Early Childhood Programs

Kay Huang Barnes: BA Dance, SFU. Danced seven years with the Karen Jamieson Dance Co. Began choreographing in 1990 and performed at festivals including Dancing on the Edge, Women In View and Late Night Kiss Projects.

Marilyn Foubert: Majored in Textiles, Sheridan College, School of Design, Ontario. Abstract Expressionist painter. Exhibits in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. Workshops. Participant for Artists in our Midst. Taught extensively since 1974. Faculty Member at "Child Study Centre" at UBC in 1998-99. Inspirational facilitator of adult workshops.

Kate Gomberg: B.Ed., BA (Visual Arts) University of Ottawa, Diploma (Visual Arts) Dawson College, Montreal. Arts Umbrella Instructor since 1999. Worked eight years as a Child Life Worker in a children's hospital in Ottawa and taught Special Education with emphasis on visual arts.

Laura Jaszcz: BA in Theatre and Dance. Professional actor in film, television and theatre for over 10 years. More than 10 years of teaching experience at Arts Umbrella.

Riba Kalb: B.Sc. Ed. U.S.C., California. Diploma, Creativity and Education, UAM, Mexico. Certificate, Art for Children, Mexico. Twenty years of experience teaching art and art history to children. Expressive Arts Therapy certificate in progress.

Renée Iaci: BFA Theatre, UBC. Actress, director and producer. Nominated for a Jessie Richardson Award for her performance in Marion Bridge. Artistic collaborator and co-founder of shameless hussy.

Rae Maté: BA from UBC, Teaching Training at SFU, Visual Arts Diploma from Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. Painter and illustrator of Crocodiles say. A sequel, Crocodiles Play! will debut in 2008. She has been painting and exhibiting professionally for 20 years and teaching at Arts Umbrella since 1997.

Carolyn Mount: BA in Fine Arts and Psychology; has worked in the arts in both the public and private sectors since completing school. She is a practicing artist and is an active member at both Dundarave and Malaspina printmakers on Granville Island.

Aileen Pugliese Castro: BFA and MAT, Maryland Institute, College of Art. Aileen is an elementary visual arts education specialist. She has taught in the public schools in Baltimore and at the Maryland Institute College of Art's Young Peoples Studio. She is currently a sessional instructor at The University of British Columbia preparing teacher candidates to teach art in the elementary schools.

Victoria Singh: BA (Art History), Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Diploma of Elementary Teaching (Art Major). Practicing visual and performance artist for 15 years. Performed in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and New York as Satina Saturnina. Curator of Performance Art at The Western Front in Vancouver.

Dance

Artistic Director: Artemis Gordon, L.I.S.T.D. (C.S.B.) - A graduate of the National Ballet School's Teacher Training program, Artemis has adjudicated at festivals and taught at professional training schools throughout Canada and internationally, including Ballet British Columbia, UQAM Dance Symposium, Yokahama Ballet Seminar, BC Festival of the Arts, Ottawa School of Ballet, and the Encore International Dance Festival. She has had the opportunity to work professionally with Mark Godden, Jean Grand-Maître, Louis-Martin Charest, Dominique Dumais, Eric Miles, David Earle, Grant Strate and Gioconda Barbuto. Artemis has been Artistic Director at Arts Umbrella for 15 years and has fostered and nurtured the professional training program, setting the high standard that Arts Umbrella is known for today.

Artist-in-Residence: Emily Molnar - Named as one of Canada's new generation of "ballet sensations" (MacLean's Magazine, 2003) Emily Molnar is a graduate of The National Ballet School. She is a former member of The National Ballet of Canada and The Frankfurt Ballet where she created and performed an extensive repertoire under William Forsythe. As a principal dancer with Ballet British Columbia, she danced such memorable roles as Puck in The Faerie Queen and Persephone in Orpheus. Since 1998, she has created and performed several works in her ongoing development as a choreographer and solo artist, creating on companies such as The New York City Ballet, Alberta Ballet and Cedar Lake Dance. Emily is the Rehearsal Director for the Arts Umbrella Apprentice Dance Company and a creative process teacher.

