Meet Our Instructors

Linda comes from a family of makers and has been practicing her art for over 30 years. Although clay is her chosen medium, she delights in combining it with other materials. Not limited by tradition, her inspiration comes from nature and industry, usually resulting in works on the edge of function. This seems to reflect her life where she divides her time between Burnaby and the Nicola Valley. She feels she has the best of both worlds.

Jay Maclennan started ceramics in high school with noted local ceramic sculptor and teacher Keith Rice-Jones. He went on to receive his BFA from Emily Carr College of Art + Design in 1995. Jay’s ceramic work is in many private collections and has exhibited nationally and internationally. He divides his time between his studio and works as Shadbolt's full-time ceramics technician.

Shaun is a queer Filipino-Canadian artist living and working on the unceded lands of the Coast Salish peoples - Squamish, Stó:lō, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam Nations. Shaun was born in Vancouver and spent most of his formative years between Quezon City, Philippines and New Delhi, India. This migrant upbringing has significantly changed his perspectives on his authenticity and privilege.

He primarily works in ceramics, sculpture, drawing, and installation to address themes around domesticity, hierarchy, labour and sacredness. Shaun's aesthetic draws from his interest in Gothic art, Philippine folk art and other forms. He conjures narrative spaces for high and low conversations through his wit and caution.

Shaun holds a diploma from the Langara College Fine Arts program and a BFA from the Alberta University of the Arts. He has attended residencies at the Medalta International Artist-in-Residence program in Medicine Hat, AB, and Toronto's Harbourfront Centre Craft + Design Artist-In-Residence program. His work has been exhibited in Canada and the US.

Shaun currently teaches at JustPotters, Arts Umbrella, and the Shadbolt Centre of the Arts.

Charmian began potting in high school and, after graduating, apprenticed with a production potter for 3 years before starting her studio, making and selling functional work in Canada. In 1992, Charmian began teaching pottery at various community centres in Vancouver. In addition to regular classes, she has also conducted numerous workshops on tile and fountain making, hand-building and wheel-throwing. She's a member of the Kingsmill Studio on Granville Island and her work can be found there and in several shops and galleries in BC.

Arlynn Nobel is a committed vessel maker who enjoys challenging the limitations of the clay medium, developing techniques that enable new avenues of expression. Born and raised in Detroit, Arlynn is a long-time resident of Canada, receiving her BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design. In 2007, Arlynn was selected to represent Canada as an artist in residence at the Goshogawara International Woodfiring Festival in Aomori, Japan, with work in the permanent collection of the Tsugaru Kanayama Gallery. After earning her MFA in ceramics from UMass Dartmouth in 2011, Arlynn taught at both Harvard Ceramics and Mudflat Studio in Boston. Arlynn is currently on the board at Watershed Centre for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, Maine. In the spring of 2021, Arlynn’s work made the cover of Pottery Making Illustrated, featuring a six-page article describing her artistic process.

Fredi Rahn is a ceramic artist and educator in Vancouver. She makes pots in a backyard studio in East Vancouver and participates in community firings at the Shadbolt Centre. Her journey in clay began at a young age through community centre classes, which led her to study at Sheridan College School of Crafts and Design and later at the Nova Scotia College of Art. She has participated in artists' residencies at Watershed in Maine, The Archie Bray Foundation in Montana, Talavera Uriarte in Puebla, Mexico, The Banff Centre, and Medalta in Alberta. Fredi exhibits her work across Canada and the US.

Robert Stickney has more than 40 years of experience in art-related endeavours (as an artist, mentor, educator and advocate). He taught art (primarily ceramics) at St. George's Senior School for 27 years. Since retiring from teaching, Robert has been producing various clay pieces for exhibition and sale. In 2012, he was the 2012 Artist in Residence for ceramics at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

Nora Vaillant is a potter, writer and anthropologist who has been working in clay for over 20 years. With experience teaching both adults and children, Nora draws on her love of different pottery traditions worldwide to inspire her students. She participates in the Eastside Culture Crawl and Vancouver's Artists in Our Midst, selling her salt-glazed stoneware pottery. Nora has served on the board of the Potters Guild of BC and is a current member of the Canadian Clay Collective, a committee that plans the triennial Canadian Clay Symposium. She was also a resident artist in Oaxaca, Mexico and at Banff Centre for the Arts. Nora guest-curated, "High Fire Culture" for the Belkin Art Gallery, contributed to Studio Potter magazine and Thrown: British Columbia's Apprentices of Bernard Leach and Their Contemporaries, and presented lectures through the Northwest Ceramics Foundation and at NCECA on acclaimed BC ceramic artist John Reeve.

Anthony Wilson is a graduate of Concordia University in Montreal, where he completed two Bachelor of Fine Art programs in Art Education and Ceramics. He currently resides in New Westminster, creating functional and sculptural ceramics that focus on translucent porcelain and woodfired stoneware. As an instructor, he approaches teaching with enthusiasm, aiming to help his students build upon their strengths to learn new skills and realize their own creative goals.

Kristine discovered her love for clay and wheel throwing while attending Langara College's Fine Arts Diploma program. She continued her education in Montreal and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University in 2009. Since finishing school, Kristine has worked as an Artist-in-Residence in Japan, Mexico and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. Her work has been shown in various galleries, including the Gallery of BC Ceramics and Charlie Cummings Gallery and was featured in an article in Scout Magazine. She currently works from her studio in East Vancouver.

Darlene is a ceramic artist who specializes in working with porcelain. She discovered ceramics as a medium after majoring in Psychology at UBC. After years of exploring creativity through practice in ceramics, she returned to school, graduating from Langara Fine Arts. She has followed a career as a teacher, technician, mentor and maker of ceramics and is presently a ceramics technician at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. For her, the versatility of the Ceramic medium and the technical challenge of porcelain make this a wonderful experience to share with students.

Emily is an interdisciplinary artist with a Fine Arts Diploma from North Island College & a BFA from Emily Carr University. Emily's work often has a playful use of colour. She has a background in painting and sculpture that serves and informs her ceramics practice as it continues to evolve and grow. She has particular interests in realistic sculpture, production of functional ceramic wares and glaze chemistry. As an educator, she enjoys sharing making techniques and getting people "fired up" about clay.  

Cheryl is an artist, educator and pottery studio technician and manager based in Vancouver. She holds a BFA from Emily Carr University of Art + Design, which followed a fine arts diploma from Kwantlen Polytech University (KPU). She has managed the Roundhouse Pottery Studio and the West Point Grey Pottery Studio for over 20 years. Cheryl has taught ceramics classes to children and adults at KPU, the Surrey Arts Centre, the Vancouver School Board, the Roundhouse and West Point Grey Community Centres and the Museum of Anthropology. She maintains her studio in the Mergatroid Building. In 2005 and 2006, she participated in the Terracotta Residency in Santiago de Cuba. She volunteers with the Fraser Valley Potters Guild Association, the Canadian Clay Symposium and the North-West Ceramic Foundation. Cheryl has been a part-time instructor at the Shadbolt since 2016.

Carla is an independent Mexican movement, visual artist, and director of the multidisciplinary dance company "TEMPO Dance and Visual Art". She holds a bachelor's in Science Communications from "Universidad del Valle de Mexico", she was an exchange student at "Santa Fe University of Art and Design"/ USA, and holds a diploma from "The Center of Dance and Scene Production of Baja California"/ Mexico directed by the contemporary dance company "Lux Boreal" with whom she performed a dance and photography residency for 3 years. Carla has studied and performed dance with numerous teachers and choreographers worldwide and worked as an independent movement photographer for many companies. Over the years, she has taught dance in a great number of private and public schools and academies in Mexico and the US, sharing movement with kids, teenagers, and adults in various dance disciplines like contemporary, jazz, modern, ballet, and hip hop. Carla also worked as a movement instructor for the "Fronteras Tijuana" community project for four years, teaching values through dance to low-income kids in Tijuana, Mexico.

Nowadays, she gratefully lives in Vancouver, BC as an independent artist and student in the "Associate of Arts" program at UCW and as a dance instructor for several community centers and private academies around BC.

