Our Studio Staff
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Christine Walker
Director & Founder
"When you are dancing, you dive deep into your soul and connect with yourself in a profound way, explore that and don't be afraid." - Christine
Christine Walker
Director & Founder
Christine Walker recently won "Best Dance Instructor" with the Toronto Star 2019 for the Reader's Choice Awards with St. Clair Dance Collective. She is a professional dancer, teacher, choreographer, actor & model with over 20 years of dance experience. She began her training in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop and contemporary at Sheila Parkins School of Dance, Ethel Bruneau’s Tap School & Ballet Divertimento. Walker then moved to Toronto and graduated from Ryerson University with a BFA in Dance (2013).
Christine has performed in contemporary dance with junior company in T-Danz Festival (2009) in France & Spain, performed with the Stella Adler’s Studio of Acting with the MADAIR project in NYC (2010) and worked with Louise Bedard at Springboard Danse Montreal (2010). She was an actress and dancer in Naught Theatre Company, Something is Wrong, in Toronto (2013). She has performed in music video 'This Wild Heart' by The Nursery and most recently dancer in music video by Hollerado (2017).
She worked as a professional dancer with Creativiva (2015-16), Bash Fx and Kulkat Entertainment (2018). A winner in Latin Ballroom in Bronze & Silver with Canada Dance Council (2016), and most proudly a hip hop dancer for the Opening Ceremonies for the Pan AM Games with Cirque du Soleil in Toronto (2015). She also was featured in a photoshoot for Seed9 magazine “Poor But Sexy” in Toronto.
She has also trained at many renowned summer camps such as Perry Mansfield, USA (on scholarship) with works by Nicholas Villeneuve & Sidra Bell; Domaine Forget, CAN with works by Edgar Zendejas; Broadway Theatre Project, USA, O Vertigo, CAN, Movement Invention Project, NYC & Kenny Pearl’s Emerging Artist’s Intensive, CAN.
With a passion in teaching, Miss Walker has taught in over 250 public/private schools, dance studios, community centres, daycares and arts camps teaching well over 1000 students in dance education. Her mission is to provide high-quality dance classes to all ages and abilities!
“A true educator at heart, Christine is bright, cheerful, charismatic and has a special talent for encouraging and inspiring others” – Former Colleague, Dance Instructor.
Christine has performed in contemporary dance with junior company in T-Danz Festival (2009) in France & Spain, performed with the Stella Adler’s Studio of Acting with the MADAIR project in NYC (2010) and worked with Louise Bedard at Springboard Danse Montreal (2010). She was an actress and dancer in Naught Theatre Company, Something is Wrong, in Toronto (2013). She has performed in music video 'This Wild Heart' by The Nursery and most recently dancer in music video by Hollerado (2017).
She worked as a professional dancer with Creativiva (2015-16), Bash Fx and Kulkat Entertainment (2018). A winner in Latin Ballroom in Bronze & Silver with Canada Dance Council (2016), and most proudly a hip hop dancer for the Opening Ceremonies for the Pan AM Games with Cirque du Soleil in Toronto (2015). She also was featured in a photoshoot for Seed9 magazine “Poor But Sexy” in Toronto.
She has also trained at many renowned summer camps such as Perry Mansfield, USA (on scholarship) with works by Nicholas Villeneuve & Sidra Bell; Domaine Forget, CAN with works by Edgar Zendejas; Broadway Theatre Project, USA, O Vertigo, CAN, Movement Invention Project, NYC & Kenny Pearl’s Emerging Artist’s Intensive, CAN.
With a passion in teaching, Miss Walker has taught in over 250 public/private schools, dance studios, community centres, daycares and arts camps teaching well over 1000 students in dance education. Her mission is to provide high-quality dance classes to all ages and abilities!
“A true educator at heart, Christine is bright, cheerful, charismatic and has a special talent for encouraging and inspiring others” – Former Colleague, Dance Instructor.
Ginny Pearson
Studio Manager
"Dance enables you to find yourself and lose yourself at the same time." - Peter Townsend
Ginny Pearson
Studio Manager
Ginny started dancing at the age of 3 and absolutely fell in love with it. When she was 8 years old, she joined the competitive dance team and continued up until she graduated from high school. Ginny is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and musical theatre.
