PREMIERE DANCE ACADEMY - Key Persons
AJ started developing her love and passion for dance at Premiere Dance Academy when she was only 3 years old. She has trained in various styles including ballet, tap, jazz, musical theatre, street jazz and lyrical. At the age of 7 she joined the competitive team and has won numerous overall awards and scholarships. Throughout the years she has expanded her training through participating in workshops, intensive and dancing at different facilities such as Broadway Dance Center in New York. AJ has a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Operations Management from the University of Calgary.
Bri Zubick began her performance career at a small competitive studio in British Columbia. Her love of dance took her to Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and most recently London, UK. Bri has worked with Mackenzie Martin (Geometry Dance Company), Samm Price, and Cheese Collins performing in pieces at various events in Los Angeles. While in Toronto Bri performed in pieces and shows choreographed by Ashley Schoffield (Opus Dance Collective), Hayley Paone (Prerogative Dance Collective), Kahvontay Slaughter (Unapologetic Dance Collective), as well as Kathryn Miles. Some highlight performance for Bri have been performing at the Rotary International Opening Ceremonies, being a part of the inaugural cast of Candy Cane Kids the Holiday Musical and performing in the short film Her/Self. Bri has trained at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, IDA Hollywood, and House of Jazz. These spaces inspired Bri to always continue dancing and discovering new parts of the dance industry.
Choreographically Bris work has won awards at various events across Alberta and British Columbia. Bri has won choreography awards for her Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary and Acro routines. Her work as a choreographer wins high placements and stand out overalls. Her work has been showcased at various shows including "The Letters We Do Not Want to Send", hosted through the TD Arts Incubator, "WISE International Women's Day", University of Toronto and "NextGen Film Festival", Dance YYC. As an Educator Bri is incredibly passionate about providing encouraging spaces to grow and develop as an Artist and Human. Bri believes that dance should be a space to make mistakes and discover what truly moves us. Bri continues to further her dance education through various educational spaces. Bri continues to educate performers through adjudicating at various events across Canada.
Miss Cailyn's love for dance began at a young age and she now enjoys sharing her passion for dance with the next generation of dancers. She has trained in many dance styles including ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, musical theater and lyrical. Miss Cailyn has completed her ADAPT intermediate 3 tap and jazz exams as well as her Royal Academy of Dance advanced 1 ballet exam. She has also earned her ADAPT dance teacher certification. Miss Cailyn has also danced professionally with Calaway Live during the summer of 2019. Miss Cailyn is so excited to return to Premiere Dance Academy this season as a valued faculty member and she looks forward to sharing her love of dance and witness her students' success.
Connor Denison is an award-winning tap dancer, choreographer and teacher and has had the honor to teach and perform at a multitude of studios, workshops, and festivals across Western Canada as faculty, guest artist, and choreographer. Growing up as a company member of Calgary's Tri-Tone Rhythm Ensemble he has had the opportunity to study the history of Tap Dance, learn repertoire of the masters, as well as participate in the development of new contemporary works under the artistic direction of Tasha Lawson. Connor is also a graduate of the Tri-Tone teacher training program.
Highlighted performance credits include touring BC with the cast of "Love.Be.Best.Free" (Danny Nielsen), dancing as a lead in "Caravan" (Derick Grant and Tasha Lawson) and performing in "The Cholly Project" in Vancouver (Travis Knights). Recently Connor was featured in Danny Nielsen's full-length production "On Foot," premiering in the fall of 2019. In the fall of 2020 Connor was an understudy in Lisa Latouche's piece "Fool's Gold" presented by Fall For Dance.
In the spring of 2019 Connor began producing his own work entitled "Fourteen". Audiences were later captivated in the summer of 2020 and 2021 when Connor was given the opportunity to extend the piece into a half hour set, presented by Springboard receiving rave reviews from industry professionals. Connor is currently developing the set into his first full length show.
