We have a unique team of dance educators in a variety of forms who enjoy sharing the knowledge of their crafts with dancers of all ages, levels, and body types, and cultivating a culture in the room that is based on growth, care, cooperation, excellence, grace.
Riley Skworoda
Competition Choreography Program Director
Youth Tap
Riley Skworoda is an accomplished international performer, dynamic and innovative dance educator, and a highly respected original choreographer with many awards to her credit. Riley holds a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism from the University of Alberta, with an out of faculty focus in dance and drama.
Riley is originally from Edmonton but has recently relocated to Vancouver. Travel has been a huge part of her life and source of inspiration as a dancer. Riley first traveled to The Rhythm Summit by Tapmotif in Lefkada, Greece, to train with Heather Cornell, Max Pollak, and Thanos Daskalopoulos, which sparked an interest in working with live musicians. Riley then set her sights on the international tap scene and was accepted into the Escola Luthier Advanced Professional Tap Training Program under the direction of Guillem Alonso in Barcelona, Spain, where she spent 9 months living, training and performing. During her time in Spain, she also trained intensively with Roxane Butterfly at The Jimmy Slyde Institute. Immediately after her time in Barcelona, Riley attended Nicholas Young’s Institute for The Rhythmic Arts in Chicago, Illinois, where she studied in not only tap dance but also drumming and body percussion. For the past five years Riley has attended the Stockholm Tap Festival in Sweden and has been a theme class instructor for two years. Riley has spent the last two summers at Heather Cornell’s Tap Labs and Heather continues to be one of the main inspirations for Riley as she grows as a tap dance artist.
During her time in Edmonton Riley has had the opportunity to perform at many events and festivals including The Works Art & Design Festival, Feats Festival of Dance, Kinesis, and Nextfest. Riley has also had the pleasure of performing with The Don Berner Big Band and was in the show “Singin’ & Swingin’!” Featuring Ted Louis Levy & The Toronto Jazz Orchestra. Riley’s biggest project to date was in 2017 when she produced, choreographed, and performed in the well received multi-disciplinary dance show “A Dance Journey: Travelling in Time” for the Edmonton International Fringe Festival.
As her adventure continues, Riley is eager to stop along the way to share her passion and to inspire and be inspired by budding tap talent as they too become members of the global tap community.
@RileyGlen on Instagram
www.rileyskworoda.com
Sara Close
Youth Conditioning
Adult Conditioning/Group Fitness
Sara is a coach, mobility specialist, and dance instructor based in Vancouver, BC. She grew up dancing competitively in a variety of styles and has continued to maintain her love for the art with ongoing training. Her teaching experience spans 15 years where she has worked with dancers of all ages and levels. As a coach and personal trainer, she has worked with a diverse population of people, helping them gain (or regain) their strength to live functional, confident, and pain free lives.Sara is also the proud director of Be DanceStrong, a program where she provides strength training and joint mobility training for dancers looking to enhance their movement and performance potential. Her focus is on providing the education and training necessary to build strength, increase range of motion, and mitigate injury; guiding dancers on the path of strength and resiliency for a successful future in life and in their craft.
Credentials include:
- BCRPA – Registered Personal Trainer and Weight Trainer
- FRCms – Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist
- Kinstretch Certified Instructor
- FMS Level 1 Certified – Functional Movement Systems
- IBBFA Certified Instructor – International Ballet Barre Fitness Association
- AIDT Advanced Associate II for Tap with the Association of International Dance Teachers
Sara’s professional credits include television, film and live performances. Sara has worked as an on-set dance coordinator and choreographer for short films and music videos (Iridescence, Kaleidoscope, Serpentine Fire/Raiel). She has danced in music videos for Ash Koley, Jessie Farrell, Marianas Trench and Hey Ocean; appeared in TV Commercials for TracFone, Avocados from Mexico, Zoosk, Never Stop Milk, and has performed in numerous shows and events throughout Vancouver. She also trains and performs internationally with Bravo Dance Company, a Vancouver based Salsa team.
@bedancestrong
@sara.moves
www.bedancestrong.com
Elise McGrenera
Youth Tap
Adult Tap
TapCo Youth Tap Ensemble Co-Director
Elise has been dancing for seventeen years. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, she fell in love with tap dance at the age of four. Through the Vancouver Tap Dance Society, Elise was a member of the pre-professional youth performance company, TapCo, from the age of twelve to seventeen. Through Tapco, Elise was given the opportunity to learn from artists from all around the world which exposed her to the world of tap dance. Elise is an alumna of The School at Jacob’s Pillow where she was accepted into the 2019 tap dance program and graduated with the Professional Advancement in Dance Award. Most recently, Elise was a cast member in the Vancouver premier of Danny Nielsen’s second full length show On Foot. Elise is very excited to be teaching at the Vancouver Tap Dance Society, sharing her love of tap dance.
@EliseMcgrenera on Instagram
Bryn Kinders
Youth Tap
Adult Tap
Bryn began dancing the age of 2. As soon as she was walking, she was tap dancing! Although she specializes in tap dance, she has also trained in jazz, ballet, contemporary and modern dance. Bryn has traveled the world to train with world renowned artists like Michelle Dorrance, Nicholas Young, Heather Cornell, Dianne Walker and Sarah Reich. She trained in various places around the world including New York, Chicago, Europe and many others.
She has performed across Canada and the USA in places including, The New York at the symphony space theatre, the world stage in L.A, in Chicago on the MCA stage and locally in Vancouver and along side other local musicians and dancers. She has been a part of many local projects such as the Small Stage summer series, performing at the Ted conference 2019 with Andrew Nemr, The 20th Anniversary Gala show at the 2019 Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival as a Take The Stage winner, video projects and many other live performances. Bryn has an endless passion for the tap dance and its rich history and is excited to share this with her students!
@BrynSuzanneKinders on Instagram
Jeffrey Dawson
Pre-TapCo Youth Tap Ensemble
Adult Tap
Tap Jams
Jeffrey Dawson is a tap dancer from Coquitlam, BC. He has been tap dancing at the age of 5, and at the age of 14 began dancing at the Vancouver Tap Dance Society as part of their youth ensemble TapCo. As part of TapCo, he performed at numerous schools and events across the Lower Mainland and had the opportunity to learn from a wide range of international guest artists. It was during this time that Jeffrey began to develop his passion and skill in tap dancing.
In recent years Jeffrey has begun to emerge onto the international tap dance scene. In addition to studying at a wide range of tap festivals, he has performed across North America, including in Tapestry Dance Company’s “The Souls of Our Feet”, performing with Jason Janas’s company Co.MMIT in at CHRP Rhythm World, performing on the Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out Stage as a finalist in their Chance to Dance competition, and at the Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival as the winner of their Take the Stage competition. Most recently Jeffrey was student in the School at Jacob’s Pillow 2019 Tap Program. As part of the program he was fortunate to be given the opportunity to set choreography that was featured in GOTTA DANCE!, a benefit for the School at Jacob’s Pillow in the Ted Shawn Theatre presented by the students of the Tap Program.
@JeffreyDawson2 on Instagram
