Serving Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, Sandhills, Laurinburg & Wilmington, NC … Online Classes available Globally

About Highland Dance Academy

Tradition in Motion. Community at Heart.

Highland Dance Academy was founded by Catherine Bell-Bersch in 2014, who began highland dancing in 1991, connected with her own heritage, and local community she wanted to share her passion of this sport and be part of keeping this beautiful artform alive.

Catherine's introduction to Highland dance began when her great-uncle Robert took her to her first Highland Games as a wee lass. Captivated by the dancers, music, and traditions surrounding her, she developed an interest that would become an important part of her life. At age eleven, Catherine began Highland dancing with Nancy Mandish in the Pacific NW and went on to compete throughout her youth and into early adulthood. She took her medal exams and moved up through her levels. Eventually studying for her teacher’s exams with help from Jo Kalat in North Carolina. Receiving mentoring from Diane Krugh in Texas, she realized how certain traditions and honoring this dance for those who come before us is important.

Years later, after becoming a mother, Catherine's connection to Highland dance took on new meaning. Her growing interest in family history and heritage inspired her to pass the tradition to her own children. In 2011, she began coaching her two young daughters in Highland dance.

What began within her family quickly grew into something much larger. Catherine's early students began performing at local parades and community events, and in 2014, N.C. Highland Dance Academy was officially established.

Within its first year, the academy became the fastest-growing Highland dance school in North Carolina and gained the encouragement and support of local Scottish organizations and communities. The school continued to grow, with dancers participating in Highland Games, performances, parades, and competitions. Students earned numerous awards and overall placements on both the East and West Coasts. Many of her dancers have won numerous awards and recognition.

But from the beginning, Catherine's philosophy was never centered solely on winning medals. The goal was to encourage each dancer to become a little better than they were yesterday while supporting dancers of every age, level, and school.

A Pause — and a New Beginning

When the pandemic arrived in 2020, life changed.

In a military community, families already experience seasons of transition, and some students moved away while others made the difficult decision to step away from dancing. Catherine continued teaching as much as she could online, trying to keep dancers moving and connected during an uncertain time.

Eventually, Catherine found herself facing the same question so many people faced during those years: What comes next?

After welcoming her third child in 2021, she made the decision to allow the academy to become quiet for a season and turn her attention toward her growing family.

The passion for Highland dance, however, never disappeared.

Now, in 2026, Highland Dance Academy begins again—with its history intact, lessons learned, and a renewed vision for what the school can become.

This is not simply about returning to where we were.

It is about dancing forward.

Highland Dance Academy welcomes a new generation of dancers to discover Scottish Highland Dance through recreation, performance, competition, culture, and fellowship. Catherine's vision remains rooted in quality instruction and respect for the history of the art while creating a supportive place where each dancer has room to grow.

The next chapter is just beginning.

Tradition. Recreation. Fellowship.
Rooted in history. Ready to dance forward.