Kevin has been teaching and creating contemporary dance, movement technique workshops, and
regular classes for over twenty years, at: Vancouver’s, Harbour Dance Centre; international dance
festivals; and Vancouver and Burnaby city arts and recreational centres. Experience and credits include:
Co-Founder and Artistic Director of BUTOH-a-GO-GO, creating and performing for festivals and
presentations across Canada, in the United States, Russia, Poland, and Japan. A multidisciplinary artist,
Kevin’s creative forms include butoh, cabaret, dance, film and television, musical-theatre and opera.
Other contemporary dance credits include work with: dancers Dancing; Kokoro Dance; LINK Dance; and
Vancouver Dance Theatre.

Katie is a teacher, performer and choreographer based in Vancouver, the unceded territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Katie completed her dance training at Simon Fraser University and the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and currently performs with Kokoro Dance and TWObigsteps Collective. Her work has been presented at the Shooting Gallery Performance Series, BC Buds, 12 Minutes Max #42 and Vines Art Festival as an independent creator. Katie holds a BA in Art History from the University of British Columbia.

Jeffrey Dawson is a tap dancer from Coquitlam, BC. An alumnus of the Vancouver Tap Dance Society’s youth company TapCo, he has performed on both the local and the international stage. In 2019, he performed in the award-winning show “The Souls of Our Feet” with Tapestry Dance Company in Austin; with Jason Janas’s Co.MMIT at the Chicago Human Rhythm Project; and in Danny Nielsen’s production “On Foot’ in Vancouver. Jeffrey is also an alumnus of the 2019 Tap Program at Jacob’s Pillow, and as part of the program was given the opportunity to present his own choreography in a show at the prestigious Ted Shawn Theatre, More recently. Jeffrey was commissioned to create a 35- minute se for the Vancouver Tap Dance Society’s show “Let Us Dance’ in the summer of 2021 and performed as a bandleader at 2nd Floor Gastown in May 2022

Gabriela Galindo is originally from Tamaulipas, Mexico, where she grew up surrounded by dance and music, quickly finding her life-long passion for the arts. She is now navigating through her contemporary dance journey in SFU's Dance program. Gaby is ecstatic to be teaching Creative Dance and Pre-Modern to kids at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts for the 2023/2024 season. By encouraging curiosity through exploration and self-expression, she fosters diversity and individuality in the process of movement creation. She absolutely loves working with the adventurous nature, and enthusiasm of children and is ready to build a safe and fun space to explore the magic of dance together!

Joanna is a dancer, teacher, choreographer and sociologist from Montreal. Joanna is interested in the different dance functions such as self-expression, cultural heritage and social messages. She began her professional training at Collège Jean-Eudes de Rosemont, where she graduated with Honours (1999). She later joined Ballet Allegro International and started a BA in modern dance at Université du Québec à Montréal. She has also worked as a teacher and choreographer in recreational and professional schools.

Jenni started dancing at age three and by nine; she began intensive training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Followed by Kidco Theater Dance Company, Banff Center for the Arts, and Victoria Arts Collaborative, just to name a few. Jenni continued dancing, performing locally and internationally. She spent 2 years based out of London, England, returning to the west coast in 2003, where she has been teaching at The Shadbolt Center for the Arts, Yyoga and various other studios. Jenni then took a chance and decided to open up a movement studio specializing in yoga, pilates and dance. In 2014 MOVE STUDIO New West was established. Jenni and MOVE have since received numerous awards and Jenni is a proud ambassador for Lululemon Metrotown. She has taught MOVEment at the LILA sessions, CAMP YOGA and created a local series at NEW WEST ART GALLERY, to name a few. She has been on staff with the theater department at Douglas College and is currently an instructor at WEST COAST SCHOOL OF MASSGAE THERAPY. Jenni holds her BA in Dance and Kinesiology from the University of Calgary, RYT 200 from Open Source Yoga and certification in Pilates from CPI.

Bryn began dancing at the age of 2. While tap dance is her specialty, she's also trained in jazz, ballet, contemporary and modern dance. She has travelled the world to train and perform with renowned international artists. In New York, she was mentored by dancers like Barbara Duffy, Heather Cornell and Claudia Rahardjanoto. She attended the Institute for the Rhythmic Arts in Chicago and performed at the Museum of Contemporary Art alongside other professional tap dance artists and masters.

Bryn has appeared in dance concept videos, including Sedated by Alex Clancy, screened at Cascadia Dance and Film Festival in 2016 and Jessie Sawyers' documentary: Music of Human Kind. Bryn has an endless passion for the tap dance art form and its rich history and is excited to share this with her students and help them reach their potential!

Heather has been teaching dance in the Vancouver and Burnaby districts since 2003. Her early training included the Royal Academy of Dance ballet technique and examinations and later Cecchetti technique and modern dance at Arts Umbrella. She graduated from the performance-intensive program at Main Dance and then moved to Toronto, where she studied at the Toronto Dance Theatre. Later she was a dance/theatre apprentice with Jumpstart Performance Company. Before discovering teaching, Heather worked in stage productions in Toronto and Vancouver, such as 12 min max, Dancing on the edge and The Kiss Project. Heather encourages artistic expression and musicality while working with students and focuses on good healthy alignment and technique. She aims to cultivate a supportive environment where creativity can flourish regardless of a student's experience level.

Trevor went to Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton in 1992, where he received a Diploma in Dance Performance. In 1993, he received the Evelyn Davis Scholarship for excellence in modern dance and choreography. He has danced with Brian Webb Dance Co., Mile Zero Dance Co. and Ballet North. His choreography has been presented in the Cayman Islands, Canada, Brazil, Holland, and the US. He also has independent films and commercials to his credit.

Karen has been dancing for the past 25 years and teaching and performing for the past 13 years. She has a BFA in Dance Performance from East Carolina University and has performed for various artists such as Mia Michaels, Jay Norman, Marjon Van Grunsven, Tomi Galaska, Mary Carbonaro, Peter Grey Terhune Presents on the Regal Princess and Crown Princess Cruise ships, Madora and other local artists. She's also a STOTT-certified Pilates instructor. Karen has studied with Simonson-certified instructors like Lynn Simonson, Mary Carbonaro and Katiti King.

Allison Lang is a performing artist creating and interpreting movement and performance art in Vancouver as a settler on the unceded, ancestral territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She is a graduate of Canada's National Ballet School and has performed extensively across Canada as well as internationally with The National Ballet of Canada, Ballet Kelowna (2016-2019), Ballet Edmonton (2019-2022) and Kokoro Dance (2023-2024). As a performer, she has had the opportunity to dream and interpret the works of artists such as Andrea Peña, Wen Wei Wang, John Alleyne, Shay Kuebler, Simone Orlando and Alyssa Pires.

Originally from Brampton, Ontario, Natasha has been teaching people of all ages and stages since 2003. She's a graduate of the School of Toronto Dance Theatre's Professional Training Program, where she learned from renowned artists from Canada and abroad. Over the years, Natasha has enjoyed a remarkable performance career working with talented people and dancing on various stages throughout Canada. She loves sharing her passion for dance with her students, from whom she's constantly learning and gaining inspiration.

Natalia Martineau (she/her) is an emerging dance artist and teacher based in Vancouver, on the unceded Coast Salish territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She holds a BFA in Contemporary Dance (Hons) from Simon Fraser University. In the process of expanding the physical and creative bounds of her dance practice, Natalia hopes to investigate how embodied sensations can reveal inarticulable truths about identity through movement. Natalia is excited to share her love of dance with the students in the Shadbolt Dance Program this season!

Carol is a choreographer, dance filmmaker and dance educator. A native of Brazil, she received her BFA in Dance and her teaching certificate from the State University of Campinas (Brazil). She also holds a Master of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and Choreography from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Her choreography has been presented at La Mama, Joe's Pub, Judson Church, Triskelion Arts, Martha Graham Studio Theater, Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater and Dixon Place.

As a dance filmmaker, Carol has worked with the New York City Ballet Media Department as a production assistant and media fellow. She co-directed and edited her dance films screened in Brazil, Finland, the US, Argentina and France. Carol worked as the production director and curator of the WestFest Dance Festival in NYC. She recently spent a year travelling the world. She has been an artist in residence at the Haihatus Art Center in Finland and has participated in classes with the Icelandic Dance Company in Reykjavik. Carol recently received a scholarship to study the Orff Schulwerk method at Unicamp in Brazil. She was the Production Director of the X EEMU (Unicamp's Music Education Encounter). Her newest dance film project, "Untranslatable", premiered at Danca em Foco in August 2017 in Brazil.

