Christine is the owner and Artistic Director of Contemporary School of Dance Ltd. She is a Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance and holds her RAD Teaching Diploma, with written papers in Anatomy and Dance History, as well as the Elementary Executant exam in Benesh notation. She is also a Registered Teacher with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) and has attained Associate status in the Modern Theatre Dance branch. She is also a licensed Kindermusik educator.

Christine has studied dance for over 35 years, including professional training at the Quinte Ballet School. She has attended many teachers' workshops and seminars, including the National Ballet School and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School teachers' summer schools and courses and continues to pursue her dance education through professional development. Christine graduated from the University of Waterloo with a B.A. Honours (Dance) and the Departmental Award for Academic Achievement. Throughout university, she taught for the Carousel Dance Centre and eventually was the school's Director for a number of years. In September of 1997, Christine opened her own school, Contemporary School of Dance. The school started with two teachers and approximately 75 students. Through love, dedication, hard work and with the help of her excellent faculty, Christine has built one of the most reputable schools in the K-W area. CSD has been voted K-W's Best Dance Studio numerous times and Christine was also honoured to be voted K-W's favourite teacher in The Record's 2007 Reader's Select Awards! Today, CSD provides approximately 400 dancers with superb training in an energetic, nurturing environment.

Outside of the studio, Christine loves spending time with her husband, and partner in all things, Michael and their two wonderful children, Madison and Jackson, who inspire her every day! Christine is thrilled with the new facility and is very excited about beginning the fifteenth year of Contemporary School of Dance.

Sandra is a member of Toronto based dance company, As the Spirit Moves Dance (ASM Dance), and will be performing in the upcoming season; Dance Works CoWorks at Dancemakers Centre for Creation and Project Dance Toronto. Sandra has performed and/or choreographed for the Toronto International Dance Festival, Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival, Nuit Blanche 08 and 09, Cambridge Arts Festival, Royal City Musicals - Kiss Me Kate, Choreographer's Ball, Toronto City Mission’s One City One Hope, Women's Crisis Services awareness event. Also, Sandra danced at Habourfront Centre in Fandango by JACKert Desrosiers.

Upon receiving a Waterloo Arts Fund grant, Sandra and a partner successfully produced and choreographed a professional holiday themed dance show at the Registry Theatre, Kitchener 2009. Sandra collaborates with other dance and visual artists to combine dance and installation art. Their work has been performed at Toronto's DeLeon Gallery, Headbones Gallery, Artscapes Barn's and Harcourt Gallery in Edmonton Alberta. Sandra has a degree in dance from Ryerson University and has trained with many professional dance artists. She looks forward to her second year teaching at CSD!

Linda is a Registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance and holds the R.A.D. Teaching Diploma with written papers in Anatomy and Dance History. She is a Registered teacher with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and has attained Associate status in both the Cecchetti Ballet branch and Modern Theatre dance branch. She also achieved the Elementary Executant exam in benesh notation.

Linda has studied dance for over 30 years. She graduated from the University of Waterloo Dance Program in 1994 with a B.A. Honours. Concurrently, she was awarded her Teacher Training Diploma with Distinction from The National Ballet School as part of the joint degree program. In 1997, Linda graduated from Brock University with a Bachelor of Education and is currently a teacher with the Waterloo Region District School Board.

For several years, she owned and directed a successful ballet school in Guelph. She continues her professional development attending seminars and workshops at the National Ballet School as well as the professional organizations with which she is affiliated. Linda is thrilled to be on staff for an eighth year and will be teaching senior levels of the ballet program.

Robyn has over 20 years of dance training in hip hop, jazz, tap, ballet, and contemporary. She is a Registered Teacher with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and holds Associate status in the Modern Theatre (Jazz) faculty. She has taken numerous workshops in jazz and hip hop and more recently in salsa and lindy hop. Robyn has also participated in courses specifically focussed on early child development in dance.

As a former student at CSD, Robyn attained Advanced 2 levels in ISTD jazz and tap with Honours as well as her Intermediate & Grade 8 RAD ballet. Robyn was a member of CDT and CSD Ballet Co. for many years and was a head teacher of CSD's summer program for 3 years.

Robyn's earlier training involved competitive dance, which gave her the opportunity to perform in the U.S. and Canada. She has taught and choreographed locally with City of Waterloo and JM Drama. Hand in hand with her career in teaching dance, Robyn is also a Registered Massage Therapist.

