
Founder
and Teacher Wendy Windsor-Hashiguchi, TCRG has been dancing
nearly all her life in styles ranging from ballet and tap to Bulgarian
and Turkish. Wendy competed in Scottish Highland dancing for
nearly eight years achieving championship level. She has taught
Irish step, ceili and set dancing for 12 years and has learned with
former world champion dancers such as Colin Dunne, Michael Smith, Bill
Maple, Eileen Martin, Deirdre Goulding, Donny Golden (Riverdance star
Jean Butler’s Instructor), Eimear Ni Mhaoileadigh, and Kevin Broesler
as well as excellent traditional dancers of the sean nos or “old style”
step dancing such as Patrick O’Dea.She is a fully certified TCRG
(Teasgicoir Choimisiuin Le Rinci Gaelacha-which is Irish for Gaelic
Commission Dancing Teacher). Wendy encourages all students of
Scott-Ellis School to play instruments as a way to complement dance
education. Wendy herself plays with a local Irish band called the
Jump Gypsies contributing hammered dulcimer, button accordion, bowed
psaltery, and bones. Her own music and dance experience has
included performances at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center with the
Nashville Symphony, Ryman Auditorium with the Chieftains, Disneyworld,
Summer Lights, and venues in Canada and Wales. She and the
Scott-Ellis School of Irish Dance are regular performers/instructors at
CelticFest Mississippi. She is a member of Tennessee Association of Dance.
Teaching
Assistant Lori Babb moved to Nashville, TN in 2009 to attend
Vanderbilt University. She is currently studying International Human
and Organizational Development and hopes to move to Ireland to
implement her studies. She moved from the San Francisco Bay Area where
she participated in Irish dance classes for over 6 years. She also had
ballet, jazz, and character training for 4 years. Lori participated in
the All Ireland and International Dance Championships in both 2004 and
2005. She has been a champion in several local competitions. Lori was
also offered a position on the dance troupe, Rhythm of the Dance, but
due to school commitments, she was unable to travel. She took her
desire for Irish heritage and culture and lived in Northern Ireland for
6 months with YWAM to offer reconciliation programs between Catholics
and Protestants. Lori has danced at numerous festivals, football game
halftime shows and other sporting events, danced with 2 Irish bands
Goldenbough and Molly's Revenge and has danced in local churches and
charity events. She comes from a long line of Irish and Scottish roots.
Lori is pursuing her TCRG, as well!
Music Instructor and Web Master Franko
Hashiguchi, husband of Wendy, has been playing playing Irish
traditional music for over 18 years and doing and teaching Appalachian
flatfooting for longer. "Franko Hashiguchi is always welcome at
our Irish session here in Nashville. His informed and inventive playing
of the bodhran adds great lift and excitement to a tune; the same can
be said of his mellifluous playing of the whistle and tasteful mandolin
accompaniment. Franko can really throw down the steps (flatfooting) and
it's a rare treat when he does. The man is made for music - enjoy!"
- Bill Verdier of the Nashville Ceili Band. Apart from
Irish sessions, Franko plays regularly in the Celto-Eclectic Band "The Secret Commonwealth", playing a
variety of instruments and vocals. For many years, he has given
flatfoot clogging workshops at CelticFest Mississippi, has performed as
part of "The Celts" last year for the "Celtic Christmas at the Ryman"
(to be done again Dec 14th, 2011!) , and plays in a funk band called
"JonesWorld".