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About Us

Lisa Fraser, TCRG, fell in love with the idea of making music with your feet and performing on stage when she began dance lessons at the age of four.

Through High School she took lessons in tap, jazz, and ballet under the instruction of Val Weaver in Orange, CA, danced under the tutelage of many well-known choreographers, and performed at local shows and recitals in the area. Beginning in college, Lisa worked along side her mentor, teaching classes to all ages of dancers.

Lisa fell in love with Irish dance, in 1996, after experiencing the phenomenon of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance.  Excited about the idea of learning a new dance form, Lisa began studying Irish dance with Doireann Maoileidigh-Hoy at Celtic Gold Academy of Irish Dance.  It was here that she learned just how rooted in culture and tradition Irish dance is.  As an adult dancer, with a solid foundation in dance, she quickly worked her way up to Prizewinner level, at local feisanna.  Her adult 8-hand mixed team was successful in taking first in nearly every competition they entered.  In 1999 they placed first at the Western Region Oireachtas and in 2000 they took first place at the US National Championships.

 

In 2003, she was privileged to have the opportunity to compete at the Championships level where she competed in both solos and figures.  Through talent and hard work she moved into the Open Championship level, in 2004.  At the Western Region Oireachtas, her 16 and over eight-hand figure team qualified for and competed at the World Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In addition to competing in local feisanna, she performed in shows throughout southern California and had many guest appearances in film and television. It was during this time that she began her teaching apprenticeship at Celtic Gold, instructing all ages from three to adult.  Lisa received her irish dance teacher certification, TCRG, in 2010.

 

Lisa holds a multiple subjects teaching credential from California State University, Long Beach and a Master's degree in Teaching from San Diego State University. She began her elementary teaching career with the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District.  She remains with the district as a full-time fourth grade teacher.

 

A lifetime of dance and teaching experiences under the direction of the best teachers has brought about Thistle Academy.  We combine the strength and technical skills of competitive dance with the creativity and fluidity of dance production to create an environment where “budding dancers can blossom.”

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