About Us
The McTeggart Irish Dancers
McTeggart Irish Dance was founded in Cork, Ireland, in 1939. The first director was Peg McTeggart, the eldest of four sisters, all of them champion dancers under the instruction of renowned Irish Dance Master, Cormac O’Keefe. After teaching throughout the whole of County Cork, the second youngest of the four, Maureen McTeggart-Hall, immigrated to the United States with her family in 1958.
Mrs. Hall began teaching dance in 1976 in Denver, where she lived at the time. Today, her two daughters, Anne and Pat Hall, both former champion dancers themselves, bring world-class Irish dance instruction to students in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Daughters Anne Hall, ADCRG (right) and Pat Hall, ADCRG (left) with Maureen as she is inducted into the North American Feis Commission Hall of Fame.
McTeggart students benefit from the experience of the entire McTeggart-Hall family – and through them, the historic teachings of Cormac O’Keefe. Their instruction has guided many dedicated, disciplined, and passionate dancers to World Championship level competition!
Meet the Instructors
Rebekah Strahan
Betty McCuistian
Betty McCuistian
Rebekah Strahan is the first native Oklahoman to receive her TCRG certification in 2006. She was a championship level dancer, and has over 15 years of teaching experience with McTeggart Irish Dancers.
Her goal is to help each individual dancer reach their own personal goals with their dancing. Whether it be competition, performing, or jus
Rebekah Strahan is the first native Oklahoman to receive her TCRG certification in 2006. She was a championship level dancer, and has over 15 years of teaching experience with McTeggart Irish Dancers.
Her goal is to help each individual dancer reach their own personal goals with their dancing. Whether it be competition, performing, or just for creative fun and exercise. Her desire is not just create a dancer but even more than that to build qualities such as confidence, perseverance, and self awareness. Every dancer has their own individual gifts, and it’s her greatest joy as a teacher to help them see those gifts in themselves. Teaching has been her true passion from a young age, and she loves being apart of the McTeggart Irish Dance school and seeing what started as a very small group of just a few dancers in the state, has become something that's reaching so many
Betty McCuistian
Betty McCuistian
Betty McCuistian
Betty McCuistian (formerly Thompson) has been an accredited TCRG and a member of IDTANA and the Southern Region since 2014. Betty began Irish dancing at the age of 11 and began competing at age 12 under the direction of Maureen McTeggart Hall, ADCRG. She became an open championship dancer under the instruction of Mrs. Hall and TCRG Re
Betty McCuistian (formerly Thompson) has been an accredited TCRG and a member of IDTANA and the Southern Region since 2014. Betty began Irish dancing at the age of 11 and began competing at age 12 under the direction of Maureen McTeggart Hall, ADCRG. She became an open championship dancer under the instruction of Mrs. Hall and TCRG Rebekah Strahan, competing and medaling in the Southern Regional Oireachtas each year she competed including a 2nd place finish. Betty also competed at the North American Championships and recalled there twice as well. She qualified for the World Championships seven times and competed six times. She competed at the All Irelands four years and received a light shoe, hard shoe and all around recall in 2007.
Betty was crowned Miss Oklahoma 2011 and was named America's Choice Finalist and First Runner Up to Miss America in 2012. Betty also won the Miss America Preliminary Talent award with her Irish dance performance choreographed by two-time world champion, Jason Hays.
She has performed with many internationally renowned musicians, including the Chieftains, Eileen Ivers, Natalie MacMaster, The Elders and Dervish.
Olivia Cavazos
Betty McCuistian
Olivia Cavazos
Olivia Cavazos started dancing in 2003 at the age of 8. She qualified for worlds at her first Oireachtas in 2005 and competed competitively for 7 years attending her last Oireachtas in 2012 retiring after qualifying for Worlds for the 6th time. She was blessed to compete on the World and National stages. Olivia competed on the Miss
Olivia Cavazos started dancing in 2003 at the age of 8. She qualified for worlds at her first Oireachtas in 2005 and competed competitively for 7 years attending her last Oireachtas in 2012 retiring after qualifying for Worlds for the 6th time. She was blessed to compete on the World and National stages. Olivia competed on the Miss Oklahoma stage showcasing her Irish Dancing talent and won Preliminary Talent at Miss Oklahoma 2014, dancing to Lord of the Dance Breakout. She was happy to represent McTeggart Oklahoma on stage for three years, winning the top nonfinalist talent award all three years. She retired from competing in 2013 after graduating High School and beginning her college education at the University of Central Oklahoma, graduating with a B.S. degree in Biology – Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Leadership. She has now gone on to the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry to pursue her career of being a dentist, and is currently obtaining her Doctor of Dental Surgery. She could not stay away any longer from her love of dance and McTeggart. She is taking her Grade Exams so she can take her next steps to obtaining her TCRG. She is extremely happy to work with students to help bring out their confidence and their best abilities.