The Dancing School has developed from modest beginnings in the small town of Moneyreagh, County Down, starting with just four pupils in 2007. Now 20 years later, through the help of our Associate Teachers and various Community Groups, we have classes throughout Northern Ireland and online with almost 200 dancers in attendance.
The school offers classes, the opportunity for dancers to become RSOBHD competitors, certified SDTA examinations and many performance opportunities to boost young people's confidence, experience and team comradery.
Competitively, the dancers have celebrated numerous Championship victories and have been successful at National & International Competitions. Claiming 23 Ulster Championship Titles is a record we are very proud of.
Senior dancers are encouraged to participate in continued professional development as we offer theory lessons, study groups and many training opportunities including workshops and first-aid training. To date, Michelle has trained 20 associate teachers and continues to support them in their teaching paths across Northern Ireland.
Highly prestigious performances for the troupe have included The Belfast Tattoo, The Cross Border Orchestra's Peace Proms and The United Arab Emirates National Day Celebrations. The dancers enjoy entertaining audiences at community events, local nursing homes and charity fundraisers.
Principal - Michelle Johnston
(Moneyrea & Clough)
Michelle’s love of Highland dancing gained priority during her teenage years following training in all styles of dance, drama and singing. Competitively, Michelle has won the Ulster Highland Dancing Championship eight times and gained top six prizes at National and International events including the All England, UK, European, North American & Sacramento Valley Highland Dancing Championships.
Highlights include being the first dancer from Northern Ireland to qualify for the finals of the World Highland Dancing Championships in Dunoon. As an adult dancer, Michelle has performed with the Alisa Craig Highland Dancers and the Tattoo Dance Company. Travels included stadium and arena tours in Switzerland, Germany, Norway & USA. The largest event being the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo & while there, Michelle was delighted to perform for Prince William and Prince Charles at Holyrood Palace.
Professionally, Michelle is a Fellow and Examiner of the S.D.T.A. (Scottish Dance Teachers’ Alliance), an adjudicator with the R.S.O.B.H.D. (Royal Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing) and head delegate for the N.I.H.D.A. (Northern Ireland Highland Dancing Association). Michelle has choreographed for many large scale productions including the Belfast International Tattoo, the Cross-Border Orchestra of Ireland’s Peace Proms, BBC TV productions and the Queen’s Garden Party at Stormont.
Associate Teacher - Leah McIlwrath
(Comber & Larne)
Leah McIlwrath, has been a loyal member of the Michelle Johnston School of Highland Dance since the age of 7. Only one year after joining classes, Leah competed in her first competition where she was delighted to win the overall trophy. This was the first of many successes for Leah who has travelled across Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, mainland Europe and Canada for the love of dancing.
Leah began competing at Premier level in October 2015 and claimed her first Championship win in the following summer. Leah has consecutively retained the title of Ulster Champion from 2016 to 2023 having held the Juvenile, Junior and Adult Ulster Champion titles.
Other memorable competition memories include performing at Braemar Highland Gathering in 2018. Where Leah danced in front of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11, King Charles (then HRH the Prince of Wales) and HRH Princess Anne.
Leah has progressed her technical skill by participating in theory exams from age 11 and always achieving the highest "Honours" result. Due to these impressive exam results, Leah has been nominated several times to participate in the SDTA's (Scottish Dance Teachers' Alliance) UK & European Scholarship which is held in Motherwell, Scotland. In 2018, Leah was runner-up at this prestigious contest of talented competitors.
Leah has been a valued team member of the Belfast Tattoo Dance Company, performing to sold out audiences in the Belfast SSE Arena in 2015, 2016 & 2017. From 2017, Leah has also been a lead dancer with the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland in their Peace Proms event in venues across the UK, Ireland and even Carnegie Hall in New York. In 2021 Leah performed in the Royal Scottish Offical Board of Highland Dance 70th anniversary concert Assemble & Leap alongside 50 Champion dancers from across the UK in Perth Concert Hall. In August 2026 Leah was proud to represent her culture dancing in the closing ceremony of the fleadh on the Gig rig stage in front of Belfast City Hall. August 2026 also saw Leah and her dancers film with NVTV which was a fantastic experience for Leah and Comber Highland Dancers.
Leah passed her Associate Highland Dance Teacher exam with distinction in November 2021. She looks forward to continue her teaching career this year with several class groups and passing on her enthusiasm and love of dance to younger dancers.
Associate Teacher - Rebekah Keery
(Randalstown)
Rebekah Keery has been a valued member of the Michelle Johnston School of Highland Dancing since the age of seven. Just one year after beginning classes, she entered her first competition and, by the age of eleven, had progressed to the Premier category.
Throughout her dancing career, Rebekah has competed extensively across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Europe, and Canada, achieving considerable success through numerous medal and overall trophy wins. Among her proudest accomplishments is being crowned Ulster Champion in 2015, 2017, and 2018. She also placed in the top 6 line up in the European Highland dancing Championship in 2016.
Rebekah has also enjoyed the privilege of performing with the Belfast Tattoo and the Tattoo Dance Company in Scotland. These experiences helped develop her confidence as a performer and strengthened her passion for choreography while performing before large audiences. Through these opportunities, she has travelled to countries including Norway, Switzerland, and Australia, creating lasting friendships and unforgettable memories along the way.
Rebekah has also had the privilege of performing with the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland. This has taken her to venues throughout Ireland, Liverpool, Belfast, and, most notably, New York in 2023 as part of the celebrations marking the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. During this special visit, Rebekah performed alongside 140 members of the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland at the world-famous Carnegie Hall. As both a soloist and team performer, she has showcased choreography to audiences of all sizes, further enriching her performance experience. Rebekah has been dancing with the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland for 10 years and she hopes to continue for many more years.
Since reaching Premier level, Rebekah has pursued Theory Grade Examinations through the Scottish Dance Teachers' Alliance (SDTA). At just sixteen years old, she successfully achieved her Associate Teaching Qualification with Distinction. She has also been nominated on several occasions for the SDTA UK and European Highland Dancing Scholarships, with the highlight of her scholarship journey being a Runner-Up placing in the choreography category.
Now an experienced dancer and qualified teacher, Rebekah is passionate about sharing her knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm with both current and future generations of Highland dancers. She looks forward to continuing her own Highland dancing journey, embracing the many opportunities the sport has to offer while inspiring and supporting young dancers along the way. Rebekah is incredibly grateful for the guidance, encouragement, and ongoing support of Michelle Johnston, whose mentorship has played an important role in her achievements both on and off the dance floor.