Ella Johnson has been entangled in the dance world since she was three years old. Born and raised in High River, Alberta, she attended DanceTech for most of her foundational training. In pursuit of a more rigorous training program, she auditioned to be a part of the YYC dance project, a company in collaboration with the School of Alberta Ballet. This is where Ella defines her primitive growth as an artist. Traveling across North America attending competitions, conventions, and eclectic job opportunities, this program allowed her to expand her wisdom of what an art form dance truly is. She is most thankful for the support she received from her family to allow her to undergo dance at another level. Foregoing her graduation, she developed a chronic back injury and had to conclude her career prematurely. This made her diverge into teaching and it quickly became her new obsession. After working with choreographers such as Andrew Winghart, Michelle Dawley, and Kristen Carcone as a young dancer, they directly enlightened her creative take on her choreography. Ella has been rooted in music since the beginning. From taking piano lessons weekly since grade 2 to composing songs in her free time, you could say she is one with music.
Miss Ella is so thrilled to start a new journey with Premiere Dance Academy and desires to build nurturing relationships with the dancers and team.
Haley started dancing at the age of two and has been passionate about it ever since. She started taking tap and ballet and quickly took on many other genres throughout the years including, jazz, ballet, tap, lyrical, contemporary, acrobatics, hip hop and musical theatre. At the age of eight Haley started competing and has competed at a variety of competitions both locally and internationally.
Miss. Hana has been dancing at Premiere Dance Academy since she was three years old and has been competing since the age of 7. She has been dancing in many genres such as ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical and modern. She has multiple years of experience with student teacher training. She has also completed her Advanced 1 RAD exam. Miss. Hana is very excited to continue teaching and sharing her love of dance with her students at Premiere Dance Academy!
Hope has been dancing since the age of three, and with Premiere since she was six. Being trained in tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, and modern, she is a well-rounded and experienced dancer. She danced on Premiere's competitive travel team from ages eight to eighteen and has been awarded multiple special awards and scholarships. She apprenticed as a student teacher throughout junior high and took Ms. Lisa's Inspire Dance Teacher Training Program in 2022. Having just graduated high school, Hope is now ready to start a new chapter in her life by pursuing dance instruction. Hope is excited to help her students find their voice through dance and can't wait to start teaching at Premiere Dance Academy this season!
Jenna began dancing in Calgary at the age of four. Her love of dance grew quickly as she trained in jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, and musical theatre. She was given the opportunity to perform and compete at numerous competitions, conventions, and showcases where she achieved awards that recognized both her technique and dedication. Spending her childhood and teen years in the studio, Jenna has developed an understanding of the significance of providing a positive environment where dancers can learn and grow their love of dance. This is why Jenna is so excited to join the front desk team at Premiere Dance Academy this year, to share her passion and excitement with students and parents alike!
Kayla Tiller (she/her) is an emerging dance artist, choreographer, and dance educator. She studied multiple disciplines of dance at her local studio Dazzle Dance in Grand Forks, B.C. She went on to lead both recreational and competitive dance teams during her time teaching at her local studio, earning multiple awards for her choreography. Kayla is currently studying at the University of Calgary, Alberta, and is working towards her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a focus on Contemporary and Ballet. She is learning from esteemed teachers and artists such as Ingrid Díaz Céspedes, Wojciech Mochniej, Melanie Klotzel, Christianne Ullmark, and Nicole Charlton Goodbrand. Kayla became a member of the first season of Corps Bara's training program in the fall of 2022 where she performed alongside Corps Bara's company dance members. Kayla is looking forward to being a part of the Premiere Dance Academy team.
Originally from Red Deer, Kimberly moved to New York City to train at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, under the Ailey School's Certificate Program. She continued her studies at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. She performed in works by Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, Ray Mercer, Virginie Mecene, Amy Hall, Judine Somerville, Justin Prescott, and more. Kimberly has danced with numerous contemporary ballet and modern companies such as Hudson Ballet Theatre and Long2 Dance Company. She has worked in numerous print and video productions, including the inclusive clothing company, Universal Standard. Kimberly is passionate about sharing her love of dance with all, regardless of ability, disability, or limitation. She had the pleasure of curating a dance program for patients at the International Multiple Sclerosis Management Practice in Manhattan and continues to bring the program to different demographics across Alberta. Kimberly is thrilled to be back in Canada and cannot wait to work with the students at Premiere Dance Academy!
