We are beyond proud to share that Southside Dance Academy has been named as finalists in 5 categories at the 2026 Scottish Dance Awards. We are finalists for; Dance School of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Biggest Growth Award, Excellence in Competitive Dance and Excellence in Dance Teacher Training. The Scottish Dance Awards celebrate excellence in teaching, innovation in dance education and highlights the best of the Scottish dance landscape. From opening our doors in August 2024 to now being recognised alongside some of the best dance schools in Scotland… what a journey. We can’t wait to attend the awards ceremony at the Radisson on 3rd May and celebrate with the best of Scottish dance!

In August 2025, we launched our first ever competition class and proudly took 14 soloists to Cheer Dance UK. They competed against top all-star cheer teams from across the UK including the Team England World Cup dance team. Many of our dancers received recalls, with several younger dancers narrowly missing out on finals. All of our seniors made it through to the finals, placing 5th, 6th and 7th and took home some fantastic trophies. We couldn’t be prouder of their hard work, talent and incredible achievements.

We took our dancers to Can You Dance? UK - the nation’s largest dance convention. Dancers had the opportunity to learn from some of the industry's leading choreographers and enjoy the showcase and competition. We can't wait to return in 2026, this time with our dancers taking part in the masterclasses.

After our Christmas presentation, we host a special awards ceremony where every child receives a personalised award and a festive Christmas gift. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate their progress, hard work and achievements over the year.

We are proud to be actively involved in our local community, performing as entertainment at the Christmas Lights Switch On events in both Clarkston and Giffnock. This is a whole-school event where everyone is invited to take part - even our little Twinkletoes! It’s a fantastic opportunity for our dancers to share their talent, spread festive cheer and be part of a much-loved local celebration.

We were thrilled to be anonymously nominated for the Glasgow Business Awards in the category of Best Dance Group. This nomination celebrates the energy, commitment and creativity that our school bring to every class and performance.

We were honoured to be nominated for numerous national awards by the Prestigious Move It Shake It. SDA was proudly nominated for 'Dance School Who Gives the Most Opportunities' and 'Most Organised Dance School'. Additionally, our teacher Kerry received nominations for 'Dance Teacher Who Gives the Most Opportunities' and 'Most Organised Dance Teacher'. This recognition means so much to us and reflects the school's hard work, passion and dedication.

We recently launched our Teacher Training Programme for our Dancing Divas who are ready to take on a leadership role and begin their journey into teaching. They attend Saturday classes to assist and gain hands-on experience. Each month, they complete new challenges such as leading warm-ups, helping behind the scenes at events like the Christmas Lights performances by organising dancers and acting as demonstrators at the side of the stage. This programme helps them build confidence, responsibility and valuable teaching skills for the future.

We love giving back to our community by raising money for charity. At our Christmas Presentation 2024, we had donation buckets at the doors and hosted a raffle in aid of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, raising over £100. In 2025, we raised £140 for Crohn’s & Colitis UK through our fundraising efforts.