Jeannine Miller is a graduate from the Dance Teacher Training Program at Grant MacEwan College and a graduate from the Professional Training Program at Main Dance. As an independent dance artist and dance educator with over thirty years of professional experience performing and teaching, Jeannine has been instrumental to the development of the curriculum of the dance program at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and is currently the Artistic Director of Youth In Motion Dance Company.

In addition, Jeannine has been working as an arts administrator with the City of Burnaby since 1996, overseeing the daily operations of programs as well as the production and coordination of dance performances. She has shared her experience working as an artistic advisor for other arts organizations supporting the development of dance programs and staff in both Vancouver and Alberta.

Mexican-born Salome Nieto is a Vancouver-based dance artist known for her transformative works and evocative performances. Highly influenced by butoh, the cultural syncretism of Mexico and intersectional feminism, her research considers the significance of ritual and ceremony during process and in performance in the context of contemporary dance. The exploration of these intersections led her to the inception and creation of her solo work Camino al Tepeyac in 2011 and subsequently co-founding pataSola dance in 2013. In 2017, Nieto was awarded the Vancouver International Dance Festival Choreographic Award in recognition of her contribution to the art of contemporary dance as a solo artist. She has performed her work in Argentina, Canada, Mexico, Nicaragua and Thailand. As an interpreter and collaborator, Nieto has worked prominently with Vancouver-based Kokoro Dance since 1993, Donna Redlick Dance and Raven Spirit Dance. As an arts administrator, Nieto held the position of Fine and Performing Arts Programmer for Dance at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and has recently completed an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts in the School for Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University.

Amy completed her professional ballet training at Ecole Superieure de Danse du Quebec and has performed with Le Jeune Ballet du Quebec, Ballet Jorgen, Storling Dance Theater and Ballet Victoria. She has danced in numerous independent projects at Times Square (New York City) and Covent Gardens (London).

Amy obtained an MA in choreography at Laban (London). She has created works both independently and collaboratively, including "39 Rooms, 87 Stairs", a dance journey through Victoria's Craigdarroch Castle; "The White Dress Project", set in Calgary's Devonian Garden; and "Bellitat", a contemporary stage ballet by her project dance company, Sentio Dance.

Amy shares her passion for dance through teaching. Locally, she has taught at Arts Umbrella, Anna Wyman School of Dance Arts, Harbour Dance Centre, Dancestreams, Dance Nouveau and Mirror Dance. Amy continues to learn about the moving body as she works toward her Stott Pilates certification.

Jullianna is an instructor and artist based in Vancouver on the traditional and unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Going into her last year of study at SFU as a dance major, she is interested in the embodied empathy and passage of information expressed from one body to another through movement. Currently, she is collaborating on more interdisciplinary projects surrounding film, projection, and site-specific works. Jullianna strives to share her passion for all forms of movement with others, and to facilitate a space where individuals of all ages and levels feel safe coming together to learn more about dance.

Heather Parlongo was born and raised in British Columbia and graduated in 1997 from the National Ballet School of Canada’s Teachers Training program in Toronto. She received her Cecchetti Associates in 1997 making her member of the Cecchetti Society of Canada and in 2000 achieved her Cecchetti Associates Diploma. Heather also graduated in 1992 were she received her contemporary dance and choreography certificate from the London Contemporary Dance School in London, England.

Heather has been working as a ballet and creative dance instructor for the city of Burnaby since 2000. Heather currently teaches at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, Community Arts, and Edmonds Community Centre. Heather works with a range of levels, from creative ballet and creative dance to teaching ballet to children, teens, and adults. Heather strives to have classroom that is inclusive for her students’ needs and learning styles and help them discover the joy of dancing. She has worked with many dance students with learning differences. Heather believes that dance is for everyone, and that dance is a universal way of expressing our thoughts and ideas without needing words.

Donna is a contemporary dance artist, a Certified Movement Analyst (in Laban/Bartenieff Studies) and a Registered Somatic Movement Educator/ Therapist. She holds a Masters in Somatic Dance Practice (with distinction), and a diploma in Dance Teacher Training. Donna began teaching dance at the Shadbolt in 1991 (then the Burnaby Arts Centre). She worked with Youth In Motion Dance for 15 years and was the founder of Continuum Dance Company, working as their artistic director for many seasons. Aside from teaching at the Shadbolt Centre Donna has also taught for; the SFU School of Contemporary Arts, Laban/Bartenieff and Somatic Studies International, West Coast Dance Movement Therapy, Vancouver School Board as an artist-in-residence, and the BC Dance Educator’s Association. She is the founder/director of “Moving Arts & Somatic Studies” and “Donna Redlick Dance”. Donna enjoys teaching all ages – from preschool to adult. She is dedicated to working with a somatic approach to dance.

Anneliese is a professional ballet dancer from Caracas, Venezuela. She began studying ballet at age 4 and at 16, graduated from Nina Novak's Classical Ballet Academy as a professional ballet dancer and joined Teresa Carreño Ballet in Caracas. She has performed nationally and internationally as Corps de ballet and soloist in classical, contemporary and modern works. She began teaching in 2013 at the Academy and moved to BC in 2014. She maintains her training as a dancer while searching for new opportunities to grow as an independent artist and improve her skills as a dance teacher. Anneliese works with children, teens and adults, sharing her passion for dance arts. Her teaching emphasizes classical technique, musicality and artistic expression. Since 2016, Anneliese has been working at the Anna Wyman School of Dance Arts as the ballet teacher and head of their professional training program.

Claudia is a dance and visual artist. She studied Contemporary Dance Choreography in Mexico City at the National Centre for the Arts and RAD, ISTD and Cuban Ballet techniques. Claudia has taught dance and visual arts in Mexico City, Spain and the Lower Mainland for over 20 years.

She believes in inspiring children to be the best they can be through any art form. She believes that children are intelligent, masters at expression and should be encouraged and supported through arts education.

She works with children with all ability levels, learning styles, difficulties and challenges. As an arts educator, Claudia feels the responsibility to create learning opportunities for all children.

Sara has been teaching ballet since 1999 and is a Registered Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD). She grew up in Kamloops and began dancing there with Regina Bittner-Rothbart. Further study
in the Lower Mainland led to in-depth training with Heather McBride. Sara is also a UBC graduate (B.Sc. Chemistry), and holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designations. Through continuing professional development, she has gained additional teaching credentials from Acrobatic Arts and RAD Silver Swans, as well as from multiple dance conditioning systems. Sara has a particular interest in dancers’ health and safety, and is dedicated to nurturing her students’ growth and well-being, while sharing the inspiring art of dance.

Nick Apivor received his BMus from UVic in 1986. Since that time, he has been an integral part of Vancouver's music scene as a performer, composer, accompanist, and teacher. In the Classical/New Music world, he has worked with the Victoria and Vancouver Island Symphonies and recorded with Grammy Nominated Composer Paul Dolden. As a vibist/percussionist Nick has played with the N.O.W. Orchestra, Out of The Woods, Don Stewart, Bill Runge Quintet, Ache Brazil, Mimosa, and Rumba Calzada, with whom he was nominated for a Juno award and has accompanied international performers like Petula Clark, Don Rickles, Kenny G, The Canadian Tenors, and Canto Popstar Alan Tam. As a dance accompanist, Nick has worked with nearly every dance company in town and companies from Victoria and Toronto. Nick has played over 35 music theatre productions with the Arts Club, The Vancouver Playhouse and many others, including a national tour. Nick currently teaches at Trinity Western University.

Evan is a unique force in new music. His use of synthesizer, acoustic and DAW elements declare a modern movement. His music has been described as “…wistful keyboards and vulnerable vocals that guide listeners through glitching nostalgic soundscapes.” Evan has performed in varying capacities. He has competed and performed as a classical pianist, studying with pianists such as Gwen Beamish and Andre Laplante, and performs as a keyboard/synth/organ player in numerous touring productions. He was also a winner as a classical pianist at the ORMTA Young Artist Competition. Described by CBC’s Rich Terfry as "crazy talented", his debut album "The Great Ugly" was featured on CBC Radio Drive. As a composer, his experimental use of modern recording techniques mixed with his training as a classical musician informs his creation of uniquely orchestrated works for dance, film, T.V., and brands such as Oakley and Black Diamond. Evan has a Honours B.Mus in Theory & Composition with Distinction majoring in piano from Western University and an ARCT in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Toto is a traditional Afro-Cuban percussionist and vocalist from Matanzas, Cuba. He began his professional music career at the age of 16 in Los Yumurinos, a group formed by the children of the famous groups Los Muñequitos de Matanzas and AfroCuba de Matanzas. Toto was later invited to join Los Muñequitos de Matanzas. Toto worked with the group for 12 years, building his Afro-Cuban repertoire. Toto is a naturally gifted vocalist with a distinctive sound. His easy charm and Cuban warmth make him an exceptional and approachable music teacher.

