WELCOME BACK AND LET ME BE THE FIRST TO WISH YOU another fantastic season at STAGES for 2011-12. I cannot express enough gratitude to all the students, parents, staff and our STAGES community that work so hard to create each successful year. This coming year will be filled with some incredible guest teachers, including Craig Hempsted, Jack Horne, and some members of So You Think You Can Dance Canada.
As artistic director I have no other motivation than to provide a facility that is safe, creative, surrounded by top notch talent and teachers to make you a better dancer, a thinking dancer, and a dancer who has a vast vocabulary. Dance is about discovering and surpassing your personal best. To hone your skills and expand your craft. To learn how to be a strong link in an ensemble number. The only person you’re competing against is yourself. Be better and be unapologetic about your interpretation of your work. Do take risks. Do push the envelope. Do celebrate the art form and your uniqueness. Do be generous. Whatever you decide to be, the lessons that you learn in an artistic environment are lessons that you can take with you anywhere. I am so lucky to be doing what I love to do, and so lucky to be working with such talented & inspiring young students. I thank you.
Kim Breiland
Artistic Director
Welcoming to our STAGES family
We are excited to have new and returning teachers joining us this year. Dyana Sonik Henderson returns to us after studying and performing all over the world. Dyana will be teaching Jazz and Hip Hop classes this year.
Bio of Dyana Sonik Henderson
Dyana is excited to be back teaching at Stages Performing Arts School. Dyana had been away in recent years studying and performing all over the world. She has just finished her second year at Decidedly Jazz Dance Works where she toured in the show Live and Insync and choreographed in the year-end show. She performed in the yearly show Footprints as well as performed in the events around Calgary. This summer Dyana attended the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance for their summer program in Greenwich, England. Dyana has also enjoyed touring with Carnival Cruise Lines, OIP dance where she worked with Luther Brown from SYTYCD in Toronto, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She has used her love of dance to travel to Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Las Vegas, Texas, London, England, and all over Italy to perform and learn new Techniques.
We also welcome Leticia Pang who will be teaching Pre-Elementary, Elementary, and Intermediate Ballet. Leticia will also be offering a ballet exam class for students who are interested.
Bio of Leticia Pang
A Victoria native, Leticia’s training took place at Pacific Dance Centre where she completed her Intermediate examination through the R.A.D. She was also fortunate enough to receive training from the National Ballet School of Canada, the Banff Centre for Performing Arts and Pacific Northwest Ballet School.
Her professional dance career included numerous summers at the Banff Festival Ballet studying with Brian Macdonald, Annette av Paul, Susan Toumine, Victoria Simon and other Canadian choreographers. She also danced with Ballet Jorgen Canada for 10 years where she trained with Nadia Potts, Kevin Pugh, Kimberly Glasgow, Che Chun and other wonderful teachers. While dancing with Ballet Jorgen Canada she also worked Arnold Spohr, Linda Stearns and Evelyn Hart. She performed ballets such as The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet and Coppelia and has also had the privilege to work with and to perform the new works of great choreographers such as Bengt Jorgen, Crystal Pite, Wen Wei Wang, Mark Godden, Roberto Campanella and many more talented Canadian choreographers.
Leticia began her teaching career here in Victoria upon retiring from her professional dance career in 2002 working with Maureen Eastick and Florence Skinner and has taught at many schools here on the island and on the mainland. She has also attained the Royal Academy of Dance Teaching Certificate. We are excited to welcome Leticia Pang as she guides our students into a ballet exam year.
Tara Crouse has stepped away from teaching this year to spend more time with her family.
Welcomes continued
Talia Harmuth who has previously taught Lyrical at Stages will be back this year to teach Hip Hop on Fridays, and Stages trained Jordyn Kirby will be teaching Hip Hop and Acro. We also welcome Erin Cruisak who will be teaching Tap, and offering Tap exams for students. Erin joins us from Halifax, and is working on a degree from the University of Victoria.
To learn a little bit more about all of our teachers, please check out their bios that are posted in the studio 1 waiting room.
Company Placements
Placements for STAGES Dance Company will be held this year on Tuesday Sept 13 @ 5:30-7:30 Company members must have a strong background in ballet and jazz, be able to commit to weekly rehearsals, as well as numerous performances and touring engagements. Please show up a half an hour early to give yourself time to warm up and relax.
Good-byes
We are sad this year to say goodbye to some friends and colleagues of STAGES. Alyssa Butt and Nathalie Watson are both going forth to further their education in university. We wish them both the very best as they embark on this adventure. The following is a letter written by Alyssa, to her students.
Dear Students,
As most of you know, I’ve always had a love for science and dance. For the past 3 years, I have been trying to get into medicine, and I was fortunate enough to have been accepted this summer by and American medical school called St. George’s. I love teaching dance, and I would like to continue doing so for numerous years; however, I have a dream of being a doctor, teacher, and a dancer. In order to do so, I have to put in the time to do all the schooling. I loved teaching all of you and it was very sad to leave the studio. I appreciate being a part of all your lives. You have become a part of my dance family, and I was so proud to see your improvements and achievements over the years. Thank you for making the past few years of my life such a joy with your hard work, enthusiasm, and drive.
I have to create a unique future for myself, as a dancing doctor, but my career will be full of rewards. My advice to you is to continue dancing for as long as you can. It will provide the framework to learn how to work hard, to pick yourself up when you fall, and never give up of your dreams. Please create the life you want to live and keep striving to get exactly what you want out of your journey. I will see you guys soon, as I will be back over Christmas and for recitals. I can’t wait to see how much you’ve improved with all your new teachers.
Love you all,
Alyssa
To all, Welcome to STAGES, we are looking forward to an exciting season.
