Constance Cooke, Artistic Director

Constance is the artistic director of the Victoria School of Contemporary Dance. In Victoria Constance has taught for Lynda Raino Dance, the University of Victoria Fine Arts Program, Kidco Dance School, Island Dance, Camosun College, and Ballet Victoria. She was Artistic Director of Victoria Dance Connection from 2005 to 2008, and co-founder of the Victoria Arts Connection.

Constance is an invited guest choreographer and teacher for some of Canada’s leading training Centres in Dance. She is a nationally recognized award-winning educator and choreographer of contemporary dance. Her work has been presented across Canada by various companies, theatres, and festivals. Over the years she has amassed a large body of work including a number of full-length pieces. Constance has also worked on dance for camera films, including "Anarchists Footwear" which had its American debut in New York earlier this year. She is an eager participant and movement teacher for the International Dance for Camera intensive, with Guggenheim Fellowship recipient Ellen Bromberg. This summer Constance had the honour to teach alongside renowned award-winning dance film director David Hinton at the Can Asian Dance Festival In Toronto.

Her professional work is considered by many to be provoking, challenging and innovative. Her physically vigorous and artistically challenging contemporary classes combine release work, body alignment and technique. Constance also loves to incorporate elements of improvisation and creative process into class.

Many of Constance's students are currently dancing with professional companies throughout Canada, the United States and Europe, and have gone on to establish their own companies and independent careers. Constance has sent numerous students into some of Canada's finest professional training programs including Toronto Dance Theatre, the National Ballet of Canada, and Contemporary Dancers (where she taught in their professional program before moving to BC).

Constance has been the recipient of numerous awards, scholarships and grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, the British Columbia Arts Council, the Manitoba Arts Council and the Vancouver Foundation. She is the artistic director of the company Constance Cooke Dance. She has been chosen as Victoria’s favourite choreographer by Monday Magazine.  (top)


Leticia Pang

A Victoria native, Leticia’s training took place at Pacific Dance Centre. She was also fortunate to receive training from the National Ballet School of Canada, the Banff Centre for Performing Arts, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School.

Her professional dance career includes numerous summers at the Banff Festival Ballet and 10 years with Ballet Jörgen Canada. She has performed ballets such as Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Coppélia, and works by Balanchine. She has also been privileged to work with and to perform the new works of great choreographers such as Crystal Pite, Wen Wei Wang, Mark Godden, Roberto Campanella, and many other talented Canadian choreographers.

Leticia began her teaching career here in Victoria upon retiring from her professional dance career in 2002 and has taught at many schools both on Vancouver Island and on the mainland. She also attained the Royal Academy of Dance Teaching Certificate in the spring.   (top)


Kelly Tyerman

Kelly is a 1998 graduate of Vancouver’s Main Dance professional dance program where she studied many forms of modern dance including Graham, Labon Notation, Contact Improvisation and Bhuto. She was privileged to train with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Canada’s National Ballet and the Banff Centre for the Arts.

Kelly has embraced her ballet training and applied it to a variety of modern dance techniques while working with acclaimed educators and performers such as Helen Walkley, Sylvain Brochu, and Margie Gillis. Massimo Agostinelli, Tedd Senmon Robinson, and Barbara Bourget are a just a few renowned choreographers who have influenced her career. The culmination of her training with Toronto Dance Theatre found Kelly working with noted choreographers such as Christopher House, David Earl, and Rosemary James.

Kelly has performed professionally throughout Vancouver with Tantrum Dance Collective. Her choreography has been commissioned by local artists such as Farley Johansson (co-artistic director of Science Friction Dance Company) and Victoria’s Kerry Krich. After moving to Scotland in 2002, Kelly sought training at Edinburgh’s Dance Base with Steinvor Palsson. She subsequently returned to the West Coast of BC in 2005 where she continued to teach, choreograph, and perform independently, finally settling in Victoria in 2007. It is here that she performed with Constance Cooke in a 2008 film by Tracey Houser entitled Truth.

In 2009, Kelly created and performed her own production, both at The Metro Theatre for Light On Our Feet and in BOUNCE. Currently Kelly is creating a full-length contemporary work entitled Stript: Back to Bare that will debut in October 2009. She continues to enjoy choreographing and performing with local artists, sharing her experiences, teaching dance throughout the west coast of BC, and freelancing her talents for programs such as the Penticton / Kiwanis Dance Festival.   (top)



Dawn Hartshorne

Prior to graduation from the professional dance training program at Grant MacEwan College in 1994, Dawn was a company member of New West Dance Company based out of Saskatoon. She has been a part of the dance communities of Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver and danced and performed with the Dirty Feet project, Spring Board, (Edmonton, Calgary), Start Dance, and Continuum Dance (Vancouver).

Performing is one of Dawn’s passions. Her goal is to find new and interesting ways to create work in a space that fuses together various art mediums. Dawn has had the opportunity to choreograph and perform in a variety of works throughout her dance career. She presented numerous works while studying at Grant MacEwan. She performed and choreographed work in Calgary’s 2000 and 2001 Dance Explosions festival. She also presented a multi-media duet piece with Continuum Dance in 2005 in Vancouver. Most recently Dawn has become more involved in the Victoria dance community and has recently performed in various pieces. She has been involved in either master classes, work shops, or dance pieces with the following choreographers and companies: Dance Makers, Montreal Dance, Hose Navas, Brian Webb, Yvonne Coutts, and Andrew Harwood, to name a few.