Justine Chambers: Justine is a Vancouver-based contemporary dance artist. She was a senior dancer with Desrosiers Dance Theatre & Diavolo Dance Theatre. She has appeared in film and television and has danced for various Canadian & international choreographers. She has taught on faculty at Ryerson University, Quinte Ballet School, Teacher's Collective, and Dance-teq, and guest-taught at several other institutions and companies across Canada and the United States.

Dr. Robert Cannon: B.Sc., B.ED.A.,M.Sc.,D.C., Dr Cannon has been a treating chiropractor, educator and consultant in dance, theatre, film and television for 30 years. He lectures on anatomy and injury prevention at universities, dance schools and WorkSafe BC performance related events (SHAPE). He has been a board member of many dance and production companies. Dr Cannon is also an industrial injury prevention specialist (www.backsafe.com).

Lina Fitzner: Lina received her training at both Arts Umbrella and the Ballet B.C. Mentor program. She has worked with Amber Funk Barton, Martha Carter and Rob Kitsos. In 2006, Lina was invited to join the cast for the Winter Olympics Closing Ceremonies in Torino, Italy. She is also Rehearsal Assistant for the Arts Umbrella Apprentice Company.

Toresa Hancock: Toresa is a graduate of the National Ballet School's Teacher Training Program and holds associate diplomas with distinction in the Cecchetti and National Branches, from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. She holds the Enrico Cecchetti Final Diploma and is currently dancing with Ballet de Printemps.

Andrea Hodge: Instructor, Dance. Studied with Joffrey Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet. Soloist with Ballet British Columbia since 1994, working with renowned Canadian and international choreographers through all stages of the creative process.

Elizabeth Isabelle: Elizabeth graduated from York University with an Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She has also completed the Teacher Training Program from Canada's National Ballet School. Elizabeth has obtained her Associate from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Cecchetti Ballet Branch.

Edmond Kilpatrick: Currently dances with Ballet BC. Trained at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and performed with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Judith Marcuse Dance Company, Jumpstart, Kinesis Dance, Dance Theatre David Earle, Lola MacLaughlin. Edmond is an active professional choreographer.

Heather Kirkland: Trained at Arts Umbrella and went on to graduate from MainDance and Toronto Dance Theatre. Has danced independently with choreographers such as Julia Sasso, Wen Wei Wang and John Ottmann. Currently directs and choreographs for the Shadbolt Centre's Senior Youth Dance Company in Burnaby, BC.

Charles Lester: Attended School of American Ballet in New York City as a scholarship student and continued training in Chicago. He has danced professionally with Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet; joined the National Ballet of Canada in the mid-1960's; and co-founded the Lester School of Dance and the Trent Regional Ballet Assemble in Peterborough Ontario. Presently, he stage manages dance in Vancouver and works in the tourism industry.

Marquita Lester A.I.S.T.D.; L.I.S.T.D. (Cecchetti): Born in Vancouver, Marquita was a scholarship student at the National Ballet School. She danced with the National Ballet of Canada and later returned to the school to complete the Teachers Training Program. Marquita was Assistant to the Artistic Director of Alberta Ballet and then made her indelible mark on Ballet British Columbia over a 19 year period as Ballet Mistress and Associate Artistic Director, working closely with Artistic Director John Alleyne and as Director of Ballet British Columbia's Mentor Program. Marquita has also taught as a sessional instructor with the Faculty of Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University. She has been associated with Arts Umbrella as a teacher and collaborator for the past 12 years and has been on the staff of the Dance Faculty since 2002.

Margaret Martin: BFA in dance from Juilliard. Graduate of Royal Winnipeg Ballet Professional Program. Performed with groups such as RWB, Hartford Ballet, Works, Inc. and Radio City Music Hall Productions. Worked with Benjamin Harkarvy, Ted Hershey, Violette Verdy, Maria Grandy and Linda Haberman.

