JOAN-MARIE SCHOEN OWNER, CO-DIRECTOR ADCC-CICB

Joan-Marie began dancing at an early age in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, training in such disciplines as ballet, jazz, tap and modern. Her love for ballet in particular, led her to pursue professional training at The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, under full scholarship, The National Ballet School’s Professional Program, under scholarship and most recently The School of Alberta Ballet’s Pre-Professional Program, under the direction of Murray and Nancy Kilgour.

Joan-Marie has successfully completed her Intermediate I.S.T.D modern as well as her Advanced 2 in the Cecchetti method. Joan-Marie also holds her Associate Diploma teaching certificate in the Cecchetti method of ballet and is always working to expand her knowledge and training as a certified teacher. Joan-Marie continues to study under the tutelage and artistic guidance of Nancy Kilgour, Order of Canada.

As a dancer, in 2002, Joan-Marie was selected to represent her province as part of the first ever National Artists program, performing in the Canada Summer Games, as well was chosen to perform in the 80th Cecchetti Anniversary Gala in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Joan-Marie has performed with several professional Ballet Companies such as Alberta Ballet, Ontario Ballet Theatre, and The Banff Centre. Due to a major ankle injury, she was forced to end her professional performing career early on, which allowed her to focus on dance instruction and enhancing her teaching skills. Joan-Marie has completed the Intensive Mat program with Stott Pilates and plans to continue her pilates education. She is also a practicing, certified member of the Progressive Ballet Technique, and uses these methods in combination with her pilates and ballet training to assist with creating strong, well balanced dancers.

She has been fortunate to work with and receive training from renowned teachers and choreographers such as Brian McDonald, Victoria Simon, Edmund Stripe, Nancy Kilgour, Murray Kilgour, Christine Richardson, Joyce Shietze, Wendy Wright, Peggy Baker, Carol Chadwick, Deborah Bowes, Diane van Schoor, and Stéphane Léonard to name a few. With over a decade of teaching experience including The Wright Studio, DJD and The School of Alberta Ballet, Joan-Marie is so grateful she can share her passion and love of dance with her students and is very excited to pass on her knowledge of ballet to her students at Kor.

CASSANDRA UHLENBERG OWNER, CO-DIRECTOR

Cassandra started dancing at the age of three and from the first time she put on her little pink tutu and ballet slippers, she fell in love with this art form. Cassandra grew up dancing with Alberta Ballet and Decidedly Jazz Danceworks. Her passion for performing led her to Calgary’s very own professional youth dance company, eko Dance Projects (formerly known as Youth Dance Unlimited), where she danced for nine seasons and then returned as a dance captain/instructor/choreographer for two more years.

She has had the privilege to train with dance legends such as Brenda Bufalino, Josh Hilberman, Erin O’Connor, Allen Kaeja, Sean Cheeseman, Brad Rapier, Wojciech Mochniej, Katherine Kramer, Vicki Adams Willis, Kim Cooper and many more and has been fortunate to travel around North America and dance in a variety of cities and renowned venues.

At the age of 16, Cassandra was hired to choreograph for a theatre company in Calgary called Mob Hit Productions. This opportunity fuelled her passion and desire to become a choreographer. For Cassandra, there is no better rush than seeing your own creation come to life on stage. In June, 2012, her first full-length dance show “Broken” debuted and her second show, a dance adaptation of the classic opera "Carmen" came to life in 2013.

In addition to being a dancer/choreographer, Cassandra has also been active in Calgary’s cycling community. As the Buyer/Manager at Ridley’s Cycle for 11 years she has gained much knowledge and experience in small business operations. Giving back to the community, especially the youth is very important to Cassandra and while working in the bike industry she has been able to orchestrate many bike rodeos. At these events children, who aren’t usually given these opportunities, were taught bike safety, were awarded helmets and some of the most deserving received donation bikes. Helping children find their zest for life, whether it be in dance or cycling, means everything to Cassandra.

For more than a decade Cassandra has had the privilege of teaching in and around the Calgary area. Teaching, training and mentoring students quickly became her number one passion. Cassandra holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and her philosophy of dance is to mix the joy of movement with the science of motion. She is so excited to share her love and knowledge of dance to each and every one of her students at Kor Danceworks.

