MARIAH AWAIYE - DAVIS
OWNER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Mariah Awaiye began her dance career at the age of four. From there she joined her first competitive team at the age of eight and have been competing and dancing throughout Canada and the United States ever since. Mariah loves movement, music and acting. Over the past 5 years Mariah has appeared in commercials for Cineplex, Swiss Chalet, Rogers and more! Mariah has had the opportunity to dance for the Toronto Marlies Dance Crew as well as two seasons with Toronto Raptors Dance Pak. Mariah is a certified yoga instructor, canfitpro certified fitness instructor and certified acrobatics instructor through Acrobatic Arts. Mariah is currently working towards her jazz and tap exams to become an associate member of the Canadian Dance Teachers Association (CDTA). Mariah is a recent graduate of York University’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program specializing in Dance and cannot wait to share all her knowledge with the students at Kreative Dance Company.
NICOLE JOHN
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Nicole is our Operations Manager here at KDC! She is a Graphic Design Graduate from Georgian College. She enjoys kickboxing and yoga. Nicole also enjoys to spend her free time with her dogs and her fiancé. Nicole is so excited to be working with the families at Kreative Dance Co. for another season!
SABRINA MERKS
PRE-DANCE COORDINATOR/INSTRUCTOR
Sabrina Merks (They/She) began dancing at 16 and never looked back. Sabrina is a recent graduate of Queens University for Musical Theatre Performance. Sabrina is also completing their ADAPT Dance Certification. When they aren't teaching dance, they often write various scripts, songs, and crafty-art pieces, and they also work frequently with Theatre by the Bay and Black cat Theatre Co. Sabrina's favorite part about teaching dance is seeing each student progress weekly. "It warms my heart to see the smile on a student's face when they overcome a new challenge." Sabrina does their best to create a safe and welcoming space for all students to feel comfortable expressing themselves through movement.
LIZ MAVOR
INSTRUCTOR
A native of Barrie, Elizabeth’s background includes extensive training in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, and modern dance. She has been teaching dancers of all ages and choreographing for more than 20 years at several studios in the Barrie area. As a firm believer in high quality training to develop strong technical skills, Elizabeth has coached many of her students successfully for jazz and tap exams. She holds an Advanced 1 Ballet exam certificate in the Cecchetti method and is a member with CDTA in ballet, jazz and tap. Always aiming to improve her skills for her students, Elizabeth is presently pursuing her CDTA Full Ballet Membership and just finished year two of the Adapt Teacher Training program. She has her certification in the Progressing Ballet Technique and is also a member of the Professional Adjudicators Alliance.
Elizabeth strives to build her students’ self-confidence and is eager to share her passion and knowledge with the dancers at Kreative Dance Company.
DWAYNE “BONELESS” GULSTON
INSTRUCTOR
Dwayne”Boneless” Gulston was amazing on the hit T.V show “So You Think You Can Dance Canada”. He performed some of the best Hip Hop this country has ever seen!! Now he’s giving back to his community by inspiring youth in Toronto and across Canada. Immigrating from Trinidad & Tobago to Toronto Canada he is taking advantage of his unique story and dance training to grow a very successful dance career. Instrumental in developing mandatory dance classes all over Ontario throughout Dance workshop, studios, and the Toronto District School Board. Currently you can catch Boneless in world premier movies and Sports Campaign such as:
Disney Ordinal Movie: Zombies and Descendants.
Sponsored by Canada Sports Check and McDonald’s
And the Court for haft time shows and entertainment for …The Toronto Raptors with my Dance Company Mayhem’s Finest! also know as “The 6 Squad” .
Dwayne “Boneless” Gulston has been privileged to be cast and dance for such influential artists such as:
Drake, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Demi Lavato, Jonas Brothers and More… Film and Television: Disney Original Movie: Zombies, Disney OriginalMovie: Descendants, Disney Original Movie: Camp Rock, Step Up 4, How She Moves And More…
ISABELLA CASTRO
INSTRUCTOR
Isabella began dancing at the age of 2 and has truly loved every minute of it! At the age of 7 she really wanted to try gymnastics and trained at Northern Stars for two seasons. Isabella quickly realized it was the style of Acro that captured her heart. She began dancing again at the age of 9 and started competing in styles such as Jazz, Tap, Ballet and Acro. Eventually she added Lyrical, Contemporary and Musical Theatre. Isabella has won many overalls and numerous scholarships, her most recent being a scholarship to Dancer Palooza held in California. She has also attended many dance conventions like Canadian Dance Expo, Dance Attack and a summer intensive program at Dark Dance in Toronto. Isabella has been so lucky to have worked with incredible choreographers including Mariah Awaiye, Gerard McIsaac, Shawn Byfield, Gregory Hines, Mike Song, Jesse Mateau, Lineen Doung, Hollywood Jade, Shannon Murray, Allison Bradley and many more. In 2017, Isabella took the grade one examination for tap dancing and successfully completed it. Isabella is always striving to provide the best possible dance experience to all her dance students. It’s something she truly loves!
