Livea Gill, Owner, Director of Performing Arts

Jazz, Modern, Lyrical, Street

Livea has been a choreographer and dance educator for the past 13 years in the Comox Valley. For the past 5 seasons Livea has had the honour of being Artistic Director of True Colours Youth Company of Performing Arts, the Valley’s only pre-professional dance troupe.

Livea & Tamara Ryan established Triple Heat Dance Productions together offering summer programs with highly sought after guest teachers and choreographers. She has won countless awards and acclaim for her innovative choreography. Livea combines her extreme passion for dance and music with her positive energy and creative flare to design dance classes that are always fun, challenging and inspiring.

Michelle Henly, Owner, Ballet Director, RAD-RTS | B.Ed

RAD Ballet, Ballet Tech/Funk, Pointe, ‘Little Feet’ Ballet

Michelle trained as a classical ballet dancer at the National Ballet School of Canada, and with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School’s Professional division. She is a registered and certified ballet teacher with Royal Academy of Dance.

In addition to classical ballet, Michelle studied Musical Theatre in Toronto at the Randolph School of Performing Arts and later received an Education Degree from the University of British Columbia. Michelle has been teaching dance for over 14 years, and moved to the Valley in 2010 after spending 5 years abroad running dance faculties in the UK and the Middle East.

Michelle is a passionate teacher who seeks to develop a strong foundation for dancers to build upon, nurturing each child’s creativity and instilling a love of dance in all her students. She is pleased to join the faculty at Triple Heat Dance.

Tamara Ryan Telford, Owner, Director of Musical Theatre & Little Feet Programming

Musical Theatre, Voice, ‘Little Feet’: Jazz, Street & Musical Theatre

Tamara is an award winning choreographer and teacher, and has taught dance and vocals for over 16 years. She attended Vancouver Island University and received her Associate Degree in Theatre.

Tamara brings a great deal of professional performance experience as a “triple threat” both in Canada and the United States. She pioneered the Musical Theatre Program at Gemini Dance Studios and makes her directorial debut this summer with Rainbow Youth Theatre’s production of Alice in Wonderland Jr.

Tamara is known for her amazing work with children, creative imagination and developing well-rounded and confident performers.

Chrissy Kennedy, AIDT ADVANCED

AIDT Modern, Lyrical, Jazz, Hip Hop & Open Modern

Chrissy has been studying dance for 28 years. Her training started in Jazz and AIDT. Modern dance at Gemini Dance Studios; eventually adding Hip Hop to her repertoire. Chrissy began teaching in 2000 and in 2002 she received her Advanced Associate level two teaching degree in Modern dance.

In 2008 she became a certified Stott Pilates instructor. Chrissy hopes to share her passion and knowledge of dance to her students and is excited to be part of the faculty for the first season at Triple Heat Dance.

Joelle Schnurch, AIDT-RTS | RAD

AIDT Tap, RAD Ballet, Tap & ‘Little Feet’ Ballet

Joelle trained extensively in ballet (R.A.D.), modern jazz and tap (A.I.D.T.) growing up. She was a dancer with Gemini from the age of three, and has spent the last 7 years teaching and sharing her joy of dance.

She is a registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance, and holds her Associate level of teaching with the AIDT

Joelle is thrilled to be teaching with Triple Heat Academy this year.

Sandra Barker, AIDT

AIDT Tap, Performance Tap

Sandra Barker grew up in Nanaimo dancing at Kirkwood Academy studying ballet, tap and jazz. Sandra has been teaching dance on the island for over 17 years, and is AIDT qualified in tap.

She really loves working with her students including: strengthening technique while working towards examinations, working on choreography and doing open work in class.

Anna Mayo

Street Dance

A Vancouver Island native and dancer since she was 9, Anna began teaching hip hop at age 21. She has worked at various dance studios training students at recreational to performing arts levels.

Her inspiration is fueled entirely by the beats of hip hop music and a craving to evoke in her students a lust for dance through her choreography. She shares a thorough understanding of hip hop fundamentals and offers a vibrant and creative dance environment.