S H E L L E Y E A S T O N

Shelley has been involved in Highland Dancing her entire life with her mum, auntie, sister and many cousins all dancing. She was born in Hawkes Bay, which is on the east of the North Island of New Zealand. On the board at age 4, she was taught NZ Academy technique from many extremely influential and supportive teachers including her mum Gaye Reid, Kerren Withington, and Sherilyn Hall. She has held 10 overall New Zealand Championship Titles (Piping & Dancing Association of NZ) which included six Senior (18+) titles and 4 Junior (under 18) and many North, South, and Centre Championships. Shelley gained her Solo Seal Diploma in Highland & National Dancing at age 21. She has also competed successfully in Scotland in 2007 and 2009 and made many friends during her time there. Now days, Shelley is the Highland teacher at Danceworks Studios in Palmerston North, as well as teaches privately through her business she owns with her husband, and bagpiper, Stuart. In her day job she works in the Health, Safety and Wellbeing field for the NZ Government. She adjudicates regularly around New Zealand and has conducted many workshops and summer schools. Aside from dancing, Shelley has also been a playing member of the Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band from 2007 until 2012 including three trips to the World Pipe Band Championships. Her and Stu have two kids, Kate and Rory, who enjoy the piping and dancing scene too. Given the year we have had, she feels grateful how NZ has handled the pandemic and how lucky our dancers have been to be relatively unaffected. It has also bought dancers together and made us more connected, wherever you are in the world. This workshop is a great opportunity for the NZ Academy style of Jigs and Hornpipe, and hopefully the highland dances at another stage, to be showcased and Shelley is looking forward to being able to share her love of this style to you all.