David DiTomaso is an accomplished musician who has been performing live since 1980. He has studied percussion and theory with some of the best instructors in the field, and has been teaching from his own private practice (DPS-DiTomaso Percussion School) since 1993. For over 20 years David has been a workshop presenter for elementary and secondary schools, as well as professional development conferences for teachers. David also accompanies dance classes at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and enjoys the challenge of adapting to each of the instructors individual styles.

Chris Dlouhy is a pianist and teacher based in Vancouver. She has been a contestant for the prestigious UVic Musical Arts Scholarship, and was selected as a performer for a showcase concert in celebration of UVic’s twelfth anniversary of becoming an all-Steinway School. Chris is also an enthusiastic advocate of contemporary music, frequently collaborating with composers in performing solo and chamber works. During her studies at the University of Victoria, Chris majored in musicology and researched the portrayal of gender in performance in early modern Europe and how it is currently represented in music today. She is a recipient of a UVic Excellence Scholarship and a Jamie Cassels Undergraduate Research Award.

Outside of music, Chris enjoys fencing at a high level and is a former member of the Canadian Junior Epee Squad, where she competed in four world cup events.

Gill Civil (aka Gillian Dolinski), a New Zealand composer/pianist now living in BC specializes in writing music for dance. Her experience as a musician is diverse, ranging from accompanying ballet classes for companies and schools in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, United States and Brazil to touring as keyboardist for the rock band Crowded House. Gill is a prolific composer of solo piano music. Her original selections can be found on the 'Dancing Keys' 1, 2 & 3 CDs. Recent releases include the 'BPM – Ballet Pop Music' 1, 2 & 3 CDs. They feature covers of pop songs and movie soundtracks specially arranged to suit ballet classes. During the Pandemic, Gill worked with soloists from the Ballet Capitole Toulouse to accompany their 'Ballet Barre Training' on their YouTube channel. She also composed the music for a New Zealand feature film called 'The Man on the Island'. Her music can be found on her website: www.pianomusicforballet.com.

Noah Franche-Nolan is a pianist, improviser, composer, and educator living in Vancouver BC, situated on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil Waututh First Nations. He has toured across Canada and Europe with Harry Vetro’s Northern Ranger Project, appeared on many records as a side-pianist, released his debut record, and has played in many notable Canadian jazz festivals and Canadian music venues. Noah is on Faculty at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's School of Music. He also works as an accompanist for the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and Arts Umbrella School of Dance.

Maria is a collaborative pianist from Burnaby. She has a Master's degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy and a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Toronto. Maria recently completed the Collaborative Piano Graduate Diploma program from the New England Conservatory. 

As a collaborative pianist, Maria has performed at many prestigious venues, including Jordan Hall, Walter Hall, Boston Athenaeum, Isabella Gardner Museum, Robert Gill Theater and Museum of Fine Arts. 

Maria has worked at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music as a vocal coach and staff accompanist, working with renowned Oriana Women's Chorus and Acquired Taste Choir with conductor Mitchell Pady. She has also worked as a music director and repetiteur with the Summer Opera Lyric Theater for the productions of Handel's Cesare and Marschner's Der Vampyr.

She has participated in celebrated summer festivals such as the Toronto Summer Music Festival Academy of Songs, Aspen Music Festival, Opera Nuova, Opera on the Avalon and Vancouver International Song Institute. As an emerging repetiteur, she worked with conductors like Evan Mitchell, Stephen Lord, Jordan de Souza and Judith Yan.

Maria has performed with Music Friends Recital Society as a collaborative artist, worked closely with Opera Mariposa for their production of Puccini's Gianni Schicchi and debuted as a music director for their opera scenes concert. She is a faculty member at VSO school of music, a vocal coach at Vancouver Academy of Music for their college department and a staff pianist at the Shadbolt Center for the Arts.
 

Originally from Argentina, Brenda’s love for music began at an early age when she was a student at the Collegium Musicum in Buenos Aires. After moving to Canada when she was 7, she began studying piano at the BC Conservatory of music, where she received her ARCT Performer diploma from the RCM, as well as her Piano Pedagogy certificate. Since then, Brenda has enjoyed working as a freelance accompanist for various artists and organizations. Highlights include playing for the Vancouver Opera Festival, the Little Black Dress Gala at the Fairmont Hotel, and a citizenship ceremony at Vancouver City Hall. She also had the pleasure to participate in Opera NUOVA’s emerging artist program for collaborative pianists. She currently plays for Young People’s Opera Society in Surrey. Brenda is also an opera singer and performs regularly with companies throughout Vancouver, including the Shadbolt Centre’s own Burnaby Lyric Opera. She graduated from SFU with a bachelor’s degree in English and has a Certificate in Translation (Spanish to English) from the University of Toronto.

A Vancouver-based musician and professional guitarist for over 30 years, Russ has performed, toured or recorded with a host of local and international artists such as Mike Reno of Loverboy, Bif Naked, multiple Juno Award winning Hip Hop artist K-os and Grammy Award winner Nelly Furtado. Other credits include television performances with Jay Leno, David Letterman, and Jimmy Kimmel. He has primarily toured in Canada, United States and Europe. Russ received his diploma in general music from Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta in 1987. From past to present, Russ Klyne continues to be in demand as a performer, session musician, and guitar instructor. He has also performed multiple styles of music in many of Vancouver’s top cover bands and original music groups and is also an accompanist at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby B.C.

Robert is well known as a piano accompanist for dance. For the last couple of years, he has been learning hand drumming to become more versatile. With over 25 years of experience, he specializes in live performances of original music with his band, 'The Hermit'. Robert enjoys creating music compositions for the year-end shows at the Shadbolt Centre.

An award-winning composer/keyboardist, Victor has been a featured artist in the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, the Earshot Jazz Festival, Bumbershoot, the Filipino American Jazz & World Music Festival, and the Philippine International Jazz Festival.  His commissioned original work for the Oakland East Bay Symphony, Generations, Directions, which premiered in April 2012, musically addresses three generations of ethnicity in North America.  Born in Richmond, British Columbia and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Victor obtained a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies at the University of Washington.  Victor continues to work on a diverse set of original projects and collaborates with artists from a wide range of musical backgrounds.

Originally from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Tatyana received her Master's degree in music at the Tashkent State Conservatory. She studied with Lia Schwartz, a student of the Great Russian pianist, Konstantin Igumnov (professor at the Moscow Conservatory of Music).

Tatyana started her piano teaching and accompaniment career at The Uzbek State Academy of Choreography and later at the Music Lyceum in Tashkent. She performed as a soloist and accompanist and as a pianist in Chamber Ensembles during her time there. In 2006, Tatyana immigrated to Canada and has worked as a piano teacher and accompanist since.

Tatyana has over 25 years of experience and a wealth of knowledge in piano teaching and accompaniment.

Sarah Russ has an A.R.C.T. in Piano with the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has worked with the Shadbolt dance program as a ballet accompanist since 1999 and has composed music for many of the year-end dance recitals. Besides working as a ballet accompanist, Sarah works as a Fine Arts Leader for both the Music and Dance programs at the Shadbolt. In her free time, Sarah enjoys writing songs with lyrics and a variety of her songs can be found on SoundCloud.

Siobhan Sloane-Seale is a contemporary dancer and musician living and working on the Coast Salish peoples' unceded, ancestral, and traditional territories. Originally from Manitoba, she trained at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She moved to Vancouver to continue her training and graduated with a BFA in contemporary dance at Simon Fraser University in 2004. Siobhan has been training and studying improvisation and contact improvisation at EDAM Dance since 2005 and has also been teaching Iyengar Yoga since 2010.

Siobhan has worked at The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts since 2011. She also plays for the All Bodies Dance Project. She is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist and released her first full-length album in October 2019.

