Discipline: Dance
Specialties: Irish Dance, Highland Dance and General Dance
Region: Halifax
Languages: English
Website: www.celticlifeintl.com/rejigged/
Elizabeth MacDonald has been teaching people to dance for more than 30 years. Originally a Highland dancer and accredited instructor, Elizabeth discovered non-competitive Irish set and ceili dancing while living in Toronto in the late 1980s. She has taught traditional Irish social dance since 1992 in Halifax and, while living overseas for four years, in Brussels, Belgium.
Elizabeth is also credited with introducing Irish sean-nos step dance to Nova Scotia.
Elizabeth has led workshops throughout the Maritime provinces, northern France and Belgium, including Boxwood Festival, Deep Roots Festival, Feis, PEI Irish Weekend, Re-Jigged Festival and Dance Traditionelle Quebec. She’s in high demand as dance caller, and regularly gets everyone dancing at weddings, conventions and in the schools.
For the past two years, Elizabeth has coordinated “Dare to Dance,” Dance Nova Scotia’s highly successful school program designed to encourage students to dance for 20 minutes during National Dance Week.
Elizabeth’s contribution to Irish traditional dance in Canada was recognized by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (CCE) with her induction into the Canadian Eastern Region Music Hall of Fame.
When she’s not dancing or teaching others to dance, Elizabeth runs her own communications consultancy, helping businesses and non-profit organizations tell their stories.