This is Robyn's twelfth year teaching at CSD and she looks forward to another great year teaching jazz, and junior school programs. She is also very excited to be the Director of Contemporary Dance Theatre this year!

Natasha began studying dance under the RAD syllabus in the United Arab Emirates, and later moved to Barbados where she successfully completed her Intermediate and Grade 8 exams. Here, she expanded her repertoire to include Vaganova and Balanchine ballet techniques, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, Latin, ballroom and Afro-Caribbean dance.

Natasha attended Towson University (Baltimore, USA), and obtained Honours in both her BFA in Dance Performance & Choreography, and BSc in Psychology. As a dancer with the Towson Dance Company, she performed in works by Doris Humphrey, Kiki Lucas, Stephen Greenston and Stephanie Powell, as well as the classical ballets!

Natasha spent a year teaching in Vancouver. She danced with CollabArt Creations, a new modern dance company, and expanded her knowledge of jazz through workshops with Broadway choreographers and members of the original cast of 'Fosse'. Her travels also took her to New York City, where she spent time in the Masters of Dance program at Sarah Lawrence College to focus on her choreography. During her studies, she had the opportunity to perform in a re-staging of 'Line Up' by Trisha Brown.

Natasha has recently completed the Royal Academy of Dance Certification in Ballet Teaching Studies and is a registered teacher with the RAD. In summer 2010, she attended a month-long Registered Yoga Teacher Training Intensive Course in Vancouver, and was thrilled to integrate the practice of yoga into CSD's class schedule. She is excited to be a member of CSD faculty for a fourth year, and is looking forward to a great year teaching in the ballet, ballroom, yoga and Junior School programs. She is also thrilled to be directing CSD's Junior Company, DanceWorks!

Ditch the workout, join the party! Stacey has been a certified Zumba instructor for over a year, but she fell in love with this Latin inspirited fitness dance program almost three years prior to her first certification. Over the past year Stacey has attended two trainings where she has obtained her Zumba Basic 1 and Zumba Basic 2 certifications. In July 2011 Stacey travelled to Orlando Florida where she attended the Zumba Instructors Convention with 7,500 other Zumba instructors from around the world. At the convention Stacey had the opportunity to take courses in such rhythms as Bollywood, Salsa, Merengue and Hip Hop and she also got to try out Aqua Zumba and attend a live taping with Zumba's creator, Beto Perez. Throughout the last year Stacey has attended Zumba Jam workshops with Zumba Educational Specialist, Ricardo Marmitte and Zumba Jammers, Ana Marchenko and Bianca Ayala. Stacey has enjoyed teaching Zumba at various location in the KW region including CSD, local gyms, Zumbathons, local high schools and at KW's first Zumba only studio, Studio FuZion. As a former student at CSD, Stacey attained her Advanced 2 ISTD jazz (with honours) as well as her Intermediate RAD ballet exam. Stacey was also a member of CDT and CSD Ballet Company for many years. Prior to obtaining her Zumba Certification Stacey was a dance instructor with CSD, for 8 years, where she taught ballet, jazz and junior school classes.

Megan has been studying ballet for more than 25 years and is a registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance. Megan graduated with distinction in 2003 from Canada’s National Ballet School in their Teacher Training Program. This three year intensive program included studies in three styles of ballet, modern dance, national dances, anatomy, pedagogy, body conditioning, music, dance history, and Benesh Notation. After graduating, Megan taught at Canada’s National Ballet School in the unique role of History of Ballet Teacher until 2006.

Megan has long held an interest in education and is registered with the Ontario College of Teachers. In 2000, Megan graduated from the University of Waterloo in their Math Teaching Option program and also received her Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University through their joint co-op program.

Since 2003, Megan has taught Mathematics, Computer Science, and Ballet at high schools and dance studios in both Toronto and Ottawa. This is Megan’s second year teaching at CSD, and she is looking forward to teaching ballet and Junior School programs.

Caitlin has been dancing for over 20 years and has studied tap, ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop. She is a Registered Teacher with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and has completed her Associate examination in the tap faculty.

While she was a student at CSD, Caitlin obtained her Advanced 2 level ISTD Jazz and Tap exams both with Honours, her RAD Intermediate and her RAD Grade 8 ballet with Distinction. She was also an active member of CSD's dance companies and was a Head Instructor for CSD's summer programs for seven years. She became a valuable Administrative Assistant and faculty member at CSD and taught for 5 years before leaving to pursue physiotherapy.