Job Titles:
- Assistant Artistic Director & Competition Director
Ms. Laura has been dancing since the age of 2, training and dancing competitively for 12 years, including time spent performing with the Young Canadians. Though she is most recognized for her Tap style & technique, she trained all her life in many genres including Ballet, Jazz, Musical Theatre, and Lyrical. Throughout her dancing career, Laura received numerous dance awards, recognition, and scholarships, including the Jamie Hill memorial trophy, and is a proud Alumni of Premiere Dance Academy.
Having been teaching dance for the last 18 years, Ms. Laura values being able to share her love and passion for dance with her students. She cares very much about the success of her students, both within dance as well as in their lives outside of the studio and hopes to inspire young dancers to pursue their dreams. Her students have received many accolades, scholarships, and opportunities, as has her choreography throughout the years.
Ms. Laura remains focused on the growth and success of her students while working alongside Ms Lisa to uphold the Premiere Dance Academy values and vision at the studio as Assistant Artistic Director and Competition Director. Having found her second family with Premiere Dance Academy, Ms. Laura is happy to return with each passing year to a place that she respects, values, appreciates, and feels most at home.
A dancer her entire life, Lisa began teaching at Premiere Dance Academy in September of 1984. In September of 1999, she became the Owner and Artistic Director of the studio.
Lisa keeps very busy with teaching, choreographing, and her two daughters, who are both Competitive dancers. She also spends time adjudicating for various professional dance competitions all across Canada.
Lisa has had a very successful career in the performing arts. She choreographed the opening ceremonies of the World Police and Fire Games in 1997 and the Calgary Hitmen Anniversary Home Opener Opening Ceremonies in 2014. Additionally, she holds the position of co-director for the Hats Off Management Group.
She has been on set for various large-scale productions and has been acknowledged with many prestigious awards for her exceptional talents.
Lisa wrote the Calgary Board of Education Accredited Student Dance Teacher Training Program to create well-trained assistant and student dance teachers. She is thrilled to do what she does best; work with the dancers, create new pieces, and watch Premiere Dance Academy students grow into talented and inspired performers.
Megan Daniels hails from Saskatoon where she started her dance journey at age 4 with Yvonne Jaspar at Jaspar Academy of Dance. She arrived in Calgary 11 years ago to continue her career as a professional contemporary and ballet dancer. After dancing with several companies throughout Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta, she decided to venture into teaching and fell in love with it right away. As a teen she trained professionally at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and went on to dance with the company in the years following. It was during those years that she realized that movement and dance are her life, and she now feels so lucky that she can make her living teaching these things.
Originally from Prince George, BC, Morgan began dancing at the age of 3, she has trained in many genres throughout the years including, jazz, tap, hip hop, ballet, acro, lyrical, modern, and contemporary. Morgan has found a particular enjoyment in contemporary dance, receiving recognition at the local and provincial level in this genre. Morgan is currently studying at the University of Calgary in the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Program and is going into her third year. Outside of her studies, Morgan has recently completed her time in the Corps Bara II contemporary dance training company. Morgan has been teaching dance for 7 years and loves teaching dancers of all ages at the recreational and competitive levels and has found success at the provincial level for her choreography. Morgan teaches ballet, jazz, hip hop, musical theater, tap, lyrical and contemporary and is excited to pass on her love of dance to her students at Premiere Dance Academy!
