Squamish Dance Centre began it's journey with one studio and 86 students in January 2016. Fast forward to today and we are boosting with 530+ students and four large studios. We can contribute our continued growth to our loyal and supportive dance families, dedicated and talented instructors and our warm, efficient office team. Squamish Dance Centre is a place for dancers of all ages and abilities to express, enjoy, and learn in a supportive, inclusive and caring space. Offering a wide range of programs, SDC's instructors promise to create a safe space for your child to flourish, both inside the studio and in everyday life.
Miss Sara
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As the owner/director of Squamish Dance Centre, Sara Constantin truly believes that what can be learned in the studio goes beyond dance steps, and she recognizes that it is the soft skills like learning team work, setting goals, confidence, problem solving, creativity, self esteem, kindness and so much more that makes dance a worth while pursuit.
Miss Sara began her dance studies at age of three under the roof of Squamish's first dance school, Garibaldi School of Dance and then onto Miss Debbie's former dance school, Still Dancing. Miss Sara credits the skills she acquired through dance for shaping her into the person she is today. Born and raised in Squamish, Miss Sara is ecstatic to share her love of dance locally in the Sea to Sky Corridor. Miss Sara spent countless hours attending workshops, conventions and summer camps across the Lower Mainland. During her high school days, she found herself spending much of her time behind the studio walls of Vancouver Tap Dance Society. Where she studied under numerous world renowned tap dancers; learning routines, steps and absorbing an incredible amount of history. After graduating from Howe Sound Secondary School, Miss Sara began her full time teaching career at Still Dancing School of Dance. It was then that she expanded her passion for working with children. Miss Sara continues to attend classes and workshops, furthering her knowledge and skills to pass along to the next generation. Miss Sara teaches our Kinder Combo, Jazz and Tap classes and is also our Studio Director and Developmental Program Director. |
Miss Jenny
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Jenny began her career as a Ballet dancer at Sunhwa Art High School in South Korea, which is a prestigious school well known for admitting only top-level students in the country. She has also obtained a graduate degree at Sookmyung Women’s Univeristy, where she studied Physical Education with specialization in Ballet. Then she carried her passion in Ballet as she studied and trained at some of the leading ballet institutions such as Ecole Superieure de Danse Cannes Rosella Hightower in France and National Ballet Academy in Korea.
She continued to pursue her career in Ballet as she gained a wide range of experiences as a director at institutions such as The Korean Society of Dance Science, The Korea Ballet Association, and Hongshil Dance Institution. Not only has she taught at several leading universities in Korea for over 10 years, she has attended the New York Ballet & Power Pilates Workshops and participated at the Tokyo World Ballet Festival in Japan. Furthermore, some of Jenny’s awards include, Gold Prize in Group Ballet section at the National University Ballet Concourse, Silver Prize at the Korean Society of Dance Concourse, and Tribute from the Korea Ballet Association. After moving to Vancouver, Jenny continued to share her expertise and her professional knowledge and methods while teaching at the Pro Arte Centre for 8 years. Currently, as a fellow of the ISTD Imperial Ballet and a certified STTOT Pilates instructor, Jenny is excited to have joined Squamish Dance Centre, where she wishes to inspire and help students of all levels to discover their love and passion for dance. Miss Jenny teaches our senior Ballet classes. |
Miss Ashara
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All her life Ashara has been a very dedicated athlete. After 8 years of training and competing in figure skating, in Victoria and Vancouver and 3 years of international competitive cheerleading, Ashara discovered her love for circus. Inspired by a hand to hand duo on "America's Got Talent" she made no hesitation in finding CircusWest, where she spent 3 years learning the basics of circus. After participating in pre-selection tours and the summer camp, Ashara decided to audition for École Nationale De Cirque in Montreal. She was accepted into the Mise a Niveau program and began to focus on aerial hoop. Ashara now lives in North Vancouver and is a professional performer with various companies in BC.
Miss Ashara teaches our senior Acro and Aerial Hoop classes. |
Magnus
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I’ve been breaking for 11 year’s, and teaching online for 3. I teach all over the lower mainland in studios, and throughout the whole world through youtube and privately. Growing up I never felt like I knew my place, or my identity in life, until I found breaking. Being a Bboy was not just a chance to do the art form for me, it became the way I gained confidence, social skills, health, wealth and relationships from close friends to family. My dance family is Now Or Never Crew (look them up!), I have the opportunity to now dance, perform and compete next to my teachers/mentors and now brothers, which to me was always my goal growing up. But to be fair, what child doesn’t want to be exactly like there mentors? Well I’m lucky enough to be able to have achieved that. Dancing to me is the greatest foundation for life, as it was and still is my foundation to everything, there’s countless mental, physical and emotional tools, concepts and lessons that dance has taught me, that I apply to my life daily. I can proudly say that dance has supported me full time since I moved out of my mum’s house, I am blessed enough to be able to have over 100 students locally, along with over 10,000 students internationally that follow my online endeavours. My single goal with teaching is to become the best version of myself possible, by providing my students the tools they need to become the best versions of themselves possible, so that they can become the version of themselves that they’ve always dreamt of becoming.
