Amanda Carpenter Gilleland, TCRG is the proud director and instructor of the Carpenter Academy of Irish Dance. Amanda holds a BBA in Management from the University of Georgia. In 2012, Amanda received her TCRG certification, allowing her to teach Irish dance under An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha. She has a passion for teaching both competitive solo and team dancing as well as performance Irish dance. Amanda co-choreographed several award-winning Figures alongside Catie Foley and Peter Gardner. The Senior Mixed Figure, “Samhain”, went on to win the 2017 World Championships in Dublin. The Junior Girls Figure, “Going Global”, went on to win the 2017 North American Nationals. Along with Peter Gardner, the pair also created the Dance Drama, “Aisling - The Dream” which achieved second place at the 2018 World Championships in Glasgow.
Amanda was a competitive Irish dancer for 15 years. She trained under the instruction of Karl Drake, ADCRG and studied abroad with Elaine Kavanagh-Cullen, ADCRG in Dublin, Ireland. Amanda is proudly a two-time Southern Region Oireachtas Champion. She is a two-time world medal holder at the World Irish Dancing Championships and is a medal holder at the All Ireland Championships. She placed in the top five at both the North American Irish Dance Championships and the All Scotland Irish Dance Championships.
Amanda has had the honor of performing in “Celtic Connections” at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, China in 2012 for the opening ceremony of the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. She performed as one of the female leads in “The Journey Home” in Shanghai, China in 2013 which was held in conjunction with the first Chinese feis in Shanghai. Amanda was also a principal dancer in “An Irish Evening in Dublin” that celebrated the bicentennial of the city of Dublin, GA. Additionally, she professionally starred in the “Emerald Isle” and the “Celtic Isle Celebration” shows at the theme park “Silver Dollar City” in Branson, Missouri.
Amanda is committed to the staff and all students at the Carpenter Academy past, present, and future.