Faculty
Crystal Lake Conservatory prides itself on hiring only certified, experienced, career instructors. All of our teaching staff have had professional performing careers, as well as post-secondary degrees. All staff are certified in First Aid and CPR. Staff participate in annual continuing education, and are always expanding the skills they can offer to CLC students.
Our staff hold certifications and registered status with:
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Royal Academy of Dance (R.A.D.)
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Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (I.S.T.D.)
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Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teachers (A.D.A.P.T.)
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Acrobatic Arts (A.A.)
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Acrobatic Dance Teachers Association (A.D.T.A)
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Society of Russian Ballet - Canada Chapter (S.R.B.)
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National Coaching Certificate Program - Gymnastics (N.C.C.P.)
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Youth Protection Advocates in Dance (Y.P.A.D.)
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AlixaFlexibility
Miss Heather-Ami, RAD RTS, AISTD, NBS TTP Dip., BFA Spec. Hons (Dance)
Artistic Director
Miss Michelle, Acrobatic Arts, ADAPT
Dance Instructor; Choreographer
Mr Eric
Dance Instructor; Choreographer
Miss Danielle
Dance Instructor
Coach Zoe
Circus Instructor; Acrobatics
Miss Lena, Acrobatic Arts, ADAPT
Dance Instructor
Miss Kathleen, RAD RTS, AISTD, NBS TTP Dip
Dance Instructor
Miss Marya
Junior Teacher
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Miss Heather-Ami is Certified dance teacher with over 15 years teaching and coaching experience. She holds a BFA Spec. Hons in Dance from York University, Toronto (specializing in Kinesiology and Dance for the Young Child). After finishing her Bachelor's Degree she went on to Graduate studies at Canada's National Ballet School - Teacher Training Program.
Miss Heather-Ami performed professionally for 10 years in contemporary and classical ballet companies. She has toured Europe, North America, South America, Japan and Israel.
She holds accreditation with high standing with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD RTS), the National Coaching Certificate Program - Artistic Gymnastics, Trampoline and Rhythmic Gymnastics (NCCP L1; L2), Acrobatic Arts (Module 1: June 2015; Module 2: August 2016; Back-handspring and Aerial Workshop: August 2016; Adjudicators Course: 2020), and the International Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD Associate - National Branch), Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teacher (ADAPT).
She has also trained extensively in the Cecchetti Method and Vagonova style of Ballet. She is CPR (First Responder) and First Aid certified. She is proud to hold YPAD certification (Youth Protection Advocates in Dance). Heather-Ami is currently completing the Professional Affiliate status with the Society of Russian Ballet (Canada Chapter)
As a choreographer, she has been won many awards for choreography, costumes, and concepts. Her students have been accepted to: Joffery Ballet, Boston Ballet, Canada's National Ballet School, School of Alberta Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Ryerson University Dance Department, Youth America Grand Prix, Harvard Law School, Radio City Rockettes Summer Program, Bolshoi Ballet D.C., and Butler University Dance. She is a certified competitive adjudicator with both Acrobatic Arts, and A.D.T.A., and judges across Canada.
Miss Heather has been operating Crystal Lake Conservatory (formerly Jo-Ann Adams School of Dance 1993-2018) since 2018.
Since she was three, Michelle has always made dance central in her life. After competing in tap, jazz, lyrical and hip hop for many years, she went to complete her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at York University. She is an accredited teacher with Acrobatic Arts, and A.D.A.P.T. (Jazz and Tap). She achieved her Advanced 1 examination level in R.A.D. ballet.
It was there she fell in love with contemporary and ballet, taking class with many wonderful teachers such as Donna Krasnow, Helen Jones, Evadne Kelly, and Elizabeth Leyds-Holmes. She was also a member of the York Dance Ensemble for two years, allowing her the opportunity to work with talented and renowned Canadian choreographers including Rachel Browne, Robert Glumbeck, Yvonne Ng, and Cirque du Soleil’s choreographer Debra Brown.
Through all her experiences at York and in Toronto, Michelle has found a love for choreography as well as production and film, and wishes to bring her passion for dance to children.
Miss Michelle joined CLC in 2019.
Eric started dance at the age of 5 and is an alumni of the Burlington Dance Company, which he joined as a teenager, before moving on to Sheridan College for a degree in Musical Theatre.
