Welcome!

I fell in love with dance and performance at an early age. I was 9 years old when my school organised a theatre trip to London to watch Starlight Express. I bought the cassette and programme and learnt every word from beginner to end! But it wasn't until the age of around 13 that I joined my first professional dance class at the Hilton Hall Dance Academy . From here I was  was lucky to perform in the West End in London's Her Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket.

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Between 2000-2002 I audtioned and successfully gained a place at a local Dance college and obtained a BTEC National Diploma in Dance.  Here I gained more experience in performance in Dance, Singing and Acting. I was cast as the Pink Lady "Frenchie" in Grease the Musical for our end of year performance at the Hazlitt Theatre. I also started teaching school age children around Kent in local Primary Schools.

 

I landed my first professional job in the industry after passing my qualification with Distinction as a professional performer in Malaga, Spain in 2003, then went onto work on cruise ships and other areas of Spain performing in shows and running family entertainment programmes. In 2005 I returned to the UK and became a famous Redcoat at Butlins Minehead, then onto Butlins Skegness. 

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In 2007 I met my now husband and I was living back in the South East of England. I discovered this new fitness class called Zumba. And the rest is history!

 

We moved to Orkney in June 2017 and I started teaching classes such as Aqua Fit, Floorbarre, Zumba, Zumba Kids and Clubbercise. Then March 2020 came along and into lockdown we went.

I used this time to diversify and up-skill and created a business entirely online and now we are back dancing in classes again, I have mixed the two ideas together and now live stream in person classes and have created a whole on demand library of classes and workouts for people to do whenever they like.

In March 2022, Orkney Dance & Fitness Ltd was registered and we became a Social Enterprise. 

I am currently studying for my Level 4 Dance Teaching Diploma and have set up a dance school for children in the West Mainland.

 

People and community are at the heart of everything I do. We are so much more than a local fitness class. We are inclusive and welcoming and I believe in giving back to my local community and breaking down any barriers to dance and fitness people may have. 

 

Join me in a class, whether online or in person and see how much you can have whilst getting fit!

Donna

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Qualifications, certifications, CPD's and awards and achievement's 

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• BTEC National Diploma in Dance

• IDTA Graduate Teacher in Modern Jazz

• IDTA Diploma in Anatomy and Physiology

• IDTA Level 4 Diploma in Dance Teaching Safe Dance Practice

• NVQ Level 2 in Customer Services

• Shallow Water Exercise Certification

• Neuroplasticity in Parkinson's Level 2

• Active IQ Level 2 in Fitness Instructing (Exercise to Music)

• Active IQ Level 2 in Understanding nutrition, performance and healthy eating

• Active IQ Level 3 in Designing Exercise programmes for Older Adults

• Active IQ Level 3 in Supporting pre and post natal clients with exercise and nutrition

• Chair based exercise for frailer older adults

• OTAGO strength and balance exercise programme leader award 

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Certifications and CPD's

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• ICG Indoor cycling group certificate

• Zumba Basic steps level 1 certification

• Zumba Basic steps level 2 certification

• Zumba Kids certification

• Zumba Gold certification

• Aqua Zumba certification

• Zumba Step certification

• Zumba Toning certification

• Clubbercise Instructor certification

• Clubbercise Kids Combo (Family Clubbercise, U13's and U18's)

• Boogie Bounce Certified Instructor

• Boogie Bands Certified Instructor

• Boogie Bounce Kidz Certified Instructor

• NSPCC Certificate in child protection in Sport & Physical Activity

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Achievements

 

• 2 x motions in Scottish parliament 

• Winner of Community Fitness Instructor of the year for Scotland 2020

• Finalist for Resilient Business of the Year Women's Enterprise Scotland 2023

• Winner of the Heart & Soul Awards Regional Instructor Scotland 2024

• Scottish Ballet Elevate Freelance Dance Artist

• Dance for Parkinson's Freelance Dance Artist