TAKE A MOMENT TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY

Every dancer has a part in the story of Halifax Dance. When you step into a studio, you become a part of the nearly 50-year legacy of this organization. Once an HD dancer, always an HD dancer!

ALUMNI PROFILES

A woman in black athletic wear mid-air, with her hair flowing upwards, in a squatting position with arms extended outward.

Gabrielle Kachan

École de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal

A female dancer with long red hair in mid-air leap, wearing a black leotard, against a white background.

Amelia McGrath

Concordia University

A woman in a white dress performing a dance or theatrical act on a dark stage, crouching with arms extended forward.

Solene Bernier

École de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal

A woman dance poses in front of a rack of stage lighting equipment on a wooden stage with a pink gradient background.

Amy Campbell

Bates Dance Festival Young Dancers Workshop

Concordia University

Two young girls performing a dance or theatrical act on stage, wearing semi-transparent costumes, with a dark background and focused stage lighting.

Aliah Schwartz

Concordia University Dance Program

Child performing a dance move on stage with a red background

Liza Hartling

University of Calgary- Dance

(photo: Kate Hayter)

Ballet dancer in a blue dress sitting on the stage floor with a plain blue background.

Chloe Hart

Bates Dance Festival Young Dancers Workshop

École de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal

(photo: Kate Hayter)

A ballerina performing on stage in a beige costume with feather details, balancing on pointe with one arm raised and the other across her chest, against a black background.

Sophie Zimmer

Walnut Hill – USA graduated with high honours

Boston Conservatory – USA studying Bachelor of Fine Arts

(photo: Holly Crooks)

Three girls pose and dance around a giant black sculpture of a U.S. dollar bill.

Anya Pelot

DomaineForgét

Ryerson University – Dance Program

Toronto School of Circus Arts

A dancer in black sheer clothing poses gracefully against a backdrop of draped fabric.

Sarah Hopkin

Canada’s National Ballet School – Summer School

Royal Winnipeg Ballet – Summer School

ÉcoleSupérieure de Ballet du Québec – Summer School

Ryerson University – Dance Program

School of Toronto Dance Theatre – Summer Intensive

ProArteDanza Summer Intensive

Apprentice with Toronto Dance Theatre

(photo: Sara Kardooni)

A female ballet dancer in a black leotard performs an elegant pose, standing on one foot with her other leg extended and arms raised.

Kate Houston

Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada School – Summer Program

National Ballet School – Summer Program

Arts Umbrella

École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec

Le Jeune Ballet du Québec

The Banff Professional Summer Dance Company

MOVE: The Company – Joshua Beamish

Candence Progressive Contemporary Ballet

Springboard Danse Montréal

A woman jumping mid-air with her hair flying, wearing a black top and shorts, against a white background.

Bridget Lappin

London Contemporary Dance School, London UK

Richard Alston Dance Company

Bern Ballett (now known as Konzert Teater Bern)

Peut-Être Theatre

Glyndebourne Opera Festival

English National Opera

Royal Opera House

The Watermill Theatre in their award-winning revival of "The Lord of the Rings"

Freelance Voice Actor 

Black and white portrait of a young woman with straight hair and bangs, looking at the camera.

Zoe Keijser

Canada’s National Ballet School – Summer School

North Pennsylvania Youth Ballet – USA

Goh Ballet Academy

Simon Fraser University – Dance Program

Merce Cunningham Fellowship – USA

Connecticut Ballet – USA

A man with a beard kneeling on the floor in a room with large windows, facing to the left.

Julian Czenze

L’École Supérieure de Ballet du Quebéc

LADMMI (Les Ateliers de Danse Moderns de Montréal Inc.) Lately known as École de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal

A woman in a black dress jumping on the beach with the ocean in the background.

Sarah Douglas

York University – Dance Program

Independent Dancer/ Choreographer

Two women are dancing in a dimly lit room, with one wearing a black leather jacket and colorful T-shirt, and the other in a bright blue jacket with white stripes, black pants, and boots. There is a DJ or music setup in the background.

Jessica Curtis

Saint Mary’s University Dance Team

The Woods professional hip-hop dance company (company in residence at Halifax Dance).

A woman with short brown hair looking to the side with a thoughtful expression, against a gray background.