Teaching has also been a large part of Dawn’s career. She has taught a variety of dance techniques from creative play and learn, primary and grade 3 ballet, jazz and hiphop/modern fusion to students from three years to adults at a number of dance schools and centres over the past 20 years in Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver.

Dawn has been a part of the fitness industry for over 17 years and currently instructs a variety of group fitness classes and individual personal training sessions, both through her own fitness and danced based company called NewBodyWorX , as well as other fitness centres in Vancouver. Dawn was a fitness presenter at the 2005 BCRPA Fitness conference at Simon Fraser where she had the opportunity to present an advanced dance-style step choreography workshop to fitness professionals. Dawn loves teaching. She knows how rewarding it can be to see students and participants become better aware of their bodies in space. A large part of her teaching concepts are focused on body awareness. Whether the movement comes from a place of dance or fitness, it is still movement that demands close attention, rewarding us on both an emotional and kinesthetic level.   (top)


Jung-Ah Chung

Jung-Ah graduated from the Ewha Women's University in Seoul, Korea. Appearing in Empty Space at the 4th Recontres Choreographiques Internationales De Seine-Saint Denis, she was awarded a Best Dancer's Prize. She also performed for Ae-Soon Ahn in 1998 in the Grand Prize of the Centre Internationales De Bagnolet in Paris.
Her own choreography has included Shape, A Shout of Joy, Woman in the House, Skin, Beginning and Being, Duet, Four Swallows, Full Bloom ....

Since she moved to BC and has worked with Constance Cooke , Ballet Victoria, TriPOD Dance Collective, Out of the Box Productions, Suddenly Dance Theatre, Wen Wei Dance, and Battery Opera, recently Jung-Ah’s solo Connection was invited to Tangente 08 in Montreal, CanAsian Festival 09, and Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival 09 which she created for Pulse at the Dance Centre and Dancing on the Edge, ROMP 2006. She also participated in Suddenly Dance Theatre’s film Nature Ecstasy and Opium and Aisling for Bravo and directed, choreographed, and performed in her first film drive in 2005.

Jung-Ah toured with Suddenly Dance Theatre in three cities in Korea in summer 2008 and was invited for The 10th Next Wave Dance Festival. With her nonstop versatile performances, she was chosen as Victoria’s Favourite Choreographer in 2006 and the favourite dancer in 2004 by M-Awards, Monday Magazine.

She will continue to dance in gratitude with the mind of infinite possibility.   (top)


Anthea Browne
Early home movies show Anthea at four years old, dancing barefoot on the lawn Isadora style. Since Kelowna lacked a contemporary dance school, she took her formative dance training at the Canadian School of Ballet, before going on to Ryerson University in Toronto. On earning her teaching degree, along with an introduction to contemporary dance, Anthea returned to the West Coast, landing a job with the Paula Ross Dancers. In Vancouver, Anthea juggled concurrent careers as a dancer, fitness instructor and personal trainer. She danced with a number of independent choreographers, but especially with Barbara Bourget and Jay Hirabayashi of Kokoro Dance. In 1998, Anthea discovered Ashtanga Yoga, deepening her practical knowledge of movement and exercise physiology through delving into more energetic and spiritual teachings. She opened Karuna Centre in the Comox Valley, which remained a hub for adult dance, yoga, and art for five years. Anthea performed both solo, and with her multi- generational improv group, Stark Raven Dance, often in unexpected places, and upside down. Anthea has danced on the streets of Montreal, Vancouver, Nanaimo and London; on a waterfall, a lagoon, as river, on and around a 100 year old Maple Tree. In a bookstore and the Nanaimo Library, and on a fire escape in the rain. She is also certified in Thai Yoga Massage and Clearheart Bodywork, and has published several inspirational pieces on yoga, and a healthy lifestyle. Anthea's focus in her teaching is on creating a light, strong practice. Her work is informed by Dona Holleman, Orit Sen-Gupta, Donna Farhi, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen and Thomas Myers. A strong faith in the wisdom of the body/mind, and our inherent human capacity and need for joy is woven throughout Anthea's teachings.(top)

