Teaching the language of dance
[ORCHESIS DANCE GROUP INSTRUCTORS ] Brief biographies of the instructors who teach our classes
JAZZ INSTRUCTORS Kelsie Acton - is an Edmonton-based dancer, teacher, and choreographer. She has danced for the KO Dance Project, Orchesis Dance Group and iDANCE. Her choreography has been presented by the Good Women Dance Group, Expanse Movement Arts Festival, Orchesis Dance Group, and her own company, the no/w/here project. In addition to teaching jazz for the Orchesis Dance Group Kelsie teaches jazz dance for Campus Recreation at the University of Alberta. She is the chairperson of the non-profit Orchesis Dance Society, the fundraising body for Orchesis Dance Group. She holds a BA (Honours) in Drama from the University of Alberta and an MA in Theatre Studies from the University of Guelph where she trained with Dance Theatre David Earle. Kelsie is also a certified yoga instructor. Wendy Gervais has studied, performed and taught dance in Edmonton since the mid 1980’s. Originally from New Brunswick she studied ballet, jazz, and modern courses in dance at the University of New Brunswick (BA ), the University of Windsor (Department of Art and Design) and the University of Alberta (BFA). Wendy was a performer for many years in Orchesis Modern Dance Group’s annual Motif production and with Edmonton’s Kompany! and Triangle Workshops and has been teaching jazz classes for Orchesis, and for Campus Recreation for over 20 years. Wendy is a sessional instructor for the Faculty of Physical Education at the University of Alberta. Sheila Kaminski was born and raised in Edmonton, where she began her dance and theatre training. She has trained at schools such as The Alberta Ballet School, The Banff Centre for the Arts and Victoria School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Subsequently, Sheila relocated to Toronto, where she graduated from the Theatre-Dance program at Ryerson University. As a member of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, her performance experiences have taken her to numerous cities across North America and Europe. Select performance credits include: Bombalurina in Cats (Hamburg and Berlin, Germany & Drayton Entertainment); Jeanie in Hair (Vienna, Austria); Isabelle in Mr. Scrooge (Toronto) and Evangeline in Gabriel & Evangeline (Charlottetown). Select choreography credits include fFIDA (Toronto), Series 8:08 (Toronto) and The Rocky Horror Show. She has held positions within postsecondary programs and private schools throughout Canada, teaching professionals, beginners and individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. She has taught modern, contemporary, jazz, ballet, music theatre, improvisation and choreography. Additionally, Sheila is a certified yoga teacher and is currently completing a degree in Social Development Studies at the University of Waterloo. Sheila recently returned home to Edmonton and is excited to be a part of Orchesis and the University of Alberta. Stephanie Lilley performed in many styles and venues and trained in jazz, contemporary, and ballet. She has performed for both Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line and has appeared in industrial productions as a dancer and/or model. Stephanie is currently dancing with the Shumka Ukrainian Dancers and recently completed a 14 city, 23 show Chinese tour. She danced with Citie Ballet and Freefall, a modern-jazz company. Stephanie has collaborated with the Movements Dance Ensemble, an AfroCaribbean dance company, as a choreographer and performer and has also danced under the direction of Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in the Feats Festival. Stephanie has adjudicated for the Northern Star Talent Quest and the Athabasca Dance Festival. She received a BPE in Physical Education and an MBA in Business Administration .