Arlene grew up in Calgary where she trained in jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, musical theatre and gymnastics. As a young dancer, she participated in dance exams and festivals. Her passion for dance excelled when she became a member of the Young Canadians School of Performing Arts.

With the Young Canadians, Arlene performed in the Evening Grandstand Show at the Calgary Stampede. She was invited to perform in Las Vegas, numerous corporate events and a Grey Cup Half Time Show. Throughout this time, she worked with guest artists and choreographers from around the world, gaining valuable professional & theatrical experience.

Arlene has studied dance at the U of C, Edge Performing Arts Centre in Los Angeles and Decidedly Jazz Danceworks. Recent training programs include Dance Teacher Web Conference in Las Vegas, Yoga Kids Foundations Training, Alberta Dance Educators Workshop and numerous Acrobatic Arts training events. Arlene is certified with Acrobatic Arts, the Intellidance Method, and Alixa Flexibility.

Over the years, Arlene has instructed children & adults throughout Alberta and internationally in Bangkok, Thailand and Stavanger, Norway. She also spent time living in Dubai. For inspiration, she has travelled to New York & London to experience the magic of Broadway Theatre. Arlene has a passion for working with children and always looks forward to inspiring the next generation of dancers!

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Originally from Calgary, Alberta Beth is a graduate of the Arts Umbrella Dance Diploma Program in Vancouver, BC. While an active part of the Vancouver dance scene, Beth had the opportunity to work with and perform works by various renowned artists including Crystal Pite, Emily Molnar, and Michael Schumacher, amongst others. Beth has performed internationally with Ballet BC, and locally with Inverso Productions, Calgary Opera, and as a company dancer and choreographer with Corps Bara Dance Theatre.

Also a dance educator in Calgary, Beth looks to share her experiences with and encourages young dancers to love moving. Currently a student of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary and a member of Ballet Bodies YYC, Beth continues to pursue her passion for movement and learning.

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Julia was born and raised in Calgary Alberta. From the time she placed her first ballet slipper on at the age of 3, she fell in love with dance. Her favourite style is Contemporary with Jazz coming up close behind! She was a competitive dancer starting at the age of 5. Julia has attended many dance competitions and conventions in and around Alberta. Julia has performed in the Nutcracker with the International School of Ballet and was also offered a role in the performance of Sleeping Beauty. Julia was a member of the Young Canadians of the Calgary Stampede where she had the opportunity to perform on the Grandstand stage in front of thousands of people around the world.

Julia has successfully completed many ADAPT, Cecchetti ballet, and RAD ballet exams. Julia has a special place in her heart for young dancers. She is currently attending All Saints High School, her favourite classes are Cosmetology and English Language Arts.

Julia has been a part of the Kor family since day one and is a valued member of the admin team working in the office. Julia is continuing her training in Jazz and Contemporary in the senior classes, while teaching several classes herself. Her passion for dance and what she loves about it so much is that she can express any emotion through music and movement. Julia hopes to see you around the dance studio, come say hi whenever you are in!

Colby has been dancing since 2016 when he entered his first hip hop class. Ever since then he has found that he has a passion for dancing and self expression through art. Colby has trained in various different street styles such as hip-hop, breaking, popping, house, and Krump. He tries to honor the history of these styles while also innovating and pushing himself and as those around him within these styles to become better dancers overall.

Krump has been his main focus since he started training with the Calgary-based Krump crew "Empirical Freedom" in 2018. Through this training, he has learned a lot from Canadian Krump pioneers as well as from his experience in battling and performing. Colby has found a love for passing on his knowledge and ideas to others in the dance community. He has been fortunate enough to be able to teach classes, hold fundraisers, and perform, in hopes of inspiring people to express themselves freely. Colby was able to find his own independent voice through the art of dance and hopes to give others the opportunity to do the same.

Colby has been lucky enough to work with some incredible dancers and artists from a bunch of different backgrounds leading him to developing his dance in a very unique way. Over the past year Colby has been working with various musicians and filmmakers to create everything from short films to one of a kind live performances and is eager to share his knowledge with the students of Kor in the upcoming season.