Ginny attended Wilfrid Laurier University and joined their Recreational Dance Program in her first year. In her second year, she took on an instructor role and started teaching Intermediate Lyrical. She held this position for 2 years, and then moved on to teaching Intermediate Contemporary for another 2 years. At the end of Ginny’s first year as an instructor, she was awarded the “Golden Hawk Award of Excellence” for being the “Instructor of the Year”.
In Ginny’s fourth and fifth years of university, she took on the role of “Head Dance Instructor”, helping to lead a team of over 20 instructors. This role was incredibly fulfilling, as Ginny loves being a leader in the dance community.
Upon graduating, Ginny started teaching dance at a studio in KW that caters to adults. This has been an amazing experience for her as she loves watching people who have danced for a while continue to pursue their passion, as well as she loves welcoming people into her class that have never danced before.
Growing up, Ginny’s number one passion had always been dance. She never thought she could love anything as much as she loved dancing, until she started teaching. Her favourite thing about teaching is watching her dancers grow, gain confidence in themselves, and seeing them express themselves through movement.
Ginny’s classes are always welcoming, inclusive, fun, positive, and she will always without a doubt be your biggest cheerleader!!!
Ginny attended Wilfrid Laurier University and joined their Recreational Dance Program in her first year. In her second year, she took on an instructor role and started teaching Intermediate Lyrical. She held this position for 2 years, and then moved on to teaching Intermediate Contemporary for another 2 years. At the end of Ginny’s first year as an instructor, she was awarded the “Golden Hawk Award of Excellence” for being the “Instructor of the Year”.
In Ginny’s fourth and fifth years of university, she took on the role of “Head Dance Instructor”, helping to lead a team of over 20 instructors. This role was incredibly fulfilling, as Ginny loves being a leader in the dance community.
Upon graduating, Ginny started teaching dance at a studio in KW that caters to adults. This has been an amazing experience for her as she loves watching people who have danced for a while continue to pursue their passion, as well as she loves welcoming people into her class that have never danced before.
Growing up, Ginny’s number one passion had always been dance. She never thought she could love anything as much as she loved dancing, until she started teaching. Her favourite thing about teaching is watching her dancers grow, gain confidence in themselves, and seeing them express themselves through movement.
Ginny’s classes are always welcoming, inclusive, fun, positive, and she will always without a doubt be your biggest cheerleader!!!
Sadie Stratford
Dance Teacher
“Dancing is creating a sculpture that is visible only for a moment ”- Erol Ozan
Sadie Stratford
Dance Teacher
Sadie Stratford is a ballet and hip hop teacher and choreographer from Toronto, Ontario. She is a graduate of The National Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program. She trained competitively in various genres prior to transitioning into teaching as well as directed and choreographed for the Northumberland Players Youth Theatre Programs. She is well versed in several genres of dance but specializes in ballet. Ms. Sadie is also a huge advocate for body positivity in the dance community and tries to incorporate the idea of self-love and positivity into all of her dance classes.
Mei Miyazawa
Dance Teacher
‘I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ - Maya Angelou
Mei Miyazawa
Dance Teacher
Mei Miyazawa is a Toronto-based pro dancer, actor, as well as an ADAPT-certified dance instructor. Along with her performance career, she has a strong passion for teaching kids and creating lifelong patrons of the arts. Whether she’s teaching toddlers or adults, or performing in children’s theatre, she feels incredibly lucky to work in an environment filled with energy, joy and creativity.
Her formal jazz and ballet training began at the age of three in Tokyo, Japan. In 2014, she moved to Canada to continue dance studies at the Quinte Ballet School of Canada in Belleville, Ontario, where she trained in the Professional Training Division. She then attended Cardinal Carter Academy of the Arts and Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts to expand her knowledge further in dance and theatre. Mei is a 2020 graduate of the Music Theatre Performance Program at St. Lawrence College in Brockville.
She has performed for Wavestage Theatre, Pirate Life Theatre, Shadowpath Theatre, EveryBODY on Stage, Toronto Fringe Festival, as well as major films such as The Swan, and music videos. Her former performance credits include: Chicago (merry murderess), Cell Block Tango MV (dancer), Sweet Charity (Helene), The Little Mermaid (Atina/dance captain), Jesus Christ Superstar (ensemble), and The Addams Family (ensemble).
