Amethyst's Choreographer & Artistic Director is Joseph Wallin, internationally renowned choreographer of the Nova Scotia International Tattoo. Joseph Wallin is both a teacher and performer of dance. For over 45 years, he has been operating dance schools in Nova Scotia. He has approximately 300 students at present and has nine assistant teachers. He has trained over 40 Maritime dance teachers at his school. He has taught, judged, and adjudicated throughout Canada and the United States. He has also taught in Scotland and Mexico. Mr. Wallin is chairman of the BATD Festival of Dance. All of Mr. Wallin's early dance training was received in Halifax and Dartmouth, but later training was received in London, Ontario and London, England. He also studied at the National Ballet of Canada Summer School in Toronto as well as at schools in New York, Los Angeles, and Scotland. While there, he was one of eight people, chosen from over 230 students, to dance with the school Scottish Country Dance Demonstration Team and the only one from outside Great Britain. He was also chosen for the Highland Dance Demonstration Teams.

Mr. Wallin's teaching qualifications are many:

• Fellow - Canadian Dance Teachers' Association (Stage, Highland, Scottish Country & Associate Latin American)
• Fellow - Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (Scottish County & Associate Latin American)
• Fellow & Examiner - British Association of Teachers of Dancing (Stage, Highland & Traditional Step-Dancing)
• Member - British Association of Teachers of Dancing (Scottish National, Jazz)
• Member - Scottish Dance Teachers' Alliance (Highland)
• Member - Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing Judges' Panel
• Member - Royal Scottish Country Dance Society Teachers' Association
• Member - Scotdance Canada
• Fully Certified Teacher - Royal Scottish Country Dance Society

Joseph Wallin has performed in many stage and television productions. He has over 130 medals and trophies for Highland Dancing. In 1982, he received the Dance Nova Scotia Award for Outstanding Contribution to Stage Dance. In 1983, he received the Dance Nova Scotia Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Growth of Dance in Nova Scotia. In 1987, he was presented with the San Antonio College (Texas) Dance Award. In 1990, he was granted Life Membership, British Association of Teachers of Dancing. and in 1998 he received a Life Membership from the Canadian Dance Teacher's Association.

Joseph Wallin has been the choreographer for many stage and television productions. His current choreography projects include: The Nova Scotia International Tattoo, The Amethyst Scottish Dancers of Nova Scotia and The Footnotes Jazz Dance Group.