LAMONDANCERS SEASON 14 2022/2023
Sydney Poulton
Sydney began her dance training at the age of 3, and immediately fell in love with it. She started in ballet, but took her first competitive classes in jazz at age 7. Sydney had the opportunity to train at many studios growing up, including White Rock School of Music and Dance, Pulse Dance Centre, Triple Heat Dance Academy of Performing arts, Kirkwood Academy of performing arts, and Prism dance connections. At these studios she trained in RAD and Cecchetti Ballet, ISTD modern, Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop, Acro, and Musical theatre. She always had a special affinity for Jazz, Modern and Contemporary, however. Growing up Sydney had many opportunities to attend many conventions and competitions, as well as summer camps and master classes. She’s had the opportunity to work with Josh Beamish, Danielle Gardner, Kirsten Wicklund, Francisco Gella, Julie Friedrich, Monica Proenca, and many more. Sydney is looking forward to her first year training and growing with Lamondance, and any future artistic endeavours.
Claire Viitaniemi
Claire started dancing at the age of three in Ottawa, ON. She has been studying at The School of Dance for the past seven years in the Professional Ballet Studies programme. She has trained in multiple genres of dance, primarily ballet and contemporary, but has also studied in jazz, and tap. Claire has been training in the Cecchetti method, and has completed her Grade 4, Intermediate and Advanced 1 exams, and if COVID restrictions allow, will have taken her Advanced 2 Cecchetti exam in June of 2021. She’s had the opportunity to train at multiple different intensives, including Arts Umbrella’s ISDI, Modus Operandi summer intensive, Canada’s National Ballet School’s professional ballet program summer intensive, and Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School professional division summer session. Claire is excited to continue her dance studies, and continue to grow as an artist at Lamondance for season 13.
Payton Kennedy
I began dancing at the age of 3 I trained in ballet, jazz, tap hip hop and contemporary. I started competing when I was 6 years old with a local studio in Ottawa. With competing I was able to travel to many places around the world including Germany, New York City, Santa Fe, Boston and many other places. I also attended numerous different summer programs including Canadas Ntional Ballet, École supérieure de ballet du Québec, Arts Umbrellas ISDI. After 9 years of competing, I decided I wanted to have a more contemporary-focused training so to continue my training I went to Arts Umbrella Dance Company in Vancouver B.C starting in 2018 when I was in grade 10, where I will be graduating this year. I am looking forward to continuing my dance training at Lamondance in the upcoming season.
Arianna Savady
Arianna was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada, and has been dancing since she was three years old. She has always had a passion for dance, even before she started dancing. She started her training at the McBride School of Dance and in 2016 moved to Deas Island Dance, where she completed her training. As the daughter of a refugee, she prides herself in her dual heritage as a Laotian-Canadian. Her goal is to further her dance training, work on choreography skills and to become a dance teacher. She has trained in classical ballet, contemporary, modern, and jazz styles. She is looking forward to new experiences and meeting new people.
Brianna Lannard
Elena Himbeault
Elena grew up dancing and training in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. In her earlier years, Elena trained as a musical theatre performer. Elena began training at Ignite Danceworks Inc. in the Intensive Training Program in 2017. There, she trained as a competitive dancer and performer while studying and completing examinations in the Cecchetti Method, the R.A.D. syllabus, and the ADAPT syllabus. Elena trained in Vancouver as a part of Harbour Dance Centre’s Intensive Training Program from 2020-2021, where she furthered her dance education and gained professional experience in styles of dance such as contemporary, jazz and hip hop, studying under a wide variety of instructors and choreographers. Elena is extremely passionate about artistry and choreography and has been the recipient of choreography awards at several dance competitions within Canada. Elena is also a certified instructor of the Progressing Ballet Technique conditioning method. Elena is excited to pursue a professional career in ballet and contemporary and is thrilled to be a part of Lamondance season 13!
Dania Grant
Dania has danced since she was 4 at Essence of Dance in South Surrey. She started their competitive program at age 7 and fell in love with being onstage and sharing her passion. She has trained in many styles, including ballet, contemporary, jazz, lyrical, tap and hip hop. She has also completed all levels of AIDT Modern Examinations, being awarded distinction. In 2016, Dania began to explore choreography, entering self choreographed solos into various competitions. Since then she has participated in the West Coast Choreo Lab showcase in 2019 and has also been gifted the opportunity to choreograph on other competitive students at her home studio. Dania is so excited to join Lamondance in their 13th season and work with so many talented dancers in the area.
