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Irene Booth RAD RTS, CDTA
Artistic Director/Owner Tempo Dance Academy
Irene began her dance training at the Pat Cummings School of Dance in Port Alberni, BC. Under the direction of Pat Cummings and Alison Cowan her studies included Ballet, and expanded into Tap, Jazz, Pointe and Modern Stage.
Throughout her training, Irene took part in examinations in the R.A.D. method as well as the CDTA and IDTA receiving wonderful marks throughout. She annually competed in local dance festivals and took part in many local performances and conventions.
Upon graduation from high school, Irene studied in Edmonton, Alberta at the Grant MacEwan Community College. Here Irene, graduated with distinction and received her diploma for Dance /Dance Teacher Training. Irene feels fortunate to have been given the opportunity to train with internationally renowned teachers/choreographers, as well as studying the RAD Ballet Syllabus under the direction of Gail Leonard.
Irene went on to receive her Teaching Certificate and Diploma with the Royal Academy of Dance for Ballet. Irene also holds an Associate and Full Membership with the Candian Dance Teachers Associaton for both the Ballet and Stage Divisions. Currently, Irene serves on the Executive board for the CDTA and devotes her spare time as the Ballet Chairman for the BC Branch.
In 1993, Irene founded and established Tempo Dance Academy in Nanaimo British Columbia. With twenty two years of teaching experience Irene spends much of her time mentoring and teaching her students as well as operating the school on a full time basis. Irene is a certified mentor with the R.A.D. and created a dance teacher training method in her school for those students who wish to continue on with their dance careers or pursue a teaching career.
Irene is a highly respected teacher, and her students enjoy her sense of humor, her passion and love of dance in all forms. Irene has the the ability to work with pupils of all ages and levels, having a particular skill of working with children through to professional levels. She annually prepares pupils for the R.A.D examinations, as well as C.D.T.A. examinations and has maintained a strong track record for obtaining excellent results.
During her spare time, Irene enjoys volunteering on the board of directors for the Vi Raiders Junior Football Team - National Champions 2006. Here, Irene is the Team Co-ordinator and creator for the New Vi Raiders Dance Team as well as promotes season passes and general admission tickets. She enjoys attending competitions and workshops throughout the year in Vancouver and Las Vegas and particularily enjoys adjudicating for provincial festivals within BC for both the Ballet and Stage sections. Irene recently adjudicated for the Nelson Dance Festival as well as the Prince George Dance Festival and is a certified member of the International Academy of Dance Adjudicators.
Irene constantly strives to achieve the highest levels of teaching in order to pass on her experience to her students and staff members.
Along with her husband of eighteen years she enjoys travelling and family time with their two children eleven and eight.
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Tanya Dean
Tanya began her dance training at Parksville Ballet School under the direction of Linda Klassen. Studying many forms of dance including ballet, tap, national, modern, jazz, and musical theatre, she participated in festivals, exams and performed with youth dance company "Dancestreams". She was fortunate enough to have many wonderful teachers along the way and credits many of them with her passion to teach dance. Upon her graduation, Tanya continued on to the National Ballet School where she spent two years in their teacher's training program. Shortly afterwards she became an associate member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (Tap). Since 1995 she has taught in a number of schools on the island and in Vancouver and has enjoyed many successes in teaching and choreography. In her classes, Tanya hopes to inspire her students to love dance and the performing arts and endeavors to give them the knowledge and experience they need to succeed. |
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Naomi Kolke
Naomi is a graduate of Canada's National Ballet School's Teacher Training Program and holds an Honors Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the University of Waterloo. While attending the National Ballet School, Naomi became an Associate member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in both the Cecchetti Ballet and National Character branches. She recently upgraded her status with the Cecchetti Society by completing her Associate Diploma teaching examination.
Naomi began her dance training at the Parksville Ballet School under the direction of Linda Klassen. At the age of 15, she began performing with Dancestreams Youth Dance Company. Naomi continued her dance training at world-renowned studios in such places as San Francisco, Australia, Amsterdam, France and England. While at The National Ballet School she assisted in classes taught by some of Canada’s most well known ballet teachers.
Naomi has been teaching ballet for more than fifteen years at various studios including teaching for the University of Waterloo’s Dance Department. She finds it very rewarding to share her knowledge and love of dance with children and adults. |
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Kirsten Graham
Kirsten Graham is an accomplished performer, teacher and choreographer who beleives in the individual artistry of each dancer. Professionally, Kirsten toured Canada and Russia with the companies Le Juene Ballet du Quebec and Ballet North of Edmonton. Kirsten began her dance training at Kirkwood Academy in Nanaimo and attended the Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle and Banff School of Fine Arts. At the young age of 15, Kirsten was awarded the Solo Seal and competed internationally at the Adeline Genee awards in London, England. Kirsten later graduated from L'Ecole Superieure de Danse du Quebec in Montreal. Kirsten's career also includes, work in Canadian film with Judith Marcuse in Vancouver and summer performances at the Butchart Gardens.
