By: Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
Dance has always been a passion for Cottam’s 17-year-old Jamieson MacNeil, and it is something he has excelled at on the world stage. In fact, in his youth, he joked he was dancing before he could even walk.
Now, he will be heading to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) this fall, where he will pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Work, thanks to being presented a $60,000 USD scholarship over four-years. This is financial support he was not expecting, and didn’t even know it existed.
He learned of the exciting news of getting the part-ride scholarship while competing in the Breaking Bounds Dance Challenge in Niagara Falls in May of 2025. The Director of the program made the unexpected announcement. His teacher took a video of the special moment, as MacNeil had left the competition early.
That video captured kind words about the local dancer, noting how he was multi-talented, an outstanding leader in the community and in the studio, and a passionate performer with true potential.
“I’m honoured and excited,” MacNeil said.
At AMDA, MacNeil will spend two-years in New York and two-years in Los Angeles, where he will train and study with expert pros in the industry.
Back in 2024, MacNeil got a taste of the AMDA program, when he won a scholarship to enter its intensive two-week High School Conservatory program hosted in New York. He was proud not only to earn the opportunity, but also excited to participate in the program to see what it was like.
What stood out to him immediately during that experience was that his teachers were active in the industry.
Learning of the $60,000 scholarship to attend AMDA post-secondary, the Walkerville Collegiate Institute for Performing Arts student secured his decision on what his next step in his career would be.
“It was a game changer,” he said, admitting he didn’t know where he wanted to apply for college.
“They wanted him and knew what he could do,” Mom, Annajayne MacNeil, said. She is a dance coach.
MacNeil began dance training at just four-years-old, showing an early interest in the art form. He began with Highland Dancing, then branched off into other forms to become a well-versed performer.
The Cottam resident has been invited to compete for Team Canada several times, earning many medals, including two silver and two bronze medals at the Commonwealth Cup Dance Championships in South Africa in 2019, and a gold, bronze, and silver at the World Dance Championships in Poland in 2018.
Consistently, MacNeil – who has trained with Dancemakerz in Hamilton for the past several years – makes the podium, even when he is on the young side of this age category.
For instance, last fall he competed in the Adult Men’s category for the first time at the IDO World Championships in Italy. He was the youngest competitor in the division and earned a third place in Acrobatic Dance for Team Canada.
In terms of other leadership role opportunities, he stepped up as Assistant Coach during that competition in Poland, and has also earned his Associate in Highland Dance, certifying him as an instructor through the SDTA. He plans to earn more certifications this summer.
Over the years, MacNeil was told he needed to expand his talent beyond dance into acting and singing, which he would find difficult to squeeze into his very busy schedule. During COVID, however, he managed to find the time to explore those other art forms, and joined the Windsor Essex Community Arts Project (WECAP), which gave him a lot of experience to learn about being a part of theatre and also provided him leadership roles in coordinating choreography.
He said there is a sense of community in being involved in theatre. It is more than just being a lead in a play. At WECAP, they all learn how to work with the other actors and dancers, and how to put up and take down sets between scenes. They also learn to meet deadlines in time to put on a production.
He also works with his vocal coach, Peter Palazzolo at the Canadian Conservatory of Music, where he is learning to sing in a variety of genres.
That experience definitely influenced him in wanting to get into Broadway.
He enjoys being part of live performances the most, as he likes feeding off audience reactions. MacNeil also has some film experience from being part of an OPP PSA in the past. He also made an appearance in the locally filmed “Vampire Zombies…from Space!” film.