Isabella was born, raised and educated in Ukraine. She graduated with a bachelor degree in music and education. She also has a degree in accompaniment. After graduation, Isabella worked in the school of music for gifted children for 7 years. She immigrated with her family to Canada in 1977. She worked with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School (1978-1995), was a senior accompanist for all levels of students and participated in playing for the teachers' training program. Isabella moved to Vancouver in 1995. She has been an accompanist for Ballet BC, Arts Umbrella, Simon Fraser University's Harbour Dance and Pacific Dance Arts. She has also played for examinations around Vancouver. Isabella has participated in workshops and performances for the Checchetti Society for 22 years and has worked at Dance Co for 9 years. She has been an accompanist at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts since 2013.

Shauna is the author of "roughened in undercurrent" (Leaf Press, 2008). A well-respected poet, educator and community advocate, she completed her MFA in Creative Writing at UBC. She has led creative writing workshops at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Deer Lake Park, Burnaby and many Vancouver organizations. In the community, Shauna has worked extensively with migrant and refugee women in labour and mobility rights, poverty alleviation and legislative reform. Her work is published in Forcefield: 77 Women Poets of British Columbia (mothertongue, 2013), In All the Spaces: Diverse Voices in Global Women's Poetry (Authors Press, 2020) and is forthcoming in blue gait (mothertongue, 2021).

Eileen Kernaghan is the author of nine historical fantasy novels and a four-time winner of the Aurora Award for Canadian speculative fiction. Her latest novel, 'Sophie, in Shadow' (Thistledown Press, 2014), set in 1914 India under the Raj, was shortlisted for the Sheila Egoff Award for Children's Literature and the Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic. An associated novel, Wild Talent: a Novel of the Supernatural (2008), was shortlisted for the 2009 Sunburst Award. The Alchemist's Daughter (2004) was shortlisted for the Sheila Egoff Award. Eileen has also co-written 2 non-fiction books and her short stories have appeared in many North American literary and speculative publications.

Christine graduated from Sheridan College with a degree in animation. She has a passion for drawing and a wide range of work experience from video games to film. She currently works as a storyboard artist full-time and teaches part-time at the Shadbolt Centre.

Charlie Cooper is a musician who works across live performance, installation, and sound design. His performances and recordings often combine electroacoustics with video and text. Charlie is an active cross-disciplinary collaborator, regularly working with dance, theatre, sound and digital media artists.

Khrysta Lloren, also known as NOFAC3, is a Filipino stop-motion animator based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Alberta University of the Arts, her  multidisciplinary practice encompasses stop motion animation, hyperrealistic paintings, art installations, media arts and film. Her artistic endeavors are characterized by a profound exploration of surrealist elements and psychological horror themes, through the diverse medium of multimedia art. She is the founder of NOFAC3 Productions  through which she has worked with numerous international artists including Drake, Bree Runway and Mochakk. 

Born and raised in Vancouver, Evan has been pursuing his musical career since he was young. In addition to teaching double bass, cello and guitar, he has been performing with various groups across Greater Vancouver and Vancouver Island since the mid-90s. Evan's musical experience spans a wide range of styles, from classical to folk and jazz to world music. After earning his Bachelor of Music from the University of Victoria, he taught privately in Victoria for several years. Then, he returned to the mainland to further his musical career and continue teaching and sharing his love for music. Evan teaches private lessons and group guitar classes at the Shadbolt Centre.

Annie started classical violin at 5 years with the Suzuki method and studied as a teen with Carla Birston and her Youth Orchestra in White Rock and as an adult with Toni Stanick. After graduating from the University of British Columbia, with her family’s encouragement she dove into performing and discovered a talent at improvising over a variety of genres. Fiddle music from eastern Canada and Ireland is her specialty, and she is an instructor to individuals and groups. Annie teaches Violin Basics and private violin at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. 

Miranda is an experienced and dedicated flute instructor with an extensive teaching background both locally and internationally. She has a Bachelor of Music degree from UBC. She continued her post-graduate classical studies in England and Scotland with various legendary flautists. Inspired by acoustic music's ability to connect our physical and mental selves for better overall health and happiness, Miranda uses the flute to help improve her students' lives. Her musical understanding and experience allow her to be versatile and flexible in her approach (pop, jazz, folk, classical). She enjoys working with students of all ages, either for fun or professionally.

Mathew is a graduate of Simon Fraser University with a BFA in music. He studied Music Theory and Ethnomusicology at UBC for six years after that. Mathew has played the violin with the New Westminster Symphony Orchestra and the UBC Chamber Strings. He has also played in non-western ensembles, studying Chinese, Balinese, Japanese, Korean and African music. He played erhu (Chinese fiddle) in the UBC Chinese ensemble for several years. He has been teaching violin since 1997 and studied pedagogy for 2 years with Martina Smazal. Mathew teaches private violin at Shadbolt.

Miriam obtained her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of British Columbia in 1996 and has been very active as a performer and instructor. She operates her own private voice studio, is a background actor in film and TV, manages Laudate Singers Society, manages and sings in Caminando Carolers and Angelus Singers, and is an occasional alto singer in Vancouver Chamber Choir. Miriam has been teaching Private Voice, Singing for Adults, Young Tunes, and Orff music classes at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts since 2002.

Allan has been an active part of the Vancouver music scene for many years playing drum set, percussion and accordion. Since obtaining a Bachelor of Music degree in percussion from UBC, Allan has performed with such notables as Ashley MacIsaac and the Celtic-Funk band Mad Pudding, with whom he has performed at festivals worldwide. He is currently a member of the Celtic super-group Collage Trad. An accordionist as well as a drummer, Allan is a full-time member of the Francophone trio Pastiche (accordion/percussion) and is currently active in the Vancouver Brazilian music scene (accordion/percussion), where he specializes in Forró and Choro and performs with groups such as Brazilian Flavours. He also plays drum set in local blues and jazz bands and is a fixture within the Celtic, Francophone and Brazilian music communities, where he continues to perform and record on drum set, percussion and accordion.

Lana is a pianist and a Registered Music Teacher (piano) who holds a Master's degree in Music Education. Lana completed her undergraduate musical training at UBC. She also holds a Diploma in Performing Arts (Music) - Piano. Lana has studied and been certified in different pedagogies, such as Kodaly, Carl Orff Philosophy and Kelly Kirby Kindergarten Piano Method. As a teacher, Lana's aim is to provide her students with great musical knowledge and instill a love for music and music appreciation. Her students regularly participate in exams, recitals, festivals and competitions with great achievement and attainment of various awards and have been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall, New York due to an outstanding placement in an international competition. Lana also participates as a performer and presenter in various conferences and seminars and has presented nationally and internationally. She studied the guitar as well and has an interest and experience in voice and dance. Lana is a member of the BC Registered Music Teachers' Association, International Society for Music Education, and Canadian Society for the Study of Education. Lana teaches Piano Basics, as well as private piano at the Shadbolt Centre.

Peiyi holds a doctorate degree from the University of North Texas with a major in music. She was a first-place winner in the RAFA Artist Competition and Montana CedarLuke Young Artist Competition in the U.S. She also won third-place in the Atlanta Young Artist Competition. Aside from her long-time music study, she is a big fan of coding and studying law and has received certificates in Law Studies and Computer Science in recent years.

Isaac holds a bachelor's degree from the National University of Mexico and an artist diploma at the Superior School of Music, both in Mexico City and an RCM ARCT and a BCCM Licentiate. Isaac has received numerous medals, awards and scholarships at music festivals and competitions. He has performed as a solo accompanist in a wide range of styles and musical genres. His students have won first place in many music festivals and high marks in music exams. Alongside teaching piano, Isaac adjudicates in music festivals in the Lower Mainland.

Paul earned a Classical Guitar Certificate in Amsterdam at the Sweelinck Conservatorium.  He has been teaching guitar since 1987 at schools such as Vancouver Community College, Malaspina College, Powell River Academy of Music and the Langley Community Music School.  He is an experienced performer, recording artist and Chamber music specialist.  He teaches all ages and abilities and teaches group and private guitar at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

Eva earned a master's degree in music education at the University of Calgary and specializes in various pedagogies, such as Kelly Kirby Kindergarten Piano Method, Kodάly, and Carl Orff Philosophy. She also attained a diploma from the Trinity College in Piano Performance and is an active member of the Canadian Registered Music Teachers Association. For over twenty years, Eva has shared her love and passion for music with students of all ages and levels. She has been running two piano studios in both Fleetwood, Surrey and South Granville, Vancouver and has been serving the communities as a dedicated piano and theory teacher. In addition, Eva has taught at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts since 2011. Eva was inspired by her theory teachers, Tiffany Lee (BC) and Dr. Julia Galieva-Szokolay (ON) and completed all levels of the RCM Harmony courses with their support and guidance. Eva enjoys writing music and doing music arrangements for choirs in her spare time.

