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MEET THE TEAM
Our team is a great blend of experience coming together with passion and dedication to provide a quality instruction and a fun enviroment for dancers of all ages.
Julie Barban
RAD-RTS, SCBVM-Affiliate, ABATD, PBT
(Ballet, Contemporary/Lyrical, Pointe, Demi-Pointe, Barre Burn, Pilates)
Originally from Sault Ste. Marie Ontario, Julie’s love of dance began at 4 years old! Julie took yearly BATD exams in ballet, tap and jazz and competed in several dance competitions with Sherry Walsh Dance Academy. In 1987, Julie moved to Toronto to continue her dance training at the Ryerson Theatre School. In 1999 Julie received her RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) teaching diploma (this included studies in Anatomy, History of Ballet, Child Psychology and Music in Relation to Dance) and in 2000 became a certified Pilates mat instructor with the PhysicalMind Institute.
In 2001 Julie opened Heritage Ballet, a small family-oriented dance studio where students were given the opportunity to participate in RAD ballet exams, compete at dance competitions and participate in year-end recitals. In 2004, Julie put on the first Haliburton “Nutcracker” which quickly became a Christmas tradition for the community. Julie has had the privilege to participate in the Artists in School program (through the Arts Council of Haliburton) and has had many local choreography opportunities with Highlands Summer Festival, Highlands Little Theatre, Highland’s Opera, R. Murray Schafer’s productions in Haliburton Forest, Dusk Dances, and Michael Fay.
Julie enjoys sharing her passion for ballet and its history with her students through travel. Countries Julie has taken students to are Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Kostroma Russia, Milan, Bergamo and Rome Italy, Paris France, Copenhagen Denmark, Budapest Hungary, Vienna Austria, Prague Czech Republic, and New York City for a mini trip! Julie is thrilled to be part of the Skyline family!
Wilson Klodt Wong
A.D.E.
(Studio Director, Hip Hop, Jazz, Contemporary/Lyrical, Ballroom)
Wilson is thrilled to be living in the Haliburton Highlands. Having relocated from Toronto, he brings over twenty years of professional performance experience to Skyline Dance Studio.
His resume spans various dance genres including ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, ballroom, partner work, and ethnic folk dance. Select performance credits include two seasons at The Stratford Festival, touring across Canada with Sears Dance Pack & Ross Petty Productions, contracts with Celebrity Cruises, and performing overseas at the SANDS hotel in Macau.
He hopes to bring his energy to inspire people to dance and have FUN.
Lisa Irvine
(Tiny Stars, Stars, Musical Theatre)
Lisa Irvine is the Kinder teacher for Skyline Dance Studio. She loves working with children, watching them learn and grow.
She is also an Educational Assistant, working mainly at Stuart Baker and Archie Stouffer Elementary Schools.
Lisa ran a daycare for 8 years, looking after children from 4 months to 8 years of age.
She took dance in highschool, participated in musicals, and was a student producer. She enjoys helping others reach their full potential.
Lisa has three children of her own as well as several pets. She enjoys dancing, baking and being with her friends and family.
Lisa is excited to be teaching ages 2-5 years at Skyline!
Jody McGurrin
(Tap, Musical Theatre)
Jody started dancing at age 3 and couldn’t wait after taking ballet and jazz to start tap at age 8. She continued her studies in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, and hip hop and began competing at both regional and national competitions. Trained in all disciplines of dance, Jody obtained certification as a jazz and tap instructor with the British Association Teachers of Dance (B.A.T.D.). Jody has over 30 years teaching experience in all disciplines at both the recreational and competitive level in dance schools and community recreational programs across Ontario ranging in ages from 3 years to adult. As a performer, Jody has performed in T.V. variety shows, various fairs and concerts, performed at the C.N.E., and as a dancer in Canada’s 125th Birthday Experience Canada “Spirit of a Nation Tour”.
Jody is excited to be a part of the Skyline team and share her love for dance in a positive and fun environment with her students and the community.
Rachel Joanis
(Acro, Jazz)
Rachel Joanis started recreational gymnastics at the age of 2 and began training competitively at the age of 7. When she was 12 years old she enrolled in her first dance class where she immediately discovered her love and passion for the sport and decided to audition for the competitive team at Danceworks in Mississauga.
She was accepted onto the part-time competitive team where she continued for a few years before moving into the full-time competitive team despite her late entrance into dance. As a competitive dancer, she was trained in multiple disciplines but excelled in Acro due to her background in gymnastics. She continued to nurture her love for Acrobatics and Gymnastics through coaching and was a recreational gymnastics coach at Futures Gymnastics in Mississauga for three years.
Through amazing friends and connections since moving to Haliburton, she was thrilled to be offered an opportunity to join the teaching staff at Skyline Dance Studio as the Acrobatics teacher late last season and was thrilled to get back into the dance world. She will be furthering her studies and aim to be certified through Acrobatic Arts, a highly regarded acrobatic teacher training program. Her goal is to get accredited in other disciplines as well. “I want to help guide Skyline Dance Studio and our dancers toward success with a positive attitude and fresh perspectives and spread my passion for dance along the way!”
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