Her formal jazz and ballet training began at the age of three in Tokyo, Japan. In 2014, she moved to Canada to continue dance studies at the Quinte Ballet School of Canada in Belleville, Ontario, where she trained in the Professional Training Division. She then attended Cardinal Carter Academy of the Arts and Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts to expand her knowledge further in dance and theatre. Mei is a 2020 graduate of the Music Theatre Performance Program at St. Lawrence College in Brockville.
She has performed for Wavestage Theatre, Pirate Life Theatre, Shadowpath Theatre, EveryBODY on Stage, Toronto Fringe Festival, as well as major films such as The Swan, and music videos. Her former performance credits include: Chicago (merry murderess), Cell Block Tango MV (dancer), Sweet Charity (Helene), The Little Mermaid (Atina/dance captain), Jesus Christ Superstar (ensemble), and The Addams Family (ensemble).
Krista Newey
Dance Teacher
Krista Newey is a dancer and choreographer based in Toronto. She began her dance training at Island Dance Studio in Port Perry where she trained in ballet, lyrical, jazz, and tap. Krista’s love for dance and performance lead her to Ryerson University where she graduated in 2016 with a BFA in Dance. During her time at Ryerson, Krista became increasingly interested in choreography and contemporary dance. She started teaching dance in the summers between school, becoming Head of Dance and Drama at Camp Tapawingo. It was there that she found a passion for teaching dance in many different styles at many different levels.
Krista has continued her pursuit in performing, choreographing and teaching after graduating from Ryerson. Krista has performed with Rock Bottom Movement, Alias Dance Project, The Garage, Frog In Hand, and Kylie Thompson Dance. She is also an active member in Nostos Collectives; an emerging artist collective where she is a performer and choreographer. Krista’s choreography has appeared in TOES for Dance’s IGNITE summer intensive, Ryerson Choreographic Works, Ryerson’s New Voices Festival, Dance Matters, The Garage studio showings, K’aeja D’Dance’s Wind Down Dance, Toronto Fringe, and with Nostos Collectives.
Krista has a passion for teaching in all dance styles and believes that joy, imagination, and creativity can be found in every category. From hip hop to jazz, improvisation to dance composition, Krista is always excited to share her love of dance no matter what form it comes in!
Krista has continued her pursuit in performing, choreographing and teaching after graduating from Ryerson. Krista has performed with Rock Bottom Movement, Alias Dance Project, The Garage, Frog In Hand, and Kylie Thompson Dance. She is also an active member in Nostos Collectives; an emerging artist collective where she is a performer and choreographer. Krista’s choreography has appeared in TOES for Dance’s IGNITE summer intensive, Ryerson Choreographic Works, Ryerson’s New Voices Festival, Dance Matters, The Garage studio showings, K’aeja D’Dance’s Wind Down Dance, Toronto Fringe, and with Nostos Collectives.
Krista has a passion for teaching in all dance styles and believes that joy, imagination, and creativity can be found in every category. From hip hop to jazz, improvisation to dance composition, Krista is always excited to share her love of dance no matter what form it comes in!
Mélina Patry
Dance Teacher
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou
Mélina Patry
Dance Teacher
Mélina Patry (she/her) is a Toronto-based dance artist originally from Gatineau, Québec. Mélina has over 8 years of experience teaching and working with children. Mélina loves sharing her love and passion for dance with students while creating a safe, fun, and engaging class environment.
As a 2023 graduate of the Performance Dance program at Toronto Metropolitan University, Mélina has danced and collaborated in many virtual, film, and live performances, including works created by Louis Laberge-Côté, Daileidys Carrazana, Stephanie Lake, James Kudelka, Alyssa Martin and Rock Bottom Movement, Bobbi Jene Smith, and Or Schaiber. Mélina also recently performed in Fall for Dance North’s 2023 Unbowed Signature Program as a dancer in Light-Print, choreographed by Jesse Obremski. Mélina’s drive stems from a tireless work ethic and insatiable desire to learn from and be inspired by the diverse array of artists she meets along her journey.
As a 2023 graduate of the Performance Dance program at Toronto Metropolitan University, Mélina has danced and collaborated in many virtual, film, and live performances, including works created by Louis Laberge-Côté, Daileidys Carrazana, Stephanie Lake, James Kudelka, Alyssa Martin and Rock Bottom Movement, Bobbi Jene Smith, and Or Schaiber. Mélina also recently performed in Fall for Dance North’s 2023 Unbowed Signature Program as a dancer in Light-Print, choreographed by Jesse Obremski. Mélina’s drive stems from a tireless work ethic and insatiable desire to learn from and be inspired by the diverse array of artists she meets along her journey.
