Meryl Stewart (Owner and Teacher)

My dance journey began as a child at a local dance school in Edinburgh, where I was fortunate to perform professionally as a junior in Aladdin as well as  senior dancer in the city’s annual pantomimes, including Jack and the Beanstalk and Mother Goose. These early experiences sparked a lifelong love of performing, which took me to some of the UK’s most well-known venues, such as The Usher Hall, The King’s Theatre Edinburgh, The Playhouse, and the Royal Albert Hall in London, where I performed in the very first Dance Proms.

At age 16, I was accepted into Bird College of Professional Dance and Musical Theatre in London, one of the UK's leading performing arts colleges. My time there gave me a strong foundation in a wide variety of dance styles and performance techniques.

Since returning to Edinburgh twelve years ago, I’ve been proud to teach and inspire young dancers across the city. I offer classes in Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Commercial, Progressing Ballet Technique, and Acro. I hold multiple professional teaching qualifications, including being a certified RAD Ballet teacher, an ISTD member, and a qualified instructor in Acrobatic Arts, Progressing Ballet Technique, and ID Contemporary. I also recently completed a Master's degree in Dance Science and Education from the University of Edinburgh in 2022, which supports my commitment to teaching dance safely, effectively, and with each child's well-being in mind.

In addition to my dance training, I am also a certified Level 2 Fitness Instructor and Barre teacher.

I began teaching in Dunbar in 2018 alongside Julie Friar, and in July 2022, I was honoured to take over the school from her. I am passionate about providing a nurturing, encouraging environment where children can grow in confidence, develop their skills, and discover a love for dance that will last a lifetime.

My love for dance began growing up in Aberdeen, where I trained under Karen Berry at Danscentre Aberdeen. It was here that my passion for dance truly developed, inspiring me to pursue a professional career in the industry.

I went on to train at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, graduating in 2005 with a First-Class BA (Hons) in Dance Theatre. Following graduation, I travelled throughout Australia, spending time teaching dance in Melbourne before returning to Aberdeen to take up a teaching position at Danscentre, where I completed my RAD and ISTD teaching qualifications.

During my time at Danscentre, I gained extensive experience teaching dancers of all ages, abilities and across a wide range of styles. My role also included delivering and assessing Higher Dance and other SQA courses, coordinating dance programmes within schools, organising RAD examinations, mentoring trainee teachers and leading the school's performance group. I was also fortunate to be part of an international team of teachers involved in trialling the new RAD syllabi.

In 2013, I moved to Edinburgh, where I have continued to share my passion for dance across a number of dance schools, with a particular focus on vocational training in Ballet, Contemporary and Jazz. This has included teaching full-time students at Morningside Advanced Training, running the vocational ballet programme and Contemporary classes at Monument Dance Centre, and coordinating and delivering SQA Dance qualifications from NPA to NC level.

Alongside my teaching, I work as a visiting assessor for National 5 and Higher Dance and as a marker for the SQA written examination. I also work with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) as a Practical Teaching Supervisor, supporting and assessing trainee teachers completing their teaching certificates and diplomas.

I am passionate about continuing to learn and develop as a teacher and have gained additional qualifications in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT), RAD Silver Swans and Zumba instruction.

For me, teaching dance is about so much more than technique. I love helping dancers develop their confidence, creativity and artistry, while encouraging them to discover the many wonderful benefits that dance can bring. I feel incredibly lucky to share my knowledge and experience with the next generation of dancers and am delighted to be part of the DSD family!

My love for dance began at just two years old, and ever since, dancing has been a huge part of my life. Growing up, I trained in a wide variety of dance styles, with Tap always holding a special place in my heart.

Alongside this, I developed a passion for Highland dancing, which gave me the incredible opportunity to travel to Germany and perform at one of their biggest annual festivals. It was such a special experience to represent Scotland and showcase our traditional dancing alongside performers from around the world.

From the age of 6 to 17, I competed in numerous competitions across a range of dance styles, gaining invaluable experience, confidence and a lifelong love for performing.

After leaving school, I went on to study at Dance For All College, completing a two-year professional dance course. I graduated with a professional dance qualification as well as my DDE Tap teaching qualification.

From a young age, I always knew that teaching dance was what I wanted to do. Being able to share my passion, knowledge and love for dance with others is incredibly rewarding. I feel so lucky to be part of the DSD family and can't wait to inspire, encourage and support all the wonderful dancers who walk through our doors!