Karen Pitkethly: Karen has been performing and teaching dance in Vancouver for over 10 years. After receiving a grant through Canada Council for the Arts, Karen traveled to Spain to study with some of today's most renowned flamenco artists. She is currently choreographing and performing in her own dance company called Aurora Dance.

Kathryn Ricketts: One of the first graduates (1984) of SFU dance program. Worked across Canada as a dancer, set and costume designer and teacher. Led the Ricketts Dance Co. for 10 years in Copenhagen, Denmark and returned to Vancouver with her family. Kathryn is currently the Artistic Director of MainDance and Plan B Productions.

Lynn Sheppard: Training: Gladys Forrester, Banff School of the Fine Arts, Les Grands Ballets, York University, Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Worked with Les Ballets, Jazz de Montreal, Hubbard St. Dance, Chicago, Judith Marcuse, Joe Ink, Brian MacDonald, Ginette Laurin, David Parsons, Danny Ezralow, Ulyses Dove, Margo Sappington and Mark Morris. Lynn is also Rehearsal Mistress for the Arts Umbrella Senior Company.

Odette Slater: BA (Hons) London Contemporary Dance School. Serves as Career Advisor for the Dancer Transition Resource Centre in Toronto. Has worked with Jennifer Mascall, Cornelius Fischer-Credo, Lola Maclaughlin and Judith Marcuse. Founding member of Midnight Hags Dance Collective.

Grant Strate: Founding member of the National Ballet of Canada, soloist, Resident Choreographer and Assistant to the Director of the National Ballet. Retired Director of The School of Contemporary Arts, SFU. International Choreographer and guest teacher.

Chengxin Wei: A graduate of the Beijing Dance Academy where he studied classical Chinese dance for 11 years. A former principal dancer of the Guangdong Provincial Dance Theatre, Chenzin is currently in his fifth season with Ballet British Columbia.

Jennifer White: Trained at Judy Russell's Enchainement Dance Studio and completed Ballet British Columbia's Mentor Program. Accomplished performer, choreographer and teacher.

Theatre

Jackie Blackmore: Professional theatre, film & TV actor, physical comedian and award-winning
playwright with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design.

Camille Gingras: BA Devised Theatre, University of Kent, MA Playwriting, Birmingham University, England. Camille has created and performed original works in England, Germany, Mexico and, Canada. Directed How I Became Queen for the Evergreen Cultural Centre, winning an Ovation Award for Outstanding New Work.

Cassandra Frederickson: Graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts and a 10 year first place competitor in Musical theatre and competition instructor. Cassandra has performed in numerous musicals across the country including The Producers, Guys and Dolls, The Three Penny Opera, Pirates of Penzance and Once upon a Mattress.

Roselle Healy: Graduate of the Gaiety School of Acting located in Dublin, Ireland. Roselle is an actress, certified yoga teacher and vocalist.

Darcey Johnson: A professional theatre artist for nine years, the last three dedicated to the
sketch comedy troupe Assaulted Fish. Before being "caught in the net" of Vancouvers' premiere
sketch troupe, he ran his own theatre company, and toured as a performer and manager all over North America. Now, Darcey continues writing performing and building a popular teaching practice at Arts Umbrella and the Shadbolt Centre.

Paul Moniz de Sá: Works as a sound designer and actor in TV, film and theatre. He received a Jessie Richardson Award for Best Performance in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and received a Jessie Richardson nomination for sound design for the Prodigal Son for Touchstone and Pacific Theatre. Paul teaches sound design at Douglas College and is a graduate of Studio 58.