MODERN INSTRUCTORS Tamara Bliss - (MA from the U of A, Edmonton, BA Dance/Theatre from WWU Bellingham, AAS Fashion Design from Fashion Institute of Technology NYC, Yoga Alliance Certified) was born and raised in Washington state and danced and taught professionally throughout the United States for 18 years. Dance company associations included Metro Theatre Circus of St. Louis, Lynne Wimmer and Dancers of Salt Lake City & Philadelphia, Waves Jazz Dance of Philadelphia and Peter Pucci Plus, Ed Henry, Matthew Diamond Dance and Rachel Lampert and Dancers all of New York City. Ms. Bliss taught on the dance faculties of Marymount Manhattan College, the 92nd Street YM/YWHA, (both New York) and the School of the Pennsylvania Ballet in Philadelphia. From 1976 to 1992, she toured through 28 of the United States where she had performing and teaching encounters with numerous dance populations, from elementary school, to university, and including the general public and seniors. In Edmonton, Tamara has performed with Linda Rubin, Kathy Ochoa, Kathy Metzger, Tony Olivares and Usha Gupta whose work she toured in India, 2008-2009. She is an Academic Lecturer in dance in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta and the director of the University’s performing dance group, Orchesis since 1995. She received an award of merit for Excellence in Teaching from the PER faculty in 2007.She is a certified yoga instructor, also teaching in the Edmonton community and the U of A.
Kathy Metzger-Corriveau - A modern dancer, choreographer and teacher of ballet, modern and creative dance in Edmonton since 1990, she has received GMCC Dance Performance and Dance Teacher-Training diplomas, as well as a Physical Education degree with a focus in dance. With additional professional training in Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver and New York, she has choreographed works for Mile Zero Dance and Citie Ballet; Dirty Feet Productions, Alberta Dance Explosions, Orchesis Dance Group, the musical “OGOJ”, Edmonton Dance Centre, and the Telus Children’s Musical Theatre. Kathy was an emerging choreographer for the GMCC Choreographic Intensive in August 1998, and produced her own show under Destiny Dance Productions for the Edmonton Fringe Festival, 2000. A dancer who explores various methods of developing movement through creative process, both her experience as dance artist and a practitioner of the Pilates Method naturally influences her teaching. Kathy is the Vice Chair of the non-profit Orchesis Dance Society, the fundraising body for Orchesis Dance Group. She is currently working on a Master’s Degree in Dance in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation.
Kate Stashko is an independent dance artist and writer. After studying ballet at the University of Calgary/School of Alberta Ballet, she graduated from the Professional Training Program in contemporary dance at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre in 2007. Kate has worked with m-body (Davida Monk), Peggy Baker Dance Projects, Helen Husak, Heidi Bunting, the Good Women Dance Collective, Ainsley Hillyard and Melina Stinson, among others. She has presented her work in Montréal, Alberta and Toronto, and participated in Springboard Performance’s Interrarium 2011 residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts. Kate has taught dance at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre, York University (Toronto), the Athabasca Dance Society and the Contemporary Dance Co-op (Edmonton). She has worked as a rehearsal director for Heidi Strauss and Andrea Nann Dreamwalker Dance Company and is a certified Pilates instructor, as well as holding the positions of Listings Editor and Staff Writer at The Dance Current magazine.
Jodie Vandekerkhove is originally from Fort McMurray. She is a graduate from Simon Fraser University, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts-Dance Degree, a Dance Diploma from Grant MacEwan College Dance Program and her Elementary RAD Ballet Exam. Jodie’s training encompasses Western Canada/USA (Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton), New York and London England: she is articulate, diverse, and always brings her personal growth into the studio. She has performed with Off Center Dance Company, Plan B Productions Company, Manifest Human Arts, Brain Webb Dance Company, Mile Zero Dance and various independent choreographers. Her choreography has been presented by Dance Explosions, NeXtfest, Twelve Minutes Max, Dance Motif and Mile Zero Dance. Presently Jodie teaches for the University of Alberta Orchesis Dance Program, Campus Recreation, GMCC outreach program, Danceco (St. Albert) and served as the Education Coordinator for Mile Zero Dance. Jodie most recently performed with Mile Zero Dance 2012 and various other venues. She is currently working on a Masters Degree in Dance in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation.
Raena Waddell is fascinated with the human body, how it communicates through movement. She has built a career in Edmonton as a dancer, choreographer and movement instructor. Under the instruction of Brian Webb and Heidi Bunting, Raena graduated from the Grant MacEwan Dance Program receiving the Brian Webb Dance Company Award. Following graduation, Raena spent 4 years with the Mile Zero Dance Company, completed her certification in both Reflexology and Pilates and continued her ongoing dance training with Heidi Bunting. Inspired by numerous choreographers and body work philosophies, Raena teaches contemporary technique to instill a sense of curiosity in the dancer - how and what makes their body move? After premiering 8 of her own choreographic works in Alberta and receiving the 2007 Nextfest Enbridge Emerging Artist Award, Raena toured 2010/2011 Prairie Dance Circuit. As the recipient of Expanse’s 2011 New Works Development Program, Raena premiered her first full length project in March 2011 entitled “A Matter of Life and Breath”. On stage and in class Raena desires to create a “feeling” atmosphere where every movement in the body is significant, acknowledging both the physical and emotional sensations of the body. Raena works and trains in Edmonton as an independent artist presenting and dancing in Alberta Dance Explosions, Feats Festival, Fringe Theatre Adventures, Nextfest, Expanse Movement Arts Festival, Heidi Bunting Dance and the Brian Webb Dance Company.
GUESTS - Choreographers and teachers made possible in part by grants from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Josh Beamish (Motif 2010 & OSDI 2009) began dancing at the age of 3 in Edmonton, Alberta, but later received his formal training in Kelowna, BC. Upon moving to Vancouver, Josh continued his training at Pacific DanceArts, while also dancing for the Source Dance Company. Josh has worked as an assistant choreographer, dance captain or dancer on various feature films and television shows and has previously danced for Vancouver-based choreographers Simone Orlando and Amber Funk Barton. Josh recently choreographed a new work for Ballet Kelowna and is the 2009 recipient of one of four City of Vancouver Artist Studio Awards. In 2005, at the young age of 17, Josh Beamish founded MOVE: the company and continues as the Artistic director. Cori Caulfield (Motif 2007) Cori Caulfield is a Vancouver based choreographer, interdisciplinary performer, and instructor. She is the artistic director of Coriograph Theatre and the founder and director of the Caulfield School of Dance in Port Moody. Cori has performed in the work of esteemed Canadian choreographers such as Cornelius Fischer-Credo, Jennifer Mascall, Grant Strate C.M., and others. She is the first dancer to work with Crystal Pite's company, Kidd Pivot, and toured internationally in Pite's Uncollected Work. Cori has a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University and a diploma in Limon Modern Dance Technique from the Limon Institute, New York. She has toured extensively with her “meticulously crafted solos” (The Globe and Mail) in Canada and in several cities through China, Singapore, and Malaysia. Her solos have been presented in New York City in 1998, 2000, and 2002; in Zagreb, Croatia in 2003; and in Portland, and twice in Seattle in 2004. She has also performed as a dancer, actor, and singer in the works of other well-known Canadian choreographers. Sarisa Figueroa de Toledo (Motif 2012 & OSDI 2011) - Sarisa is the artistic assistant and Canvas artistic director and a choreographer for Decidedly Jazz Dance (DJD) in Calgary, Alberta. Since 1994 Sarisa has performed in fifteen seasons with the company. In addition to dancing with DJD she has performed with One Yellow Rabbit, Sage Theatre and Edmonton Festival Ballet as well as working with several independent choreographers and directors. She was artistic director for DJD's dancerchoreographed evenings on Larimer St., root 7 and Alchemy (Co-Artistic Director with Kimberley Cooper) as well as Artistic Director for DJD's June production Tinge and Tone in 2008. Sarisa has choreographed for Alberta Dance Explosions, eko dance projects and Alberta Theatre for Young People and teaches for the DJD company and school, independently around Alberta and as far away as Vada, Italy. She was rehearsal director for DJD's, twentyfive and has been artistic assistant for the company since 2007. David Flewelling (Motif 2009 & OSDI 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) started his professional career with Peter Bingham and later studied and performed with Andrew Harwood, Allen and Karen Kaeja, Tony Olivares and Ray Chung. David taught contact-improvisation in Toronto and Montreal, at the University of Lethbridge and at the University of Alberta’s Orchesis Summer Dance Intensive. He has received grants from the BC Arts Counsil and the Canada Council for the Arts for his development in contactimprovisation. He is a member of the Performance Improvisatione Exchange (PIE) Project in Montreal, a group aimed at demystifying instant choreography and bridging the gap between audience and performer. He has been a recurring instructor for the Orchesis Summer Dance Intensive (OSDI). Since graduating from the School for Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University, he has danced for La Fondation JeanPierre Perrault, the Holy Body Tattoo, and independent choreographers in the Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal dance scenes. His work has been presented at 12 Minutes Max in Vancouver and at Studio 303 and Tangante in Montreal. He has received teacher training on the Stott Pilates machine and is certified in Yoga via International Master Teacher Trainer Hart Lazer.
Kathleen Hughes (Motif 2013) is originally from Edmonton, where she trained in ballet, and was later introduced to Modern while attending the dance program at Grant MacEwan College. Ms. Hughes completed her studies at The School of the Toronto Dance Theatre in 1995. Since then, Ms. Hughes worked with Canadian dance artists such as Patricia Beatty, Bill Coleman, Terill McGuire, Graham McKelvie, Naoko Murakoshi, Elizabeth Chitty, and Nicole Fougere. In 1999, Ms. Hughes co-founded a dance collective called The Aurora Dance Community under the mentorship of Patricia Beatty (Cofounder Toronto Dance Theatre, Member of the Order of Canada). Ms. Hughes produced, choreographed, and performed for this collective for five years. In 2005 Kathleen co-founded and became the co-artistic director of Niagara Dance Company, during which she had an eventful career teaching professional level classes, choreographing and co–producing bi-annual performances. Currently, Kathleen has come full circle and is working out of her home town to create Kathleen Hughes Dance Production. Helen Husak (Motif 2008) Helen is an independent contemporary dance artist and choreographer based in Calgary, Alberta with a BA degree from the University of Calgary Program of Dance. She studied with a variety of influential dance artists and mentors from across Canada including Davida Monk, Darcy Mc Gehee, Tonya Lockyer, Tedd Robinson, Peter Boneham, Susie Burpee and Sasha Ivanochko. Helen cultivated her craft through artist residencies hosted by the Theatre Arts Program at the Banff Centre, Calgary’s Dancers’ Studio West, and Le Groupe Dance Lab in Ottawa. She has explored two collaborative dance ensembles: VIA Ensemble and Raw Gloss Collective. Currently, she is cocollaborator for Calgary Contemporary Dance Collective focused on establishing a consistent and advanced training program /meeting place for professional dancers in the local community. Helen’s solo dance works have been presented both locally and nationally including Calgary’s Alberta Dance Explosions Festival and The Fluid Movement Arts Festival, Alberta Scene Festival, Canada Dance Festival in Ottawa, Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival, Victoria’s Romp! Festival, and Edmonton's feats Festival. She has been awarded provincial and federal grants for dance creation, mentorship and apprenticeship initiatives, and is the recipient of the 2008 Enbridge Emerging Artist Award (Mayor’s Evening for Business and the Arts in Calgary), plus the 2010 Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award. She has been profiled in a number of publications, including Canada’s Dance Current magazine. Helen is passionate about contemporary dance and dedicated to working with community leaders, to grow Alberta’s reputation as a thriving industry for contemporary dance within the national milieu. Gerry Morita – (Creative Process and Improvisation OSDI 2010) Holding aBA in Dance from SFU, MA U of A, she is the Artistic Director of MZD. Gerry has worked and trained in Vancouver, Montreal and Tokyo. Her dance work is influenced by Peter Bingham, Dianne Miller, Santa Aloi, Grant Strate, Peggy Baker, David Earle, Andrew Harwood, Nancy Stark Smith, Michael Montanaro, Lee Su Feh, Tony Chong, Benoit Lachambre and Saburo Teshigawara. Her primary interest is in performance art, how it values honesty towards the body and communication with the audience. Contact improvisation influences her choreography along with Japanese contemporary dance forms, particularly butoh and Noguchi taiso. Her technical training also encompasses ballet, modern, pow wow, highland, jazz and high jump. The movement vocabulary for each piece she creates is distinct to the artistic or intrinsic message of the work, with a wide-ranging style. Collaboration is central to her way of working, including artists from wide ranging media. Gerry is interested in performances in site-specific locations in addition to theatrical spaces. She has staged work on sidewalks, in parkades, hallways, bathrooms, elevators, grassy hills, staircases, open fields, in the Badlands, and more. This obsession with taking work into unusual locations has allowed her to develop skill at audience interaction and staging. She has taught improvisation, contact improv, Noguchi taiso and composition at Victoria School, Grant MacEwan, U of A’s Drama Dep’t and Concordia College and thrilled to have worked with dancers at Orchesis.
