Tartan Hearts School of Scottish Highland Dance

Tartan Hearts teaches Scottish Highland dance to dancers of all ages and levels in Sacramento's Curtis Park neighbourhood. The studio is run by Jessica McElhaney, who began dancing in Highland style in 1999 after encountering it at her grandfather's Irish pub during St. Patrick's Day performances. Her competitive and performance background includes appearances at Epcot Center in Walt Disney World and performances for the premiere of Pixar's Brave. She became a certified competitive Highland dance teacher through the British Association of Teachers of Dancing (BATD) in 2010 and holds membership in ScotDance USA and the Scottish Dance Teachers' Alliance (SDTA). From 2017–2019 she served as Western Regional Delegate for ScotDance USA on the National Board of Directors, and in 2025 served as Competition Co-Chair for the ScotDance USA National Championships. In 2018, Jessica co-founded ScotDance Sacramento with fellow local teachers to promote Highland dancing through classes, performances, and community events.

Classes run at Sierra 2 Center, which features professional dance floors, a ballet barre, and full-length mirrors. The school offers six levels of instruction: Celtic Cuties (age 6 and under), Beginner (new dancers with fewer than 6 competitive wins), Adult Beginner (16 and over, new to the form), Novice (6 wins), Intermediate (12 wins), and Premier (highest competitive level). All dancers are encouraged to compete at local, national, and international events throughout the year.

High­land dance combines technical grace and beauty with the strength and coordination of sport, improving agility, balance, flexibility, coordination, and bone density. The form offers distinctive neurological benefits: it uses cross-lateral integration exclusively, which research shows significantly improves reading and math skills, hardens the brain for learning, develops left-right neural pathways, and helps with attention disorders. Beyond physical and cognitive benefits, the discipline teaches goal-setting, self-discipline, resilience, adaptability, sportsmanship, and coach-ability. Jessica's teaching philosophy emphasises correct technique, musicality, and age-appropriate training in a positive and supportive environment.

Dancers wear the traditional kilt and perform to bagpipe music. The studio's alumni have gone on to careers as lawyers, medical professionals, engineers, educators, published authors, clergy, first responders, elected officials, and members of professional dance companies.

You'll train in a studio with professional dance floors, mirrors, and ballet barres. Classes are structured by level and age; beginners start with foundational technique while competitive dancers refine skills through structured training leading to performance and competition opportunities.

Jessica McElhaney directs the studio. She began dancing in Highland style in 1999, has performed at Epcot Center and for the Pixar Brave premiere, and holds BATD certification and memberships in ScotDance USA and the Scottish Dance Teachers' Alliance. She is known for an encouraging approach focused on correct technique, musicality, and age-appropriate training.

Yes; the studio accepts new dancers at beginner and adult beginner levels, though very young children may benefit from prior ballet or movement class experience.