Winnie is a violinist and pianist who has performed in concert halls across Canada, the US and the UK. She is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music where she received her Master and Bachelor of Music degrees. She teaches students of all levels with expertise in the Royal Conservatory of Music program where she holds dual violin and piano ARCT diplomas.

For over ten years, Charmaine has shared her love and passion for music with students of all ages and levels. 

She has a bachelor's degree in music and a master's of education degree from the University of British Columbia (UBC). She also holds an Associated Diploma in Performance and Piano Pedagogy from the Victoria Conservatory of Music.  

Many of her students have participated in annual concerts and music festivals and have taken the British Columbia Conservatory of Music (BCCM) and Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) piano and theory examinations. 

Charmaine teaches at the Shadbolt Centre and the BCCM.

Craig has been a professional musician, composer and educator for over 30 years. He has played guitar, bass and drums in a multitude of Jazz, Rock, Folk and Country groups across Canada and has toured throughout the world with bands such as Frazey Ford, the Washboard Union, Kent McAlister and the Iron Choir, Joel Kroeker, the Cape May, Ridley Bent, Camaro 67, Kingsway and the Great Outdoors. A graduate of Mount Royal University, Calgary, he obtained his Music Diploma in 1993. Since 1991 he has been teaching guitar, bass and drums to all ages, both privately and through various music schools in western Canada. He currently teaches through the City of Burnaby at Edmonds Community Centre and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

Elisabeta obtained her master's degree in piano performance and music pedagogy at the AG Dima Music Academy in Romania, Europe. Her master's studies included the interaction between music, sociology and psychology. Since moving to Vancouver, Elisabeta has accompanied dance artists and classes at Main Dance Society, Harbour Dance, and Richmond Academy of Dance. She has been teaching private piano, theory and adult piano classes at the Shadbolt Centre since 1995.

Jayeon holds a music diploma from Capilano University and a music degree from UBC. She began her piano lessons at the age of 7 in Korea. At Capilano University, she studied with David Vandereyk, and later at UBC, she studied with Dr. Corey Hamm. She has participated in many interesting concerts of a variety of musical genres and cultures. As a result, Jayeon has much to offer to those who are open to learning.

Kevin has led children’s programs for the City of Burnaby for 20 years.  His education includes a Bachelor of Opera Performance from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Voice Performance from the University or Western Ontario. Stage performances include The Arts Club, Theatre Calgary, The Surrey ReEnactors, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre, and Carousel Theatre, as well as various TV shows. Kevin sits on the Powell Street Festival’s programming committee and is VP of NWPS.

Aouda completed a Master of Education in Art Education at Simon Fraser University, a Bachelor of Performing Arts at Capilano University and an RCM registered educator. She has taught piano and music theory at the Richmond Art Centre, the Edmonds Community Centre in Burnaby and worked as a piano accompanist for the ABC Montessori pre-school. She is also fluent in English and Cantonese.

Leanna Bombarda is a classical pianist from Calgary, Alberta who has been studying the instrument for approximately 15 years, with the experience of teaching for 7 years. Additionally, Leanna also produces music, and plays several other instruments such as the guitar, bass, ukulele, and additionally has played percussion for university music ensembles. At the age of 15 years old, Leanna completed the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) ARCT requirements for all theoretical subjects: harmony, history, analysis. Leanna has been teaching piano and theoretical subjects such as harmony and history to students ranging from age 3 to 60. Leanna recently graduated from Capilano University’s Music program as a piano major in the Fall of 2024, and has previously studied at University of Calgary from 2020-2021 under the Bachelors of Music/Bachelors of Education concurrent program. She is continuing her music education under the University of British Columbia’s School of Music. Leanna's students have achieved first class honours, and first class honours with distinction in RCM theory, history, and harmony exams. Additionally, Leanna has mentored newer harmony and history teachers, mentoring them to teach these subjects under a music school in Calgary, as well as serve as a judicator for private music competitions. Leanna has participated in several recitals and festivals, and won second place prize for the Capilano University Music competition, receiving a monetary prize.

With over 15 years of proven excellence in performance, teaching, and adjudication, Dr. Joyce Wang, a pianist and a cellist, conducts early childhood music classes, and performs as a soloist, collaborative pianist, and orchestra cellist. Born in Taiwan and raised in Belize and USA, Joyce received her Bachelor of Music Education, and Master’s and Doctorate of Music degrees from West Virginia University. She served as an Assistant Professor of Piano at UCSI University (Malaysia), Program Coordinator in Chamber Music. In the administrative realm, she was a program coordinator at West Virginia University (USA). Joyce resides in Vancouver with her husband, Lucas, a pianist, and their daughter. In her free time, she enjoys baking, reading and traveling. 

Nicole Deslauriers has taught and directed people of all ages but focuses on working with children. She's the pre-performance coordinator at CircusWest and has recently worked on productions with Stone's Throw Productions and Shadows and Dreams Theatre Company. As a theatre artist, she has worn many hats but prefers teaching, directing and choreography. Her training includes clowning, puppetry, mask, circus arts and dance. She believes that theatre is an amazing tool for teaching creativity, flexibility and acceptance and focuses on collaborative creation and collective storytelling. She teaches drama and playmaking at Shadbolt.

Catherine is an interdisciplinary performer who mashes together comedy, grotesque, vaudeville and stand-up. Her material is made from her own experiences and curiosity surrounding loners and misfits in emotional states of insecurity. Her performances investigate relationship boundaries with an active audience and alienation to engage a consciousness of responsibility and a critical approach to the work. Collaborative, site-specific and DIY is the best formula for her to work in. She discovers costumes, characters, space, and set, which feed back into her performances in amplifying loops and seeks inspiration from magazines, news articles, clothing, household items, light sources, sound, vinyl records, photography, and film and video. She teaches drama and playmaking at Shadbolt.

From the first paid performance in her living room at the age of four, Deanna realized a creative life of theatre was meant to be in her cards. She has been an actor, singer, and dancer on the stage and screen at home and abroad. When not performing, she loves to teach children of all ages how to "embrace the weird" and express themselves with abandon. For almost a decade, she has loved her time teaching drama, music theatre and speech arts at the Shadbolt Centre. Before her time at the Shadbolt, she has taught theatre, voice and dance to students in private dance schools and summer camps in Ontario and BC. Deanna is a graduate of the esteemed Sheridan College's Music Theatre Performance program and is currently completing her honours baccalaureate. She has also studied with many teachers in film and stage across Canada, bringing a wealth of practical knowledge and years of study. Deanna is a member of CDTA, CAEA, UBCP and ACTRA.

Leah is originally from Vancouver, where her love of acting began while studying at the Arts Umbrella Pre Professional Theatre Program. After graduating from Concordia University in Montreal with a BFA in Theatre Performance and Education, she became a Geordie Productions touring company member, which won her the Dora award in 2018. She has been teaching acting and theatre to young people ranging in age from 2-22 for the last 8 years alongside pursuing her career in theatre, voice and stunts. Leah's instructing style pulls from many inspirations, including Fitz Maurice and Linklater Voice methods, Decroux and Lecoq mime, Meisner, Depaul clown and her own previous professional experiences. She teaches speech arts and podcasting.

Orsy holds a BA in Theatre from UBC and an MA in Acting from the New Actors Workshop in NYC. She has been teaching acting to children of all ages since 2010. Orsy is the co-founder of Yellow Heart Pictures, where she makes films about real people in vulnerable situations, focusing on strong female characters. Her work has played at International Film Festivals, CBC, Telus Optik, enRoute Air Canada and can be found online. She teaches acting for the camera, speech arts and screenwriting.

Erik is an award-winning actor, musician, composer, music director and writer. He also instructs at UBC, The Gateway Theatre Academy, The Arts Club, Bard on the Beach and coaches professional actors and performers privately from his home studio. Erik has performed as an actor in films and television and a voiceover artist. He completed his theatre training at Studio 58 and works, plays and lives in the traditional unceded Coast Salish Territories. He teaches speech arts and musical theatre.

