Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Gibson Murad
Hi Allison, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I began Highland Dancing when I was 10 years old. Though I had a few relatives who had done Highland Dancing in the past, I had very little knowledge of it. After one lesson, I was hooked. I began learning as much as I could, competing, and progressed through the competitive levels quickly. I am a former Midwest Champion, and have represented the Midwest at the United States Inter-Regional Championship four times. I went to Alma College as part of the Kiltie Highland Dance Company, where I continued to dance and learned how to teach and choreograph as well, on top of a full course load and being a member of the Cross Country and Track teams.
After graduation, I went on to earn my Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. While I lived in New Orleans, I participated in numerous parades and performance events. Upon my return to Michigan, I opened my dance studio in East Lansing and begin teaching students of all ages. I have taught students through every competitive level, and became the Alma College Kiltie Dance Company Director in 2019. I’ve also participated in the Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program for a number of years, guiding my own students to grow in their own directions. Two of my students earned their Associate teaching certificates through that program. Today, I continue to teach students through my studio, Gibson School of Highland Dance, at Alma College, and also at Central Michigan University.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not! There have been so many ups and downs throughout the years. One difficulty of teaching such a specialized sport is that it appeals to a smaller audience. This leads to struggles with scheduling and locations. It would be wonderful to offer classes so that similar ages and levels can be grouped together, but this leads to many hours of teaching very small classes. Studio rentals can be pricey and have limited availability, plus most Highland Dance teachers also work part or full time in addition to teaching.
Highland Dance is generally a solo sport, which is great for the dancer who may not excel in a team atmosphere, but it also leads to challenges when students are part of other sports, teams, and activities and prioritization of their team over their solo dance effort.
My most recent challenge is with a Breast Cancer diagnosis in December 2023. I have been working to balance my time and energy between extensive treatment with my passion for Highland Dance and the creative outlet teaching and choreographing bring to me.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a certified Highland Dance instructor who specializes in teaching a broad range of ages, creating original Highland Dance choreography, and organizing performances and competitions. I enjoy producing original dance works that demonstrate the modernization of something that can be considered a rigid and traditional art. I am most proud of the dance numbers I have choreographed for the Alma College Kiltie Dance Company that have been showcased in college concert productions. Additionally, I am proud of the competitive progress and growth I have seen in my students who have stuck with dance from a young age through high school and beyond.
Not many Highland Dance instructors will teach beginning classes for adults, but it is one aspect of teaching that I enjoy most. Adult learners are there because they want to be – they want to learn a new skill, have a healthy outlet, and enjoy a fun environment. I am fortunate to be able to teach adult dancers at my studio as well as through introductory classes at Alma College and Central Michigan University.
I love that I get to share this work with my community, and I have enjoyed hosting and organizing many competitive and performance events in the Greater Lansing area. One of my favorite events was a community-wide Ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) in downtown East Lansing where my dancers were able to showcase their talent and I was able to provide Ceilidh dancing instruction to the greater public. It was a joyous night of performances and fun for all!
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
The biggest risk I have taken is leaving a full time day job to focus on raising my young son and allocate more of my time to teaching Highland Dance. It was a huge leap for me, but it was the right choice for the phase of life I was in at the time. This plan has not been without challenges. It has meant that most of my work now takes place in the evenings and over weekends, which make family commitments difficult. The lack of stability can be stressful. However, it is nice to have scheduling control over my life and more time to devote to my creative endeavors. It has shown me that there are no right or wrong decisions, just different paths that we can choose based on goals and needs at the time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gibsonhighlanddance.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gibson_highland
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gibsonhighlanddance
