Island Dance Studio Faculty

Director

Bleiddyn Bellis FISTD (Cecchetti), Enrico Cecchetti Final Diploma

Bleiddyn Bellis completed her formative ballet training in Victoria, British Columbia, under the guidance of Christine Richardson, FISTD (CSB). As a young dancer, she furthered her studies at Ballet British Columbia, Ballet Jorgen, and the Banff Festival Ballet, after which she established a professional teaching career across Canada and the UK. She has worked as an international guest teacher, lecturer, and choreographer throughout Canada, and England.

Before relocating to the UK in 2003, Ms. Bellis was a faculty member of Arts Umbrella in Vancouver, BC. She served as both Assistant to the Director and Ballet Mistress for the school’s Junior Touring Company. She also choreographed for the Western Cecchetti Classical Ballet Awards and was instrumental in preparing students for their Cecchetti examinations.

While living in the UK, Ms Bellis taught for the Liverpool Theatre School and Kate Simmons Schools, teaching in both the lower school and Teacher Training College Program. Further, Ms. Bellis was a full-time dance staff member at the Hammond School in Chester, England. 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.

Ms. Bellis is a Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (CSB), holds diplomas in Applied Anatomy, and has been awarded the Certificate in Dance Education by the ISTD. Throughout her career, she has also been recognized with many awards and scholarships. Most recently, she was awarded the Margaret Saul Scholarship by The Cecchetti Society of Canada for her completion of the prestigious Enrico Cecchetti Final Diploma in London, England.

Ms. Bellis has been a frequent guest teacher and lecturer for organizations such as the British Ballet Organization, Northern Scholars in Manchester, England, the Cecchetti Northern Associates of the UK, and “Dancing Days” (British Ballet Organization, Elmhurst School of Dance, Birmingham, UK). Most recently, she was a guest teacher for The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Summer Dance Intensive 2008.

Ms. Bellis is delighted to return to Island Dance Studio as Director. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge, experience and passion for dance with the students of IDS.

Christine Richardson FISTD (Cecchetti), ARAD

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 2008/09 seasons. She is currently entering her third 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 three 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.

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 order to develop musicality and appreciation of music genre in the dance class.

Kathleen West (Associate pianist)