Authors
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Louise MurrayLouise Murray (PGDE ARAD RAD RTS, AISTD DDE, AIDTA) is a highly accomplished Scottish dancer, educator, and entrepreneur whose career has deeply shaped the local and national performing arts community. Although her early school days presented academic hurdles due to undiagnosed dyslexia and dyscalculia, Louise persevered to earn her Highers and athletic awards before pursuing her creative passions. She completed a three-year professional course at The Manor School of Ballet and went on to gain teaching diplomas with the RAD, ISTD, and IDTA.
Between 1980 and 1990, she danced professionally on stage in summer seasons and pantomimes, and was featured on BBC and STV productions alongside legendary Scottish stars like Andy Stewart and Rikki Fulton. In 1983, Louise founded the Monument Ballet School, which grew from a two-hour-a-week venture into the Monument Dance Centre in 1992 - now a thriving, multi-studio SQA-approved training facility housed in a beautifully renovated old farm building. Her leadership in the dance world also includes serving as Chair (ten years) and Trustee (nine years) for the Royal Academy of Dance, as well as establishing the MPAS charity to support students facing financial barriers. Writing has always been a key thread in Louise's life, serving as an emotional outlet for navigating major trials, including a cancer diagnosis that cut short her Masters studies. During the pandemic, her interest in putting pen to paper evolved into a serious pursuit. She began writing childhood stories, took a Zoom course organised by Stirling’s Makar, Laura Fyfe, and eventually attended a solo writing retreat at Gartmore House in 2023. The result was a heartfelt embrace of literature that retains all of her trademark wit and determination that have been so evident in her lifelong contribution to the world of dance. Image is Copyright © Julie Howden Photography. Select Bibliography:
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