About Us | History of School | About the Director

Jill Crawford

Jill Crawford started dancing at the age of six under the direction of Maureen McTeggart Hall, A.D.C.R.G. She grew in up Boulder, Colorado and moved to Utah in the spring of 2002 to teach for the McTeggart School. For 16 years Jill competed at many competitions throughout the United States and Canada in solo dancing as well as figure or team dancing. She qualified for the World Championships at the age of 10 and continued to qualify many times after that. It wasn't long before Jill was at the top competitive level of Open Championships. During the summers she attended many dance camps and workshops that were taught by teachers brought in from Ireland and England. Two of these teachers have become well known in the world of Irish step dancing. They are Mr. Colin Dunn, who later replaced Michael Flatley for the lead part in Riverdance, and Ms. Marie Duffy, who has been said to be the "most successful Irish dance teacher and choreographer of modern times." Ms. Duffy has been one of the main choregraphers in Lord of the Dance.

Music and dance have always played a major role in Jill's life. She plays the flute and was the drum major (field commander) for her high school marching band. She has also studied ballet, tap and jazz and has performed on stage in all those dance styles. Along with dance, Jill has performed in choirs.

Jill has performed all over Colorado for many different occasions, some of which included performing for the Denver Broncos, Denver Symphony, the governor and at Renaissance festivals. She has also performed with the Chieftains, Natalie MacMaster and Siucra along with many other Irish bands that have traveled through Colorado. The McTeggart School performed their own version of Riverdance, and Jill was privileged to dance both lead parts. For three years she danced with the Denver Michael Collins Irish Pipeband performing with them at weddings, funerals, festivals and special occasions, including various performances throughout the St. Patrick's Day season. She also performed with them at the Irish festivals held in Kansas and Montana.

Jill began teaching for the McTeggart School in 1999 in Colorado with Maureen McTeggart Hall's daughter, Anne Hall, who is the director over the Colorado branch. Jill was nationally certified through the An Comisiun le Rinci Gaelacha (Irish Commission located in Dublin, Ireland) in 2002. After taking an extensive 2-day exam in California, she then moved to Utah to teach for the McTeggart School to further her career.

Then in January of 2005, the McTeggart school became the Crawford School of Irish Dance which has spread throughout Salt Lake and Davis Counties. Since then Jill has accomplished in bringing The Crawford School of Irish Dance to new levels and expectations.

In July of 2006, Jill Crawford & Tina Shelley combined their top dancers from each school to comprise of the most talented group of Irish Dancers in the State of Utah. "Rhythm of Ireland"

Utah's Premiere Dance Company. Rhythm of Ireland

Rhythm of the Dance Celtic Legends Spirit of the Dance, Celtic Legends, Magic of the Dance, Gaelforce Dance, Flames of the Dance, Dancing thru the Ages, Celtic Tiger, Dance of Desire