Lydia Zimmer

Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada School – Summer Program

Canada’s National Ballet School – Summer Program

Walnut Hill – USA

Boston Conservatory Dance Division– USA

Alvin Ailey – USA

Jacobs Pillow – USA

North Carolina School for the Arts – USA

The Movement Invention Project

Springboard Danse Montréal

Independent Dancer/Choreographer in Los Angeles and Boston – USA

Smiling woman with short brown hair, wearing a white top, indoors with a bookshelf and a dark wall in the background.

Melissa Lively

School of Toronto Dance Theatre

Independent Dancer/ Choreographer

A young girl performing a high kick during a dance routine on stage, accompanied by other dancers in the background.

Victoria Diamond

LADMMI (Les Ateliers de Danse Moderns de Montréal Inc.) Lately known as École de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal

Mission SocialePoétique (Cirque du Soleil)

ThéâtreExpérimental

Pigeons International

Estelle Clareton

Thierry Huard

Mélanie Demers

Cochemare – Clyde Henry Productions

La Tête en Bas (Maxime Giroux)

Empreintes (Théâtre à Corps Perdu)

Black and white photo of a woman standing with her arms raised above her head, and another woman sitting below her with her head tilted back. The image has motion blur effects.

Miriah Brennan

LADMMI (Les Ateliers de Danse Moderns de Montréal Inc.) Lately known as École de Danse Contemporaine de Montréal

Phin Performing Arts

Mocean Dance

A woman with long brown hair wearing a purple sleeveless top, smiling at the camera, against a gray background.

Natalie Lyons

University of Toronto Dance Group

So You Think You Can Dance Canada

Clear Talent Group

Independent dancer in Los Angeles

Ballet dancers performing on stage, dressed in colorful costumes, with two dancers holding hands and smiling at each other.

Vivika Ballard

Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada School – Professional Program

New Zealand School of Dance

Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada

GenY Project

Mocean Dance

Portrait of a young woman with long dark brown hair, blue eyes, and a bright smile, wearing a blue top, against a neutral background.

Emma Kerson

School of Toronto Dance Theater

Fantasies and Other Poisons by Sharon B. Moore (Co-producer / dancer)

Toronto Heritage Dance

Niagara Dance Company

Kemi Contemporary Dance Projects

Warm Laundry (Dance Collective)

Dance Matters

A woman in athletic wear performing a high jump or dance move against a plain background.

Gillian Seaward-Boone

LADMMI (Les Ateliers de Danse Moderns de Montréal Inc.) Lately known as École de DanseContemporaine de Montréal

SinhaDanse

Pigeons International

Blackandblue Dance Projects

SINS (Sometimes in Nova Scotia)

O Vertigo Danse

Phin Performing Arts

Mocean Dance

(photo: Val Boulet)

Two dancers performing a contemporary dance on stage, with one dancer leaning back and the other supporting her.

Melanie Ferro

Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada School – Summer Program

Alberta Ballet – Summer Program

North Carolina School of Performing Arts – BFA – USA

David Parsons

Danny Grossman

Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre

Mocean Dance

(photo: Holly Crooks)

Two men lifting each other by the beach, one standing and holding the other horizontally in the air.

Paul Deadder

Toronto Dance Theater (studied and graduated on scholarship)

Danny Grossman Dance Company

Videos with Weakerthans and Alanis Morisette

Choreographer of own work and for Cindi Lauper

Black and white photo of a woman with dark hair, standing in front of a brick wall.

Jolene Devoe

School of Toronto Dance Theatre

Independent dancer – Toronto, ON

A young woman with long hair in a dance pose on stage, wearing a light-colored dress, with a dark background and spotlights

Molly Johnson

School of Toronto Dance Theatre

Julia Sasso Dances

CORPUS

Irondale Esemble Project

ZataOmm Dance Projects

Judith Marcuse Projects

Bouchard Danse

Forcier Stage Work

Dusk Dances

Le Carré des Lombes

Dora Mayor Awards (Dance Juror)

Member of The Canadian alliance Dance Artists

Member of The Dancer Transition Resource Centre

A woman in gray athletic wear performs a dance or stretching pose on a dark stage with a black background.

Sarah Rozee

LADMMI (Les Ateliers de Danse Moderns de Montréal Inc.) Lately known as École de DanseContemporaine de Montréal

Mocean Dance (Co-founder/ Artistic Director/ Dancer)

Phin Performing Arts

The Room (Co-founder)

(photo: Holly Crooks)

Three dancers performing on stage, one in the foreground extending her arm and leg, and two in the background in crouched positions.

