Miss Melodie

Miss Melodie is an award winning choreographer and performer and a certified ADAPT Instructor. With three decades of Dance behind her, including 20 years of teaching, Miss Melodie has studied under such legends as Al Gilbert, Brian Foley, Susan Mensinger, Van the Man Porter, Mia Michaels, Art Stone, Bill deRicco, Debbi Dee, Charles McGowan, Brenda Buffalino, Frank Hatchett, Tyce Diorio, Gregg Russell, Tina Landon, and Marty Kudelka. Competition has taken her across North America and led her to the stages of Tremaine and Dance Olympus, creating a solid background in choreography and technique. In 2016 Miss Melodie received her certification through Dance Teacher University affiliated with UNLV. Miss Melodie has studied Dance at renowned studios such as The Edge Performing Arts Centre, Broadway Dance Centre, and Millenium Dance Complex. Through freelance teaching, Miss Melodie has instructed at numerous studios throughout North America, and has seen prior students go on to Dance professionally for the likes of Hillary Duff, Marianas Trench, Randolph Academy, The Banff Centre, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, DDC, Toronto Dance Theatre (TDT), LUX, The Source, The Bakery, Ballet Victoria, and several notable cruise lines.

Miss Kelly

Kelly began her Dance journey in Kelowna B.C with Kelowna Dance and Performing Arts. She then continued her passion in Vancouver B.C with The Source Dance Company and Scholarship Dance where she trained with Heather Dotto, Curtis Foley, Sarah Brewer, Joanne Pesusich, Carla Catherwood and more. Both companies opened many doors for Kelly in the performance world. Kelly shared the stage with Stef Lang, A-Lin, and worked with the production company The Lovers Caberet. Kelly also went on to feature in multiple projects such as, Laurell’s “Girls” choreographed by Melena Rounis, Brooke Turner’s “Convince Me” produced by Ben Knetchel and many more productions in Vancouver.
In Toronto, Kelly trained with The Conteur Academy. She worked under Eryn Waltman, Kelly Shaw, Ryan Lee, Julia Cratchley and Dani Matte. Her time with Conteur polished her craft and opened her eyes to the artistic side of Contemporary Dance. Conteur gave Kelly the skills technically and choreographically to excel in the industry. She then moved back to Vancouver to study Human Kinetics to complete her goal in becoming a well-rounded, knowledgeable Dance teacher.

Miss Josie

Josie Weightman grew up in Salmon Arm BC, training at Just for Kicks and fell in love with Dance right away! Throughout her school years Josie competed all over the Okanagan, receiving high marks and provincial qualifications. Through her training she also completed numerous RAD Ballet Exams including her Advanced 2. Josie has Danced at the Joffrey Ballet’s summer program, and was a member of Team Canada 2017 where she competed in Reisa Germany. Most recently Josie has continued her training in LA at Millennium Dance Complex, and in Toronto at Underground Dance Centre. Josie is excited to join the Kelowna Dance Team, and share her knowledge.

Miss Tianna

Miss Tianna grew up a competitive traditional Highland Dancer until she decided it was time for a change. Her first jazz class was at Kelowna Dance the year it opened. Over the following years under the direction of Kelowna Dance, Miss Tianna earned her place on the senior Limelight team, completed her RAD intermediate exam, attended Dance conventions, performed in the Disneyland in “Dance The Magic Parade”, took classes at the Edge Performing Arts Center, Harbour Dance Centre and became a part of the Kelowna Dance Student Teacher program.

Since graduation, Miss Tianna has attended the Dance Teacher Summit 2015 in Long Beach CA, En Avant Dance Teacher Convention 2016 in TO, Dance Teacher Summit 2017 in Long Beach CA, and taken classes throughout the year at Harbour Dance Centre. Always pursuing her passion, this summer Miss Tianna travelled to New York to take Dance classes at the Broadway Dance Center STEPS on Broadway. To further her education Miss Tianna will complete her certification for Acrobatic Arts Module 1 by the end of August and she looks forward to applying these new and great techniques at Kelowna Dance. Miss Tianna has currently been accepted into the RAD CDTS program and continues to further her search for more certifications.

Miss Tianna’s enthusiasm is loved by all of her students at Kelowna Dance – “I can’t wait for this next season to begin!”

Miss Bri

Miss Bri’s Dance training started in Salmon Arm where she trained in all Dance styles over 15 years (including jazz, tap, ballet, musical theatre, contemporary, hip hop and swing). After graduating, Miss Bri moved to Vancouver to train with Harbour Dance Centre’s Intensive Training Program (ITP) under the direction of Moe Brody. ITP gave her the opportunity to perform in various local events. After finishing training with ITP in 2016, Miss Bri spent the next year training with the The Source Dance Company under the direction of Joanne Pesusich. Both of these companies gave her the chance to focus on improving her technical skills and creating her own movement.

Miss Bri is looking forward to working with the Dancers at Kelowna Dance & Performing Arts!

Miss Loretta

Loretta comes with 42 years teaching experience. Loretta received her teacher’s training in London, England at the College of the Royal Academy of Dance, where she graduated with a Diploma in Teaching of Dance as well as becoming a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Dance: an honour given only to those who have graduated from the Academy. Upon graduation, she taught in London for a year then moved home to Canada to teach in Edmonton for the next eleven years as Ballet Director of Castle Downs School of Dance. She staged many ballet productions including Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Hansel and Gretel, The Pied Piper, Beauty and the Beast and many others. Her production of Beauty and the Beast was invited to Romania for a Canadian-Romanian student exchange performance in Bucharest. She was then invited back to teach a summer course in Bucharest. Loretta has had the opportunity to travel twice to St. Petersburg, Russia to study in the Russian Vaganova ballet technique with some of the best instructors of the Kirov Ballet. Loretta is now a RAD Examiner and is enjoying travelling and examining in Canada and worldwide. Many of Loretta’s students are dancing professionally or teaching, but what she is most proud of is her own two children, Josh and Chelsea who are both very successful in the Dance world. Chelsea as a teacher and Josh as a world-renowned Dancer/choreographer.