Anne-Marie Berens - Teacher
Anne-Marie Berens started dancing with the Granfling School of Highland Dance when she was 8 years old. She grew up performing and competing throughout the region, eventually reaching the premier level. She received her Members level teaching certification from the British Association of Teachers of Dance (BATD) in 2017 and is also a member of ScotDance USA (aka FUSTA). Anne-Marie is currently a senior at William & Mary, where she teaches Highland and is learning Irish step dancing with the Celtic Dance Club. In Fall 2019, she was a member of the University of St. Andrews Dance Club's Highland Fusion display team.
Anne-Marie teaches the Intermediate & Premiers, the Highland Technique, and the Highland Conditioning classes. She is also available for private lessons by appointment.
Anne-Marie teaches the Intermediate & Premiers, the Highland Technique, and the Highland Conditioning classes. She is also available for private lessons by appointment.
Amy Jenkins - Teacher
Amy Jenkins began Highland dancing in 2011, as an adult, with the Granfling School of Highland Dance. She has a lot of prior dance experience and trained in classical ballet growing up (and continues to do so!). After reaching the premier level in competition, she earned her members level teaching certification through the BATD in 2016. Amy is also very interested in traditional Scottish music and its relationship to dancing. She used to play the fiddle, viola, and bodhran in a pub band, and is currently trying her hand at bagpipes.
Amy teaches the Returning Beginners and the Highland Conditioning classes. She is also available for private lessons by appointment.
Amy Jenkins began Highland dancing in 2011, as an adult, with the Granfling School of Highland Dance. She has a lot of prior dance experience and trained in classical ballet growing up (and continues to do so!). After reaching the premier level in competition, she earned her members level teaching certification through the BATD in 2016. Amy is also very interested in traditional Scottish music and its relationship to dancing. She used to play the fiddle, viola, and bodhran in a pub band, and is currently trying her hand at bagpipes.
Amy teaches the Returning Beginners and the Highland Conditioning classes. She is also available for private lessons by appointment.
Amy Shields - Instructor
Amy Shields joined Granfling School of Highland dance in 2013, where she learned Highland dance for the first time as an adult - growing up, she had some experience dancing for show choir and musical theater. Since then, Amy has performed and competed across the country and especially in the mid-Atlantic region. She has a special interest in choreography and has created several dances which Granfling dancers performed and competed with over the years. She is also our acting liaison to the Washington Scottish Pipe Band. Amy especially loves working with adult dancers and exposing new people to Highland dance. Amy currently competes at the intermediate level and is studying to take her teaching certification in the near future.
Amy teaches the Returning Beginners and the Highland Technique classes.
Amy teaches the Returning Beginners and the Highland Technique classes.
Eileen Grant - Founder
Eileen Grant started dancing with the Washington Scottish Pipe Band in 1988. She had grown up doing Scottish Country dancing, but, like so many of her students, began learning Highland as an adult. She performed and competed for many years prior to teaching. In 2005, she received her Members level teachers certificate from the BATD and founded the Granfling School of Highland Dance. Her very first students were her son's kindergarten class! She is a member of ScotDance USA (aka FUSTA) and the Commonwealth Highland Dance Association. She retired from teaching Highland in 2020, but remains an active member of the Northern Virginia branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society and is a certified Pilates instructor and personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE).