Our Dance Teachers

Karin

Karin Kelley

Karin was born and raised in Aylmer and has been dancing here for over 22 years. She specializes in ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical. When Karin was 9 she was accepted at the National Ballet School in Toronto for the summer program where she trained with Canada's top ballet professionals. Karin was also accepted to attend the full year at the National but chose to stay home in Aylmer to dance and compete with her friends. The following year Karin was again accepted at the National Ballet School but chose to try a new dance experience at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School where she had also been accepted that same year.

With her dancing Karin has had the opportunity to compete across North America, perform on television shows for the CJOH and Rogers network, and dance for the Capital Region for many Canada Day performances on Parliament Hill. Karin is trained in R.A.D. and C.D.T.A. and has just completed her first year of the teacher training school for the A.D.A.P.T. syllabus.

Karin's passion for dance is competing and performing. She thrives on creating that passion for the stage in her students. In 2003 Karin's choreographies won 3 overall high scores in the ADA competition and her routine Cat in the Hat won overall 12 and under routine of the Montreal ADA competition. In 2004 she won the young choreographer award at the Dance America competition in New Jersey and overall high score award and the Diamond Choreographer award at ADA in Montreal that same season. Last year Karin and her sister Tanya became the artistic directors of the school and competitive team for the 2005-2006 season and the troupe won over 22 overall awards and over 1,000$ in prizes. Karin lives for competition and performing and she trains her students to shine through the art of dance when they perform on stage.

Danielle

Danielle Lesage Kelley

Founding Director, Studio de danse Danielle since 1979, founding Artistic Director, Aylmer Avenue Danse Company 1985.

Mrs Kelley is a Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dancing in classical ballet and Full Member of the Canadian Dance Teachers' Association. Mrs Kelley has succesfully entered students for examinations in ballet, jazz, and tap over the past 23 years and continues to coach serious dance students in preparation for these examinations. She is an award-wining choreographer wha has received many international awards not only for choreography but for costume design and many other prestigious awards mostly through competition with her dance company. Mrs. Kelley has also choreographed for television for such shows as Home grown Cafe and with Radio-Canada/CBC Canada Day production on Parliament Hill and several television specials.

Many of Mrs. Kelley's former students were accepted at the National Ballet School and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's summer programme. Many have gone on to become dance teachers and dance professionals in Canada and the United States.

Her many years as a dancer, teacher and choreographer are reflected in her strong technique classes and her innovative choreographies. Her dance experience spans over the past two decades and she now is focusing her career on teaching young children and coaching of advanced students and young teachers.

Lorraine

Lorraine Barbeau

Lorraine owned and operated a dance studio in Ottawa and brings over 30 years of experience to the industry. She has distinguished herself as a teacher, choreographer and adjudicator.

Lorraine has expanded her teaching abilities by attending several dance conventions throughout Canada and the U.S. Also, she has traveled to Broadway Dance Centre in New York City for classes. Many of her students have won Overall High Score Awards including National Dance-Off competitions. Some students have gone on to seek their own professional careers, such as touring companies, theatre companies and owning/operating their own studios. One student performed for the Broadway production "Encore" in Tokyo Disney, Japan and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

As a member of ADAPT, several of her students have achieved the highest grade of the syllabus, with several receiving scholarships. Lorraine's positive and upbeat teaching style has made her an excellent motivator and admired by all her students.

Lisa

Lisa-Marie Burka

Lisa-Marie Burka joins the Studio de Danse Danielle staff this year, bringing with her over 10 years of experience teaching in dance. Lisa-Marie has trained in the disciplines of ballet, jazz, lyrical, tap and acrobatics, receiving her elementary level certification in ballet from the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD).

During her 20 plus years of dance training, she has recieved many awards for both performance and choreography, even having her choreography showcased at the Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, Florida. She has adjudicated at several competitions and was a member of the choreography team for the 2004 Grey Cup held in Ottawa.

Lisa-Marie is the Director and founder of Graffiti Dance Company, a group that has performed at numerous functions around the Ottawa area.

Cheryl

Cherly Goodwin

Cheryl Goodwin B.A. (Hon), E.T.C.; C.D.T.A Accredited ADAPT Teacher(Ballet, Jazz, Tap)- Cheryl's experience consists of being the Director of the Children's Ballet Studio for 8 years, and teaching in the Ottawa area for 34 years. In addition, she is a Registered Teacher and Full Member of the Royal Academy of Dancing, the Canadian Dance Teachers Association, Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teachers and holds the Elementary Certificate in ISTD National Branch. Cheryl Goodwin is fully bilingual and has attended courses in Toronto, Red Deer, Alberta and London, England. Under her tenure, students have been very successful in examinations and competitions. Cheryl has successfully assisted students in the Ottawa Valley attain their Teacher's Diploma in the A.D.A.P.T. Jazz and Tap programme.

She is currently specializing in Graded and Vocational R.A.D. Ballet. Cheryl has also successfully coached a student in attaining her Solo Seal Award – the highest performing award of the Royal Academy of Dance.

Candace

Candice Trivett

Candice Trivett started her dance career with us at the age of 3. She has since been trained in many different styles of dance such as Acrobatics, Modern, Lyrical, Pointe, Ballet, Jazz and Tap. As most students from Studio de Danse Danielle, Candice has completed her examinations in (R.A.D) Ballet as well as her (C.D.T.A.) Tap and Jazz exams. Candice is currently in the process of completing her training to obtain her A.D.A.P.T. Teaching Certificate.

Candice joined the Aylmer Avenue Dance Company at the age of 7 and through this experience has had the opportunity of competing throughout North America. She has also performed on numerous occasions on Parliament Hill as well as on C.J.O.H Homegrown Café show. Her love for dance has now brought her back to her dancing roots as a staff member for the Studio. Candice teaches Acro, Tap, Jazz and creative movement as well as choreographing for the Aylmer Avenue Dance Company. In her first year as a choreographer for the troop, all of Candice's numbers brought back gold medals from the Dance America final's held in New-York City.

Candice's main goal is to nurture the love of dance in all her students.

Laurab

Laura Bigelow

Laura Bigelow started to dance at the age of 5. Through the years she has learned different styles of dancing while following the Canadian Dance Teacher Association syllabus for tap and jazz. She followed the Royal Academy of Dance training programme in classical ballet. Laura Bigelow has taught at Studio de Danse Danielle since 1996 and is also a choreographer for the Aylmer Avenue Danse Company. In 2004, she obtained a Bachelor's degree in education which has helped her to diversify her teaching methods and which encourages children to develop their potential. Miss Bigelow is known for her contemporary ballet pieces and for her work with young children. Many of her students have continued on with their studies in some of the best dance schools in Canada and are also prominent in the national and international dance scene. The success of her students, past and present, is proof of her contagious passion for dance.

Katiana

Katiana Paré

Katiana completed the ADAPT syllabus as an advanced Jazz and Tap dancer while training at the Canadian School of Dance. Her strong work ethic and motivated attitude has led to winning regional Dancer of the Year awards at both CanDance and American Dance Awards. In 2010, she was the senior Jazz class winner and placed 3rd overall in the National Dancer of the Year Titles competition at American Dance Awards. Her performance and technical skills have enabled her to win multiple scholarships to dance conventions and Millennium Dance Complex in LA. Katiana's love and passion for the art continues to grow as she matures from a dancer into a teacher and choreographer.

Friesen

Catherine Friesen

Born in Ottawa, Catherine was trained in Russian and Cecchetti ballet at Dance Educators. At the age of 12, she went to the National Ballet School in Toronto, and then 2 years later, she studied at the School of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. She has performed with Ottawa Ballet, Les Jeunes Ballet du Quebec's tour of France and Switzerland, and with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in their Western Canada and Quebec tour.

After doing an apprenticeship with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, she started to take an interest in Musical Theatre. She performed in 'Hey Mr. Producer' and Tribute to Bob Fosse as a dancer/singer on a Cruise Line. She decided to start travelling the world through her dance career! She worked on Crystal Cruise Lines as the Lead Adage couple performing in the Pas de Deux from Carousel Ballet and Romeo & Juliet. Catherine also continued to perform as a dancer/singer in 12 different review shows. She became the Dance Captain for the last 3 years of Cruising while still performing full time.

Once Catherine decided that she wanted to remain on land, she performed in the Hit Musical ‘Cabaret' in Montreal, and then in a touring show called ‘Best of Broadway'. At the moment Catherine still performs with a company in Mtl. While she is not dancing, she is teaching Pilates, Zumba and is also a certified Personal Trainer.

Meaghgan

Meghan Fanning

Meghan began her training at the age of 8 and her expansive experience includes numerous years studying jazz, lyrical, ballet, tap and musical theatre, with successful completion of the RAD level of Seal.

Meghan also has competed at national and international levels. She then departed for a career with Royal Caribbean Productions and joined her first cast aboard a world class cruise ship, traveling around the world from Rio to Venice and from Singapore to Sydney and has worked with many internationally renowned members of the dance industry.

Chagnon

Sylvie Chagnon

Professeure à l'École de danse Anick McConnell depuis 12 ans et enseignante à la concentration danse de la Polyvalente Nicholas-Gatineau, Sylvie Chagnon a commencé à s'intéresser très jeune à l'enseignement de la claquette. C'est à l'âge de 14 ans qu'elle y fait ses débuts formant ses élèves d'après la technique «Al Gilbert». Deux ans plus tard, elle forme sa propre troupe folklorique nommée «Les Riverains» et suite à l'obtention de son baccalauréat en enseignement, elle rejoint l'ensemble folklorique «Les Sortilèges» à temps plein durant deux années.

Aujourd'hui, elle forme ses élèves grâce à la technique A.D.A.P.T. des niveaux junior à pré-avancé. Les excellents résultats obtenus par l'ensemble de ses élèves lors des examens démontrent la qualité de son enseignement. Quelques-uns de ses élèves ont représenté les villes d'Ottawa et Montréal lors des finales de Candance et d'American Dance Award. De plus, quelques-unes de ses nombreuses chorégraphies de compétition ont remporté d'excellents prix comme par exemple: «Spending Christmas in Ireland» (1ère place, Junior Diamond Dance Off, Candance Ottawa 2005), «Boogie Wonderland» (1ère place, lines 12 ans et moins, finale de la compétition Candance 2008 à Boston) et «Don't stop me now» (1ère place, Junior Diamond Dance Off, Candance Montréal 2009). La réussite de ses élèves lui tient à coeur et elle souhaite encore partager sa passion pour la danse avec eux durant plusieurs années.

Tanya

Tanya Miller

Tanya Miller is the founder, director and creative force behind Children in Motion, a movement and dance program that provides age-appropriate dance and movement instruction. Tanya is also co-owner of Studio de Danse Danielle. Tanya has studied Early Childhood Education and has combined this with her Pre-Elementary Certificate and Grade 8 award from the Royal Academy of Dance (R.A.D.) to become a true teacher of dance. Tanya also has her Advanced Certificate with Honours in Jazz from the Canadian Dance Teachers Association (C.D.T.A).

Through Studio Danielle, Tanya has been instrumental in grooming children from ages 3 to 17 to perform and succeed at international competitions. Tanya has also pursued advanced dance instruction at some of Canada's leading dance schools, such as the Quinte Ballet in Belleville and École Superieur in Montreal. Tanya's passion is ensuring that young children grow up fit and healthy.

Ping

Ping Feng

Ping Feng is a former Premier Danseur with the Ottawa Ballet Co. and the Beijing Dance Academy Ballet Co. He was also a company member and teacher with Les Ballets Jazz de Montreál. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from the Beijing Dance Academy and has many years of teaching experience.

Angele

Angele Lafontaine

Born and raised in Sudbury Ontario, Angele's intense passion for dance was apparent at an early age. Being influenced and mentored at local dance establishments including Happiness is Dancing…, Company G Dance Academy and Sudbury Secondary School, Angele is proficient in styles such as ballet, jazz, tap, musical theatre, lyrical, modern, contemporary and hip hop. Angele's love for the art eventually lead her to Montreal where she was accepted to study in the contemporary dance program at Concordia University.

She took part in many festivals and performances and always seized the opportunities that would aid in her growth as an artist. In 2008, she trained with Trademark, a montreal based hip hop group, competing in many festivals including World of Dance in New York. Upon graduation she decided to make her focus hip hop. Now a dancer and choreographer for Driven Dance Company, an Ottawa based hip hop group, she continues to perform for various charity events and shows through out the city. Angele continues to inspire young dancers throughout the city as she is constantly teaching workshops at both elementary and high school level and at local dance studios.

Pascale

Pascale Fortin

Pascale was trained in tap, ballet, jazz, pointe, lyrical, acro, modern and musical theatre. She completed the RAD Upper Grades in ballet with Distinction and was trained by many syllabuses in tap: the CDTA, BEAT and ADAPT. She also participated in many competitions and received several awards such as Ultimate Gold and Platinum as well as special mentions from the judges. At national level, she received first place for her tap solo in 2008. She also participated in many festivals and community shows.

Pascale has worked with children for more than seven years, five of which teaching at Studio de Danse Danielle. In 2011, her competitive tap group received many overall awards at both regional and national competitions. Pascale teaches tap as well as jazz, ballet and creative movement. She is currently studying in the "Enseignement préscolaire et éducation primaire" programme which allows her to diversify her teaching methods. Pascale's goal is to guide students into discovering the love of dance.

Our Music Teachers

Taro

Taro Abarbanel

Being a self-taught musician, Taro has displayed a tremendous amount of determination and a passion for music at an early age by learning to play over 5 instruments. He is a motivated and interactive teacher who has had over 3 years of experience teaching guitar, bass, drums and djembe at a local conservatory. Taro has taught over 60 students and adapts his teaching method to individual learning styles and preferences. He is proficient in styles such as Blues, Rock, Funk, Reggae, Progressive Rock, Metal, Latin, Flamenco, Latin Jazz, Fusion, Finger-style and Classical. He teaches all of these genres while putting an emphasis on musical theory.

Taro is an experienced musician and is very active in local music industry having played in 5 bands, 25 plus shows and entertaining 250+ audiences. It is clear that music is more than a just pastime for this talented musician and devoted teacher.

Vickie

Vickie Hébert

Vickie Hébert has been playing music since she was 6 years old. She studied at l’École de Musique de l’Outaouais and obtained, at 15 years of age, her 11th year of music and theoric materials from Conservatoire de Musique et d’Art Dramatique du Québec. During her years of music training, she obtained a diploma in theoric materials in order to outline a mark of 100% in the Conservatoire du Quebec final exams. Since she received her 11th year diploma, she has been teaching piano and musical theory to students of all ages.

During her high school studies, Vickie learned concert flute with the Grande-Rivière music harmony. She also took part in the Sherbrooke harmony contest.

It is with a passion for music that Vickie has played in over 30 concerts and contests since she was 6 years old. She specializes in teaching a classical style of piano and concert flute.

Bill

Gabriel Beauchemin

Gabriel Beauchemin started playing the guitar when he was only 8 years old after having discovered the instrument hidden in his father's room. Since then, he never stopped playing it! He started taking guitar lessons at the age of 9 and began studying music at the Conservatory of Music in Hull at 15 years of age. He will obtain his diploma of collegial studies in classical guitar in 2013. He has participated in countless master classes and has played in front of the best guitarists in the world today, notably Pavel Steidl and the Assad brothers. In 2009, Gabriel placed first in both the grade 6 classical guitar "Kiwanis" and the 16-19 year-old "Guitare Outaouais" competitions. He has been teaching guitar since 2009.

Bill

Caroline Donnelly

Music has inspired me since a very young age. Beginning with Burt Bacharach's beguiling syncopations, to Elton John's Crocodile Rock to No Doubt's pop/rock/reggae intonations, I have grown to appreciate music for all its richness and intrigue. I began piano lessons at age 7 and worked to achieve my Grade 8 Royal Conservatory of Music certification. I attained my Grade 6 vocal music certification at age 13. Since then, I have continued to pursue music in a recreational capacity, performing in acoustic duos and bands at festivals, weddings and local venues. I began teaching vocal and piano lessons to students of all ages in English and French in 2008. In 2011, I attained my Bachelor of Education degree at Nipissing University. I am excited to pursue my love for music and education with École de Musique Danielle's team of educated professionals!

Bill

Alexandre Turmel

Alexandre Turmel was born in Ottawa in 1994. He started learning violin at the age of 9, taking lessons with Brigitte Amyot in Gatineau. After having been taught by Christian Vachon for two years at the Royal Conservatory in Hull, he has since continued violin lessons with Alexandre Da Costa and is pursuing a double degree in Music and in Social Sciences at le Cégep de l'Outaouais. He has been playing in L'Orchestre des Jeunes d'Ottawa for the past 3 years and was the lead violinist for one year. This provided him with the opportunity to tour and play in Italy in 2011. He has participated in a number of musical workshops and has had the priviledge of playing for various occasions, be it solo, or with a symphony orchestra. Alexandre has also played with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, the Gatineau Symphony Orchestra and the Thirteen String Ensemble.