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Faculty
Dance Fusion faculty are a talented group of professionals that offer each student the highest quality training.
Staff
Robin Bleasdale – Artistic Director
Alison Currie –Recreational & Competitive Tap Teacher
Mitchell Jackson – Recreational & Competitive Hip Hop, Jazz Funk & Contemporary Teacher
Gina Kim – Competitive and Recreational Ballet Teacher
Shelby Richardson – Competitive and Recreational jazz & Musical Theatre Teacher
Jeremy Kelly – Music Director
Guest Instructors
Blake McGrath – Guest Instructor
Phillip Morris – Competitive Choreographer
Staff
Robin Bleasdale – Artistic Director
Originally from the Waterloo area, Robin completed her outstanding competitive dance career at Bojangles Dance Arts before going on to graduate from York University with a BFA Hon. in Dance with a concentration in Pedagogy and Choreography. She now teaches as a working certified member of Britisth Theatre Dance Association, Royal Academy of Dance (Ballet), and the Canadian Artists Scholar Association at Dance Fusion. In the past she has worked as a Program Advisor for the Toronto District School Board and an Artistic Program Director for the City of Toronto Arts Programs.
Robin has danced professionally for the Toronto Blue Jays (MLB), Toronto Molson Rockettes (Toronto Rock, NLL), Darrin Henson's Dance Company, Skills Canada Organization, Hamilton Tiger Cats (CFL), The Red Green Show, Fashion Cares Backstage After Party, Showstoppers, and as a lead dancer in the Mirvish Musical run of Hello Dolly.
Her recent work includes serving as a Choreographer for the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid Committee and having her work featured on Breakfast Television. Her choreography has won her students countless awards at Regional and International Competitions. Her personal achievements as a Choreographer have won her many International awards, including most recently:
- CanDance 2009 - Overall Choreography Award
- Northern Stars 2009 - Overall Choreography Award
- StarCatchers 2009 – Overall Choreography Award
- American Dance Awards Nationals 2008 – Top 3 Diamond Choreography Award
- Superstar 2008 – Overall Choreography Nova Award
- Strive 2007 – Top Choreographer
- Flashdance 2006 – Overall Choreography Award
- Pick The Stars International Championships 2005 & 2006 – National Choreographer of the Year
- American Dance Awards 2009 - Diamond Choreography Winner
- BeDance 2009 - Overall Choreography Award
Robin now continues to work as an in demand teacher, choreographer and adjudicator throughout Canada. She is proud to be able to share her passion and enthusiasm for dance with a new generation of students!
Alison Currie –Recreational & Competitive Tap Teacher
Alison began her dance training in Toronto ON and continued on to complete her A.B.A.T.D exams. At the young age of 13, Alison performed and made it to the semi finals on the talent show "Homegrown Café". It was that same year that Alison made her choreographic debut for the High School Musical "Anything Goes" and continued to contribute to a number of community musicals throughout her high school years. Alison began teaching as an assistant in Belleville ON 14 years ago, and has been teaching at Dance Fusion since 2003. Trained in many disciplines of dance (including Jazz, Modern and Ballet) it is Tap that remains Alison's true passion. Alison’s attention to fundamentals and persistence to practice dance technique has proven success in the recreational dance program at Dance Fusion. Her outgoing personality and constant motivation is a quality her students and peers continue to respect.
Mitchell Jackson - Recreational & Competitive Hip Hop, Jazz Funk & Contemporary Teacher
Mitchell Jackson comes to us from Sudbury, Ontario where he was a dance graduate from Sudbury Secondary School. Training in jazz, ballet, hip-hop, contemporary and musical theatre, he decided this was his career of choice and has since worked with many major dance companies, including the American Ballet Theatre. Within two years of dancing competitively, Mitchell has won many awards including; Mr. DEA, Mr.Candance and the overall highest score for Starpower, American Dance Awards and Dance Educators of America. Training in Los Angeles and New York he made the move to Toronto to pursue his dance career. After weeks of living in Toronto, Mitchell was signed with the top dance agency in Canada. Recently, Mitchell has worked for many companies and continues to show his love of teaching and choreography working with studios and schools all over Ontario. His credits include, Breakfast Television, CTV, Much Music and Rogers TV. Mitchell hopes that one day he will be a role model for dancers all over the world and wants everyone to know that it is never too late to start dancing.
