Instructors

Dominique Hutchinson, Director and Teacher

Dominique is a native of Montreal. She moves to B.C. in 1985. She is a certified teacher from the Royal Academy of Dancing in Ballet and from Studio Claire Duhamel in Montreal in Contemporary and Ballet. Her dance teachers include: Lois Smith O.C. (Ballet and choreographic work), Joseph Slater (Ballet and Ted Shawn technique), Ellen Andrews (Ballet, Claire Duhamel (Contemporary and Ballet), David Adams (Ballet) Attila Ficzere (Ballet), Isabella Morca (Flaminco) and Miss Lejokova (Ballet). In 1999 Dominique also received her White Belt in Nia with Zeta Gaudet. For more than 25 years Dominique has taught in private studios, community centres, Elementary and High School programs in B.C. and Quebec, encouraging kids and adults alike to find the dancer from within them. She has also been part of many micro dance groups as director, choreographer and dancer including; Danse-t (Quebec), Movement Art and DS Danse (B.C.) Dominique Hutchinson will be teaching the Junior Jazz and Junior ballet, Preschool Ballet, Contemporary, Acro and the Dsdanse Company. Dominique continues to give our students a love of dance through her continued commitment to the arts.

Heidi Riggs, Teacher

Heidi is a graduate of the National Ballet School in Toronto where she completed 9 years of study in classical ballet, pointe work, Flamenco and acting. She has performed with the National Ballet of Canada, The Royal Ballet and the Canadian Opera Company. She went on to study in Europe and returned to Canada to join the Albert Ballet Company. From Calgary, she joined the Canadian based tour of the The Phantom of the Opera in which she traveled internationally as the Dance Captain, working with singers, actors and dancers for the show.Heidi's base of artistic and technical integrity have lead her to uncover her creativity and self expression through Movement and Dance including achieving her White Belt in Nia with Zeta Gaudet in 2005. In 2009/2010 Heidi followed her heart and studied Hip Hop at the Harbour Dance Centre in Vancouver. Heidi Riggs will be teaching intermediate and advanced Ballet, Ballet Pointe, adult ballet and Junior Hip Hop. Her level of creativity will be an amazing experience for our students.

Zeta Gaudet, Teacher/Administrator

Zeta has been a movement professional since 1978. Her background in kinesiology from SFU, her movement and leadership experience, lead her to train body mind movement teachers internationally.
Zeta’s formal dance training began in 1994 with Lois Smith OC when she danced in “The Family” choreographed by Lois Smith. She continued to study ballet with Ms. Smith as a private student and later semi private until 2002. Dominique and Zeta met during rehearsal in 1995 for the 4th Celebration of Dance. Together they co-created “Liaison” and “Chrysalid” along with various other pieces for the Dance Society. In 1999 Zeta formed a contemporary dance company, Movement Arts, as a way for herself and a small group to continue performing. When DsDanse was created by Dominique she became one of the team. Her last performance was in H20 in 2009. Zeta continues to teach movement classes, is a student of Aikido (black belt), is the Administrator of Dominique’s School of Dance and the Manager of the Heritage Playhouse.

April Newton-Mason, Teacher

A well known teacher on the coast for many years has danced professionally for several companies: The Anna Wyman Dance Theatre, The Alberta Ballet Company, Saskatchewan Theatre Ballet, The Judith Marcuse Company, The Goh Ballet and The City Contemporary Dance Company in Hong Kong. April has also taught at the Anna Wyman School of Dance Arts, The Goh ballet and many various dance school on the Coast and in Vancouver teaching a variety of classes in Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz & Hip Hop. We are pleasde to welcome April as our Intermediate II Jazz and Advanced Jazz teacher.

Assistant Teachers

Courtney Hobson, Acro and Junior Ballet

Cassidy Rainer, Acro & Junior Contemporary

Taliesin Sanford, Junior Jazz

 

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