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| Recreational Division Staff Arlene Minkhorst Director Throughout her years with RWB School, Ms Minkhorst has taught all levels of ballet and pointe technique, repertoire classes, conducted rehearsals for performance and taught in RWBS’ Teacher Training Program. Ms Minkhorst was instrumental in implementing RWB School’s integrated academic and ballet program and worked closely with select Winnipeg schools to develop the current academic/dance structure.
Director of School Business Operations Ms Zoerb has also worked at various arts organizations in Winnipeg, having held positions with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Manitoba Conservatory of Music & Arts. Additionally, she has volunteered within the local arts community with a number of organizations including the Manitoba Theatre Centre and serving over eight years on the board of directors for the Osborne Village Cultural Centre and its Gas Station Theatre where during her two terms as president saw the inauguration of the Winnipeg Comedy Festival.
Ms Bale is a graduate of the RWB School Professional Division Teacher Training Program and currently holds her Associate with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (Cecchetti faculty). She is also a registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and holds her Advanced 2 certificate. Ms Bale currently sits on the board for the Alliance for Arts Education and has coordinated and taught in the Quantum Arts Program. Ms Bale has sat as a jury member for the First Steps Choreographic Competition and has taught within the Teacher Training Program of the Professional Division of the RWB School. Several of her students have gone on to train in professional dance programs across Canada including the National Ballet School of Canada, the Alberta Ballet School and the RWB School. In addition to her work in the Recreational Division, Ms Bale is currently teaching junior students in the Professional Division.
Ms Alston received extensive training in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop and musical theatre growing up in Edmonton, Alberta. She has also trained at various studios around the world, including Randolph Academy for Performing Arts, Metro Movement, the Banff School of Fine Arts, the Broadway Dance Center and EDGE. She holds her advanced 2 certificate with the Royal Academy of Dance and has performed professionally with Ballet North as a principal dancer. Ms Alston has also performed in industrials, sung on various television shows and commercials and performed on cruise ships and at Tokyo Disneyland. In addition to teaching and performing, Ms Alston is also a sought after choreographer who has taught at many dance conventions and workshops and has adjudicated throughout Western Canada and the United States.
Darilyn Burdeniuk Ms Burdeniuk has trained extensively in dance, beginning with jazz and tap at age three and continuing with 15 years of ballet training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. She has also trained in New York, Minneapolis, Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver. She has performed in a wide range of productions and has won both tap and jazz scholarships at the Manitoba Dance Festival and the Canadian and World Championships in baton twirling. Ms Burdeniuk is also an accomplished teacher of both jazz and tap, with 25 years of teaching experience, 14 of which have been at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School where she has taught and choreographed for both the Recreational Division and the Professional Division. Ms Burdenuik also taught at the Performing Arts Dance Program at Isaac Newton School and the Winnipeg School Division’s Quantum Program. She has choreographed for the Variety Club Telethons, the opening of the Lyric Theatre at Assiniboine Park and many other events. She also has experience as a professional dance adjudicator.
Patti Caplette, ARAD, RAD RTS Ms Caplette was a renowned artist with both the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and shared the stage with many international stars, performing works from both the classical and contemporary repertoires. Upon retiring from a demanding touring schedule in 1987, Ms Caplette joined the faculty of the RWB as ballet mistress and pursued independent choreographic opportunities. Ms Caplette has over 100 innovative choreographic creations to her credit, including works for dance companies, the opera, the symphony and even the circus. She has choreographed for national award shows and events, augmenting diverse musical performances at the Juno Awards, the Pan American Games, The County Music Awards, Canada Day on Parliament Hill and Her Majesty the Queen’s Royal Visit to Winnipeg. Her foray into film has produced two award-winning original dance creations. Ms Caplette is co-founder and artistic director of KOBA Family Entertainment, converting animated television properties into live touring theatricals. She continues to be sought after as a guest teacher, adjudicator and mentor, sharing her love of dance with aspiring young artists.
