Annual Teacher Training Seminar

 Merle Adam – Bio coming soon.

Presentation – Syllabus Question & Answer/Review
Examiners Merle Adam and Leica Hardy will answer your questions regarding the newly revised syllabus and present the 2024 updates. Material will be presented over the two days starting with the finishing years of the syllabus, working backward to the fundamental levels. The goal is to demonstrate the process behind creating the step progressions and levels of the 2023 syllabus.

Donna Bender is the founder and director of two dance studios in Southern Ontario. With over 38 years of experience, she has worked with hundreds of young dancers and many of her students have gone on to pursue professional careers in the arts. Donna holds many qualifications and continues to be a life-long learner. She is an advanced member, master teacher and examiner for the Society of Classical Ballet – Vaganova Method, a full stage member of the Canadian Dance Teachers Association, and a certified Pilates instructor in matwork and equipment. Donna has worked closely with master teacher Paula Morgan in technique and foundations for dancers since 2004, completing her full Level 4 teacher certification in 2017. Out of her passion to empower dancers with a safe and solid technical foundation, Donna co-created Groundforce Technique (GFT) in 2020. She continues to guest teach and certify teachers in GFT across North America, sharing this method to care for and inspire the next generation of dancers and educators.

Presentation – The Power of Your Plié & Tendu
How many pliés and battements tendus does a dancer perform in their lifetime? This presentation will breakdown these two fundamental elements of ballet technique, discuss commonly seen alignment misplacements, and will explore ways for students to utilize their plié and battement tendu to their utmost potential.

Leica Hardy is an Honorary Life Member and Examiner for the Society of Classica Ballet – Vaganova Method, and has over 40 years of teaching, choreographic and directorial experience. In 2002 she founded the Leica Hardy School of Dance, following numerous years at the Maritime Conservatory and Halifax Dance, where she was the Artistic Director of The Young Company. During her teaching career students have gone on to study at prestigious institutions and have enjoyed successful careers as dancers, teachers and choreographers. Leica trained extensively with SCBVM founders Marijan Bayer and Nesta Toumine, and at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, the School of American Ballet, York University, and the Banff Centre. She enjoyed a 20-year professional performance career and since 1982 has choreographed over 40 works, including The Nutcracker for Symphony Nova Scotia, which will celebrate its 32^nd season this December. For further information about Leica and her school please visit www.leicahardyschoolofdance.com.

Presentation – Syllabus Question & Answer/Review
Examiners Merle Adam and Leica Hardy will answer your questions regarding the newly revised syllabus and present the 2024 updates. Material will be presented over the two days starting with the finishing years of the syllabus, working backward to the fundamental levels. The goal is to demonstrate the process behind creating the step progressions and levels of the 2023 syllabus.

Michelle Lehman is an occupational therapist based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Michelle completed her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto and currently practices as a pediatric and adult occupational therapist at Shoreline Therapy. Alongside her occupational therapy practice, Michelle is an Associate Member of the Society of Classical Ballet – Vaganova Method. For over a decade, she has been involved with instruction of the children’s programming at the Leica Hardy School of Dance. This experience, along with her extensive training and training in child development as an occupational therapist, has given her a deep understanding of how children can be guided through the early years of dance education. Michelle is passionate about creating a fun and creative studio space where children are encouraged to challenge themselves while developing a strong sense of self-efficacy and performance mastery.

Presentation – Eliciting Imagination with Developmentally Appropriate Improv Exercises for the Lower Levels
For some students, improvisation may be the highlight of the class, while others may freeze up without the guidance of structured exercises. Eliciting imagination and freedom of movement through productive and age-appropriate exercises can be challenging. Examining the underlying developmental pathways contributing to the development of imagination, pretend play, and self-efficacy can help address these challenges. This presentation will outline these developmental pathways and how they relate to the syllabus and improvisation exercises in Levels Primary through Two.

Maria Osende is an award-winning professional dancer, choreographer, teacher, and artistic director. Originally from Madrid, Spain, Maria began dancing ballet at a young age obtaining high honours at the Conservatorio de Danza de Madrid and then continued her training at the School of American Ballet in New York, thanks to a Fulbright scholarship. Osende’s decade-long professional career as a ballet dancer started with the National Ballet of Spain, where she had the opportunity to explore the world of flamenco for the first time. She then moved on to the Berlin Ballet in Germany, where she danced as a soloist for eight years. While there she danced a wide-ranging repertoire including many major classical and neo-classical ballets, as well as modern and contemporary dance. Maria divides her time between teaching ballet and flamenco, choreographing, performing, and producing. She serves as the artistic director of Atlantic Flamenco, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and disseminating flamenco in the Atlantic region. For more information visit MariaOsende.com and FlamencoSchool.ca. Follow on Instagram @mariaosende.

Presentation – Fan Technique: Spanish Character Aesthetic & Style for Classical Variations
Master the elegance and expressiveness of fan technique, seamlessly integrating it into port de bras and choreography. Uncover the historical significance of the fan as a communication tool, enriching performances with depth and authenticity. Discover the nuances of gestures, lines, and épaulement crucial for embodying the quintessential Spanish character aesthetic and style. This workshop draws inspiration from iconic roles such as Kitri’s variation in Don Quixote, where the fan becomes indispensable and upper body usage for roles in other Spanish-styled classical works. Participants will learn the essential fan techniques required for graceful fan manipulation from opening and closing, twirling, and utilizing the hand, fingers, and wrist with finesse.

Darryl Tracy is a Toronto-based independent dance artist (choreographer, interpreter, teacher, and producer). For over 20 years, he was a senior faculty member at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre (now named Dance Arts Institute) under the direction of Patricia Fraser. As a dancer, he has created many roles for most of Canada’s leading choreographers. He was part of the company Sylvain Émard Danse in Montreal for over four years. Tracy has created over 39 works through commissions and self-produced productions. Most recently, he has choreographed for Connections Dance (NB), École de danse contemporaine de Montréal, and Sawdon Dance (Winnipeg). His professional work, based on site-specific creations, was most recently seen at the Rhubarb Festival and Nuit Rose. He was nominated for the K.M. Hunter Award in 2013. During the pandemic, he made a film entitled Prosopa, which toured the short film festivals in 2022. Recently, Tracy has worked with Human Body Expression (Hanna Kiel) in Again, a new creation with Sarah Coffin and in a new creation with Marie Josée Chartier. He is also a physiotherapist specializing in movement and neurological injuries. Darryl teaches at Canada’s National Ballet School in the Teacher Training Program.

Presentation – Motor Learning and Applications to Teaching Dance/Movement Facilitation
Recent research has occurred in the field of motor learning and neuroplasticity. How do we approach movement specificity with individuals who learn in unique ways? This presentation will explore the varied motor learning strategies and factors that can affect them. We will discuss from young dancers to seasoned dancers and from professional to recreational dance. We will dissect this topic through the lens of gravity and postural control. An opportunity for discussion and questions will be included.