Gina Kim – Competitive and Recreational Ballet Teacher
Born in Edmonton Alberta, Gina Kim moved to Ontario and started her dancing career at the age of six. Ms. Kim has diverse training in tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical, modern, musical theatre, hip-hop, National dance and Korean traditional folk dance. Ms. Kim received Honors in numerous C.D.T.A tap and jazz exams, Advanced Cecchetti ballet exams, Advanced RAD ballet exams and Advanced I.S.T.D National dance exams.
Ms. Kim was a competitive dancer since the age of six, receiving several awards and scholarships at local, national and various competitions across North America. After twelve years of competing, Ms. Kim is now a certified adjudicator in association with I.A.D.A. Greater accomplished credentials include: Teaching Diploma and certificate from Canada's National Ballet School, Associates in The Cecchetti Society of Canada, Royal Academy of Dance, Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Dance Masters of America and Canadian Dance Teachers Association.
Ms. Kim attends master classes and workshops in Toronto, Buffalo, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Japan, Korea and Winnipeg. Her performance experience includes Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with Quinte Ballet School, The Nutcracker and Les Syphides with The National Ballet School, The Beach Boys, Guys N’ Dolls, Bye-Bye Birdie, Grease, Chicago and Westside Story. After graduating with her BFA Honors in Dance from York University, Ms. Kim furthered her education at Canada’s National Ballet School, and joined the teaching staff in the Associates Program in 2006.
Shelby Richardson – Competitive and Recreational jazz & Musical Theatre Teacher
Shelby has had extensive training and stage experience in all areas of dance as she trained for many years at the respected Spotlight Dance Centre in Burnaby BC. She has successfully completed RAD Ballet Advance Level 1 and has over 13 years of competitive dance experience. In addition to this Shelby has been awarded numerous awards & scholarships in every discipline, including choreography which as allowed her to train with many of the best teachers & performers in the industry. For three consecutive years Shelby was named as one of the Dancers of the Year in the 5-6-7-8 Dance competitions and participated in the North American Finals.
Shelby has performed on Television both as a dancer and singer including, PNE's production of "Fire in the Night", the 2001 MTV New Years Eve show, repeat participant in Burnaby's "Cavalcade of Stars" with Michael Buble, and as a member of the cast of "Jesus Christ Superstar". Musically, Shelby was the lead singer and lyricist for the band "A Steady Vertigo" performing throughout Vancouver at various venues and winning the CFOX 2003 "Battle of the Bands".
Shelby's vast experience in teaching as seen her work with all levels from introductory with young children, through RAD preparatory exams and instructing professional Company dancers. Shelby is thrilled to back at Dance Fusion for another year!
Jeremy Kelly – Music Director
Jeremy Kelly is an honours performance graduate of the prestigious Humber College music program. At Humber, Jeremy studied with some of the greatest musicians in Canada such as Ted Quinlan, Pat Labarbera, Al Kay and Tony Zorzi. Upon graduation, he had a solid foundation on which to base the rest of his musical career.
Jeremy had been an in demand musician in Canada for the last 10 years. Jeremy has worked with artists as diverse as Blue Man Group, Alex Lifeson, Edwin, Ian Thornley, The Rankin Family, Rex Goudie, Canadian Idol, Dawn Langstroth and Misty Fox. In addition to these artists, he has performed in many different groups all across Canada and in the United States.
Guest Instructors
Blake McGrath – Guest Instructor
Originally from Mississauga, Ontario, Blake McGrath now resides in Los Angeles and continues to take the entertainment industry by storm.
At the young age of 24, McGrath has shared the stage with Madonna, Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and more. Best known for his memorable appearances on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance in the United States where he was a finalist, he has also appeared on Jennifer Lopez's TV series Dance Life.
McGrath's film credits include the Academy Award-winning film Chicago and the musical Rent. McGrath also has extensive commercial experience, appearing in commercials for Gap, Old Navy, Pepsi, Hummer and iPod, to name a few.
And if that wasn't enough, McGrath recently released his debut DVD, entitled Dance Driven.
Phillip Morris – Competitive Choreographer
Bio to come.