
Kelly Scott
BFA East Carolina University ‘05
Dance Director, Nash Central High School
NCDEO Board Member; Conference and Committee Support
Kelly Scott is a dance teacher at Nash Central High School in Rocky Mount, NC. She has created a program that aims to deliver a robust dance education to students from all walks of life regardless of their dance experience for the last sixteen years.
Kelly believes that dance, like all art forms, is an extension of who we are as human beings. If we can understand, relate, and comprehend art, we become better, more vital, and more valuable members of society because we can view life not just through our narrow perspective but through other people’s points of view.
Kelly has supported dance within her school and community by starting a dance company within the program at Nash Central. This dance company has danced at numerous events throughout the surrounding community, spreading dance to audiences young and old. Through the National Honors Society of Dance Arts, the NCHS chapter has supported dance within the feeder schools, offering programs to engage young students with creative movement in a school setting. Kelly was voted Teacher of the Year for the 2015-2016 school year. Working with East Carolina University, Kelly served as a clinical teacher for three student interns, mentoring them as they worked towards completing their degree in dance education. The dance program also encompasses the Nash Central High School Dance Team, known as the Dancin’ Dawgs. The dance team has been a mainstay in the culture of NCHS since its inception in 2004. Kelly took over the program in 2005. The team has performed in many different venues, including Walt Disney World, NHL All-Star Wide Open, Rocky Mount Mills, Rocky Mount Event Center, and numerous parades and other community events. The team has had many bids to the dance team national competition, over fifteen All-Americans, and members to continue their dance team careers at the collegiate level.
In addition to Kelly’s career as a public high school teacher, she worked within the private studio sector as a jazz teacher for nine years. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance education from East Carolina University.