STAFF CREDENTIALS
Finding out about the people who assist your children in achieving excellence in dance and performance is a great way to help you choose the studio that is right for you and your family.
Sam Crosby-Bouwhuis - Artistic Director and Founder
Sam received most of her training in the Niagara Region, with some short stints with more formal institutions in Ontario and Upper New York State. She is a full member of the Canadian Dance Teachers Association, Ontario Branch with the stage division in Ballet, Tap and Jazz. Sam received most of her modern dance and musical theatre training while residing in Toronto, where she also performed solo and with her band, The Cavalry. She has provided workshops extensively through the province, and has won numerous awards for her outstanding choreography.
Jamie Irwin - Co-Director
Jamie began her dance training at the age of two, and has studied all genres of dance. In 2005 she received her B.A in Dance from SUNY Potsdam, and for the past five years has been an integral part of the BOLDT staff - teaching both recreational and competitive program students. Jamie has been responsible for creating some of the most original Hip Hop pieces that have a urban edge, with a lyrical twist. Jamie loves to teach and wants to help her dancers grow because for her there is no greater satisfaction than seeing a student grow and succeed.
Karen MacNaull - Middle Eastern Dance
As a young girl, while immersed in the rhythms and dance of Puerto Rico, Karen studied classical ballet, Martha Graham modern, American Jazz and African styles of dance under José Betancourt. Karen left Puerto Rico and moved to St. Croix, USVI where she was exposed to the island rhythms, way of moving and Caribana. This mixture of dance styles set the stage for learning Middle Eastern dance in Canada. Karen studied Middle Eastern dance for 6 years. During this time Karen attended numerous workshops in music and dance in Boston, Toronto and Mississauga with Ibrahim Farrah, George Abdo and many other well known dancers of the time. Recently, Karen completed an intensive course in Pan-Egyptian studies under Sahra Saeeda (Kent). Sahra teaches dance ethnology at UCLA and holds degrees in both Dance and Cultural Anthropology along with an M.A. in Dance Ethnology from UCLA. Karen dances under the stage name of Na3ima (Na’ima).
Danielle Townsend - Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical
Danielle's interest in dance started when she was four years old and has greatly developed since then. She has trained in jazz, modern, contemporary and tap, but her love has always been ballet. She has attained her grade five level in the BATD ballet exams. Danielle loves to share her passion for dance with others.
Maggie Robertson - Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro
Maggie has been dancing since the age of 7, and has always had a passion for it. Since she started, she has trained in ballet, jazz, tap, pointe, contemporary, modern, hip-hop, and acro. Maggie has participated in many dance workshops and has been a member of the competitive since she began dancing. She has also attained level 4 in the BATD ballet exams. Maggie can't wait to share her love for dance with other students this year as a teacher!
Stephanie Wellard - Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, Adult
Stephanie is an alumnus of Bread of Life Dance Theatre, graduating from the University of Waterloo with a major in Women's Studies, currently at SUNY Potsdam University studying a Masters in Teaching. A dancer for eighteen years, trained in all forms of dance, Stephanie has been competing and performing as part of the Brockville dance community for many years. Awarded the Top Senior soloist in 2009 at Shine Dance Competitions in both Peterborough and Waterloo, she also enjoys teaching dance, and has done so for over 9 years. She has completed many CDTA dance exams in ballet, jazz and tap, and has been actively involved in professional theatre, such as the Stirling Festival Theatre. Stephanie is a trained vocalist, and - in her senior year in Brockville - enjoyed a lead role in the Brockville Operatic Society's Crazy for You. The past two years, she has also been the brains and choreographer for the “Enjoy the Journey” benefit concert with BOLDT students and staff, supporting Leeds and Grenville Interval House. She is thrilled to be sharing her passion of dance with young teens and children who hold dance as close to their hearts as she does hers, and "enjoys the journey" of being part of the wonderful BOLDT family.
Stephanie Richmond - Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, Lyrical
Stephanie has a real love for dance. She started dance at the age of four, studying ballet, tap and jazz. Stephanie has branched out to new areas in the past 6 years, including modern, contemporary, acro, pointe and hip-hop. She is a member of the BOLDT competitive team, and has been a part of many group awards, in addition winning Top Senior Soloist, Top Modern Category, and Top Score at Shine Dance Competition in Peterborough 2011. She has taken part in many workshops with artists such as Danny Lawn, Nico Archambault, Megan O’Shea, Bran Ramsey and various master instructors from Toronto Dance Threatre. In addition to dance, she has had 10 years of gymnastics training at BGA. Stephanie looks forward to the year ahead at BOLDT, to share her love of dance with young aspiring dancers.
Allegra Crosby - Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, Contemporary
Allegra began dancing at the age of 3 in Brockville. She has studied at a variety of dance and performance institutions in Brockville, Toronto and the Niagara Region. She has workshopped with some of the finest tap dancers in the industry, as well as with Danny Lawn, Nico Archambault, Meagan O'Shea and David Norsworthy. Allegra was awarded the Top Intermediate Soloist at Shine Dance in 2007. Allegra loves to share her passion for dance, especially in Tap, with our students, and has achieved Honours in her levels for Tap and Jazz examinations. Allegra looks forward to this year at BOLDT with much anticipation, both as a teacher and a competitive dancer.
Henk Pardoel - Fencing
Henk Pardoel started his coaching certification at the University of Alberta Fencing Club in 1983. In the Fall of 1990 he returned to Kingston, his hometown, and started as an assistant coach to Dr. English at Queen's University and at the Royal Military College (RMC). In 1996 he assumed the role of Head Varsity Fencing Coach at Queen's. In January 1999, he became the Head Coach for both RMC/CMR and Queen's Interuniversity fencing teams. He retired as Head Coach of the RMC team in 2001 and in the summer of 2004, after a number of successful university championship title bids, he stepped down as the Head Coach of the Queen's team. In 2006 he opened up a private fencing school in Kingston and is looking forward to teaching the art and sport of fencing in Brockville.