Francesca Vergara
Benedict Quedenbaum
Coming from a farm in Alberta, Benedict started dancing at the age of 3 at Footworks Dance Academy. He started with hip-hop before gradually adding classes in different styles such as Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Acro, and Aerial Acrobatics (Trapeze and Hoop). With this studio, he had the opportunity to travel and perform at resorts and community centers in the Dominican Republic and Mexico. In 2017 and 2018 Benedict attended the Alberta Ballet School summer intensives and was offered a scholarship for the professional division program in 2018. He took part in classes taught by Graham McKelvie, Sasha Ivanochko, Wendy Wright, Ashley McNeil, and Edmund Stripe and Masterclasses from Patrick Armand, Jean Grand Maître, Christiana Benett, and Christopher Anderson. He remained at the school for 3 years before graduating in 2021. Benedict is eager to begin his training and improve as a dancer with Lamondance.
Paris Litnosky
Paris grew up in Northern BC, in a city called Prince George, taking her first recreational ballet class at the age of 3. By the age of 7 she was taking regular ballet classes and completed her first RAD exam at a local studio. At 8 Paris started competing and the variety of genres she trained in increased. This included ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, lyrical, acro and musical theatre. Along with these competitions came opportunities to represent at BC provincials as a soloist. In 2019, when Paris was in grade 11, she moved away from home to live in Vancouver and attended Arts Umbrella, where she spent 2 years training with wishes to pursue a career in dance. Paris is looking forward to the next season training with Lamondance as well as the opportunities that will be available to nurture her artistry.
Melodie Lienhard
Melodie was born and raised in Montreal, Québec, and began dancing at the age of 3. She started her ballet training at École de danse Suzie Paquette, before joining Ballet Divertimento's professional program, founded by Susan Alexander and under the artistic direction of Christine Cyr. While at BD, she trained with renowned teachers and choreographers such as Owen Montague, Zack Tang, Kristen Céré and Diana Loosmore. After graduating from the professional program, Melodie participated in an international exchange with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland before continuing her training in Victoria, British-Colombia. She joined Victoria Academy of Ballet, under the direction of Bleiddyn Del Villar Bellis, and studied the Cecchetti syllabus for a year before deciding to focus on contemporary. During her year at VAB, she was lucky enough to be taught by Kerrylynn Turner, Andrew Pronger and Angela Mousseau. Melodie is thrilled to be joining Lamondance as a member of the training program for season 14.
Daryk Richards
Daryk began his dance career at the age of five in Timmins, Ontario. He began with tap and has trained in many dance genres. He finally settled on ballet and contemporary as his primary focus. At age 14 Daryk joined the Quinte Ballet School of Canada's Professional Training Program in Belleville, Ontario. In his four years at QBSC he had the opportunity to work with respected instructors, choreographers and artistic directors such as Catherine Taylor, Gizella Witkowsky, Henning Albrechtsen and Emma Kerson. During his high school years, he has also received training at Ballet Jörgen, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and The Royal Danish Ballet.
Upon graduating from QBSC he began training at The Alberta Ballet School. In his two years in the Post Graduate program, he refined his ballet technique and also gained a greater understanding, appreciation and love of contemporary dance. There he worked with instructors and choreographers such as Aram Manuykan, Murray Kilgour, Edmund Stripe, Jannet Tait and Graham Mckelvie. Daryk is thrilled to continue his artistic journey with Lamondance for their 14th season.
Nali Richards
Nali Richards is a Lethbridge born dancer who started off their training at Joy’s Dance Factory in ballet, jazz, and contemporary. She spent her high school years as a part of the LCI arts academy taking on the new knowledge of different dance styles ranging from street styles to modern Graham technique. Nali is one of the first graduates to have completed the full 4 years of arts academy and is very proud to have come from such an amazing program. During her summers, she would go out and train in intensives to work with some of the top dance schools in America. She’s trained with Alberta Ballet and Joffrey Ballet school and with that experience has had the opportunities to work with amazing teachers and directors such as Edmund Stripe, Christiana bennett, Tiffany Knight and Heather Ogden. Nali is thrilled to continue her training with Lamon dance this season.