Birnam Arts Ballet School

18/06/2026

14/06/2026

ADULT BALLET FESTIVAL CALEDONIA
26th-27th September 2026 at Birnam Arts

🌟 Meet your teachers! 🌟

EMMA GRAY
(Classical Class, Character Dance and Lyrical)

Emma is a graduate of the Royal Ballet School’s three-year Teachers’ Training Course (TTC) and has been a Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance for 35 years. After graduating, she joined the Royal Ballet School faculty as Assistant to the Director of the Teachers’ Course. She later held full-time teaching posts in both New Zealand and England.

Emma has directed Birnam Arts Ballet School since its founding in 2003, guiding generations of dancers through performances and examinations. In 2006 she also introduced the popular Adult Ballet classes, which remain a valued part of the Birnam Arts programme.

KELLY MCCOLE
(Repertoire / Variations)

Kelly is a resident tutor at Birnam Arts Ballet School, a Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance, an Associate Teacher with the Royal Ballet School (Edinburgh Centre), and a freelance ballet teacher working across Scotland.

She trained at Ballet West (Scotland) where she reached the finals of the Adeline Genée Award (now the Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition) and the semi-finals of the Prix de Lausanne, and achieved her Solo Seal Award.

Kelly later joined English National Ballet, touring the Far East, Australia, and the UK in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake. She then spent 16 years at Ballet West as a principal dancer, lecturer on the HND and BA degree programmes, and teacher for their outreach and aspiring professional programmes.

LIZ RUTHERFORD
MSc Exercise & Health Sciences, MSc Rehabilitation Science
(Pilates for Dancers)

Liz is a well-respected State Registered and Chartered Physiotherapist (HCPC, CSP) and a qualified Pilates, Tai Chi, and Exercise to Music teacher. She also has a background in ballet.

Her Pilates for Dancers session explores how Pilates can support dance training by focusing on awareness and engagement of the deep abdominal muscles, while maintaining correct spinal and pelvic alignment.

To find out more about this exciting weekend of dance and to book please see link in bio 🩰

13/06/2026

🌟 Adult/ Senior Class Dancers - Summer Series 2026 🌟

Keep your ballet technique ticking over with 6 summer holiday online ballet classes via Zoom - join from the comfort of your home or holiday accommodation! 🤩

See pic for details and pricing

E-mail [email protected] to book

See you at the barre! 🩰

12/06/2026

10/06/2026

Our Grade 3 dancers hopping and leaping around our lovely auditorium at Birnam Arts 😍

Our ballet classes help children to develop
🩰 fitness
🩰 co-ordination
🩰 teamwork skills
🩰 self-discipline
🩰 artistry
🩰 musicality

And so much more!

06/06/2026

Plié, pirouette and pas de deux with us this September 🩰

Birnam Arts presents Adult Ballet Festival Caledonia – a wonderful weekend of dance for adults of ALL levels.

📅 Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 September

Whether you're a seasoned dancer or have never touched a ballet shoe, there's a place for you here.

Choose your experience:

🎟️ Full Weekend (£90) – Approx 5 hours of dancing per day
🎟️ Single Day (£50) – Saturday OR Sunday
🎟️ Beginner Taster Session (£7) – Perfect for complete beginners
🎟️ Film Screening (£7) – The Sleeping Beauty (Royal Ballet, 2017)

What to expect:
✨ Classical Ballet
✨ Repertoire / Variations
✨ Pilates for Dancers
✨ Character Dance / National Dances
✨ Free Movement / Lyrical Dance

With expert tuition from:
• Emma Gray (Royal Ballet School trained, 35+ years experience)
• Kelly McCole (English National Ballet & Ballet West)
• Liz Rutherford (Chartered Physiotherapist & Pilates specialist)

Bonus: Saturday evening film screening of The Sleeping Beauty in our auditorium.

📍 Birnam Arts, Dunkeld
🎟️ Link here for tickets & full schedule - https://birnamarts.com/festival-Adult-Ballet-Festival-Caledonia-id756

"A welcoming, supportive environment for adult dancers of all ages."

05/06/2026

Friday night plans sorted 🍺🍕

The Birnam Arts bar is open till 10pm this evening, serving fresh draft beer from Wasted Degrees, cider from Cairn O Mohr.

Plus fresh wood-fired pizza from Stielow Pizza Co. 4-7pm,

Come and enjoy a fresh pint, pizza or both 🍕🍺