Faculty

Dance Fusion faculty are a talented group of professionals that offer each student the highest quality training.

Staff

Robin Bleasdale – Artistic Director
Kate Hanson –Competitive & Recreational Jazz, Lyrical & Contemporary Teacher
Juliette Irons – Competitive Teacher & Choreographer
Gina Kim – Ballet Director & Competitive Choreographer
Kylie Thompson – Recreational & Competitive Hip Hop & Jazz Teacher

Company Choreographers

Joey Arrigo
Jordan Clark
Alvin Collantes
Kaitlyn Conley
Mollee Gray
Juliette Irons
Bree Wasylenko
Tokyo

Staff

Robin Bleasdale – Artistic Director

Robin completed her outstanding competitive dance career at Bojangles Dance Arts before going on to graduate from York University with a BFA Hon. in Dance. She now teaches as a working certified member of B.T.D.A., R.A.D., and the Canadian Artists Scholars Association. In the past she has worked as a Program Advisor for the District School Board and an Artistic Program Director for the City of Toronto Arts Programs.

Robin danced professionally for several years before opening up her own dance studio 10 years ago. Her work includes serving as a choreographer for the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid Committee and having her work featured on several television programs. Her outstanding choreography has won her students countless International Awards and most recently she was named the 2012 Headliners US National Choreographer of the Year.

Robin is also active in the world of dance writing, and now enthusiastically writes for several publications and websites, sharing her experiences and knowledge in the dance industry. Robin continues to work passionately as an in demand teacher, choreographer and adjudicator throughout North America as a member of the Professionals Adjudicators Alliance. She is proud to be able to share her love of dance with the next generation of dancers.

Kate Hanson – Competitive & Recreational Jazz, Lyrical & Contemporary Teacher

Born and raised in Calgary Alberta, Kate has trained professionally in all facets of dance. Kate graduated from The School of Performing and Visual Arts while also completing all levels of the ADAPT syllabus in Jazz as well as her Advanced level in the R.A.D. Ballet syllabus. She has competed successfully around Canada and the United States winning high score solo awards at many competitions. Kate moved to Toronto in 2009 to pursue her professional dance career. Since then she has graduated from the Commercial Dance Studies program at George Brown College and has become actively involved in the Toronto Arts community by teaching and performing all over the city. The most recent addition to the Dance Fusion family Kate is thrilled to bring her creative talents to share with the next generation of dancers.

Gina Kim – Ballet Director & Competitive Choreographer

Born in Edmonton Alberta, Gina Kim moved to Ontario and started her dancing career at the age of six. Ms. Kim has diverse training in tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical, modern, musical theatre, hip-hop, National dance and Korean traditional folk dance. Ms. Kim received Honors in numerous C.D.T.A tap and jazz exams, Advanced Cecchetti ballet exams, Advanced RAD ballet exams and Advanced I.S.T.D National dance exams.

Ms. Kim was a competitive dancer since the age of six, receiving several awards and scholarships at local, national and various competitions across North America. After twelve years of competing, Ms. Kim is now a certified adjudicator in association with I.A.D.A. Greater accomplished credentials include: Teaching Diploma and certificate from Canada's National Ballet School, Associates in The Cecchetti Society of Canada, Royal Academy of Dance, Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Dance Masters of America and Canadian Dance Teachers Association.

Ms. Kim attends master classes and workshops in Toronto, Buffalo, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Japan, Korea and Winnipeg. Her performance experience includes Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with Quinte Ballet School, The Nutcracker and Les Syphides with The National Ballet School, The Beach Boys, Guys N' Dolls, Bye-Bye Birdie, Grease, Chicago and Westside Story. After graduating with her BFA Honors in Dance from York University, Ms. Kim furthered her education at Canada’s National Ballet School, and joined the teaching staff in the Associates Program in 2006.

Kylie Thompson – Recreational & Competitive Hip Hop & Jazz Teacher

Born and raised in Barrie, Ontario, Kylie has now been training in various styles of dance for over twenty years. Her passion for music and movement is undeniable. Her multi-faceted background includes extensive training in ballet through the Royal Academy of Dance, jazz, tap, modern, musical theatre, and in the past five years she has become greatly invested in exploring various street styles. She has travelled to the United States and taken workshops with many Industry leaders including Luther Brown, Chonique Sneed, Gigi Torres, Kevin Maher and Cat Cogliandro. Within Canada she has been fortunate to train with the likes of Linda Garneau, Apolonia & Ofilio, Leon Blackwood, Leah Totten, Alvin Collantes and many more. She furthered her education in movement with an honours degree in kinesiology from McMaster University, with a focus on movement mechanics and physiology.

She now enjoys instructing and sharing her knowledge with students at various studios across Ontario, teaching guest workshops as well as regular classes at studios in the Toronto area. She has been a guest choreographer for McMaster's Verve Dance team, with whom her choreography has won numerous awards. She has also staged her work at ABA Entertainment's The Bazaar in Toronto. She has trained and performed with Toronto's all-female hip hop crew BOSS Dance Company, who recently finished in the top 3 at The Beatdown National Hip hop competition. She was also selected by LA choreographer Gigi Torres to perform at Toronto's World of Dance Showcase in September 2012. She has performed at numerous showcases in and out of Toronto, including Toronto Original Choreographer’s Ball, Talent Defined, ScotiaBank Nuit Blanche, Toronto PRIDE, and recently with DARK Dance Company at Monsters of Hip hop in Washington, DC.

This past summer she held open classes at the Citadel in Toronto where she was able to explore contemporary choreography and improvisational concepts with students, drawing inspiration from the many styles of dance in which she has trained. Kylie is quickly becoming known as an innovative, driven and passionate dance professional. She believes as artists we are always students, and she continues to train as she explores what the dance industry has to offer. Find out more at www.kyliethompson.ca

Company Choreographers