Drea Shepherd
Highland Dance
Drea Shepherd has been dancing since she was two years old – studying Highland Dance, Cape Breton Step Dance, Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Tap, Hip Hop, and Contemporary styles for over 18 years. She has been a student for 17 years at her mother’s Studio, the MacArthur School of Dance, as well as a student at the Cape Breton School of the Arts & Northside Dance for 8 years.
Drea was a member of the Nova Scotia Highland Dance Select Team for 6 consecutive years, representing Nova Scotia at the National Championships each year. In 2018, Drea finished in the coveted top 6 overall at the Canadian Championships in her age group, winning 5th Runner-Up. She has been a Runner-Up at every Championships she has attended in the Maritime Provinces over her dancing career, and won seven Premiership Titles. In 2019 she won a medal at the Scottish Championships at the Cowal Highland Gathering in Scotland, medals at the Commonwealth Championships through the years, as well as many awards at other Championships, games and events in Scotland, Canada and the US. In 2021, Drea won the SDTA North American Senior Scholarship. She is a touring member of the award winning professional dance troupe, the MacArthur Dancers, and has toured throughout Canada, the US and Scotland performing and competing.
Drea has also studied music her entire life, including: piano, CB piano accompaniment, CB fiddle, alto sax, and Gaelic Song. She won the Treasures of The Youth Scholarship, Julie Martell Youth Theatre Scholarship, Doris MacDonald Scholarship, Elite Competition Junior Scholarship, Instep Festival Solo Scholarships, as well as many other top awards for solo dancing in all styles. She has sung all over the island, including regularly singing the National Anthem at the Screaming Eagles Hockey Games and Highlanders Basketball Games. She has had the privilege of singing with Mary Jane Lamond on several occasions, one of her Gaelic mentors.
Drea graduated from RHS with Honours With Distinction in Advanced French Immersion, earning her French Fluency Diploma. She is currently studying the Gaelic Foundations: Living Cultures Degree at Beinn Mhàbu, immersed in the Gaelic cultures of the Mabou community – her grandfather’s place or birth and youth. She is hoping to add a fluency in Gaelic as a third language in the future.
Drea is excited to be assisting with the beginner dancers at the Gaelic College during the Youth Sessions this July.
Summer Youth Session 1
Summer Youth Session 2
Summer Youth Session 3
Drea was a member of the Nova Scotia Highland Dance Select Team for 6 consecutive years, representing Nova Scotia at the National Championships each year. In 2018, Drea finished in the coveted top 6 overall at the Canadian Championships in her age group, winning 5th Runner-Up. She has been a Runner-Up at every Championships she has attended in the Maritime Provinces over her dancing career, and won seven Premiership Titles. In 2019 she won a medal at the Scottish Championships at the Cowal Highland Gathering in Scotland, medals at the Commonwealth Championships through the years, as well as many awards at other Championships, games and events in Scotland, Canada and the US. In 2021, Drea won the SDTA North American Senior Scholarship. She is a touring member of the award winning professional dance troupe, the MacArthur Dancers, and has toured throughout Canada, the US and Scotland performing and competing.
Drea has also studied music her entire life, including: piano, CB piano accompaniment, CB fiddle, alto sax, and Gaelic Song. She won the Treasures of The Youth Scholarship, Julie Martell Youth Theatre Scholarship, Doris MacDonald Scholarship, Elite Competition Junior Scholarship, Instep Festival Solo Scholarships, as well as many other top awards for solo dancing in all styles. She has sung all over the island, including regularly singing the National Anthem at the Screaming Eagles Hockey Games and Highlanders Basketball Games. She has had the privilege of singing with Mary Jane Lamond on several occasions, one of her Gaelic mentors.
Drea graduated from RHS with Honours With Distinction in Advanced French Immersion, earning her French Fluency Diploma. She is currently studying the Gaelic Foundations: Living Cultures Degree at Beinn Mhàbu, immersed in the Gaelic cultures of the Mabou community – her grandfather’s place or birth and youth. She is hoping to add a fluency in Gaelic as a third language in the future.
Drea is excited to be assisting with the beginner dancers at the Gaelic College during the Youth Sessions this July.
Summer Youth Session 1
Summer Youth Session 2
Summer Youth Session 3