About Us
The school was established in the summer of 1989 in Cupar’s Guide Hall. Today the school has 3 branches and offers over 100 classes per week aimed at all ages and all abilities.
In 2004, with the help of Leader+ funding, Yvonne opened the Yvonne Gray Dance Studios in Short Lane. There are two beautifully equipped dance studios, girls and boys changing, a shop which stocks all recommended dance-wear and gifts, plus a café bar area. View our studios photographs here.
The school has two smaller branches – one in St Andrews and one in Tayport / Newport.
Staff
You can jump quickly the staff profiles and information by clicking the links below
Yvonne Gray - Principal
Yvonne was born and brought up in Cupar where she started dancing at the age of 5 with Joyce Anderson. Yvonne danced at every opportunity possible, and was lucky to be a founder member of Fife Youth Dance Company which was set up under the direction of Royston Muldoom. At the age of 14, Yvonne started attending weekend ballet classes with Gail Neish at the Theatre Shool of Dance and Drama where she later completed a 3 year full time course and was the first candidate in Scotland to complete the RAD’s Student Teaching Certificate. She made several appearances in the Adam Smith pantomimes under the direction of Jimmy Logan and was also a regular guest of the Madrid/Caledonian Society’s St Andrews Day celebrations in Spain. The Yvonne Gray School of Dance was established in 1989 with the studios in Short Lane opening in 2004.
Yvonne holds the RAD Teaching Diploma and the ISTD’s Certificate in Dance Education and is a fully registered teaching member of both those societies and also with the IDTA. Earlier in 2008, Yvonne was honoured to be invited to join the Board of Trustees of the Royal Academy of Dance.
Alison Bell - Assistant Principal
Alison started dancing at the age of 3, and moved to Edinburgh to train professionally at the Theatre School of Dance and Drama when she was 17. It was here that she first met Yvonne and on leaving college in 1991, started to teach at the Yvonne Gray School of Dance.
Throughout her career, Alison has performed professionally in a coast to coast tour of America with Columbia Artists as well as locally at the Adam Smith Theatre in Dick Whittington and the Sleeping Beauty with the late Jimmy Logan.
Alison has been a guest teacher for various dancing schools in Scotland, as well as running her own school based in Leven for 5 years.
Alison holds the R.A.D. Teaching Diploma and the I.S.T.D’s Certificate in Dance Education and is a fully registered teaching member of the R.A.D. and I.S.T.D.
Catriona Matthew - Teacher
Catriona started dancing in her home town of Dundee at the age of 4, moving to the Yvonne Gray School of Dance at age 12.
Catriona has many interests in her life - on leaving school (and after a brief stint at Ballet West), she embarked on a degree in Zoology, followed by a masters degree in Wildlife Biology and Conservation. Meanwhile, she had started teaching a few classes at Yvonne's, as well as a part-time job in the Bowel Cancer Screening Laboratory in Dundee. On completing her masters degree, Catriona went headfirst into the Certificate in Ballet teaching Studies provided by the Royal Academy of Dance. Catriona has performed regularly with Yvonne’s Scottish troupe at Hogmanay ceilidhs, St Andrews Night events and various other events. Not one to rest, on finishing this she went straight back to university to study Biomedical Science, and is now working full time as a Biomedical Scientist at the Bowel Screening Centre. Catriona runs the Newport and Tayport branches of our school, but in her “spare time” she likes to spend time with her dogs and making teddy bears!
Linsay MacDonald - Teacher and Head of Admin
Linsay started her dance career at the tender age of 2. As a child performer, Linsay took part in many professional performances including 4 panto seasons at the Adam Smith Theatre and The Nutcracker with Miami City Ballet at Edinburgh’s Playhouse. Linsay has also taken part in numerous amateur opera productions with GAMA and MAOS and was co-choreographer for Cupar Junior Opera, and has regularly performed with Yvonne’s Scottish troupe.
Linsay was a Scottish Ballet Junior associate and she was also Yvonne’s “Pupil of the Year” in 2002. Linsay is a fully registered member of the USASF (United States Allstar Federation for Cheerleading) and holds coaches Credentials in stunts, tumbling and tosses to level 4.
Linsay recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance with a Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies and is now a fully registered teaching member of the R.A.D. Linsay is responsible for planning, customer relations, orders and day to day office management.
Zoe Gibson
Zoe started dancing at the age of 2 ½ and was one of Yvonne’s first pupils when she opened the school in 1989. She was educated at Bell-Baxter High School and graduated from the University of Dundee in 2007, with a first class degree - BAcc (Hons)- Batchelor of Accountancy with Business Finance. She is now employed by Henderson Loggie, in Dundee and should qualify in Chartered Accountancy with the Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland in 2010.
Zoe has performed as a junior dancer in the Adam Smith panto, and has regularly danced with Yvonne’s Scottish troupe.
Zoe teaches with Catriona in our Newport Branch and is actively involved in all our productions.
Sam Simpson
I started dancing when I was 3 years old, mostly ballet but also jazz, tap, highland and contemporary. I was a Scottish Ballet junior associate and was offered a place at The Dance School of Scotland. I went on to full time training at Ballet West where I danced in their productions of The Sleeping Beauty, Fame and The Nutcracker. I then went to The Scottish School of Contemporary Dance. From there I completed my CBTS with the Royal Academy of Dance and now teach for the Mary Robson School of Ballet and the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance.
Our Policies
If you are interested in our Policies here at Yvonne Gray you can view them here Our Policies
Testimonials
Read what others have had to say about our studios and classes by reading our testimonials.