Michael is an educator and artist who has taught for over 30 years in art centres and schools in Alberta and BC. As an art instructor and artist in residence, Michael has led classes for children and adults in drawing and painting, cartooning, animation, printmaking, ceramics, mixed media and puppetry. He has developed curricula for visual arts and assisted students in preparing portfolios for post-secondary applications, teaching costume design and prop construction and co-directing school plays. His classes are student-focused, ensuring that each child can express themselves always with a focus on fun. He tells his students that their point of view is what they should strive to show the world!

Judith is a professional artist with an extensive exhibition record and studio practice. Judith is an honours graduate of Emily Carr University of Art + Design and has studied at the Banff School of Fine Arts, Capilano College and ECUAD in Italy. She's a Fine Arts instructor at Shadbolt, Langara and Evergreen Cultural Centre. As an artist-in-residence for all school districts, Judith has worked with students to create 20 large murals in school and other community settings. Judith leads Painting in Tuscany Tours for Langara College.

Nancy was born in Taiwan, where she studied under the master painter, Huei-Tung Chen. She also studied art in Montreal and continued her study of Chinese painting in Vancouver. Nancy is a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. She works primarily in watercolour on Chinese rice paper, combining traditional and contemporary techniques. Nancy conducts workshops and demonstrations throughout Canada and the United States and has exhibited both locally and internationally.

Philip is an editorial photographer who specializes in portrait photography. His passion is the revival of an 1850s photographic process, tintype photography. Philip's freelance career started in black and white photography after receiving his certificate in Business/Photography from Vancouver Community College and completed the Langara College Professional Photography Program. As a photography instructor and self-employed photographer, he has worked for Vancouver Community College Continuing Education program, the Insurance Corporation of BC, Getty Images and Associated Press, in addition to his freelance work. At Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, he led workshops in tintype photography in collaboration with the Capture Photography Festival and was the artist-in-residence in 2017. He transmits his infectious enthusiasm for the medium to students, introducing an old process that's new to them. He was recently nominated for the 39th Annual National Magazine Awards for one of his wet plate images.

Christy received a BFA in Studio Arts and History from the University of BC and a Certificate in Creative Writing from Simon Fraser University. She's an experienced teacher and mentor in fine art, architecture and literary arts and has a background as a professional in design and project management for architectural, advertising and marketing firms. Christy is a Fine Arts instructor at the Port Moody Arts Centre, exploring fine art techniques, literature, history, and storytelling with adults, teens and children. Currently, she's a Fine Arts instructor at Shadbolt.

Polly graduated from The Vancouver School of Art in Printmaking. She is a mixed-media artist whose work has been exhibited in Ontario and BC and is included in private collections in Canada and abroad. Her extensive teaching experience includes Outreach Instructor for Emily Carr University and teaching children's classes at the Arts Umbrella and the Surrey Arts Centre. At Shadbolt, Polly teaches pencils, paint and plasticine to preschoolers and art classes for older children and adults. She introduces young artists and adults to drawing, painting, collage and sculpture while encouraging creativity and self-expression.

Mariana is a teacher and textile artist with over 20 years of experience in dyeing. She has a bachelor's degree in visual arts and art education from Brazil, a master's degree in fine arts in crafts/textiles from NSCAD University in Nova Scotia, and an Expressive Arts Therapy certificate from Langara College. Mariana has facilitated textile-based collective works in community projects at Kiwassa Neighbourhood House, The Gathering Place, and Trout Lake Community Centre in Vancouver. In her practice, Mariana specializes in resist dyeing methods like shibori, batik and itajime. At the Shadbolt Centre, Mariana is teaching Shibori Fabric Dyeing.

Sara has an active studio practice spanning 23 years. Graham holds a BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and an MFA from the University of Guelph. Her diverse body of work is concerned with the images, issues, and ideas that surround us and make up the cities we live in or those we imagine. She's interested in how people and communities shape and are shaped by the systems and networks in the everyday lives of cities and how they move within and around cities, especially in the visible and invisible infrastructure of urban environments. At Shadbolt, she teaches drawing and paper assemblage.

Alexandre is an artist and art educator who lives and works in Langley, BC. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, he worked in advertising. After years of learning with an artist mentor, he lost interest in advertising and began his journey towards art. He was a co-founder of Atelier Contraponto in São Paulo, where he taught drawing and painting and worked in Fundação Casa, a correctional facility for minors, teaching drawing to incarcerated teenagers. Since 2006, Alexandre has participated in many exhibits in Canada, Brazil and internationally. His work is realistic and pictorial, emphasizing the feeling of reality, not a simple copy of it. He strives for movement and subjectivity through abstraction and a translation of what is seen. His creative process is distinct from the academic method and is radically diverse from contemporary art. At Shadbolt Centre, Alexandre has instructed adults in Painting Studio and currently teaches Charcoal and Pastel.

Eleanor received her BFA from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg and has exhibited her artwork in group and solo shows across Canada, the US and Europe for over 30 years. Her visual art practice includes fibre arts and mixed media: from embroidery to weaving, papier-mache to traditional fresco painting. She also designs costumes for theatre and workshops for artists. Eleanor has worked with inmates in BC prisons and has taught at Capilano University, Emily Carr University, the University of Fraser Valley and Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She has collaborated with other artists and writers and has had her artwork featured in several publications. She received a Best in Show award at the Wearable Art Awards in 2006. Eleanor has received grants from the Manitoba Arts Council and the BC Arts Council and has led workshops in drawing, painting and mixed media for schools, colleges and universities. She has taught at Shadbolt since 1993.

Mat is a visual artist based in Vancouver, BC. Between 2007-2012 Holmstrom attended the Alberta College of Art and Design and MacEwan University, where he studied traditional and contemporary art and design. In 2012 he relocated to Vancouver and committed to developing his art philosophies and practices. He teaches private art classes in his studio, workshops with youth as part of the Studio 101 program of the East Side Culture Crawl–an organization of which he is a Board member. Since 2017 Holmstrom has participated in numerous group exhibits and several solo exhibitions across the Lower Mainland. His work can be found in private collections across North America. At Shadbolt, he teaches creative pathways and painting studio.

Ian is a Canadian watercolour artist and instructor living in Metro Vancouver. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, he continues to return to the elements of this region in his artwork. He has been a professional photographer and, in recent years, a painter. Ian developed an early visual interest in the watercolour medium due to the works of Franklin Carmichael and Toni Onley. However, it was during a brief stint studying architecture that a physical love of painting manifested. While primarily self-taught, Ian is grateful for the opportunities for learning from Thomas Schaller and Herman Pekel. Ian's paintings have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions and are included in a growing number of private collections in Canada and worldwide. His work is a re-creation of things he sees, remembers and is often a reflection of how he feels. Well known for his Instagram and Opus Art Store demos, Ian currently teaches adult courses at Shadbolt–including watercolours, urban sketching and drawing and painting birds.

Jay is a graduate of the Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design. Jay's sculpture, sound and video work have been exhibited in Canada, the US and Europe. He's also a musician and producer. As an artist/instructor, he has participated in many community arts projects in Burnaby and as an artist-in-residence at Shadbolt. Currently, Jay teaches programs for children, teens and adults.

Sophia is a watercolour painter and fashion textile print designer. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, she received her BFA in Fashion Design from Faculdade Santa Marcelina and her MFA in Art History from Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado. Sophia has been creating print designs for fabrics since 2007 and began studying watercolours on her own in 2012. She was a professor at Santa Marcelina Faculty from 2015 to 2016, teaching fashion illustration. Sophia also taught pattern design and painting at the Innovation Creative School. Currently, she collaborates as an assistant to the acclaimed Canadian artist Susanna Blunt, teaches online classes for fashion students and designers, and exhibits her paintings in Vancouver. Sophia is a Fine Arts Instructor teaching watercolours (adults), character design, fashion design and illustration fundamentals (teens) at Shadbolt.

Cherry received her Bachelor of Visual Arts at Emily Carr University in 2017. Cherry has taught workshops and art programs for children of all ages, from preschool to high school. She has exhibited her artwork locally at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster, the University of BC, Emily Carr University, Centre A in Vancouver and the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. Her work is based upon concepts that take visual form in a wide range of materials and techniques. She describes her creative process as asking questions, not for the sake of answers but the possibility of more questions.

