About us – meet the team
Our Elite Dance team members
Gillian Whyte
Gillian is based in Renfrewshire, and currently teaches full-time in further education, as well as running her own private dance studio. She commenced her dance training from a young age and studied the industry recognized dance syllabus of the Imperial society of dance, in Tap, Ballet and modern, under the guidance of Elizabeth Henderson. She also trained as a Junior Associate with Scottish Ballet and graduated from Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts, London with a Diploma in Dance and multiple ISTD teaching qualifications.
Once dancing professionally, she performed on-board cruise ships around the Mediterranean and Baltic Capitals, as well as performing in pantomimes and summer seasons all around Europe and the UK. On these contracts she was often employed as assistant choreographer and/or dance captain and this is where her passion for teaching was awakened.
Gillian commenced her teaching career at Dance Studio Scotland, Glasgow, and continues to date to teach NQ through to HND students at Anniesland Campus. She has independently embedded the ISTD training programme into the current SQA framework and is now Head of the ISTD examinations at Glasgow Clyde College. She has also been part of the teaching faculties at the Dance school of Scotland, and the Scottish Ballet Junior Associate programme.
Gillian also recently achieved her TQFE, which further allowed her to become a full GTC registered member in professional teaching. She was extremely honored to recently take on the role of Scottish regional representative within the Imperial Society of Dance, after her mentor Elizabeth Henderson retired. Her role is to support and inform the Scottish members of all things syllabus and business related.
Within her own private dance studio, Gillian has created both a competitive and holistic training programme ensuring that she delivers the exact experience dependent on what each student is looking for. With her pupils, she has attained multiple dance titles from all over Britain, enabled dancers to pass examinations within the industry recognised syllabus, and has saw students articulate onto degree programmes at some of the leading dance universities in the UK. Her students have graduated and performed in West end musicals, UK and worldwide tours, as well as working as commercial artists on Tv and arena tours, working alongside some of the industry’s leading artists.
With Gillian’s knowledge and expertise of dance, she has facilitated learning at some of the world’s top dance institutions, and students have been given the opportunity to train at Pineapple and Base studio, London, as well as Broadway dance center and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, New York. She has also been fortunate to choreograph for the Scottish premiere of Evita, as well as Orpheus In the underworld for Scottish Opera and Mother Goose pantomime for Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock.
Gillian’s desire is to facilitate learning to all ages and abilities, and she strives to educate the public, the art of dance within a safe and structured environment.
Nikki Gillespie
Nikki has been teaching in Academic and Community settings across the West of Scotland for over 15 years. As a child she trained with the Sutherland school of dance, where she competed at the highest level in Tap, ballet, modern and musical theatre. She has held numerous Scottish and UK Championship titles in all genres, as well as performing in Dubai and Gran Canaria as part of Steptastic – The Ultimate steps tribute band. She was extremely honoured to play the lead role of Peggy Sawyer in 42nd street and was also head choreographer for summer events at Edinburgh Castle in 2016, seeing her work alongside lots of talented artists.
Nikki joined the teaching faculty at Gillian Whyte’s Dans–scene Company in 2006, where she taught all genres in preparation for examinations, as well as choreographing for shows and competitive pupils. Her dedication to the students and the dance studio saw her being promoted to studio manager in 2018, where she is currently still employed to date. She added to her qualifications by completing vocational examinations with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD) and in 2020 gained her Associate Teaching Qualification with the British Association of Teachers of Dance (BATD).
Nikki is extremely passionate about dance and musical theatre and delivers her classes in a creative way to deliver fun, high energy accessible lessons for all ages and abilities. As a fully qualified primary educator, Nikki also understands the importance of nurturing children’s talents and meeting the needs of all learners.
Brooke Docherty
Brooke is no stranger to the dance industry and has been in the studio daily from a very young age alongside her mum Gillian. She competed in highland and stage dance as a young child and has recently completed her vocational examinations with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (ISTD) in Tap. She is currently employed at Gillian Whyte’s Dans-scene company as a pre-school and juvenile teacher and has recently taken on the responsibility of choreographing and preparing the juvenile competitive pupils. Her passion to the pupils of this age does not go unnoticed and she has also enjoyed having the responsibility of social media manager, which sees her promote all events and achievements within the studio and of its current pupils.
She was studying Law on the BH Honours course at UWS, until recently deciding that she would like to follow in her mum’s path and teach dance. Brooke has now enrolled onto a teacher training course to achieve associate status in multiple genres and is extremely excited at the prospect of developing her teaching skills for the future.
Chloe McGreish
Chloe started her dance training with principal Gillian Whyte, with her dedication and adoration for dance being noted from an early age. Having trained at both Dance Studio Scotland and Addict Dance Academy she developed her skills and advanced her knowledge of dance, which saw her recently graduate from university with a first class BA honours degree in dance.
Chloe has been committed to dance her whole life and has experienced many different achievements throughout. She has gained numerous regional championship titles both in Scotland and England, and has been awarded multiple scholarship awards to top colleges and universities around the UK, allowing her to developher dance skills at an extremely high standard.
Chloe has also taken examinations in all genres with the Imperial society of dance and is currently studying for her teaching qualifications. She strives to ensure every pupil is included and advancing constantly at their own level.