Maritel Centurion, AISTD (Cecchetti) Ms Centurion is a dance educator with a wealth of dance training in both ballet and Spanish dance. After several years of professional dancing in Argentina, she moved to Toronto where she graduated from the National Ballet School of Canada with a Teaching Diploma. She has also obtained teaching credentials in both the Cecchetti and the R.A.D. ballet methods. Before coming to the RWB School, Ms Centurion taught in the Junior Division (Recreational) of the National Ballet School and the Quinte Ballet School in Ontario. Since 2001, she has been teaching at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and serving as a coaching assistant for children who perform in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s production of Nutcracker. During the 2004/05 season, Ms Centurion taught abroad where she gained further teaching experience. Ms Centurion also focuses on the creation of new Spanish dance works. She performed her contemporary Spanish choreography at the Canada Dance Festival in 2004 as part of a collaborative work with Theatre Flamenco and has created pieces for the RWB School Professional Division’s Aspirant Program year-end showcase, On The Edge.
Catherine Glasser, LISTD Cecchetti Ms Glasser began her teacher training at The Canadian College of Dance at the Ryerson Theatre School and is a graduate of The National Ballet School’s Teaching Training Program. She was awarded her Licentiate Teaching certificate in the Cecchetti Faculty of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and also holds her Advanced certificates in Cecchetti and R.A.D. Ballet, I.S.T.D. Modern and I.S.T.D. National Dance. Ms Glasser has also trained in Jazz (Luigi Technique) and performed professionally. Ms Glasser has taught at several dance schools, where she has developed ballet programs and entered many students for Cecchetti Examinations. She has also given presentations, taught Cecchetti workshops, adjudicated for festivals and coached dancers for film and musical theatre. She has been a frequent guest teacher for George Brown Dance in Toronto and has acted as a supply teacher for the National Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program. Ms Glasser was also a faculty member of the Dance Departments at The Etobicoke School of the Arts and The Claude Watson School for the Arts in Toronto, where she was also the Ballet Program Manager for 13 years. Ms Glasser teaches in the Professional Division’s Teacher Training Program and in the Recreational Division’s Intensive Training Program. She also teaches Conditioning and Ballet (on rotation) to Level 1/2 students in the Professional Division.
Brenda Gorlick An accomplished choreographer and performer, Ms Gorlick has been teaching musical theatre with the RWB School and creating award-winning pieces with her students since 1990. She is a regular guest instructor throughout the province as part of Manitoba Arts Council’s Artists in the Schools program and is a sought after adjudicator nationwide. Ms Gorlick is a graduate of the RWB School Professional Division, holds a degree in Theatre from the University of Winnipeg and is a Royal Conservatory of Music silver medallist in voice and piano.