CORINNA DI LUCIANO
INSTRUCTOR
Corinna Di Luciano started dancing at the age of 3 and joined the competitive team at age 5. She has trained and competed in various styles of dance, including Acro, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Open, Hip-Hop, and Ballet. Corinna has also successfully completed CDTA Jazz and ISTD Ballet exams. In her time competing, she has achieved numerous overalls, titles, and scholarships, as well as choreography awards. She has travelled across North America for dance and had the privilege of competing at the World Dance Championships in Germany with the Canadian National Tap Team. Corinna has also performed on the Beauty and the Beast Stage in Walt Disney World as well as in Dance the Magic’s Main Street parade through Disney.
She has also been able to combine her love for dance with her other passions through charity events such as Dancing with the Docs, where she acted as a choreographer and dancer to help raise money for the Couchiching Jubilee House in Orillia. While completing her undergraduate degree (B.A.Sc.) Corinna competed on the University team, the Guelph Gryphon Dance Pak. In her final season competing at Guelph, their team earned “Top Team” at each competition they attended. Most recently, Corinna was a dancer on the Nighthawks Flight Crew, where she performed at the CEBL Nighthawks Basketball games.
Corinna is currently pursuing her Master of Education degree at the University of Toronto in Developmental Psychology and Education. She is highly dedicated and passionate about dance and enjoys sharing this with students through teaching.
MIKAYLA ALCOMBRACK
INSTRUCTOR
Mikayla Alcombrack is a twenty-three, year old emerging dance artist, originally from Barrie, Ontario. She began her dance journey at the age of fifteen at The Barrie School of Dance, where she fell in love with dance and decided to pursue a career in the industry. In 2021, Mikayla graduated from York University’s dance program earning a Specialized Honors BFA in performance and choreography. Mikayla is also a member of Dark Dance Company’s Elite Contemporary team, under the mentorship of Allison Bradley, and trains in modern, floor work, ballet, hip hop, jazz funk, and heels, to enhance her versatility. Her on stage credits include performing on competition stages, in Dark Dance Company productions;Timeless (2017), Human Symbiosis (2018), and Junkyard Bandits (2019), and on stage with Hedley during the Wild Live Tour (2014). Mikayla has also been a part of multiple dance videos including Allison Bradley’s Cosmic Love (2021), promotional shoots for Dark Dance Company (2021), and Tendu Active’s spring/summer campaign (2022). Currently, Mikayla is continuing to train, teaching at The Barrie School of Dance, and Kreative Dance Company, working on her own fitness and stretching brand MK Fit, and dancing in video, and photo shoots, set to release later this year.
SHANNON MURRAY
INSTRUCTOR
Shannon has always loved to be in the studio. She started her dance career at the age of 4 and has loved every minute of it! Initially training in Toronto she would eventually move to London where she would complete many R.A.D. and B.A.T.D. examinations culminating in her B.A.T.D. Associate Membership, as well as being 1 of 28 senior candidates selected from across Canada and the US. to compete for an international Stage/Tap scholarship. She began dancing competitively at the age of 8, starting with tap, ballet, jazz and acro. Eventually she expanded her dance repertoire to also include lyrical, modern, pointe, hip-hop, character, musical theatre and song & dance. As a competitive dancer she has been awarded many adjudicator’s choice and overall awards. As well as attending international and finals in Orlando, Florida and being part of one of two dance troupes selected to represent Canada at a ‘Dance Excellence’ international convention in California. Shannon has 10 years of teaching experience and loves to encourage and inspire her students both young and old. Her main focus and passion is tap but she also loves to teach lyrical/contemporary, jazz, and acro. She understands the importance of staying current in the dance world. As such, she has attended The Pulse’s Teacher workshop in NYC (Shane Sparks, Michelle Dorrance, Wade Robson), The Pulse in Chicago (Tyce Diorio, Mia Michaels), taken class at Broadway Centre (Barbara Duffy-tap legend, Anthony LoCascio-Tap Dogs). And most recently attended Shawn Byfield’s summer tap intensive in Toronto, where she was lucky enough to take class with Shawn himself, as well as David Cox and S.Y.T.Y.C.D.’s Everett Smith. Shannon thoroughly enjoys teaching and it shows on her students, many of them winning adjudicator’s choice awards, overall high point awards, and cash scholarships both nationally and internationally. She is very excited to be joining the team at KDC again and can’t wait to start working with their wonderful students and staff.