After her daughter was born, Kirsten turned her attention to teaching dance full time. She has since enjoyed being a guest instructor at various summer schools and adjudicating festival in B.C. Currently, Kirsten is on staff at Tempo Dance Academy in Nanaimo and does freelance choreography.
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Silvia Graffi
Silvia Knapp received part of her formal training at the National Ballet School and the Royal Winnipeg School. She was also awarded a full-year dance scholarship at Florida Ballet Arts in Sarasota, FLA. She then returned to Toronto and received an Honours Graduate Diploma for successfully completing the dance training program at George Brown College. Experiencing a diverse and extensive professional career in ballet, jazz and tap, Silvia has literally performed around the world, incuding Japan, Bermuda, Haiti, the Middle East, the Caribbean, the Arctic and throughout North America. Her C.B.C. television credits include, Rita and Friends (The Rita MacNeil Show), Today's Special (dancer for Jeff Hyslop), and Chasing Rainbows. She has appeared in commercials for Lee Jeans, Borics Hair Salon, and the P.C. Party. Silvia's vast experience as a professional dancer has allowed her to be an exceptionally creative and innovative choreographer. Her accolades include the Canadian Armed Forces Middle East Tour, cruise ships in the Caribbean, the Magic of Rossini American Tour, various industrial shows, musical theatre productions, and fashion shows. Recently, Silvia has choreographed for the competitors of the Nanaimo Embassador Program, and the full length musical productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and Cats.
Silvia has enjoyed being an adjudicator at numerous competitions such as the Surrey Festival of Dance, the C.N.E. Rising Star, Rhythm, D-Force, Champions and Dance Dance Canada to name a few. Originally from Toronto, Silvia is quite happy to be teaching here now in beautiful Nanaimo and is a full member of the C.D.T.A. (Canadian Dance Teachers Association) Her love of children and her passion for dance is the driving force that enables her students to find their own motivation to strive for their personal best! |
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Genevieve Caron
Genevieve moved to Nanaimo in December 2005 from Montreal, Quebec. She graduated from the Universite du Quebec a Montreal in 1999 with a Bachelor's degree in modern dance, creation and interpretation. Since then, she has danced for different corporate shows, sports events, video clips, show bands and many Quebec promotional tours for Molson. She has travelled to the Middle East as part of the Canadian Armed Forces Showtour and danced at the Montreal and Hull Casinos for the magic show Alain Choquette and Company. Genevieve was also a proud cheerleader for the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Alouettes for 7 seasons. She has trained in many dance styles: modern, contemporary, Simonson Jazz, jazz and hip-hop; attending classes in Montreal as well as dance conferences in Toronto, Vancouver and Las Vegas.
Genevieve started teaching jazz ballet at 15 years old and has been teaching dance ever since. She teaches students from 5 years old, all the way to adults… from jazz to flash dance, modern to cheerleading, creative dance to hip-hop! From 1999 to 2005, Genevieve was the choreographer and trainer for a College dance troupe in Montreal while leading dance workshops in different dance schools and high schools throughout Quebec. She also choreographed different theme shows for corporate events and promotional dance teams, and worked as the event and entertainment coordinator for a Montreal Dance Club.
Genevieve is looking forward to working with the Tempo Dance Academy students. She can't wait to share her passion and love of dance, and life, with them! Be prepared to work hard, dance hard and laugh out loud! Let the classes begin!
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Erin Merriman
Erin's early training began at the Parksville Ballet School under the direction of Linda Klassen. Her studies included classes in jazz, tap, ballet, and musical theatre. Erin continued her training joining Tempo Dance Academy in 1993. Erin began teaching for Tempo the following year, and has continued to teach classes in jazz, lyrical jazz, Kinderdance, tap, and musical theatre at the studio. In 1999, Erin obtained her Associate Membership with the Canadian Dance Teacher,s Association and has annually submitted students to the CDTA’s jazz and tap exams. She has also enrolled students in the Upper Island Music festival dance competitions for many years and has found the experience rewarding both for herself and the students.
In addition to teaching dance, Erin has also been attending Malaspina-University College. She received a diploma in the Visual Arts program in the spring of 1998. In June 2006 she graduated with distinction from the Bachelor of Arts program, and she will be graduating in December 2006 with a Bachelor of Education and a Teaching Certificate. With these qualifications, Erin will be pursuing a career in teaching at the elementary level.
Erin feels very grateful for having the opportunity to watch the students of Tempo Dance Academy grow and flourish over the past 14 years, and looks forward to continuing her work with the studio.
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