Julieann has an extensive background in the arts. She is an active member and frequent exhibitor at the Federation of Canadian Artists and has received numerous awards and commissions from a worldwide audience. She has taught watercolour painting at the Shadbolt since the fall of 2000. Every winter, Julieann also teaches watercolour workshops in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Tony's extensive background in art and design spans more than 30 years. Tony is an honours graduate in painting with a master's degree in design (architecture) and has designed numerous civic buildings over the years. Tony teaches art and design related courses at Emily Carr University of Art + Design and UBC Garden Design Program. His particular interest combines nature with the human figure and architecture in both abstract and representative modes. At the Shadbolt, Tony teaches a range of adult drawing workshops and a weekday class in drawing and painting called Tony's Art School.

Ross is a Vancouver based mixed media artist who has created lens-based artwork for over 30 years. His artwork is a hybridization of traditional art techniques, printmaking and photography. Ross blends paint, wax and resins with both modern and historical photographic processes. He's an instructor in the digital photography program at the Vancouver Institute of Media Arts and leads photographic workshops at Vancouver Photo Workshops. His work is held in the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation's art collection, the Art Sales and Rentals program of the Vancouver Art Gallery, and private collections in North America, Europe, and Asia. His photographic work has appeared in publications across North America. At Shadbolt, Ross teaches teen photography camp and adult introductory and intermediate photography courses.

After completing her Arts degree at Simon Fraser University, Melissa’s design and illustration work quickly gained international attention. Her works are found in both private and public collections. Melissa’s practice is multi-disciplinary: illustration, textiles and digital media are combined in her pieces, characterized by their amplified contrast. She moves between traditional and street/urban styles, resonating with a wide audience. Through her work, Melissa navigates her interests in popular culture and social history. Melissa has a natural, joy-filled and accessible approach to art instruction; she supports her students in evolving as artists and individuals. Melissa enjoys her career as a full-time elementary school teacher in Burnaby when she is not teaching art.

Marie Joy Caldwell is a published Illustrator and Burnaby Tattoo Artist who began her journey as a young artist at the Shadbolt Center back in 2003 at the age of 10. Since then she graduated from Emily Carr University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and has been an Arts Instructor for the Shadbolt Center since 2013. Marie enjoys a multitude of practices and has studied a wide variety of art forms to find her place in the art world, she currently specializes in delicate ink and dotwork illustrations and watercolour painting.

Christy received a BFA in Studio Arts and History from the University of BC and a Certificate in Creative Writing from Simon Fraser University. She's an experienced teacher and mentor in fine art, architecture and literary arts and has a background as a professional in design and project management for architectural, advertising and marketing firms. Christy is a Fine Arts instructor at the Port Moody Arts Centre, exploring fine art techniques, literature, history, and storytelling with adults, teens and children. Currently, she's a Fine Arts instructor at Shadbolt.

Vanessa holds a BFA from the School for Contemporary Art at Simon Fraser University and has enjoyed teaching for over 5 years. Her continuing studies include visual culture studies, philosophy, sociology, pedagogy and publishing. Vanessa has experience with a variety of cartooning and art techniques, including Manga and Eastern storytelling. Vanessa teaches our after-school Drawing and Cartooning Programs at a variety of Burnaby Elementary Schools. These classes are a few of the many Shadbolt Centre for The Arts Outreach Programs throughout Burnaby.

Cherry received her Bachelor of Visual Arts at Emily Carr University in 2017. Cherry has taught workshops and art programs for children of all ages, from preschool to high school. She has exhibited her artwork locally at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster, the University of BC, Emily Carr University, Centre A in Vancouver and the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. Her work is based upon concepts that take visual form in a wide range of materials and techniques. She describes her creative process as asking questions, not for the sake of answers but the possibility of more questions.

Michael is an educator and artist who has taught for over 30 years in art centres and schools in Alberta and BC. As an art instructor and artist in residence, Michael has led classes for children and adults in drawing and painting, cartooning, animation, printmaking, ceramics, mixed media and puppetry. He has developed curricula for visual arts and assisted students in preparing portfolios for post-secondary applications, teaching costume design and prop construction and co-directing school plays. His classes are student-focused, ensuring that each child can express themselves always with a focus on fun. He tells his students that their point of view is what they should strive to show the world!

Michael is a professional actor (UBCP/ACTRA and Equity) with over thirty years of experience teaching theatre arts to students aged 3 to adults. Michael is the Performing Arts Education Coordinator at the Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam and teaches recreational drama classes in Burnaby and North Vancouver. In his misspent youth, Michael has performed and recorded songs with a couple of rock bands, he has decades of experience as a fire-juggling street performer and, according to the IMDb website, Michael is best known for playing the role of Wiggens in Clint Eastwood’s Academy Award-winning film Unforgiven. Visit Michael’s website at www.charrois.com for more information.

Alexandra is passionate about performing arts. She has a BFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and is currently pursuing her Early Childhood Educator diploma. Alexandra is a fine arts instructor at Shadbolt, allowing her to pursue her passion for teaching and inspiring children and youth. When not teaching, she likes listening to podcasts, enjoying rainy days with a cup of coffee, and playing Dungeons and Dragons.

Mariana is a teacher and textile artist with over 20 years of experience in dyeing. She has a bachelor's degree in visual arts and art education, a master's degree in fine arts in crafts/textiles from NSCAD University (Nova Scotia), and an Expressive Arts Therapy certificate from Langara College. Mariana has facilitated textile-based collective works in community projects at Kiwassa Neighbourhood House, The Gathering Place, and Trout Lake Community Centre in Vancouver. In her practice, Mariana specializes in resist dyeing methods like shibori, batik and itajime. At the Shadbolt Centre, Mariana teaches Shibori fabric dyeing. 

Julia is an experienced Burnaby educator and actor who specializes in improv, youth programming, and costume design. She has her Bachelor of General Studies in Education with 3 Education minors (SFU), Associate's Certificate in Nonprofit Management (BCIT), and a lifetime experience in theatre. As a previous City of Burnaby fine art student and volunteer herself, Julia was ecstatic to join the City of Burnaby team as a drama instructor in 2020. Julia's ethos as a teacher is (1) the power of the active student and the guiding instructor, (2) the importance of creating choices for learning, and (3) the value of growing from 'mistakes'. When Julia isn't teaching, you can find her freelance writing, sewing, working in nonprofits, and singing along to musical theatre soundtracks!

Cleo is a Vancouver-based dance artist and educator. She's a graduate of MacEwan University's Theatre Arts program and The Dance Initiative professional training program. She also holds instructional dance certification from Rhythm Works Integrative Dance. Her professional stage credits include Gold Fever Follies, Iron Mountain Theatre, The Lovers Cabaret, and The Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret. When not dancing, Cleo loves riding her bicycle and spending time with her cat. 

Chris went to school to study Developmental Psychology and Teaching, and has a strong passion for education. He believes that each student can bring something unique through their perspectives, and that art is something that can express those ideas. Chris enjoys embracing different art styles, from cartoony to realistic, this way he can never be bored! Art is about discovering new things and finding out how things work in a visual way.

Nik is a visual artist from Pitt Meadows, BC. They have a Studio Art Diploma from Capilano University and a BFA in Visual Arts from Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Versed in painting, printmaking, digital media, drawing, and collage, Nik's practice focuses on textiles and experimental paper mediums. Nik has been teaching at Shadbolt since 2016, often working with school-age students. They are also heavily involved in community arts, primarily working on public art programs and school murals. Nik's primary focus is on integrating expressive arts and therapeutic recreation into fun and meaningful art education. Nik is currently attending the Therapeutic Recreation Diploma program at Douglas College.

Tami Murray has a passion for art and art education. She splits her time teaching toddlers to teens with her own art practice. She believes art is an essential part of life; from fostering empathy and growth mindsets to enhanced problem solving innovations--and considers art to be a necessary component to mindfulness and self-care. Tami studied drawing, printmaking, book making, ceramics, sculpture, painting and photography at both Red Deer College’s Fine Arts Department and at Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Photography. She has exhibited in various groups' shows over the last two decades and participated in several community art events and has work in a number of private collections. 

Heather is a graduate of the National Ballet School Teacher Training Program and the London Contemporary Dance School in England and holds a certificate in choreography. She also has intermediate and associate diploma Cecchetti teaching degrees. Heather has been teaching in the Lower Mainland for the past 8 years.