BREEANNA BOOTH
INSTRUCTOR
Dancing since the young age of three, Breeanna has completed her student exams with the Society of Russian Ballet, recieving 'Highly Commended' and competing in various styles including jazz, tap, acro, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, musical theatre, and more.
She loved to perform so much so, that she even participated in numerous musicals with Kempenfelt Community Players as a chorus and lead dancer. She also actively worked with the dance team and choreographed musical numbers during her secondary schooling.
After graduating college for performing, she was blessed with having the opportunity to audition for various dance films and series (The Next Step being one of them), learning an array of improv and techniques to help further herself in the dance industry. She has since studied under the likes of Amy Wright, Meaghan Wegg, Jane Pound and more.
Breeanna’s love for dance never faltered as evidenced by her remaining a substitute dance teacher throughout her acting years. With a strong desire to return to her roots, she began taking as many classes and workshops as she could to help perfect her skills so she could excel as a dance teacher. Breeanna earned her Module 1 and 2 certifications in Acrobatic Arts and passed through the Aerial and Back Handspring course.
She has even joined a not-for-profit dance troupe that practices every week and travels throughout Simcoe County, performing in many dance shows. She has also won numerous special mentions/awards for her choreography at past competition's.
WENDY WOOD
INSTRUCTOR
Wendy is an accomplished, award winning teacher and choreographer in all forms of dance.Having run a successful dance studio for 28 years, she hasn’t looked back in her endeavour to share her love of dance with her students and her peers. Wendy is currently artistic director of Prestige Dance Arts in Barrie, Ontario. Wendy received her training in Toronto, attending dance programs through George Brown College, Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, and the Randolph School for the Performing Arts. Wendy belongs to several dance organizations including the Canadian Dance Teachers Association, Royal Academy of Dance, International Teachers of Dance, Professional Dance Teachers Association, Acrobatic Arts, and is a member of the Professional Adjudicators Association. Wendy is an accomplished choreographer, trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, acro and musical theatre. Throughout her dance career, Wendy has been involved in sharing her teaching talents through workshops, seminars and choreographing for several musicals including Grease, Leader of the Pack, and The Wizard of Oz, just to name a few. Many of her competitive routines have won top scores and overall titles and awards at dance competitions throughout Ontario and North America. Many of Wendy’s talented students have also gone on to higher education through the National Ballet School in Toronto, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, performed on Cruise Ships, as well as several have moved on to teaching careers in Europe and Mexico. Wendy has had the opportunity to have worked with several great teachers, including Gus Giordano, Nadia Potts, Robert McCollum, Bob Rizzo, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, Gregg Russell, Debbie Vogel, Shane Sparks, Brian Friedman, Wade Robson, Ben & Offer, and Rhee Gold to name just a few. Wendy continually evolves and always pursues a higher education in dance by taking master classes at the National Ballet School, Steps on Broadway, and Broadway Dance Centre, as well as attending workshops and conferences to enhance her student’s achievements and dance training. A firm believer in good quality training to develop strong technical dancers, Wendy strongly encourages dance examination programs such as C.D.T.A., R.A.D., and A.D.A.P.T. syllabus to promote her high standards in dance education. Wendy continues to be a much sought after instructor and adjudicator across Canada & North America. A sensitive and compassionate teacher and adjudicator, Wendy has incredible energy and shares her love of dance with everyone she works with. She is looking forward to sharing her love of dance with the students at Kreative Dance Company.
VICTORIA DICARLO
INSTRUCTOR
Victoria DiCarlo, is a recent graduate from York University, where she earned her Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Dance; specializing in performance and choreography. Victoria is certified in Progressing Ballet Techniques (PBT) and ADAPT Jazz and tap Technique. Growing up, she was always at the dance studio and began her teaching career at 17. This year marks her 23rd year as a member of the dance industry and her 9th year of teaching.