Emily Noton (Motif 2011 & OSDI 2008, 2010) grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and trained in ballet, jazz, and modern. She’s danced with Citie Ballet, The Russian Vaganova Society, and Mile Zero Dance in Canada. After attending the University of Alberta, Emily spent time teaching ballet at several ballet schools in Okinawa, Japan, then moved to New York to pursue her dance career full time. There she danced with Saba Dance Theatre, Rebecca Davis Dance Company in Philadelphia, and LiNK Contemporary Jazz Dance Company. Emily modeled for renowned dance photographer Lois Greenfield, and was sponsored by Bloch dancewear and Sansha. Emily also collaborated with Crunch Gyms in NYC filming fitness dance videos. In New York she took part in the formation of PAC (Performing Arts Collective), which toured the North-East area, conducting performance workshops for pre-professionals. Currently, Emily is completing her degree at the U of A while teaching and choreographing in the community. She remains committed and enthusiastic about teaching dance at all levels. Kristine Nutting (OSDI 2008) is a movement/theatre performer and instructor who basks in the art of abstract movement incorporating individual creativity. Among the various media she uses in her classes are yoga, acting techniques and voice. Essential to all dancers of every persuasion, Kristine establishes the basic performance principles, with a focus on the body. Kristine has a Masters of Arts: Drama, University of Alberta (2000), Bachelor of Arts (Honors): English, University of Bachelor of Arts (Honors): Performance, University of Winnipeg (1997), Bachelor of Education: University of Winnipeg (1992-1996) and has studied Ashtanga Yoga with Mandala Yoga, V. Shishadri. Mysore India. A recipient of numerous performing arts grants, her awards include, Alberta Foundation of The Arts Career Development grant 2007, Lee Fund Emerging Artist Award 2007 and the Edmonton Cultural Capital Grant 2007. She has been seen performing with Kathy Ochoa-Edmonton, One Yellow Rabbit-Calgary, Women in Comedy, International Street Performer’s Festival, High Performance Rodeo and the Rumble Festival, Vancouver, B.C. She is a sessional instructor for the University of Alberta, Augustana Faculty.
Kathleen Ochoa, (Motif 2006 & OSDI 2006, 2007, 2009 & 2011) KO is an independent movement artist, who creates, directs, produces through the KO Dance Project. She has danced for Brooklyn-based dance company, Human Behavior Explorers and her choreography has been presented in New York via the Movement Research’s Judson Church and Works-in-Progress Series, and as guest artist for ProjectLimbs Dance Company and part of the Metro Dance Project Series. In Canada she was Artist in Residence with Edmonton’s Mile Zero Dance Company, taught part-time faculty for University of Alberta’s drama department and presented work in Edmonton, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary working both as dancer and choreographer for Edmonton’s Mile Zero Dance Company and the Brian Webb Company. Her BFA in contemporary dance from Concordia University in Montreal led to studies in New York, Paris, and London, England where she worked as an apprentice for Union Dance Company. She co-created two Canadian dance collectives and has worked as a freelance dance writer for Vue Weekly Magazine and The Dance Current. During a two month residency at Garage Dahdah-multimedia collective in Marseille, France she participated in Danse Recherche Aix-enProvence Residency, working on a singular approach to creation and collaborative improvisation through sensation research. In 2011 she danced, taught and studied in Germany and Italy. Her most recent creation, (2012) Organic Dances at the Forest Spectro-Chrome is a joyful rebellion against conformity. KO is also a certified instructor of Qi Gong, Yoga and Pilates, traditional Thai Massage Therapy and Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy.