Miss Olivia has been dancing at Premiere Dance Academy since the age of 5 and started dancing competitively at 7. She has trained in a plethora of disciplines such as jazz, tap, ballet, pointe, musical theatre, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and street jazz. Miss Olivia is excited to share what she knows with others as well as bringing new ideas to Premiere Dance Academy. Olivia is known for bringing energy and positivity to the stage and studio and is adored by her peers and students alike. She has attended many workshops and has won numerous scholarships including dancing in Disneyland. On top of dancing Olivia takes acting classes. Her acting has assisted her with all genres and being able to grasp a better understanding of how important performance quality is. Being a dancer all her life, with multiple years of student teaching training, Olivia is honoured and thrilled to continue her teaching career! Premiere Dance Academy is and will always be Olivia's second family and she is excited to welcome and inspire more students each year!
Rae-Lee is a dance instructor who is devoted to aspiring young dance artists. Her goal is to create healthy and enthusiastic dancers who love art and will positively influence the world of dance. Rae-Lee began her ballet and contemporary training in Alberta. She danced for six years in Corps Bara Dance Youth Company, travelling around Alberta, Toronto, and New York City. In 2012, she began her training in contemporary dance at Simon Fraser University, where she furthered her skills in modern dance and choreographic composition. Rae-Lee moved to Toronto in 2014 to learn from renowned faculty at Canada's National Ballet School's Teacher Training Program. During her training at NBS, she obtained her teaching qualifications with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and the Royal Academy of Dance. In 2017, Rae-Lee graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in Contemporary dance from Simon Fraser and her Teacher Training Diploma. Rae-Lee is excited to work and learn with the dancers and faculty at Premiere Dance this year!
Rosalyn started ballet in Hong Kong at the age 5, trained in Royal Academy of Dancing syllabus achieved RAD Advanced Foundation. She started her teaching since 2017 and she found it rewarding to see students' growth and improvement. She believes that Ballet is all about technique, gracefulness, and expression. Rosalyn just relocated from Hong Kong to Calgary in July 2022, and she is excited to work and grow with her students this year!
Sage grew up on Vancouver Island British Columbia where her dance journey began. Starting at the age of 3 she started in Ballet and eventually progressed into other genres such as Jazz, Hip hop, Tap, and Contemporary. Once she graduated high school, she moved to Vancouver to pursue her professional career. She trained in Harbour Dance Centres ‘ITP' and then ‘KTL'. Many opportunities came from that such as We Day and many other shows and performances. In 2019 she took her training to LA where she grew so much as a dancer. Sage is very excited to be part of the PDA faculty this season and looks forward to helping the students at Premiere Dance Academy grow as dancers.
Originally from Sherwood Park Alberta, Shae developed a love for dance at a young age. Starting her dance training in Sherwood Park, she won numerous awards as well as scholarships in competitions all over Alberta. Shae truly found her passion for ballet as a child when she was given the opportunity to dance with The Alberta Ballet in such productions as The Nutcracker, and A Midsummer Nights Dream. At the age of 12 she decided to pursue her dream in ballet and auditioned for The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School (RWB). By 13 years old, she moved away from home to Winnipeg for her ballet career. As a student in the school, she was given many great opportunities to dance in such productions as In Concert, First Steps (where she had a chance to choreograph for her peers), Concert Hour and Ballet In The Park.
Ms. Stephanie has been dancing since the age of 5 with extensive training in jazz, ballet, acro, tap, lyrical, musical theatre and modern. She also made time and was fortunate enough to pursue her other passions of gymnastics and swimming throughout a generous portion of her childhood. During her dance education, she was the recipient of countless overall awards and special recognition opportunities, completed her Advanced II RAD ballet examination, and was the recipient of many scholarships enabling her to travel North America to train under highly sought-after choreographers and dance educators.
Todd Svecla found an early love for drama in high school and enjoyed working backstage for various productions. He was happy to step into the role of managing behind-the-scenes activities for Premiere Dance Academy after his marriage to Lisa.
Todd is a natural fit for the role as he has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Calgary and extensive experience running a business. He is available to answer any financial questions you may have regarding your account and handles general business details of the studio.