Susanne Moniz de Sá: BFA (Drama), University of Calgary; BA (Psychology), University of Manitoba. Susanne has been an instructor with Arts Umbrella for over 10 years. She teaches in the pre-professional program with the Junior Theatre Troupe, and is an instructor for the Stagecoach and HSBC Save Our Planet Programs. Susanne is also a freelance director, teacher, drama coordinator and consultant, and a member of Tight Corset Theatre Company.

Chancz Perry: Associate Arts Degree , Douglas College, S.F.U, Broadway Dance Centre (NYC). Credits include Mr. Magoo, The Charlie Horse Music Pizza, Bye Bye Birdie (The Musical), Lamb Chops (Children's Show). Most recently, he assisted for two years on Da Vinci's Inquest. Nominated for two Jessie Richardson Awards. Received the Vancouver Sun Reader's Choice Award for Entertainer of the Year.

Cara Tench: BwellsA from UBC, National Ballet School, Broadway Dance Centre (NYC). Trained in ballet, modern, hip hop and jazz. Has worked with Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards Society, Hoarse Raven Theatre, United Players, Royal City Musical Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars and Triptych Theatricals. Artist-in-Residence for the Vancouver School Board.

Maggie Winston: originally from Baltimore, Maryland, studied theatre at the arts high school Carver Center for Arts and Technology. She then went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Performance and Puppetry from Sarah Lawrence College in New York. Maggie was classically trained at the British American Drama Academy in London, England. Her artistic pursuits include creating original puppet shows independently and with various companies. Her puppet shows have been featured at festivals and artist-run-centers in Vancouver. Teaching theatre and puppetry to a variety of ages is a valued and necessary part of her artistic work.

Naomi Wright: BFA from UBC. Actress and voice-over work in local independent films and animated shorts. Producer of short film My Father's an Actor for Crazy 8's Film Festival. Worked with CBC in production of Beach Bound.

Digital Arts

Pat "Flick" Harrison: Holds a film MFA from UBC and a documentary B Journalism from Carleton. Has worked for CBC and writes for Film Threat, Broken Pencil and others. Has screened films and videos at festivals around North America. Pat is on the board of Cineworks Indie Film Society.

Tiina Liimu: Studied Media Arts at Emily Carr Institute and 3D Animation at Vancouver Film School. A digital-visual artist working with a variety of 2D and 3D digital applications and traditional media. Tiina's experience includes live event production, media development and commercial marketing projects in Toronto and Vancouver.

Lyndsay Sung: Bachelor Of Media Arts, Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design. Bachelor of Arts, Women's Studies and Film Studies, University of Victoria. Lyndsay is a multidisciplinary artist working in video art, music, drawing, super 8 film and performance art. She is also an independent curator and a member of the Powell Street Festival Society arts programming committee. Lyndsay has exhibited work in Vancouver, Montreal, New York and the Netherlands.

Anne Quigley: AOCA (Hons.) Ontario College of Art, further studies at UBC and BCIT. Anne has extensive teaching experience at ECIAD, UBC, Vancouver School Board and Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

Music

Paul Bray: Paul is classically trained and specializes in Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian music styles. Collaborated with Afro-Bahia Dance Productions and Yassee Afro-Arts. Worked as studio musician and directed Sambata, Vancouver's Escola de Samba. Paul leads educational workshops for all ages and levels.

Gordon Cobb: Studied at SFU and the London College of Music. Gordon's compositions have been performed recently with the New York City Ballet, Cedar Ensemble in NYC, Emily Molnar Dance's SubSilence, and MoveEnt's SURGE. Gordon's work was also featured in the 2006 Winter Olympics in ice skater Emanuel Sandhu's program.

Kristen Cudmore: Graduate of the Acadia University with a Bachelor of Music in classical guitar, music theory. Studied with Eugen Cormier, Eli Kassner Dale Kavanagh and Steve Thachuk. Kristen has taught at The Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts (Halifax), the Vancouver School Board and Berthorson Academy of Musical Arts. She is a founding member of Language-Arts, a hip hop band with which she tours regularly.

