Island Dance Studio Faculty

Director

Bleiddyn Bellis FISTD (Cecchetti), Enrico Cecchetti Final Diploma

Ms. Bellis has recently returned from the UK to take over as Director of Island Dance Studio, Victoria BC. Before moving to the UK in 2003, she was a faculty member of Arts Umbrella in Vancouver, BC. In the UK, Bleiddyn was a dance staff member at Liver-pool Theatre School, Kate Simmons Schools and most recently the Hammond School in Chester. While on staff at Hammond, she was a choreographer for the Senior School's professional touring company, Taudevin, and was responsible for establishing the Cecchetti method within the professional school's curriculum.

She has been a frequent guest teacher and lecturer for organizations such as the British Ballet Organization, Northern Scholars, the Cecchetti Northern Associates of the UK, and "Dancing Days" (BBO), Elmhust. Most recently she was invited to be guest teacher for The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Summer Dance Intensive 2008 and 2009. Since returning to Canada she has worked to develop the Bridge Program, a joint Professional Training Program with both Island Dance Studio and Ballet Victoria for Post Secondary Students. She is a Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (CSB), holds the Enrico Cecchetti Final Diploma, and has been awarded the Certificate in Dance Education(CDE) by the ISTD.

Bleiddyn is delighted to return to Canada as Director of Island Dance Studio and is enjoying sharing her knowledge, experience and passion for dance with Canadian students.

Teachers

Christine Richardson FISTD (Cecchetti), ARAD, Enrico Cecchetti Final Diploma

Christine Richardson is the founder of Island Dance Studio. She has taught ballet and jazz for more than 30 years, following a career as a professional dancer in Toronto. She is a Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (Cecchetti Faculty) and an Examiner for the Cecchetti Society of Canada. She holds the prestigious Enrico Cecchetti Final Diploma. She is also an Associate Member and Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance.

Christine received her initial training from Louise Goldsmith in Toronto. She performed with the Toronto Regional Ballet Company before furthering her training with several internationally renowned teachers in Canada and the USA. In her professional career, she was a regular performer and soloist with popular weekly television programs and with a number of variety television specials for CBC Toronto and international touring productions.

In addition to her regular teaching schedule, Christine is much in demand as a guest teacher and adjudicator across Canada and the USA. She has served as Ballet Mistress for Ballet Victoria and the Head of the Ballet Department at the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria.

Christine is a recognized leader in the development of the Cecchetti ballet method in Canada and has served as Chair of the Cecchetti Society of Canada.

Andrea Bayne

Andrea was born in Halifax, NS, trained at the American Ballet Theater in New York, and is a graduate of the Alberta Ballet School. While in Alberta, Andrea was the recipient of the Ali Pourfarrokh Scholarship and the NB Arts Foundation Award. Andrea has danced professionally with the Alberta Ballet over two seasons and in the Banff Centre Festival where she performed works by George Balanchine and Brian MacDonald.

2007/2008 was Andrea’s first season with Ballet Victoria, and she won raved reviews for her role as Tinker Bell in Peter Pan and in her performances for the subsequent seasons. She is currently entering her fourth season as a principle dancer with Ballet Victoria.

Megan Cox

Megan Cox was born in Calgary, Alberta and trained at the School of Alberta Ballet in the professional program under Murray and Nancy Kilgour.

Prior to joining Ballet Victoria four seasons ago, she was a guest artist with Alberta Ballet and worked professionally with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal and the Banff Centre.

Megan has been a principal dancer with Ballet Victoria for three years, receiving rave reviews in their productions.

Shannon Delaney AISTD (Cecchetti)

Shannon began her early dance training in her hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan where she studied ballet, jazz, modern, and musical theatre. After years outside of the dance world, Shannon found her way back into dancing as an adult student in Courtenay, BC. It was there that she rediscovered her passion for dance and determined that she would pursue a career in teaching dance.

In 2005, Shannon enrolled in the Edmonton School of Ballet Teacher Training Program. Here she attained her Advanced 1 ballet exam in both the Cecchetti and RAD methods and received her Associate Diploma certification in the Cecchetti method. Shannon is so pleased to be teaching dance since 2005 and has worked with dancers aged 3 through to adult.

Shannon moved to Victoria, BC in June of 2010 and is extremely honoured to be joining the illustrious staff at Island Dance Studio as a ballet and jazz teacher while also working as the Office Administrator.

Stacy Sanderson (Jazz)

Stacy has trained extensively in Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Tap, Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, and Stage. After high school Stacy secured a position in The Source Dance Company in Vancouver, where she spent the 2006/2007 season. After sustaining numerous foot injuries, she began teaching dance while in recovery and has since grown to love it.

Always pursuing new dance experiences, Stacy has travelled to Italy and performed in several cities. Her dance achievements include scholarships to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and Harbour Dance Centre in Vancouver and numerous festival awards including Most Outstanding Jazz Dancer. Stacy's choreography is energetic and innovative. She continually brings new ideas and styles into her classes to challenge her students. Stacy is currently working towards a Kinesiology degree at the University of Victoria while remaining active and present in the local dance community.

Pianists

Luba Ellis (Music Director)

Our talented and treasured Music Director Luba , has an extensive music background, holding degrees in Piano and Music Education at the Master's level.

In addition to her position with IDS, she teaches piano at her own school, Music Victoria. A piano accompanist is essential in developing musicality and appreciation of musical genres in dance training. Live accompaniment enables the students to achieve the desired quality and purpose of each exercise throughout the course of every dance class.

Iryna Graifer (Pianist)

Iryna Graifer was born in Ukraine, where she received her Master's Degree in music as a pianist, accompanist and teacher. She worked for 13 years in her alma mater music college. In 1996 she moved to Canada with her husband and two kids, spending 10 years in Winnipeg teaching piano and working as an accompanist with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and the Manitoba School of Music.

Iryna moved to Victoria in 2006. Here she holds the position of pianist for the Edelweisse German Choir, and works with opera singers and instrumentalists. Iryna also works with various ballet schools in the community and is excited to be joining the Island Dance Studio this year.