Louise murray

Louise is the founder of Monument Ballet School (1983) and Owner/Principal of Monument Dance Centre (1993).

She trained full time at The Manor School of Ballet in Edinburgh gaining Associate status with The Royal Academy of Dance and The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing.

On graduating, Louise worked for many years as a professional dancer in Variety Theatre (including a Royal Variety Performance), Pantomimes, Summer Seasons and on Television and also began choreographing Variety Shows and professional Pantomimes and Stage Musicals including 'The Boy Friend', 'Half A Sixpence', 'Crazy For You', 'Fame' and 'Return to the Forbidden Planet'.
She was Artistic Director of Stirling based 'Krackin' Kids Theatre Company'.

Louise was an assessor and verifier for SQA Dance courses and a Mentor for the RAD allowing her to supervise and guide student Ballet teachers. For 9 years she served as Chair of the Royal Academy of Dance Regional Advisory Committee (Scotland) and for 11 years was a member of the R.A.D. Executive Committee. Louise graduated from the University of Surrey in 2015 with a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching after studying with the Royal Academy of Dance.

Ailsa Murray-Walsh

Ailsa is Principal of MDC and graduated from Stirling University with a BA hons in English and Professional Education. She currently works 3 days per week as an English teacher at Balfron High School.

She is also a qualified teacher of Dance, gaining a Diploma in Dance Teaching Studies from the Royal Academy of Dance and Diploma Dance Education from The Imperial Society of teachers of Dancing. She is also a Registered Dance Teacher for British Ballet Organisation. Ailsa teaches Ballet, Tap, Musical Theatre, Commercial Jazz and Modern she is one of our internal assessors for our SQA courses. She is also choreographer for MPAS and has worked on various projects including Godspell, You’re a Goodman Charlie Brown, Spelling Bee and 13.

Ailsa is also a talented singer and has performed at a variety of shows and events throughout Scotland both solo and dueting with husband, Daniel Walsh. The couple appeared on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show as the Unexpected Stars in December 2018. they performed Come What May from Moulin Rouge and received a standing ovation from a full house at London’s Drury Lane Theatre.

Fiona Skene

Fiona gained a first class honours degree at Trinity Laban in London after training at Danscentre in Aberdeen. She teaches Ballet, Contemporary, Modern and Tap, and has spent some time teaching in Melbourne, Australia before returning to teach in Scotland. Fiona is our Vocational Ballet Manager and is also an external examiner for SQA Dance courses. She delivers our SQA dance courses at Monument from NPA level through to Nat 5, Higher and NC. Fiona is also qualified to teach Progressing Ballet Technique and RAD ‘Silver Swans’ classes, as well as being a tutor and assessor for Dance Leadership Award validated by Sports Leaders UK.

She enjoyed a placement as a dancer with Scottish Dance Theatre and has choreographed and danced for Aberdeen International Youth Festival. Fiona also teaches at Morningside Dance Academy and Broughton High School’s specialist dance academy, both in Edinburgh. 

In addition to teaching, Fiona was appointed as a Practical Teaching Supervisor for the RAD Certificate and Diploma courses, and has been assessing and supporting trainee dance teachers around Scotland in this role for a number of years.

Sarah Hoskins

Sarah is a former pupil of MDC who went on to train at Dance For All where she graduated with a HND in Professional Stage Dance. She then went on to study at The Scottish School of Contemporary Dance when she graduated with a BA(Hons) in Professional Dance Practice.

Throughout her training Sarah studied several different genres and completed her Advanced 2 ISTD Modern. She is also currently working through her teaching qualifications with the ISTD and in 2019 became a Module 1 teacher for Acrobatic Arts.

Sarah is our Branch Manager for our Dunblane branch. She is MDC’s Performers and Competition Manager and also organises our school holiday dance camps.

Bobbi McIntyre

Arriane hall

Arriane is a former Monument Dance Centre student. She went on to train at Dance For All in Edinburgh where she graduated with a HND in Professional Stage Dance. Arriane is currently working through her ISTD teaching qualification and recently completed her Advanced 2 Modern exam with MDC.

Arriane assists with our performance groups, leading our Mini and Junior Performers classes as well as teaching a variety of other classes throughout the week.

Arriane is also Head of Skateboarding Development at Socialtrack, a non profit that helps to encourage people to cycle, scoot and skateboard.

Una Macnab

Una trained at Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh where she studied all forms of theatre.  She gained a diploma in Drama and the Spoken Word in 1977 and followed this with a post graduate year at Moray House College of Education studying primary and secondary drama teaching.

From 1978 she has worked in professional theatre and television, Theatre in Education, Forum Theatre and training through role play and still pops off periodically to perform. The latest being at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival and on tour in ‘Two’s Company’ by Gillian Duffy.

Una has been linked with Monument Dance Centre since the mid-eighties and is also an assessor and verifier for SQA Drama courses and has been a tutor on NC Acting and Theatre Performance and HNC Musical Theatre where she developed the Theatrical Make-up units for each course and assesses and verifies various units within these courses.

Callan MacCormick

Callan has been teaching Drama in Central Scotland since 1990 with a number of different groups including – Dance School of Scotland, The Bowmar Group, Young Carers and Wicid Woman.She directs Centre Scene Stage School.

On graduating Callan was a founder partner in ‘Sair Feet’ – an Events and Entertainment Company specialising in historical interpretation, business training and educational training.

Callan is responsible for all Drama classes at Monument Dance Centre and is Head of our SQA National Certificate Acting and Theatre Performance Course. Callan was co-director for the Award winning play ‘The Cheviot the Stag and the Black Black Oil’ when MPAS reached the Scottish final of SCDAs One act Drama Festival in 2011.

Callan led MDC through the vigorous process which led to SQA Approval of our fulltime HNC Musical Theatre course and has been appointment Course Manager.

Daniel Walsh

Daniel graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor in Education (BEd Hons 2:1) from the Royal Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) which is now known as The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.  Since then he has worked in both secondary and primary music sectors, developing and writing curriculum and delivering core music in a 3-18 capacity. 

Daniel began working at Monument in 2010 as a vocal coach which led onto leading our SQA NPA Musical Theatre Course and becoming the Musical Director for our three shows; Godspell, Charlie Brown and most recently Spelling Bee.  Daniel is also the Chorus Director of the National Youth Choir of Scotland Perth Boys Choir. This elite choir is trained through musicianship games and begins from primary 4 upwards. 

Daniel is also a passionate singer and has performed nationally and internationally as a soloist performing a range of repertoire from Musical Theatre to Opera.  Daniel is passionate about young singing, developing correct technique and encouraging people to develop their own voices.

Craig Murray

Craig works in Secondary School Support for Learning having previously worked for 25 years in the Professional Entertainment Industry as Entertainments Manager at Falkirk Council where he produced and directed shows ranging from Stage Musicals and Pantomimes to Variety Shows, Opera and Classical Concerts.

He has worked with many well known Scottish and International stage and television stars and was responsible for administering and producing Falkirk Children’s and Youth Theatre companies for 20 years. He was script writer for the famous Falkirk Children’s Theatre panto from 1975 to 2000 which gained national recognition between 1988 and 2000 when they were broadcast annually on New Year’s Day on STV, Grampian and Border Television. One of these shows won a special award at the Cannes Television Festival.

As an actor Craig has worked on TV – Taggart, The Plan Man, Tartan Shorts and extensively with award winning Tryst Theatre Company in Theatres all over Britain.

Craig directed successful MPAS entries in SCDA’s One Act Drama Festivals in 2010, reaching the Scottish Youth Final and 2011 winning the Stirling District Final.