During his time at Sheridan he worked on musicals such as 'In The Heights', and the world premiere of 'Brantwood'.
Eric is a triple threat performer who's professional career has taken him across the country to work in many Canadian theatres. Favorite roles include: Snowboy in West Side Story at the Citadel, and Charlie Sloane in Anne of Green Gables at the Charlottetown Festival. He has also worked with many great Canadian choreographers such as Robin Calvert, Kerry Gage, and Marc Kimelman.
Eric is trained in Ballet, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, and Musical Theatre.
Mr Eric joined CLC in 2020.
Fluent in both English and French, Danielle completed the Specialist High Skills Major program at Brantford Collegiate Institute, where she majored in Musical Theatre for the Stage and Screen. A graduate of St. Claire College, she is currently completing her degree studies at McMaster University in Hamilton.
An accomplished Mezzo Soprano singer, she has performed professionally with numerous companies. Shebeen a member of the WIndsor Express Dance Team, performed with Ballet Jorgen, and competed for Team Canada in Tap and Hip Hop for two seasons.
A former competitive Cheerleader, Danielle also instructs dance lessons in Ballet, Contemporary, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Acrobatics, Hip Hop.
Miss Danielle joined CLC in 2021.
With more than a decade of aerial circus experience, and over 5 years of teaching, Coach Zoe is high spirited and passionate about the artistic power of aerial arts.
Coach Zoe has learned from a variety of performers with experiences in different apparatus, as well as performing in a large range of venues for many different types of audiences. Zoe has performed for 4 years in the Toronto International Busker Festival, with Zero Gravity Circus, and with the Toronto Circus Centre, as well as with many small studios and private events in Toronto.
Coach Zoe has teaching and performing experience in trapeze, hammock, silks, rope, and hoop, with students from a myriad of backgrounds and age groups, ensuring that Zoe will have something to teach to all students.
Coach Zoe joined CLC in 2021
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Lena started studying dance at the age of 13. Lena began her training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and later moved to Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers Professional program.
After high school, she attended Sheridan College's Musical Theatre Program, where she worked with names such as Jeff Dimitriou (JDXCreative) Linda Garneau (Shaw Festival) and Robin Calvert (Charlottetown Festival).
Upon graduating from Sheridan's Music Theatre program, Lena started Winnipeg based Evolve Dance company with Reanna Joseph and began Toronto based Hetta Dance Company in January 2014. Hetta, meaning heat and passion in Swedish, aims to create contemporary dance theatre that will intrigue and be accessible to a diverse audience.
Miss Lena joined CLC in 2021.
Marya began her dance training in Simcoe, Ontario at Jo-Ann Adams School of Dance. She is currently training in: Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, and Cheerleading.
Upon re-branding in 2018 to Crystal Lake Conservatory, Marya expressed to Artistic Director Miss Heather-Ami a desire to become a career dance teacher. Marya began assisting classes in 2018, before completing the A.D.A.P.T. A.T.P Program in 2020. In 2021, Marya began instructing her own classes under the guidance of the Artistic Director. She hopes to complete the first year of the A.D.A.P.T. Teacher's Training School in the summer of 2022.
Kathleen is a graduate of Canada’s National Ballet School in the Teacher Training Program. Upon graduating in June Kathleen obtain her Register Teacher Status with the Royal Academy of Dance, and her associate in National Dance with the ISTD. While at NBS Kathleen studied classes in anatomy, dance history, pedagogy, music theory, and much more.
Before attending NBS Kathleen graduated from George Brown College’s Dance Program under the artistic direction of Derek Sangster. While at George Brown Kathleen trained at a professional level and had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Darryl Tracy, Hanna Kiel, Cindy Macedo, Derek Sangster and more.
Kathleen’s passion for ballet is expressed throughout her teaching, and she loves to share her knowledge and history of the art form with her students of all ages. Kathleen creates a fun environment while keeping the structure of ballet alive, and Kathleen helps all of her students have a better understanding of ballet technique.
Miss Kori
Preschool Facilitator
A compassionate and creative Early Childhood Educator, Kori is the head facilitator for CLC's half-day nursery program - First Steps Performing Arts Preschool.
As a graduate of Mohawk College, Kori is a registered E.C.E. with Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario. She is also a mother-of-two.
Miss Kori joined CLC in 2021
Administrative Assistants and Office Staff
Miss Cass
Miss Lana'a
Miss Britney