Sandra Holtzappel Ms Holtzappel was born to Dutch parents in Malang, Indonesia and started dancing at age six. She studied the Vaganova system at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Netherlands and received a full scholarship to attend the Aspirant Program at the Dance Academy of Budapest in Hungary. She finished her training with a diploma from both academies. After graduating, Ms Holtzappel became a professional freelance dancer, which gave her the opportunity to have work created specifically for her by various choreographers known in Europe and The Netherlands. She also performed for royalty several times during her career. Ms Holtzappel stopped dancing professionally at age 30 and began to develop her interest in teaching and coaching. She taught with various recreational schools in The Netherlands and Italy, while also working with professional freelance dancers. In 2004, she followed her partner, a former RWB dancer, to Canada. Ms Holtzappel teaches senior ballet and pointe for the RWB Recreational Division. She also choreographs for the School and teaches Stott Pilates. In the Professional Division, Ms Holtzappel teaches ballet, pointe and repertoire and works with the Aspirants. Amanda Joy Ballet and Creative Movement Teacher Ms Joy began dancing at age 2 with tap and continued with Judy’s Tappers until age 10. She then discovered a new dance passion, French Canadian folk dance, and began classes with l'École folklorique de la Rivière- Rouge, and later joined the school’s youth performing troupe. She continued on with the adult performing troupe of l’Ensemble folklorique de la Rivière- Rouge, with which she traveled throughout Canada and the United States. Ms Joy also traveled with the troupe to Büyükçekmece, Turkey in 2005 to compete in the Culture and Art Festival, winning the silver medal. She has just begun her 8th season in the adult performing troupe. Ms Joy has also taken ballet classes in the RWB School Recreational Division’s Adult program and tap and modern classes at The School of Contemporary Dancers. She also spent one year in the Junior Professional Program. In the summer of 2006, she returned to the RWB School, this time in the Professional Division’s Teacher Training Program. She is now in her second year of the TTP and is looking forward to another year of growth and learning. Ms Joy has taught the advanced class at with l'École folklorique de la Rivière- Rouge and now instructs the youth performing troupe. She was also involved the RWB School’s Satellite Program in Beausejour last year. Ms Joy currently teaches ballet and creative movement in the Recreational Division.
Kira Kjear Ms Kjear has been involved in both dance and gymnastics since age five. As a student at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School she received extensive training in jazz, lyrical, ballet, tap, pointe and African dance. She has also received training in hip hop at other studios in Winnipeg and at conventions across North America. Ms Kjear has acquired further schooling in dance education within the Kinesiology Department at the University of Winnipeg. As a competitive jazz dancer, Ms Kjear has received numerous awards and titles. She traveled to Germany as a member of the Canadian National Jazz Team and took home the bronze medal. In 2005, she represented Canada as a soloist at the World Jazz Championships in Orlando, Florida and was awarded the silver medal. In addition to these achievements, Ms Kjear has received various jazz and variety scholarships at the Manitoba Dance Festival and gold medals at the National Dance Championships and Centre Stage Productions.
Claire Marshall Ms Marshall began her performing career in her hometown of Toronto, Ontario with the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre. Throughout her nine seasons with the company, she performed works by some of Canada’s leading choreographers and participated in many national tours. Since her graduation from the Senior Professional Program at the School of Contemporary Dancers in 2001, she has performed with local choreographers Casimiro Nhussi, Coral Aiken, Adesola Akinleye and Josee Garant. Ms Marshall began her teaching career with the RWB School in 2000. She is a full time teacher in the Professional Division, teaching modern technique, movement improvisation and movement composition. In the Recreational Division, she teaches ballet and creative movement. Ms Marshall is a founding member of Sight Unseen Productions, a local film and dance company, and sits on the Board of Directors for Dance Manitoba.
Nicole Owens After graduating from the Senior Professional Program of Contemporary Dancers in 1998, Ms Langevin-Owens began her professional career as an independent dancer, working with choreographer Gaile Petursson-Hiley. She received her jazz and tap training through the ADAPT syllabus and her ballet training through the Royal Academy of Dance. She also continued her training with the J. Tokaryk Dance Centre in a myriad of styles. Ms Langevin-Owens was a founding company member of Nafro Dance Productions, which completed a performance tour in Maputo, Mozambique in August 2004. After her experience in Maputo, she was inspired to use her traditional training in modern and jazz and her experience of working in the fusion of African and modern to create a style of her own, breaking the traditional boundaries of the disciplines. Ms Langevin-Owens teaches and choreographs in the Adult Program for the RWB School Recreational Division and The School of Contemporary Dancers. She is also the Executive Director of Dance Manitoba.
Aimee Paradis
Ms Paradis is also the Assistant Entertainment Coordinator for the Czech & Slovak Pavilion at Winnipeg’s Folklorama.
