Teachers
Anne Sutherland
Studio Director & Highland Specialist
Anne Sutherland is the Director of Sutherland Studio of Dance in London Ontario and has been teaching for more than 50 years. Anne is also the Director of the "Celtic Dance Company of Western Ontario".
Having received her Highland Dance training from the late Janet T. MacLachlan Scotland, Anne is a Fellow, Examiner and Life Member of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing, Glasgow Scotland. She is currently Chairperson of the B.A.T.D. Western Ontario Region.
A member of the Royal Scottish Official Board Judges' Panel, She is also an Independent Member and Past President of ScotDance Canada as well as an Honorary Life Member and Past President of ScotDance Ontario.
She Co-Chaired the 2015 ScotDance Canada Championship Series and Chaired the 1995 event when it was held in London Ontario.
Anne is a founding member of the Western Ontario Highland Dancing Association (WOHDA).
Her students have competed successfully in Competitions, Choreography, Regional Championships, Provincial Championships, the Canadian Championship and Open Championships winning titles and runner-up positions in Canada, United States, Australia and Scotland.
Rebecca (Tucker) Blair
Dance Artist & Educator
Competitive Program - Ballet for Highland
Rebecca Blair began her journey in Highland dance at the age of three under the mentorship of renowned instructor Anne Sutherland. A dedicated and accomplished performer, she is a proud member of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing (BATD) and has competed extensively across Canada, the United States, and Scotland. Her competitive accolades include winning Best Overseas Dancer and placing in the top six at numerous national and international championships.
At age eight, Rebecca expanded her training to include ballet and other dance styles, enriching her Highland technique and stage presence. Her passion for performance naturally led her into musical theatre, where she further developed her versatility as a dancer and performer.
At thirteen, Rebecca was invited to join the prestigious Scottish Dance Company of Canada under the artistic direction of Sandra Bald Jones. With the company, she toured across North America, showcasing traditional and contemporary Scottish dance on prominent stages. She was also cast in Needfire and performed professionally with Mirvish Productions in 1998 and 2000, as well as with the Huron Country Playhouse.
In addition to performing, Rebecca is a passionate choreographer and dance instructor, committed to nurturing the next generation of dancers. Outside of the studio, she brings that same dedication to her work as a high school special education teacher, where she inspires and empowers students through inclusive education.
Miss Carrie-Ann
Highland
- Member BATD Highland and Scottish National Branches
- 25 Years Highland Dance experience, having trained with Sutherland Studio of Dance
- Over 20 Championship and Runner-Up Titles Ontario Closed Championship, Canadian Championship, Commonwealth Championship and World Championships at Cowal Highland Gathering, Dunoon Scotland
- 1st Runner-up Ontario Championships 1993 (Rep)
- 4th Runner-up Canadian Inter-provincials Montreal 1993
- 6th Runner-up Commonwealth Championships Scotland 1993
- 5th Runner-up Cowal World Championships Scotland 1993 - 2 silver medals, 6 bronze
- Bute Championship
- 5th Runner-up Cowal World Championships Scotland 1994
- Edinburgh International Festival, National and Jig and Hornpipe
- Edinburgh Dancer of the Day - Best Overseas Dancer
- Lakes and Prairies Open Championship Champion 1994
- Central States Open Championship Champion Kansas City 1994, 1995
- N.E.U.S Championship Champion x2
- Grandfather Mountain Highland Games Champion 1994, 1995
- 5th Runner-up Commonwealth Championships Scotland 1994
- ECHDA Open Championship 2nd Runner-up 1993
- ECHDA Open Championship 4th Runner-up 1994
- ECHDA Open Championship 5th Runner-up 1995
- MWHDA 1995, Indiana Highland Games 1992, 1993
- Ontario Championship 4th Runner-up
- Canadian Championship Interprov Montreal 2nd Runner-up
- Performed in the 2008 Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland
- Adult Trophy winner at SDCCS 2009 in Toronto
Miss Gwenyth
Teacher Highland
Gwenyth became interested in highland dance when she was 5 years old when she watched a children's show, and they talked about heritage and cultural dances. She asked her parents about it and they were all amazed to find out that Sutherland Studio was just minutes from their house. Gwen has been dancing for over thirteen years now and her first kilt was the Lime Cunningham in honour of her mother's family name. She has travelled to competitions all over North America, including Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, PEI, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. She has participated in four Canadian Championships in London, Moncton, Charlottetown and Ottawa, and was selected to compete in five North American Sadie Simpson Scholarships in Tennessee, Alberta, Virginia, Quebec, and British Columbia. This past summer Gwenyth competed in Scotland and at the World Championships at Cowal, and performed in the Rotterdam Tattoo with the International Tattoo Highland Dance Team. She also achieved her Professional BATD Highland Membership in April, and hopes to accomplish this same status in her National Exam this year. Gwenyth loves competing, but also loves community shows, often introducing the dancers and explaining the history of the dances. One of her most notable (and favourite) moments was performing the throwback version of "Glasgow Cat's" at Sutherland Studio's Anniversary Show. She is looking forward to using all of the techniques and teaching methods that she has learned from Mrs. Sutherland and Miss Ruth and all the wonderful teachers who have fostered her growth as a dancer in order to support and help the younger dancers.
Miss Ruth
Ballet Specialist
- Fellow Member Cecchetti Council of America
- R.A.D. Registered Teacher
- Member B.A.T.D. (Ballet, Highland and Scottish Nationals Branches)
- Vice Chair of B.A.T.D. Western Ontario
- Vice Chair of Celtic Dance Company of Western Ontario
Miss Ruth began her training in the Cecchetti Method as a dance student under Mary Ellen Cooper in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, at the age of five. She completed her Cecchetti Advanced Teacher's Exam in 1995, and later became a registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance and the British Association of Teachers of Dancing after moving to Canada. She has been teaching ballet in London and the surrounding area since 1997. Always looking to further develop her teaching repertoire, Miss Ruth attended the Dance Teacher Summit in New York City on three occasions in recent years. As a dancer and a teacher, she spent many summers at the Cecchetti Council of America International Summer School in conjunction with Michigan State University, Hope College and the Cleveland-San Jose Ballet.
Although ballet is Miss Ruth’s passion ... contemporary, tap, and highland all come a close second, and she has studied them all. Her highland choreography has placed at many festivals and competitions across Canada and USA.
Miss Ruth is the proud mother of two, and she and her husband rejoice in the achievements of their two children. Their son, Timothy, is currently working in Montreal with Canadian Space Agency and their daughter, Julia, is studying Respiratory Therapy at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. She is looking forward to an exciting and fulfilling year of dance with Sutherland Studio.