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PIERIE DANYSK

Fellow, SDTA

Pierie began dancing in Calgary at the age of 4 with Evelyn Leinweber.  She achieved her first major goal at the age of 8 when she placed second in Alberta and went on to place 4th at the Canadian Championships in Winnipeg.  This would be the first of many successful trips to the Canadian Championships throughout her dancing career.

At the age of 15 she joined her mother (and teacher), Gail Danysk in starting the Gillie Callum Highland Dancers.  With many championship titles to her credit throughout Alberta, Canada and North America, she made the decision to retire from competitive dancing and focus on teaching. Pierie and her husband, Steve Tronnes, are the proud parents of 2 sons, Hayden & Carson.

KELTIE STOWKOWY

Fellow, SDTA ... SOBHD Judge

Keltie MacLachlan Stowkowy (sto-ko-way) began dancing at age 5 under the tutelage of Gail Lynn Danysk.  As a dancer, Keltie won many championships including the Canadian Championship in 1970.  She began teaching at age 16 and operated her own dance school for 3 years before leaving Calgary to attend the University of Alberta. She subsequently taught in both Edmonton and Vancouver before returning to Calgary. 

In 1995 she joined the Gillie Callum Highland Dancers as a full time instructor.  Keltie and her husband Al are the proud parents of two children, Ashley and Brett.

GAIL DANYSK

SDTA Examiner ... SOBHD Judge

Gail was the founder of the Gillie Callum Highland Dancers.  A Fellow member of the SDTA, she has been teaching highland dancing longer than she cares to admit!  As a member of the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing Adjudicator's Panel, Gail has judged and taught workshops throughout North America and in Australia.  She is an Honorary Life Member of ScotDance Canada and of the Calgary Highland Dancing Association and was recently appointed an Examiner with the SDTA.

During her teaching career, Gail has trained some of Canada's best dancers, and is well respected world-wide for her outstanding accomplishments and dedication to highland dancing.

Outside of the dancing world, Gail holds her Masters in Early Childhood Education from the University of Calgary and has been a school teacher with the public board for over twenty-five years.  In her spare time, Gail enjoys riding horses and spending time with her husband Gene.  Gail also has an adult son, Geoff, and is a proud Grandma to Hayden & Carson.

LUISA ZIMICH

Member, SDTA

Luisa began dancing at the age of 4 with Mary Margaret Manifold in British Columbia, and continued to dance until the age of 23. She started teaching at the age of 16 with Lorraine Graf, and gained membership in both the Highland and National branches of the SDTA. In 1991 Luisa moved to the Yukon and opened her own dance studio, where she taught for 10 years. Prior to moving to Calgary in September of 2001, she was proud to have one of her dancers represent the Yukon Territories at the Canadian Championships in Montreal.

Outside of dancing, Luisa has a BA and Teaching Degree from Simon Fraser University and teaches French Language Arts & Religion at Ecole Madeleine D’Houet in Calgary. She and her husband Rob have two sons, Jacob and Alex.

ELIZABETH PREDHAM

Elizabeth is in her 13th year of dancing. She started dancing as a student of her mom's dance school in Fort McMurray and joined the Gillie Callum Highland Dancers when she moved to Calgary in the summer of 2005.

Elizabeth is a grade 11 student at Crescent Heights High School where she is also a member of the volleyball team. She is an only child and lives at home with her mom, Brenda.