Cheyenne Schroeder Ms Schroeder has been teaching rhythm development, music appreciation and piano to group classes at the Yamaha Music School since 1996. She also teaches musical theatre at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People and has composed music for two MTYP Theatre School productions. She has studied classical music with the Royal Conservatory and piano, guitar and choral singing at the Canadian Mennonite Bible College. In addition she has also taken a conducting seminar with Maestro Tak, Professor of Conducting at UCLA. As a performer, Ms Schroeder has appeared in musicals such as Plain and Fancy, The Wind in the Willows, The Velveteen Rabbit and Charlotte’s Web. Ms Schroeder is delighted to be at the RWB School and is looking forward to another exciting year of acting, singing and dancing.
Along with her work at the RWB School, Ms Smith is also an acting teacher with the Manitoba Theatre for Young People and an in-school teaching artist with Learning Through the Arts.
Ms. Stanowych works with both the Recreational Division and the Professional Division, teaching ballet, using the Vaganova method and Cecchetti method, classical character and pointe work. For over 20 years Ms Stanowych has remained active in the Ukrainian dance community teaching, choreographing for and directing various Ukrainian dance ensembles, most notably Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble. She has traveled extensively performing with Rusalka, including for Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II. She has also performed with the RWB at Ballet in the Park. Ms. Stanowych is currently working towards her Licentiate in the Cecchetti Society to continue her professional development as a dancer and teacher. *currently on leave
Ms Tkach is a graduate of the RWB School Professional Division’s Teacher Training Program and holds her Associate Teaching degree from the I.S.T.D. In addition, she has completed her CDTA exams at the Intermediate level in both jazz and tap and has studied the advanced CDTA tap and jazz syllabus. She also holds a certificate in Applied Anatomy and Physiology for Dancers. Currently Ms Tkach is working towards her ADAPT teaching certification in tap and jazz.
Leanne Veale Ms Veale is a born and bred Winnipegger who grew up performing and competing in Ukrainian dance through St. Anne’s Ukrainian Dance School and Rossdale School of Ukrainian Dance. From there she joined the Romanetz Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, which she still performs with on occasion. She also spent two years touring with the Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and a year with the Valery Dance Academy. After graduating from the University of Winnipeg with an undergraduate degree in filmmaking, Ms Veale joined the Teacher Training Program at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and is currently in her second year of the program. In addition, Ms Veale is the Assistant Director and a teacher at the Ukrainian National Federation School of Dance and Dance Academy.
Rachelle Vermette, AISTD (Cechetti Diploma) Ms Vermette, who started dancing at the age of four, is a graduate of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program. In 2004, she was awarded her Associate Diploma and her Part 1 Applied Anatomy and Physiology, both with the Cecchetti Society.
Kristina Washchyshyn, AISTD (Cecchetti Diploma) Ms Washchyshyn is a graduate of the RWB School's Teachers Training Program. In the fall of 2000, she moved to Toronto where she taught ballet, character, creative movement and Ukrainian folk dance at Stefura Dance Studios and the Ukrainian Academy of Dance. She also joined the faculty at the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, teaching ballet to post-secondary students. While in Toronto, Ms Washchyshyn also performed and toured with the Arkan Ukrainian Dance Ensemble. In 2002 Ms Washchyshyn headed to Italy to further her Cecchetti training at Ateneo Danza, under the direction of Stefania Sansivini. During her ten-month stay, she taught and worked with many Italian and English dance teachers and choreographers. She received her ISTD Intermediate Modern examinations before returning home to complete her Advanced Cecchetti examination. In the fall 2004, she was appointed as Manitoba Representative for the Cecchetti Society of Canada.
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Arlene Minkhorst
Debra Zoerb
Laurie Alston
Darilyn Burdeniuk
Patti Caplette
Maritel Centurion
Brenda Gorlick
Sandra Holtzappel
Amanda Joy photo to be updated
Kira Kjear
Claire Marshall
Cheyenne Schroeder
Keri-Lee Smith
Marijka Stanowych
Crystal Tkach
Leanne Veale
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