Madison Guarino
Dance Teacher
Madison Guarino is a creative, committed, collaborating, rebellious artist who has a multi-faceted movement practice in choreography, directing, and interpretation. She hails from Manitoba, Treaty One Territory, and is currently based in Tkaronto. She aims to dance everywhere! Madison has pursued many worlds of expression on stage, working with choreographers such as David Norsworthy, Robert Glumbeck, Roberto Campanella, Ryan Lee, Susie Burpee, Hanna Kiel, and Francessa Chudnoff. She has attended intensives across North America: Hubbard St. Dance Chicago, Rubberbandance, Peter Chu, Pro Arte Danza, Seerta Hector. Guarino is a graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University’s Creative School with a BFA in Dance Performance. Madison is obsessed with the power of movement and its ability to convey thought-provoking ideas about our human connectivity. This curiosity continues to deepen her understanding of identity and artistry with every experience that she pursues as both a dancer and maker.
Our Guest Teachers
Deanna Lefort
Guest Teacher
“We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once.” - Friedrich Nietzsche
Deanna Lefort
Guest Teacher
Deanna LeFort’s love for dance began at a very young age through her classical training in Ballet. Training under Stephanie Landry and Wendy Holt, Deanna successfully achieved all of her Royal Academy of Dance Examinations, including her Advanced 2. She progressed by adding Jazz and Tap to her technical repertoire, and was a competitive dancer in Contemporary, Lyrical, Hip Hop, and Musical Theatre. Deanna became a dance assistant at the age of 12 and has 4 years of experience teaching children from 2 to 18 years of age. She is also a member of the BATD, as she completed her Teacher’s Associate Jazz and Tap examinations.
Deanna is currently studying at York University in the Psychology and Education programs. She is Co-Captain and Choreographer of Rise Dance Company, a team that competes annually with Universities across Ontario and Quebec. This team has enabled Deanna to further pursue her love for dance and learn new ways to express herself and the stories of others through movement.
Dance has led Deanna to her love for teaching both in dance and academics. She believes that every child learns in a unique way and is dedicated as a teacher to help each dancer flourish into the best dancer and person they can be. She is passionate about making dance more accessible and focuses on inclusion in her dance classrooms, believing every child should have the opportunity to dance.
Deanna is currently studying at York University in the Psychology and Education programs. She is Co-Captain and Choreographer of Rise Dance Company, a team that competes annually with Universities across Ontario and Quebec. This team has enabled Deanna to further pursue her love for dance and learn new ways to express herself and the stories of others through movement.
Dance has led Deanna to her love for teaching both in dance and academics. She believes that every child learns in a unique way and is dedicated as a teacher to help each dancer flourish into the best dancer and person they can be. She is passionate about making dance more accessible and focuses on inclusion in her dance classrooms, believing every child should have the opportunity to dance.
Joanna Morrison
Occasional Teacher
Movement is medicine. Give yourself the space, the permission and the curiosity to listen to what your body needs and what it is trying to share with you. - Joanna Morrison
Joanna Morrison
Occasional Teacher
Joanna Morrison is a trauma informed yoga therapist, wellness consultant and trauma informed somatic therapist. Certified in hatha, yin and restorative yoga with over 18 years of teaching experience, Joanna believes that everyone is their own best teacher and supports her clients and students to trust their inner voice and guides students to meet their somatic needs through consistent practice and honouring their own journey.
Jenny
Occasional Teacher
Life is movement. The more life there is, the more flexibility there is. The more fluid you are, the more you are alive.” — Arnaud Desjardins.
Jenny
Occasional Teacher
Jenny has been using fitness throughout her life to help her find balance, mentally and physically. Whether it is on stage performing shows all over the world or in the gym, she is always having fun moving her body. Jenny has been teaching fitness classes and 1 on 1 for over 10 years now. She believes movement is the key to longevity. It's never too late to start exercising. She has a great passion for making exercise not feel like exercise. Listen to your body, modify it if need be, just never give up, you are much stronger than you think you are!!!!!!
