The Scott-Ellis School of Irish Dance is a fully-certified, comprehensive Irish dance school providing a fun, well-balanced, and challenging educational environment of traditional and modern Irish dance, from beginner to championship level. Students from ages 3 to Adult have the opportunity to take Irish step and Irish social dancing (ceili dancing and set dancing). We teach not only the technique and style, but the art, culture, music and history associated with Irish dance. Numerous local and regional performance and competition opportunities are available for all students, not just our top dancers. We also provide Irish music instruction with opportunities for performances.
The Scott-Ellis School of Irish Dance was founded by Wendy Ellis Windsor-Hashiguchi in 1997. Named in honor of her Irish great-grandmother, Katie Scott, the Scott-Ellis School of Irish Dance is dedicated to teaching dancers and future dance teachers with excellence. Wendy has helped trained several dancers who have gone on to obtain their TCRG certifications.
Wendy has taught in various locations around Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky for over 12 years and is called upon regularly by area schools and other businesses to teach after school programs and Irish dance lessons. She has been the Irish dance instructor at Vanderbilt University since 1997. Kelly Ritts joined the school in 2003 and brings to the school over 20 years of business management and accounting experience and became the Assistant Director. The school moved to its’ own facility in Brentwood, TN in 2006 and teaches exclusively Irish dance and music.
Dancers from the Scott-Ellis School of Irish Dance have competed successfully at many feiseanna (Irish dance competitions) around the U.S., as well as the Regional and National Championships. While many of our students compete every year at local and regional championships, it is not a requirement. Our goal at the Scott-Ellis School of Irish Dance is to provide a supportive and nurturing instructional environment where students of all levels set and achieve their own individual goals in Irish dance. Scott-Ellis dancers have performed at many festivals, concerts, charitable events, and parades which include the Nashville Symphony and Cherish the Ladies at Jackson Hall at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, with the Chieftains at Ryman Auditorium, Fest de Ville, Summer Lights, Celtic Fest in Jackson, MS, Feili Franklin St. Patrick’s Day Festival, Pumpkinfest Franklin, Dickens of A Christmas in downtown Franklin, TN, The Williamson County Fair, The Wilson County Fair, Nashville Arthritis Walk, Tennessee Renaissance Festival and the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPs)Conference at the Opryland Hotel. We also perform at local nursing homes, retirement homes, churches and charitable events. Scott-Ellis School dancers also regularly take part in workshops offered by some of the top dancers which have included Colin Dunne (star of Riverdance on Broadway), Eileen Martin (Riverdance) and Colleen Farrell from Lord of the Dance. Scott-Ellis dancers have also been featured in an international promotional video to promote the Light the World Parade as part of the Cultural Olympiad 2008 which is featured to air at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.