Magnus teachers our Breaking classes. |
Miss Sarah S
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Sarah spent her early and late schools years taking classical dance classes with Still Dancing School of Dance, while also being a helping hand at her mom's former daycare centre. Sarah's dance background coupled with her natural talent for working with children, makes her our official preschool queen! Sarah balances our high energy Preschool program with her soft voice, gentle nature, embracing hugs, voice of reason and negotiation skills that are like no other. You'll find Sarah around the studio helping a dancer with an untied show lace, giving a hug where it's needed, giggling at witty three year old remarks and so much more!
Miss Sarah teaches our Kinder Ballet classes and is our Preschool Program Director. |
Miss Briana
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Briana’s love of dance began before she could even walk! She was constantly found moving and grooving to the music. She took her first real dance class at the age of three and the rest is history! Briana spent countless hours at the studio, practicing and pushing herself to be a better dancer and peer. She completed her RAD & AIDT examinations, as well as competing in many competitions across the lower mainland and also participated in dance conventions world wide: New York City, Las Vegas and more. Dance has continued to be her happy place and she still enjoys taking class, teaching and performing.
Briana joined the the SDC team in 2017 as our receptionist (aka child wrangler) and has enjoyed every minute of it. The amount of love and positivity SDC creates is such a heart warming experience and Briana cannot wait to see what this year has in store for everyone. This year she is making the part time switch from behind the desk to Hip Hop teacher! Briana is very excited and eager to begin teaching and creating with her friends! Let’s get hoppin’ & boppin! Miss Briana teaches our Hip Hop, Lyrical, Jazz and Song & Dance classes and is also our Administration Manager. |
Miss Sarah W
Sarah is inspired by the creative joy and natural innocence of working with children, youth, and adults in dance. I appreciate that dance offers the opportunity to benefit one's: physical, cognitive, and
emotional literacy. As well as build: spatial awareness, confidence, self-esteem, mental health, and ability to problem solve with both convergent and divergent thinking methods.
A lifetime of dance training, 15 years of teaching experience, education through the Royal Academy of Dance - Certificate of Ballet Teaching Studies, and continued professional development through Anne Green Gilbert of Creative Dance Centre - BrainDance, has awarded me the qualifications as a professional dance instructor and educator across the following dance styles: pre-dance, ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical in both recreational and competitive abilities.
Having taught children as young as 18 months old to adults 80 years young, I ensure my classes and students are developing the fundamental movement patterns of: Breath, Tactile, Core-Distal, Head-Tail, Upper-Lower, Body Side, Cross Lateral, and Vestibular to the varying degrees required and necessary for their age and ability. Safe and accepting classrooms, creative expression, individuality, personality, style, clean technique, clean choreography, fun, laughter, and play are also areas I love to focus on.
Miss Sarah teaches our youth ballet classes.
emotional literacy. As well as build: spatial awareness, confidence, self-esteem, mental health, and ability to problem solve with both convergent and divergent thinking methods.
A lifetime of dance training, 15 years of teaching experience, education through the Royal Academy of Dance - Certificate of Ballet Teaching Studies, and continued professional development through Anne Green Gilbert of Creative Dance Centre - BrainDance, has awarded me the qualifications as a professional dance instructor and educator across the following dance styles: pre-dance, ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical in both recreational and competitive abilities.
Having taught children as young as 18 months old to adults 80 years young, I ensure my classes and students are developing the fundamental movement patterns of: Breath, Tactile, Core-Distal, Head-Tail, Upper-Lower, Body Side, Cross Lateral, and Vestibular to the varying degrees required and necessary for their age and ability. Safe and accepting classrooms, creative expression, individuality, personality, style, clean technique, clean choreography, fun, laughter, and play are also areas I love to focus on.
Miss Sarah teaches our youth ballet classes.
Miss Katherine
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Katherine is a French Canadian dance artist and teacher living and working in Vancouver. She began her dance journey as a baby in her jolly jumper, and then her formal training at the age of three. She has had the opportunity to train in ballet, contemporary and lyrical, and perform in Turkey, Japan and Norway, as well as across Canada.
