Director/Certified Instructor: Acrobatic Arts, Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Tap, Contemporary & Musical Theatre
Lori began dancing at the age of 4 in Victoria and has trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Street Jazz, Lyrical and Acrobatics. She has completed several RAD Exams, receiving top marks in all levels. Lori has been instructing since 1993 at studios in Victoria, Judy Russell's Enchainement Dance Centre in Prince George and at The Dance Gallery since 2010. She is also a BCRPA Certified Fitness Instructor, incorporating the importance of strength and muscle conditioning into her teaching. Lori is also a Certified Acrobatic Arts Instructor and a Certified Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT) instructor.
Lori has won several scholarships, including both Tremaine and Dupree dance convention awards and has attending training in such places as New Orleans, Phoenix, Las Vegas Santa Clara, San Francisco and Los Angeles. She is an award-winning choreographer, being recognized both locally and internationally at competitions and as a guest choreographer at international competitions. Lori has performed, as well as taken students to Disneyland, the BC Summer Games and other international venues for opportunities to showcase her passion for dance. She has volunteered in several local arts communities as both a performer and choreographer, including “Kiss Me Kate”, “Grease”, “Dancing Through Time” and at UNBC for both the Arts and Athletics departments. Lori co-choreographed for the North America Central America Caribbean games Opening Ceremonies, for the City of Kamloops TSN Press Conference regarding the 4 Nations Cup, and is a guest instructor at various studios around the province, including instructing at Provincials in 2014. Several of Lori's students have gone onto professional careers with dance and fitness and she continues to train in all disciplines...if there is a dance class, she'll take it!!
Lori has instructed all ages and levels...passion and love for dance is contagious!
Instructor: Jazz, Contemporary, Tap, Hip Hop, Acrobatic Arts, & Preschool
Sydney has a passion for dance that started at an early age when she tried on her first pair of tap shoes at the age of 2. She has been a Teachers Assistant at The Dance Gallery for the past 6 years and has recently choreographed solos for festival participants. Sydney is also well versed in many different styles of dance. She has been involved in the festival scene since a young age, and for the past 2 years has been a Merited participant as well as a BC Provincial Competitor.
Sydney has also completed her Grade 2 - Intermediate RAD Ballet exams. She has recently completed her Module One Acrobatic Arts certification. She is an excellent role model for the students and is well respected throughout the studio. Sydney was fortunate to be a part of The Dance Gallery Troupe; one highlight includes travelling to New York whilst taking classes from professional dancers and choreographers. Sydney is constantly inspired by her teachers, fellow dancers, and younger students who continue to fuel her passion for dance. She can't wait to teach beside such incredible people.
RAD RTS, Licentiate Member CDTA Ballet, PBT Ballet/Pointe
Laura was born and raised in Terrace and is a registered Royal Academy of Dance teacher. Her training began in Terrace and continued to Vancouver, Winnipeg and Edmonton. She has 27 years experience in teaching/choreographing Ballet.
Laura has trained students successfully for RAD exams and provincial representatives. Many of her students have gone on to have careers in dance, becoming teachers, performers and choreographers.
She continues to stay updated with many courses that have taken her to New York, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, as she feels it's important to always be learning as the dance world is always changing. Her latest accomplishment is being appointed mentor for teachers to receive their teaching degree.
Laura's passion for teaching is passing along her knowledge and LOVE for ballet to her students.
Instructor: Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Ballet & Musical Theatre
Colleen is a passionate and versatile performer who adores any chance to facilitate the growth and development of emerging creatives at all phases of their training. As a veteran of BC’s competition and festival circuit, she has performed on stages across the province, including on six occasions at the BC Performing Arts Provincials where she twice placed as a Top Three competitor.
Colleen grew up in Kamloops BC, training intensively in all dance styles, and began training as a teacher and choreographer under the guidance of her own local mentors at the age of thirteen. She has been fortunate to work with children ages 2-19 in a variety of styles including tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, and musical theatre amongst others for over a decade in Kamloops,Vancouver, and Winnipeg.
Colleen holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Contemporary Dance from The University of Winnipeg and The School of Contemporary Dancers. She also graduated from the UBC Master of Physical Therapy program in 2023 and is currently working in Vancouver as a paediatric physical therapist with a special interest in developmental disabilities, life-limiting illnesses, dancers and youth athletes.
As a performer, Colleen has had the privilege of working with Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers, MascallDance (Vancouver), Theatre Skam (Victoria), New Blue Festival (Toronto), and was a featured performer Bits and Pieces|Transfer/form presented by the Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität in Vienna, Austria. On camera, Colleen has been featured in Raksha, a digital series proof of concept, and was recently featured in Loveland, a music video for LA-based vocal artist, Lola Colette.
Colleen strives to provide a collaborative learning environment, which empowers young artists to take ownership of their training and creative process. She enjoys integrating her physical therapy knowledge into her teaching and mentorship, and advocates for safe and effective training, an anatomically aware approach to technique, training that encourages balance and longevity, and preservation of physically and psychologically healthy young dancers. Colleen is also known for her creativity, passion, and purpose-focused approach and the creation of compelling and meaningful stories.
Colleen is currently training in acting and dance for film, motion capture, voiceover, and stunting. She is constantly pursuing learning opportunities as a performer, teacher, and adjudicator and believes that the best teachers and mentors are the ones who never stop pursuing their own growth