Malaika began dancing at the age of 6 at local dance studios in Calgary eventually continuing training at Drewitz Dance Productions. She has been a competitive dancer for 10 years participating in competitions and intensives such as To The Pointe, VIP, Terpsichore and more.

Malaika's dance training includes jazz, hip hop, contemporary, musical theatre, lyrical, tap, modern, Bollywood as well as singing and acting. She has also trained in ballet and pointe, completing the RAD vocational exam for Intermediate.

Performances include the Disneyland Parade and showcase in Anaheim California for two years and more recently, a Broadway Revue with 42nd Street Productions as a dancer and a singer in New York.

Malaika's teaching experience began with training as a student teacher for 5 years as well as teaching Bollywood classes and workshops in and around Calgary.

Malaika is very excited to be teaching at Kor and is eager to pass on her passion and knowledge of dance with her students.

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Gillian is a dancer born and raised in Calgary. Starting dance at the age of three, she was first introduced to ballet and soon after branched out into the styles of jazz and contemporary. Dancing and assistant teaching at Kor for the past three years has allowed Gillian to further explore the role of instructor and expand her techniques in dance. An encouraging and non-competitive atmosphere is essential to her teaching style and each student is welcomed with her smile. From teaching summer camps to themed ballet and jazz classes, Gillian explores various techniques with her students to create fun and engaging dances.

Gillian is entering her first year of post secondary at the University of Calgary and is working on her bachelor of science in computer science. The dedication and adaptability that dance requires has helped Gillian develop her work ethic. Loves of math and dance combine together for Gillian to embrace creativity and maintain quality in all her work. Both teaching and university are an exiting new chapter she looks forward to, as well as all the new challenges that will come along the way.

As a teacher this year, Gillian is excited and passionate to share her knowledge and help each student express themselves through dance.

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Christa grew up dancing in Calgary and fell in love from the beginning. Starting at age two, Christa trained and competed in various disciplines such as Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Ballet, Contemporary and more. She has taken classes in professional settings in Vancouver, Montreal, New York, and Los Angeles. Currently, she holds certifications for Acrobatic Arts Module 1 and the International Dance Teaching Standards Module 1.

After graduating, Christa trained and competed with illFX, a local hip hop company, where she was able to experience and learn about hip hop culture and broaden her view of the world of dance after high school. Then, from 2019 to 2022 Christa was a part of EnCorps Dance Collective, a contemporary company in Calgary. She danced, choreographed, and sat on the board as treasurer during her time with them.

Christa hopes to create a safe and fun environment for every class she teaches. She wants all kids to feel they are in a space where they can make mistakes and be themselves. Christa’s favourite part of teaching is seeing students come out of their comfort zone and truly dance like no one’s watching. Christa looks forward to a wonderful season with Kor and is excited to see what the future holds.

Alicia is an enthusiastic human being from Calgary, AB who loves performing, teaching, and promoting a passion for performance art. After graduating from the University of Calgary with a BFA in drama Alicia spent a very informative year interning at Theatre Junction followed by two consecutive years in the Professional Training Program at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks. She has undergone numerous dance exams with the RAD, modern and tap with the ISTD, and most recently received her Associate in Tap Dance from the ISTD. Throughout the year Alicia finds herself instructing drama, dance and choreography for any age in a number of various styles throughout the city.

Alicia also loves large amounts of organizational tasks! Alicia works administratively for a number of education and arts focused companies including co-founding Triple Bill Weekends, a quarterly occurring performance series.

Alicia is passionate about growing the artist community in Calgary and fostering opportunities for dancers, no matter how young, to develop a love for movement.

Primary-Level 1
Girls- Mondor ballet pink footed tights, Capezio Children Lily leather pink ballet slippers (CP-212), Mondor RAD cotton tank tank bodysuit in Navy Blue (1645)
Boys- Black shorts, white fitted t-shirt, white socks, white leather full sole ballet slippers

Level 2-3
Girls- Mondor ballet pink convertible footed tights, Pink stretch canvas split sole ballet slipper, So Danca wide strap leotard with pinch front in Celestine Blue.