In 2015, Katherine completed her RAD Advanced 1 and 2 with distinction, and shortly after moved to Vancouver to complete her Bachelor of Arts at UBC. While studying, she began training in Pacific DanceArts' half-day intensive program under the tutelage of Li Yaming, and subsequently Erin McNeill. Her performances have included an extract from Sylvia as the title role, and the premiere of Symphonie en Quatre by Yoko Kanomata (Ballet Edmonton). Katherine also trained in Montreal under the guidance of Sona Vartanian, and in Toronto with Ballet Jorgen, where she had the opportunity to participate in the creation of Anne the Ballet and a new work by Hanna Kiel in 2019, and was invited to the junior company in both 2020 and 2021. Katherine has a great love for people, and thrives on being surrounded by kids, teens and adults alike, which is why she has now turned her focus to teaching. She currently teaches ballet, conditioning, contemporary and lyrical and continues to work on various contemporary projects across the Lower Mainland and the Sea to Sky corridor. Katherine has been greatly inspired by her teachers, including Ping Feng, Li Yaming, Erin McNeill, Yana Dragieva, and Isak and Eowynn Enquist who have not only been great mentors to her, but have made the dance studio her home. She strives to create a challenging, engaging and joyful space for her students to feel the same. She is excited to be able to give back to the dance community that has brought her so much vitality throughout her life, and to inspire the next generation of dancers and dreamers. Miss Katherine teaches our Contemporary and Lyrical classes. |
Miss Jamie
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Jamie is a contemporary dance artist and teacher located in Vancouver, BC. She has studied at Modus Operandi under the direction of Tiffany Tregarthen, David Raymond, and Kate Franklin, and EDAM under the direction of Peter Bingham. As an independent artist, Jamie has had the pleasure of interpreting works for Justine Chambers, Company 605 and Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg. As a choreographer, she has created works that have been shown at Dance Victoria, Boombox, Gold Saucer Studios, The Banff Centre, The Scotiabank Dance Centre and Citadel+Compagnie in Toronto. She is the most recent recipient of The Dance Centre’s biennial Iris Garland Emerging Choreographer Award. Jamie has been commissioned to create original works for Festival of Recorded Movement and The Happening’s Senior Company. She has created multiple movement based film works which have been screened both nationally and internationally. Jamie is an experienced and engaged teacher, having had the opportunity to lead multiple classes and workshops throughout the lower mainland. As a teacher, she hopes to empower students through technical and creative development, encouraging them to develop their own interests and excitements surrounding movement. She intends to create classes that are fun, safe, and fulfilling and that can value each individual's experience equally.
Miss Jamie teaches our Youth Ballet classes. |
Mitchell
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Mitchell is a professional Circus Artist & Aerialist. Born and raised in Calgary, he grew up always wanting to dance and had an urge to be physically creative. It wasn’t until the summer of 2019 that Mitchell decided to move away from home and embrace his acrobatic passions with the circus industry. He has since begun intensive training through ‘The Circus Lab’ based in Langley to better himself as a performer. Mitchell has performed for many audiences including Calgary’s Mayors Arts Luncheon, BC Health Initiative for Men (HIM), multiple Pride events within the city of Calgary, and more to come, with hopes of performing all around the world.
Alongside performing, Mitchell loves to teach! He loves sharing his skills and tricks with others, collaborating with future artists, and watching them grow. He hopes to be able to inspire kids to find a passion for dance and Acro through his teachings. Although Mitchell was trained as a dancer, he spent a lot of time in gymnastics as well, which is where he learned most of his teaching techniques. He is a Certified Gymnastics Coach through the NCCP, (National Coaching Certification Program of Canada) and Mitchell’s goal within being a teacher is to mold both Gymnastics & Acro Dance into one element using the best of both worlds to better both kinds of athletes! Mitchell teaches our youth Acro classes. |
Miss Paula
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Paula grew up in Langley BC where she began her dance training at the age of 6 years old. She has extensive training in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical and Modern, as well as Traditional Ukrainian dancing. She is also well versed in conditioning and improvisation for dancers. Receiving the award “Most Promising Jazz Choreographer” from Surrey Festival of dance at the young age of 13, Paula continued to and has been choreographing and teaching since then receiving numerous awards from festivals and competitions. Paula's choreography can been seen on the TV hit show “Supergirl”. She has trained throughout BC, and Ontario, at such schools as York University, and Toronto School of Dance.
As education is very important to Paula, she continues to educate herself on a regular basis taking workshops and teacher intensives. Most recently Paula graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance CBTS program and she attained her Registered Teachers status. She also has completed her level one and two in the International Dance Teaching Studies, as well as became certified in Marie Walton-Mahons Progressing Ballet Technique program. Paula’s passion for dance really shines through in her teaching and she is very concerned with the health, happiness, and positive learning experience of the individual dancers and helps them strive to be the best they can be. Miss Paula choreographs for our Competitive Team. |
Charlotte & Bob
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Here's a bit about our irreplaceable right hand man and lady. Charlotte (aka Miss Sara's momma bear) helps keep things in order at the studio. She enjoys chatting with parents and dancers, assisting in any way she can. Although Charlotte has no dance training herself, she has a good grasp of the industry while being a huge driving force during Miss Sara's training and career. During her years behind the scenes, Charlotte has become an expert in helping with Recital and other event preparations and attending countless performances; all while keeping up with the fast paced environment. Charlotte has a vast resume in the customer service industry from retail to food. She spent 3 years in management for Fields and administration for her husband's business. Miss Sara's dad (aka Bob The Builder) is our handy man around the studio. You may see Bob working on maintenance or bringing a construction plan to reality. Bob has been an appliance repair technician for over 25 years, owning and operating his own business, Combined Appliance Center. Bob has proven himself to be a brilliant handy man, devising and building structures around his home. Now he does the same for our dance home! You can chat with Bob while he does odd jobs at Rehearsal, Recital and other studio events.
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Located at Unit 3 - 38924 Queens Way, Squamish BC
Across the bottle depot and beside Golden Crust
Across the bottle depot and beside Golden Crust
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Our 6,700 square foot dance home includes:
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