Lisa Phinney

School of Toronto Dance Theatre

CORPUS

Kaejad’Dance

Mocean Dance (Co-Founder/ Artistic Director/ Dancer)

Phin Performing Arts (Artistic Director/ Choreographer/ Dancer)

(photo: Holly Crooks)

Black and white photo of a smiling woman with short, wavy hair, wearing a light-colored jacket over a collared shirt, outdoors with blurred trees in the background.

Alexis Milligan

Jacob’s Pillow

Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre

George Brown Theatre School

British American Drama Academy

Professional Actor 13 Years

Unions: Canadian Actor’s Equity Association, ACTRA

Current Director-in-Residence at Two Planks and a Passion Theatre

Current Board Chair of Theatre Nova Scotia

Associate Teacher with the Society of Russian Ballet

Woman with short curly hair wearing a furry top and brown pants, posing with one arm across her shoulder and head tilted.

Sara Coffin

Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts-BFA

Dalhousie University- BScK

Edam Dance (Study)

The Holy Body Tattoo

Mascall Dance

Kinesis Dance

Susan Elliott

Tilt Sound + Motion

Daelik/ MACHiNENOiSY

Claire French

SINS (Sometimes in Nova Scotia)

Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, Dance Dept- Assistant Programmer and Faculty

Mocean Dance- Co-Artistic Director

Smith College- Teaching Fellowship and MFA, Dance

Woman in a long dress holding a bottle and a trophy, smiling with one arm raised

Alicia Orr MacDonald

Mocean Dance (Co-Founder/ Co-Artistic Director/ Dancer)

Feet to the Beat (Founder, Administrator and Instructor)

Film entitled “Snow,” directed by Rohan Fernando

Artistic Director of The Young Company of Halifax Dance

Principal of Halifax Dance

A woman lying on the floor with her eyes closed, wearing a black dress, with long blonde hair spread out and partially covered in yellow paint or substance.

Jacinte Armstrong

New World School of the Arts- USA

Verve Mwendo (Founding member)

SINS (Sometimes in Nova Scotia)

Mocean Dance

(photo: Holly Crooks)

A woman with blonde hair dancing on a dark stage, wearing a light-colored dress and socks, in a pose with arms extended and body leaning to one side.

Carolle Crooks

Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada School- Summer Program

Mocean Dance (Co-founder/ Co-Artistic director/ Artistic Director/ Dancer)

ImpulsTanz International Dance Festival- Austria

A woman with blonde hair performing a split on a white surface, with her head turned to the side and her arms extended forward. The background is dark.

Sara Harrigan

State University of New York- Purchase College BFA in Dance Performance

Jacob’s Pillow

School of Toronto Dance Theatre

Mocean Dance (Founding member and Co-Artistic Director)

ImpulsTanz International Dance Festival- Austria

Member of Canadian Dance Alliance of Dance Artists

Member of Canadian Dance Assembly

Member of Dance Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Talent Trust selection committee

Ballet dancer practicing at a ballet barre in front of large windows in a city studio.

Michelle Murphy

Canada’s National Ballet School- Professional Program

National Ballet Academy of Amsterdam

Dutch National Ballet

A woman performing a dance or gymnastic pose, mid-air with arms and legs extended, wearing a black sleeveless outfit, in black and white photography.

Skye Nicolson

School of Toronto Dance Theatre

Independent dancer- Toronto, ON

A person dressed in black striking a dramatic pose on a trapeze or swing against a plain background.

Micaela Archer-Shee

Royal Winnipeg Ballet of Canada School- Summer Program

Banff Center for the Arts

L’École Supérieure de Ballet du Quebec

Le Jeune Ballet du Quebec

Les Grands Ballet Canadiens de Montréal

Toronto Fringe Festival of Independent Artists

Halifax Live Art

Atlantic Fringe Festival

Owner of Coastal Dance Studio

Black and white photo of a woman with dark, flowing hair and intense expression

Ruth Ellen Kroll Jackson

North Carolina School of Performing Arts- USA

Martha Graham Dance Ensemble

New York City Opera

Cortez and Company

Patricia Kenny Dance Collection

Robert Battle

Parsons Dance Company