An Ayr dance school that began with three classes in a church hall is preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a major production at Glasgow’s SEC Armadillo in 2027.
LJM Dance, founded by Prestwick dance teacher Lisa Wilson, will bring hundreds of young dancers together for the landmark performance. The anniversary show is intended to recognise a decade of dance, friendship, hard work and memories, while giving pupils the chance to perform at a venue more commonly associated with major entertainment acts.
From three church-hall classes to a permanent Ayr home
Wilson, now 31, established LJM Dance in September 2017 after four years of training at Dance Studio Scotland. The school’s first classes were held at Holy Trinity Church, where its programme began on a modest scale.
As more children joined and the programme grew, LJM moved to Ayr Dance Studios and later to Studio 24. A further step in the school’s development came in December 2025, when Wilson secured dedicated premises at 38 North Harbour Street in Ayr.
The move gave LJM a permanent base as it approached its first decade. The planned SEC Armadillo production will now provide the school’s dancers with what the article describes as its most ambitious show so far.
Young dancers to take the SEC Armadillo stage
The SEC Armadillo has previously hosted internationally renowned performers including Dolly Parton, Kylie Minogue, Little Mix and Lewis Capaldi. In 2027, LJM’s young dancers will perform at the Glasgow venue as part of the school’s anniversary celebrations.
Wilson said: “When I think back to starting LJM with just three classes in a church hall, I honestly can’t believe how far we’ve come.”
She added: “I wanted our 10th anniversary to be something really special and bigger than anything we’ve done before. Giving our dancers the opportunity to perform at the SEC Armadillo is a dream come true.”
Wilson said the dancers would be performing on the same stage as major artists and that the experience would stay with them throughout their lives.
A special connection with The Gaiety
LJM has traditionally held its summer shows at The Gaiety Theatre in Ayr, which has a personal significance for Wilson. She performed there as a young dancer before later returning as a teacher to bring a new generation of performers onto the stage.
“The Gaiety will always have a very special place in my heart because I performed there when I was a child,” Wilson said. “To now be the person bringing the next generation of dancers onto the stage is really special. It feels like a lovely full-circle moment.”
For the 10th anniversary, however, Wilson said she wanted to give the children something different and raise the standard of the production. The show will bring together LJM dancers from across the school and celebrate everyone who has contributed to its story since 2017.
Wilson described the performance as the culmination of a journey from a church hall, through a permanent home in Ayr, to one of Scotland’s most recognisable stages. She said: “It’s hard to put into words what LJM has become. I’m incredibly proud of every single dancer who has been part of our journey, and I can’t wait to see them on that stage.”