Kevan Ellis: Has 15 years of teaching experience in group and private piano instruction. BF & PA and studied music composition at SFU. Actively involved in composing/performing as a singer/guitarist, keyboardist, Kevan has released several CDs of his own pop/rock music that have received worldwide distribution.

Boris Favre: Holds a A.R.C.T. diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto), a Jazz Diploma from Vancouver Community College and a Bachelor of Music from UBC. Though formally trained in classical piano, Boris's true passion is for jazz and world music. For the past decade, he has toured a bassist with the internationally acclaimed Celtic-funk band Mad Pudding. He also performs with Jersey fiddler Shana Le Mottee, Tim Readman, and children's entertainer "Music with Marnie." Boris is an amateur fiddler as well, and is also learning to play the Uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes) and Sackpipa (Swedish bagpipes). He has also hand-built several sets of bagpipes.

Stephen Fisk: Holds degrees in Arts and Music Composition, and a Masters degree in Jazz Performance from New England Conservatory (Boston.) He performed in the Canadian jazz scene in the late 1980s, and has performed and recorded with Troika, Freeplay, the Chris Tarry Group and Flo, which has garnered him critical acclaim across North America. He has also worked and performed with internationally renowned musicians, including George Russell, George Lewis, Julian Priester and Robin Holcombe. He has recorded numerous C's including 'Flo' released in 2003 on Plunge Records.

Robin Layne: Holds a Diploma of Music from VCC, is a graduate of the L.A. Music Academy and has studied in Cuba. He now splits his time between leading his band Jarimba, teaching percussion and marimba, and performing everything from world music to avant garde jazz. He recently toured China with the Roma Swing
Ensemble.

Colleen B. Maybin: BMus., UVic. B Ed. (Music), UBC. Masters of Education (Music), UBC. Colleen has also studied at the Banff School of Fine Arts and traveled the world with the Band of the 15th Field Royal Canadian Artillery. Her love of singing and children's choirs led her to study with world renowned conductors Bruce Pullen and Diane Loomer. A former teacher with the VSB, Colleen has also taught in London, England. Currently a Faculty Advisor and Musical Education Instructor at UBC in the F.A.M.E. cohort.

Amber Salladin: Amber has taught the Youth Choir at the Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach program for two years. With degrees in music education she conducts with the Vancouver Bach Choir, and has six years teaching experience. Amber is also an active musician in Vancouver.

Mark Vescovi: Completed a B.A. in Music in the United States where he studied composition and jazz guitar. He has spent the last 15 years in Vancouver performing live and working as a studio musician, both as a guitarist and as an electric bassist. Mark is also a published and recorded songwriter with original songs recorded and released on records in the U.S. and in Canada, and has also had his songs placed in a feature film. Mark joined SMMO as a Junior Guitar instructor in the fall of 2005.

Visual & Applied Arts

Michael Allard: Majored in Drawing, minored in Printmaking and Animation, ACAD. Classical Animation Program, VFS. Worked with master puppeteer Ronnie Burkett. Animation and preproduction drawing at Barking Bullfrog Studios.

Suzy Birstein: Honours (Ceramics), ECIAD. Ceramic artist and painter. Exhibits locally at the Gallery of B.C. Ceramics and Circle Craft. Suzy is known for her colourful tableware and sculpture which she has exhibited both nationally and internationally.

Tara Carmichael: University of Iowa, BFA Printmaking with K-12 Teaching Certification. Tara has educated and empowered children - and herself - with art for 16 years. Tara is a practicing visual artist and illustrator who has taught in Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, MN and Kansas City, MO.

Kellie Diguangco: BFA (focusing on painting and photography) with a minor in child development. She is a practicing visual artist and illustrator who has been teaching digital arts in Vancouver for the past six years. She currently holds workshops for Big Sisters and teaches photography at Focal Point Visual Arts Learning Centre.