Boys- black fitted pants/boys black dance tights, white fitted t-shirt, white socks, white leather full sole ballet slippers

Level 4 and up
Girls- Mondor ballet pink convertible footed tights, Pink stretch canvas split sole ballet slipper, Mirella Women's princess seam V-front Camisole leotard in Royal Blue

Boys- black fitted pants/boys black dance tights, white fitted t-shirt, white socks, white leather or canvas ballet slippers

Kinder Kor
Girls- pink footed tights, pink leather ballet slippers (we recommend Capezio Lily), Any colour/style leotard
*a chiffon skirt in any colour may be worn in all kinder kor ballet classes
Boys- Black shorts, a fitted t-shirt, socks, white leather full sole ballet slippers

Fuchsia and Turquoise
Girls- pink footed tights, pink leather full sole ballet slippers, any colour/ style leotard

Boys- black shorts, a fitted t-shirt, socks, white leather full sole ballet slippers

Violet and Maroon
Girls-pink footed tights, pink leather full sole ballet slippers, any colour/style leotard
Boys-black shorts or fitted pants, a fitted t-shirt, socks, white leather ballet slippers

Peach, Silver, Emerald and Gold
Girls/Ladies- pink convertible tights, Pink canvas split sole ballet slippers, any colour/style leotard
Boys/Men-Black fitted pants or shorts, a fitted t-shirt, socks, white canvas ballet slippers

Kinder Kor
Girls- Black footed tights, any style black bodysuit, black fitted shorts, black slip-on jazz shoes
Boys- Black pants or shorts, fitted black OR solid colour t-shirt, black socks, black slip-on jazz shoes

Fuchsia and Turquoise
Girls- Black footed tights, any style black bodysuit, black fitted shorts, black slip-on jazz shoes
Boys- Black pants or shorts, fitted black OR solid colour t-shirt, black socks, black slip-on jazz shoes

Violet, Maroon, Peach, Silver and Emerald
Girls- fitted black pants, any style black bodysuit, black slip-on jazz shoes
Boys- Black pants or shorts, fittedblack OR solid colour t-shirt, black socks, black slip-on jazz shoes

All levels
Comfortable fitted clothing allowing total range of movement.

Kinder Kor
Girls- Black footed tights, any style black bodysuit, black fitted shorts, black Mary-Jane style tap shoes
Boys- Black pants or shorts, fitted black OR solid colour t-shirt, black socks, Black lace-up tap shoes

Fuchsia and Turquiose
Girls- Black footed tights, any style black bodysuit, black fitted shorts, black slip-on tap shoes
Boys- Black pants or shorts, fitted black OR solid colour t-shirt, black socks, Black lace-up tap shoes

Violet, Maroon, Silver and Emerald
Girls- Fitted black pants, any style black bodysuit, black slip-on tap shoes
Boys- Black pants or shorts, fitted black OR solid colour t-shirt, black socks, black tap shoes

All levels
Comfortable loose clothing that represent your own personal style.
Suggested footwear: Converse/Chuck Taylor or mid calf height army style boots

Please no jeans or ballet/jazz attire.

*All footwear worn to hip hop must be for indoor purposes only

All levels
Girls-fitted black shorts, any style black bodysuit, footless/convertible black tights (bare feet) Hair-Low Bun

Boys-Black shorts/pants, fitted black or solid colour t-shirt (bare feet)

Kinder Kor 3 & 4/5 Tap/Jazz
Girls-Black footed tights, any style black bodysuit, black fitted shorts, black slip on jazz shoes & black Mary-Jane style tap shoes.
Boys-Black shorts/pants, fitted black or solid colour t-shirt, black socks, black slip on jazz shoes, black slip on tap shoes

Kinder Kor 4/5 Acro/Jazz
Girls- Convertible black tights, black fitted shorts, any style black bodysuit, black slip on jazz shoes
Boys- Black shorts/pants, fitted black or solid colour t-shirt, black socks, black slip on jazz shoes

Kinder Kor 4/5 Hip and Flip
Girls- Any style/colour bodysuit with leggings along with indoor running shoes
Boys- Any colour fitted T-shirt with fitted pants or shorts with indoor running shoes

All levels
Boys/Girls-Any fitted activewear, black slip on jazz shoes

All Levels
Fitted activewear

We do not have a specific dress code for sessional classes. We recommend students wear comfortable work-out style clothing, easy to move in OR you can use our full year dress code as a guide. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding what to wear.
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