Caitlin attended the University of Waterloo and obtained her honours bachelor of science degree through the Kinesiology department. While studying in Waterloo, Caitlin volunteered at many health-related programs including a cardiac rehab program and an exercise program for people receiving treatment for cancer. Caitlin then moved to Toronto to complete a Masters of Science degree in physical therapy at the University of Toronto. Over the past summer, Caitlin has completed courses in soft tissue release therapy, acupuncture and taping. She is now pursuing a career in physiotherapy in the Waterloo region.

Caitlin is looking forward to being back at CSD, and is excited to be sharing her love of dance again.

Krista has been dancing for almost 20 years. In her 6 years at CSD, she completed Advanced 1 levels in ISTD Jazz and RAD Ballet as well as Grade 8 RAD ballet. She was also trained in contemporary and hip hop. Krista just recently obtained her degree (Bachelor of Science) with a major in Health Studies and a minor in Psychology. She plans on continuing her education at the Masters level.

While studying at the University of Waterloo, Krista continued to learn hip hop. She became a big part of the UW hip hop club, becoming president in her second year and holding that position for over a year. Teaching choreography to UW students and organizing events, performances and competitions has been a big part of her university career. For 3 years now, Krista has been doing hip hop at the competitive level – dancing on UW`s competitive hip hop team and competing in O.U.C.H. (Ontario Universities Competition for Hip Hop) each year, as well as competing with Identity Crisis (a crew made up of hip hop dancers from Waterloo, Hamilton and the GTA). She has also taken many workshops from well-known choreographers in the hip hop dance world.

This is Krista's first year as a faculty member at CSD and she is very excited about teaching hip hop this year!

Georgina has been dancing since the age of four, training in jazz, tap, ballet and contemporary. She is a Registered Teacher with the ISTD and holds Associate Diploma status in the Modern Theatre Jazz dance faculty and her Associate in the Tap faculty. Georgina graduated from De Montfort University in 1998 with a B.A. Honours in Contemporary Dance and Performing Arts. Following her university education, Georgina was co-founder, choreographer and dancer with UK based contemporary dance company, 'Fervent Defacto'. She has also danced professionally in the Bahamas and Mexico. It was during her time in Mexico that she was choreographer and Evening Entertainment Co-coordinator for Robinson Club hotel.

Fitness and well-being play a key part in Georgina's life. She is a certified Pilates instructor with the international Physical Mind Institute and the Ontario Fitness Council. She continues her professional development in pilates training with Body Harmonics in Toronto, and has completed the following courses: The foot and ankle, Theraband and Weighted Balls, Stability Ball and Foam Roller, and Pilates for Pregnancy. Further certifications and training include YMCA Exercise to Music, Resistance training, Cardiovascular training, Body Flow, Step Aerobics, Stability Ball and Strength Training for Women. She is also a certified Salsa Babies instructor and teaches Salsa Babies in Waterloo and Cambridge.

Georgina is really excited to be at CSD for an eighth year and she looks forward to teaching in the jazz, tap and Junior School programs

Heather is a dance teacher and speech-language pathologist living with her husband, in Waterloo, Ontario. As a dance artist, she has worked with choreographers Linda Baker, Sarah Jane Burton, Robert Desrosiers, Janet Johnson, Meagan O'Shea, and Lincoln Shand, in addition to performing with Dancetheatre David Earle, Danny Grossman Dance Company, Hamilton Dance Company, Kaeja D'Dance2, Parahumans Dancetheatre and INERTIA. Heather has taught many different dance forms to all age levels.

Heather holds an H.BSc. degree in Health Studies from the University of Waterloo and an M.H.Sc. degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Toronto. She is looking forward to her eighth year of teaching at Contemporary School of Dance and will be teaching all of the contemporary programs.

Lynn has been studying dance for over 25 years and has taught, performed and attended courses in Europe, and Canada. She holds Associate Diploma status with the ISTD in Tap and Associate status in Cecchetti ballet, National dance, and Modern Theatre (Jazz). She also has R.S.A Applied anatomy and physiology and History of Western dance Certificates. She has achieved Advanced 2 level exams in Cecchetti ballet, RAD ballet, ISTD National, ISTD Modern (Jazz), and ISTD Tap. Lynn is also a licensed Kindermusik educator.