Roxanne Gagnon: BFA from Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, recipient of the Jason Singh Memorial Award, Moving Towards Independence Award. Roxanne is a practicing visual artist specializing in ceramics and printmaking. She has exhibited in Vancouver and Australia.

Martin Guderna: Graduate of Ontario College of Art. Martin's drawings, paintings and animated films have been exhibited in Canada, Europe, South Korea and the US. Currently Martin also teaches at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design.

Amaury Greig: Bachelor's Degree in Geography, University of Victoria, a Diploma from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris. Amaury is currently completing a Master's degree in Architecture at UBC. He has worked at local firms Busby Perkins + Will and Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden Architects + Urbanistes, and with Ball-Nogues Studio in Los Angeles. He has lived for extended periods in France and Japan and traveled throughout Western Europe, Morocco and Turkey.

Meghna Haldar: MFA Radio, Television, Film, University of Texas at Austin. Meghna is an award winning filmmaker and teacher. She has conducted film workshops for kids and adults in India and the U.S.

Jamie Hume: Diploma (Fine Arts - ceramics, commercial arts and arts & crafts), Capilano College. Group exhibits in LaConner, Washington, and Vancouver. Jamie is also involved in the Vancouver music scene as a singer and manager of her own band.

Siobhan Kelly: BFA from UBC, majoring in painting, drawing and photography. Siobhan has been with Arts Umbrella since 2001 where she currently teaches photography. Her work focuses on traditional black-and-white photography. She has exhibited in Vancouver and Seattle, Washington. Currently she is exploring a combination of traditional technique and digital manipulation.

Emily Miles: Practicing artist and illustrator. After completing her BFA at the University of Victoria, she travelled widely and fell in love with teaching young children while teaching overseas. She begins the Bachelor of Education Program at UBC in the fall of 2008 and hopes to inspire her students as much as they inspire her.

Golnar Sepahi: BFA, Emily Carr; Graphic Design & Illustration, Capilano College. Golnar is a member of The Federation of Canadian Artists and has received an award of excellence for her work. She is a practicing visual artist specializing in oil painting with exhibitions in Vancouver, Victoria and Iran.

Irene Smith: Graduated with Honours from the Vancouver School of Art (Photography and Printmaking). Irene has had exhibitions across Canada and in Britain. She has over 30 years experience teaching children, teens and adults.

Marta Robertson-Smyth: BFA (Honours) Painting, Mt. Allison University, New Brunswick. Owner of Rare Threads Inc. Painter and sculptor participating in group shows from 1970 to 2006.

André Seow: Visual Artist. Graduate, Fine Arts, Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. André has been with Arts Umbrella for 17 years, where he teaches painting and drawing and co-ordinates the summer camp.

Chad Sorensen: Originally from Regina, studied at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, where he received a media degree specializing in animation. Chad's latest short film was completed in partnership with the National Film Board.

Kathy Tycholis: BFA from Emily Carr Institute and BC Teaching Certificate for K-12. Kathy has taught visual art programs in schools, non-profits, and art galleries for over 10 years to students ages 3-adult. She has exhibited her installation works throughout BC and currently Kathy also coordinates and teaches the art education programs at the Richmond Art Gallery.

Anne Sproull: BA Arch. from Carleton University. Anne has designed and facilitated architecture programs for children and youth in Ontario and British Columbia. Past Program Chair of "Architects in Schools" program at AIBC.

Barbara Tyner: MA (Honours) Art Education, University of New Mexico; BA, UCLA. K-12 Teaching Certification. Barbara has taught innovative visual arts and art history programs for children, university students and adults since 1996. A painter and ceramicist with international exhibitions, Barbara is currently exploring movie-making.

Allee Wells: Graduated with a BFA (Drawing and Printmaking) from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. Allison is a practicing mixed-media artist and fashion designer. She has had exhibited in Vancouver and Ottawa.

Accompanists & Assistants

Many of our accompanists and teaching assistants are also students of various art forms, performers and accomplished artists.