By Tanya Steele
A well known Irish dance teacher will finish up her time in the Yarra Valley after many years of teaching in the community, the school’s annual céilí was bittersweet as the community said farewell against a backdrop of Irish jigs, reels and laughter.
Michelle Bilton held her annual céilí dance (Irish folk dancing) in Wandin North on Saturday 3 June and also celebrated 27 years of teaching in the Yarra Valley with her Irish dancing school Bilton Academy in Mt Evelyn.
“I love a céilí and it’s always the highlight of the year,” she said.
The céilí dance had attendees young and old, silent auctions and a dance demonstration by some of Bilton Academy’s current students, with music by the Galway Bay Boys which kept everyone out of their chairs.
Current students and parents of Bilton made a speech on the night and presented Ms Bilton with flowers in thanks for her efforts with the school.
“We’ve loved every minute of it, we’ve loved working with Michelle and love being part of her family and we wish her all the best for what’s ahead of her,” a parent at the event said.
Students acknowledged the greater impact that Ms Bilton has had on their lives, helping foster a strong passion for Irish dancing.
“We’re excited for the new adventures that await you, you have undoubtedly made a lasting impact on the lives of countless young dancers at Mount Evenlyn and you have inspired a new generation to embrace this rich Irish tradition,” the students said.
Ms Bilton has taught classes all throughout the valley in Healesville, Toolangi, Yarra Junction, Wandin, Lilydale and Mount Evelyn.
“I started teaching in Healesville because that’s where my kids were going to school,” she said.
“Over my time in the valley, I have been lucky enough to organise and witness hundreds of my dancing students participate in a variety of dancing competitions and celebrations, with some of them even going on to pursue their own dancing careers on a global scale.”
What started as a small school, with Ms Bilton and two close friends sewing dresses and costumes in her living room has evolved into hundreds of current and past students who have created not only a dancing club but Ms Bilton said it was more like a second family now.
“My students have annually danced in numerous displays, including Tesselaars Tulip Festival, the Lavender Festival, Yarra Glen Cup Races and even on the snow fields up in Mount Buller,” she said.
“We also stayed at the army base in Puckapunyal where my dancers stayed the night and met some of our military corps, they (the students) hilariously tried to straighten my hair.”
Ms Bilton said there have been so many highlights in her time teaching, including getting students to state and world championships, watching them place in nationals and worlds and dancing in the community.
“My daughter Shea Bilton-Gough went on to dance in the UK and then travelled the world as supporting and lead dancer in a number of Irish Dance productions like Celtic Illusion and Celtic Fusion,” she said.
Ms Bilton also taught well known Celtic dance magician Anthony Street who continues to tour worldwide with his show, Celtic Illusion: Reimagined.
Ms Bilton grew up in the Mt Eliza and Frankston area and learned to dance from a young age, becoming a student teacher in her early 20s.
“My mum was Irish and I learnt from Geraldine O’Shea Ryan – she’s really well known in the Irish dancing community,” she said
Ms Bilton will move further out into Yarrawonga mid year and plans to continue teaching when she has settled in and is looking forward to holding a céilí dance there next year.
“Come up and pitch a tent, it will be great,” she said.
