zoë Bailey and loved it instantly. In 2015 at the age of 8, Katherine became one of the first competitive students at kids in kilts furthering her love and passion for highland dance.
Throughout her years of dancing Katherine has travelled and competed extensively with some of the highlights being California, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Florida and Scotland!
Highland dancing has given her many amazing opportunities and experiences, such as creating long-lasting friendships, building strength and endurance, and scholarship opportunities.
Katherine began theory with the intent of one day becoming a teacher.
Having completed all 6 levels of theory and passing her associates & members with distinction, Katherine’s dream of being able to share her passion for highland dance came true when she began teaching at Kids in Kilts.
Throughout her years of dancing Katherine has travelled and competed extensively with some of the highlights being California, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Florida and Scotland!
Highland dancing has given her many amazing opportunities and experiences, such as creating long-lasting friendships, building strength and endurance, and scholarship opportunities.
Katherine began theory with the intent of one day becoming a teacher.
Having completed all 6 levels of theory and passing her associates & members with distinction, Katherine’s dream of being able to share her passion for highland dance came true when she began teaching at Kids in Kilts.
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Ainsley Bosak
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Ainsley has been a dancer at Kids In Kilts since she was 4 years old. Starting as a recreational dancer and moving to the competitive stream when she was 10 years old, Ainsley has travelled, made memories, and friends through competitions.
Ainsley volunteered and danced at Folklorama with her friends before she started competing. In 2022, she volunteered as the youth ambassador for the Pavilion of Scotland.
Ainsley stared grade 1 theory with the hopes of eventually becoming a dance teacher, she has now taken all 6 grades of theory, along with her Associates exam. She is excited to teach with Kids In Kilts!
Ainsley volunteered and danced at Folklorama with her friends before she started competing. In 2022, she volunteered as the youth ambassador for the Pavilion of Scotland.
Ainsley stared grade 1 theory with the hopes of eventually becoming a dance teacher, she has now taken all 6 grades of theory, along with her Associates exam. She is excited to teach with Kids In Kilts!
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Katherine Bell
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Katherine began highland dancing recreationally at the age of 6 with Kids in Kilts and started competitively at the age of 10. She also joined performance troupe in 2020.
Highland dance has provided Katherine with amazing travel experiences while competing in such places as Disney World, Regina and Halifax. Katherine adores the highland dance community as she has grown long lasting friendships to which she has shared many laughs with her dance friends. The community itself provides great support of one another and one of the main reasons why Katherine wanted to become a dance teacher; to share her love of dance with others.
Katherine started theory in 2019 and has been nominated a few times for the SDTA scholarships and was finally able to attend in-person, to the 2022 scholarship in Halifax, NS. In 2020, her dreams of one day teaching became a reality when asked to assistant teach. In November of 2023, she passed her associates with distinction and became a certified highland dance teacher.
Katherine adores teaching kids highland dance and loves sharing her knowledge and love of it with others. She is excited to continue to expand her knowledge of highland dance in hopes of one day becoming a judge.
Highland dance has provided Katherine with amazing travel experiences while competing in such places as Disney World, Regina and Halifax. Katherine adores the highland dance community as she has grown long lasting friendships to which she has shared many laughs with her dance friends. The community itself provides great support of one another and one of the main reasons why Katherine wanted to become a dance teacher; to share her love of dance with others.
Katherine started theory in 2019 and has been nominated a few times for the SDTA scholarships and was finally able to attend in-person, to the 2022 scholarship in Halifax, NS. In 2020, her dreams of one day teaching became a reality when asked to assistant teach. In November of 2023, she passed her associates with distinction and became a certified highland dance teacher.
Katherine adores teaching kids highland dance and loves sharing her knowledge and love of it with others. She is excited to continue to expand her knowledge of highland dance in hopes of one day becoming a judge.
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Abbey was first introduced to highland dancing at the age of 7 when she saw her future teacher 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 was 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 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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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 Bailey. 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 KIK she is working away at her Master's degree.
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 KIK she is working away at her Master's degree.
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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.
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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.
Jennifer loves teaching at Kids in Kilts and hopes to inspire students to work hard to achieve their own dancing goals. She currently lives in BC, but can often be seen at Manitoba competitions! She continues to support our dancers as she is able.
Jennifer loves teaching at Kids in Kilts and hopes to inspire students to work hard to achieve their own dancing goals. She currently lives in BC, but can often be seen at Manitoba competitions! She continues to support our dancers as she is able.