Tony Olivares – (Creative Process and Solo Improvisation OSDI 2006, 2007) Originally from Nicaragua, Tony moved to Edmonton in summer of 1987 where he developed as a dance artist and attended the dance program at MacEwan University. He co-created Dirty Feet Productions collective dance group and collaborated with many artists in Edmonton, Montreal, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and the New York areas. In 2003, Tony moved to the USA where he performed as a solo improvisation artist and in contact improvisation. He is a certified massage therapist and recently completed his BFA in dance with a minor in sculpting at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut. Tony recently returned to Edmonton following his June 2012 graduation. Jeannie Vandekerkhove (OSDI 2008 & 2009) Originally from Fort McMurray, Alberta, Jeannie Vandekerkhove was classically trained in her youth, later continuing her studies at Arts Umbrella and the Ballet BC Mentor Program. She has danced professionally in Edmonton, Montreal and Vancouver, and has received opportunities to perform both nationally and internationally, for a variety of renowned choreographers and directors. Over the past decade Jeannie has gathered knowledge and inspiration from her eclectic mix of mentorships and broad teaching experiences from across the country, ranging everywhere from teaching children, to elders, special needs to adult professional dancers. Some examples would be teaching privates or guest workshops/master classes abroad, being the seasonal ballet/modern instructor at Arts Umbrella's pre-professional program in Vancouver, being the annual jazz instructor at Ballet Divertimento's drop in center in Montreal, being the ballet/ modern instructor at the University of Alberta's Campus Recreation Program as well as teaching Orchesis Dance summer/yearly programs in Edmonton. Jeannie finds joy in contributing to the involvement of recreational and outreach programs as well as developing strong connections within local communities. Jeannie appreciates all diverse backgrounds and abilities in dance and feels everyone has a unique way of moving and dance is the gift all people share in common. Brian Webb – (Motif 2005) Brian Webb graduated with distinction from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre. He then moved to New York City, working with Eric Hawkins who had an influence on his early dance making. During the 1970's, Brian premiered many of his first dances with the Carol Conway Company in New York. Returning to Edmonton in 1979, he formed the Brian Webb Dance Company as "company in residence" at Grant MacEwan College, where he was the Chair of the Dance Program for ten years. The company began presenting a dance season in 1991 and is now the largest season of contemporary dance west of Toronto. Since the beginning, the BWDC has been dedicated to experimentation, the new, and a collaborative creative process. In 1986, Brian completed a master of Fine Arts degree in Choreography at the California Institute of the Arts. He returned to Edmonton and began to create a solo dance theatre repertoire that presented a series of self portraits in collaboration with composers, writers and visual artists. These works toured across Canada to Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Brian was awarded the Syncrude Award for Innovation in Artistic Direction, the Telus Award for Arts of the Future and performed in 2005 at the National Arts Centre's Alberta Scene in Ottawa. He was inducted into the Edmonton Cultural Hall of Fame (2002), and received the Queens Jubilee Medal (2002) and the Alberta Centennial Medal (2005). Recently, Brian was awarded a University of Alberta Alumni Honour Award. Brian's reputation extends nationally and abroad as an artist, teacher and dance presenter.
Orchesis wishes to acknowledge the immense contributions of… Dr. Marsha Padfield – Orchesis director from 1982 – 1994, a choreographer and instructor who supported the best of dance in Orchesis and the community. Vanessa Harris –Originator of the Orchesis jazz dance program and intermediate and advanced instructor for 30 years. She is also the daughter of Dorothy Harris, the founder of the Orchesis program in 1963-64.