Lynn attended an intense Arts Educational School, in the UK for 9 years, where she truly developed her love of dance. She graduated from the London College of Dance (The ISTD Teaching College) in 1991, and travelled to Norway to teach and perform in a dance group. She then travelled to Newfoundland to continue teaching and performing. With the addition of a husband, Lynn continued to teach and attend courses, and travelled to Toronto, and then to Kitchener, teaching along the way. Now, many years and two beautiful sons later, she feels she has a happy balance of the perfect job, and a great family.

She is REALLY looking forward to her tenth year at Contemporary School of Dance and is excited to continue teaching in the tap programs.

Jonathan Arsenault
Peggy Baker
Company Blonde
Tara Butler
Shawn Byfield
Michelle DeBrouwer
Pamela Eddleston, FISTD, and ISTD examiner
Stephanie Graham
Danny Grossman
Evelyn Hart
D.A. Hoskins
Gabby Kamino
Sylvanus Klotz
Michael Moore
Malgorzata Nowacka
Samantha Radley
Meredith Thompson
Michael Trent

Carol was an elementary teacher for five years before she chose to be a stay-at-home mom. As her son and daughter were growing up, she volunteered in their schools and in the community with Girl Guides, UNICEF, the Kidney Foundation, the Cancer Society and their church. Later, Carol attended Conestoga College and graduated with a General Business Diploma. She also worked as an office assistant for a number of years. Carol has been associated with dance for over twenty-five years. Her first exposure to the dance world was as a parent supporting her young daughter in her pursuit of dance. She became a studio manager and held the position for fourteen years. She was responsible for much of the day-to-day operation of a dance studio as well as organizing year-end shows.

Carol has been Office Manager for Contemporary School of Dance for three years, but has been involved with the school for the last seven years as a volunteer sewer and as a participant in Adult Pilates courses.Carol and her husband love to garden around their home in Waterloo. Her hobbies also include knitting and sewing. She is enjoying her position at the Contemporary School of Dance and looks forward to meeting all of the dancers and their parents.

CSD uses an accompanist for ballet exams and exam preparation as well as for some senior ballet classes.

Arun is the percussionist for contemporary classes at CSD. He is a multiinstrumentalist performer, composer, producer and recording studio engineer having worked as a professional live and a professional session drummer for dozens of established artists, being an accompanist/composer for many of the major modern dance companies in Canada (The Toronto Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre David Earle, The Danny Grossman Company, Robert Desrosiers, The Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre and Coleman/Lemieux Company to mention a few), working on a weekly basis with Order of Canada recipient and modern dance icon David Earle (as well as being privileged to dance in his epic work "Miserere") and recording and producing over 30 full-length released albums.

As a lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist or drummer/percussionist Arun has performed thousands of shows with the likes of people such as the late Matthew Osborne, snack!, Eccodek, Rebecca Campbell, Pat Skinner, Luke Doucet and Jackie Washington all the while frequenting venues such as CTV's Canada Am, Ontario Place, Center in the Square, Festival of Friends, Hillside Festival, The River Run Center, Nashville, Hugh's Room (ranked in the top 10 folk rooms in North America), The Canada Summer Games and performing at the Prime Minister's National Campaign to mention a few. He has had the privilege of opening up for acts such as Moist, The Skydiggers, The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, The Mahones and Fred Eaglesmith.

Arun was honoured with the 2005 KW Arts Award in the music category and has received rave reviews in response to his diverse artistic contributions. Above all Arun feels his most comfortable place as an artist is as a songwriter. His second solo (full band arranged) project, which is in fact, a double disc entitled "It's Time, Once Again" has received rave reviews. He is currently working on many projects including another double (maybe triple!!) CD of his latest material, which will be launched in the year 2007.

Jeni received her musical training from a number of devoted teachers of the Royal Conservatory of Music in both Ottawa and Halifax. She was a clarinetist in bands and orchestras throughout high school, including the Ottawa Youth Orchestra. After working as an accompanist with soloists and the Dalhousie Medical School Choir, she became a staff accompanist for Halifax Dance in 2003. In 2004, she attended the National Ballet School's Musician Mentorship program where she worked with accompanist and mentor Asia Aronovich, and enjoyed a private tutorial with the inspirational Marina Surgan. Now that Jeni has settled in Waterloo and her children are school-aged, she is delighted to once more be part of an artistic team. "Working with the instructors at CSD has been lovely - they are gracious and devoted to their students and their art."