History Series: Starting highland dancing at just seven years old, Jenny Putinski (née Sharpe) was under the tutelage of teacher Maya Vandenburg (née Dillon) from the very beginning. In the summer of 1969 Jenny attended the Gaelic College (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia) for the advanced dance class where she was also a Teaching Assistant for James L. Mackenzie. Her two other compulsory classes while she was there were Gaelic, and at Maya's suggestion, beginner chanter lessons.
As well as playing concurrently in three pipe bands (the Almonte Legion, RCMP and Ottawa Fire Service) Jenny still teaches individuals apart from the Almonte band, as she has since 1973, some of whom have excelled to be very good pipers. She even continues dabbling on the solo contest field for bass drumming.
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