Robert Halley
Robert Halley was born in Toronto and raised in Unionville, Ontario. He began dancing at the age of 14 under the influence of his 2 sisters. His professional training occurred at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, Arts Umbrella in Vancouver , The Ailey School in NYC, and The School at Jacob's Pillow. He has toured the United States and parts of the Caribbean with Ailey II (the 2nd company of Alvin Aliey American Dance Theatre) teaching in various schools and universities as well as performing in such prestigious venues as The Apollo Theatre, The Kennedy Centre and The Radio City Music Hall. During his time in New York City he also danced for The Fred Benjamin Dance Company and Adams Company Dance. Robert then made history by performing the floor ballet duet alongside his sister in the UK cast of “The Lion King” on The West End; a first for any siblings in this musical. His other Musical Theatre credits include, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Copacabana (Mill Mountain Theatre), and Cats (Drayton Festival). Robert can be seen along side Mike Myers in the closing dance sequence of the feature film, ‘The Love Guru’. He has danced for the following Canadian comapanies, ProArte Danza, Judith Marcuse Projects, Kaeja d'Dance, REAson d’etre productions, Arabesque Dance Company, Dance Theatre David Earle and Kaha:wi Dance Theatre. Robert's background in dance has exposed him to many other modalities that have complimented his journey. These experiences have inspired him to further studies leading up to being a 3HO Certified Kundalini Yoga Teacher and a Registered Thai Therapist in Nuad Bo Rarn (Ancient Massage, more commonly known as Thai Yoga Massage). Robert recently returned from Osaka, Japan where he performed in WICKED at Universal Studios Japan. While in Japan he was invited by Tomoko Imanaka (Kyoto) to be a guest artist in her production of ‘Trick of Destiny’. He is currently a company member with Kaha:wi Dance Theatre. (top)

GUEST FACULTY AND CHOREOGRAPHERS

Shay Kuebler

Shay Kuebler began his performing career at the age of four with Stage Polaris Theatre Academy in Edmonton, Alberta. He soon after commenced an eight-year study in Genbukai karate which led to his training in dance. With a knowledge of many artistic forms, he has performed across the world, from contemporary dance in Brazil to tapping and hoofing in Lebanon. His training has led him to learn from tap greats such as Henry Letang and Dr. Jeni Legon, and from hip-hop giants the Groovaloos and Beat Freaks in Los Angeles.

With his unique background in the arts, Shay has become a very versatile, physical, and dynamic performer. Since moving to Vancouver in 2003, Shay's background in tap, hip-hop, and contemporary dance has led him to perform for Naughty By Nature, Science Friction, MmHop with Martha Carter, Battery Opera, Mascall Dance, Animals of Distinction directed by Dana Gingras, MovEnt, and Neil Young. He has choreographed and been a soloist for the tap company Ruckus, directed by Brock Jellison. Shay has also been a soloist for the Rythmatix where he tap danced with Edmonton and Vancouver Symphony Orchestras. His choreography has seen him create for the 25th anniversary West Beach Fashion show, International Dance Day in Vancouver, Dancing on the Edge Festival, "Romp" Festival in Victoria, International Dance Festival of Brazil, New Works' "Arts on the Street" for BC Day, BC Scene in Ottawa at the N.A.C., and for Music week in Toronto. He has had the honour to choreograph an original work on Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, under direction of Gradimir Pankov, as a recipient of the inaugural National Choreographic Competition.

Shay is currently part of the Vancouver based 605 collective, a hip-hop/contemporary company that recently headlined the Hip Hop 360 festival at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Some of his commercial and film highlights include Nickelodeon's "Spectacular", "Another Cinderella Story", "Like Mike 2", "The L Word", "The Cleaner", "Psych" season 2, "Reefer Madness" the musical, Travelodge, and Kyocera phones.  (top)



Josh Beamish Josh Beamish, Artistic Director of MOVE: the company, began dancing under the direction of his mother Loretta Lachner in Edmonton, Alberta. Upon moving to Vancouver, Josh began his career as an assistant choreographer, and dancer for various feature films and television shows. Outside of MOVE: the company, his works have recently been performed by Toronto Dance Theatre, Halifax Dance, Ballet Kelowna, Dance Saskatchewan, the Universities of Alberta and Missouri, Ballet Jorgen, the Bellingham Repertory Company and Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance in Kansas City. He is the 2009 recipient of a City of Vancouver Mayor's Arts Award, a 2008 Globe and Mail Dance Award and of artistic residencies at the Scotiabank Dance Centre, the Shadbolt Centre, the University of Alberta, the Norman Rothstein and Clarke Theatres and the Banff Centre. Josh most recently participated in a choreographic session facilitated by the New York Choreographic Institute, involving the students of the School of American Ballet. He will next create new works for Sylvain Brochu and Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance.

About MOVE: the company In just 5 short years, MOVE: the company has emerged as one of Western Canada’s most prolific dance companies. Founded in 2005 by current Artistic Director, Josh Beamish, the company has performed across North America at venues such as Montreal’s Tangente and Studio 303, NYC’s Joyce SoHo and San Francisco’s The Garage. At home, the company has recently been presented by the Made in BC: Dance On Tour Program, The VIDF, Dancing on the Edge and the Chutzpah Festival, among others. MOVE:the company recently received the distinction of a commission from the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC, as well as the only choreographic residency ever awarded to a Western Canadian by the Djerassi Program in San Francisco, CA. The company will next perform at the 15th Anniversary of the International Ballet Festival in Miami, alongside American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, among others, and then continue on to the Quinzena de Danca Festival in Portugal. In October 2010, MOVE: the company will have the honour of participating as the only non-Aboriginal Canadian dance company selected by curators Cirque du Soleil for WORLD EXPO 2010 in Shanghai, China, where they will perform the Closing Gala of the Canadian Cultural Pavilion.

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