Angela Stickland – Director (Performance Teams, Hip Hop, Modern, Jazz, Lyrical, Adult)
This former Miss “USA Dance” champion and 2-time U.S. national dance finalist for both the “L.A. Danceforce” National Championships and the “Dance Magic” National Championships knew that she was destined for a career in the business before graduating high school. Penticton School of Dance director, Angela Stickland, was also a scholarship recipient to the “Edge Performing Arts Centre” in Hollywood, CA and has actively worked in the film industry for the past 13 years.  With dance training in New York City with “The Pulse” faculty at Summer Dancefest & the Broadway Dance Center Angela (along with many of her students) received training from Mia Michaels, Wade Robson, Brian Friedman, Tyce Diorio, Dave Scott, Shane Sparks, Mandy Moore, Cris Judd, Gil Duldulao and so many more world-famous choreographers!  Angela has been a dance judge for “Dance Magic” and “Street Vibe” dance competitions and she couldn’t be happier to be back home sharing her love of dance with her own students in Penticton! Angela’s dancers have received scholarships & awards from all over the world and her team of choreographers & instructors have seen many of their own students pursue professional careers in dance all around the globe (see our “Professionals” page). Angela is very proud to see her home studio grow into one of the province’s leading dance schools!

Eve Noonan - (Jazz, Lyrical)
Originally from Edmonton, AB Eve is now entering her 35th year of teaching dance and her 15th year here at Penticton School of Dance. Eve is an award-winning choreographer who has performed, taught and adjudicated dance competitions & festivals all around the world throughout her extensive dance career. As the former director of Penticton School of Dance Eve is honored to have seen so many of her students grow up at our dance studio before her eyes and she is so proud of everyone who has touched her life through the art of dance. She enjoys every aspect that the world of dance has offered her and she looks forward to another fabulous year of teaching at our studio!

Yvonne Mottishaw – (Preschool, Primary Ballet)
Penticton School of Dance is delighted to have Mrs. M return for her 16th year of teaching preschool & primary ballet to our students. Yvonne’s love of teaching dance to your children is evident in her classes, and her students’ admiration for her is apparent through their smiles. Yvonne provides fun-filled classes to her young ones and loves the innocence & spontaneity of her preschool students. We thank Yvonne for her dedication over the years to our studio and we look forward to another unforgettable season with her again this year!

Sarah Kennedy R.A.D RTS, ARAD – (Ballet, Pointe, Variations)
Penticton School of Dance is thrilled to have Miss Sarah Kennedy back for her 2nd season of teaching ballet at our studio after an incredibly successful first year. As the former president & director of the “Classical Ballet Conservatory of Vancouver” Sarah plans to bring her immense classical training abilities to her students again this fall and Sarah is an award winning choreographer who also has students at the “National Ballet of Canada”. Sarah has trained winners in the Surrey Dance & PacWest festivals and her students have achieved distinction in Adv. Level 2 ballet exams. Sarah is a former BC Festival of the Performing Arts provincial ballet champion and has danced with the University of Oklahoma & the Milwaukee Ballet before receiving her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia.  Now also a professional dancer with “Mission Dance Center” we’re looking forward to more great works from our own Miss Kennedy next season!

Lawrence Gervais – (Boys Ballet & Jazz, Adult Ballet, Partnering)
Penticton School of Dance welcomes Lawrence Gervais back to our faculty for his 2^nd season at our studio teaching adults, boys & partnering classes. A member of the “National Ballet of Canada” and the “Vancouver Goh Ballet” Lawrence is also a guest artist with the “Royal Winnipeg Ballet” and a former apprentice with the “Alberta Ballet”. This former 1994 National Aboriginal Achievement Award recipient is also an off-ice trainer for Skate Canada’s National Junior & Senior teams.  Lawrence also conducted the off-ice training program with the “Glengarry Figure Skating Club” this past season in Penticton and he has achieved level 5 Vaganova from the Vaganova Choreographic Institute (Kirov Ballet School).  Lawrence looks forward to training in Russia once again this summer and he has his Advanced Certificate in Performing Arts Management from Capilano College. Welcome back for another season Lawrence!

Jennifer Ostafew R.A.D RTS – (Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Hip Hop)
Penticton School of Dance is very happy to have Jennifer Ostafew back for her 3^rd season with us in Penticton! After receiving her training from the “Okanagan School of Ballet” in Vernon Jennifer went on to train with the “Boston City Ballet” and the “Broadway Dance Centre” in New York City. She has been dancing for well over 20 years and teaching for the past 10 years. She has completed her certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies from the Royal Academy of Dance while continuing to teach jazz, lyrical, hip hop and musical theatre. Jennifer is an award-winning choreographer and we want to welcome her back for another exciting year at our studio!

Jake Evans – (Hip Hop, Pop & Lock, Breakdance, Adult & Boys Hip Hop)
Back for a third season at Penticton School of Dance award-winning choreographer Jake Evans is looking forward to offering classes in hip hop, breakdance, popping & locking & adult dance once again to our students. Jake comes to us from Halifax, Nova Scotia where he has built an extensive instructing, competition and performance resume. He has trained in Los Angeles, Florida, Boston and all across Canada with the world’s best Original Generation street dancers and instructors. Jake has also judged, hosted and emceed such breakdance competitions as “Breakbattle”, “Floorwars” and the “Atlantic Streetdance Championships”. Welcome back Jake and we look forward to many more years of working together!

Tara Farrell – (Hip Hop, Adult Jazz & Tap)
Tara is back for her fourth season at Penticton School of Dance coming to us from Cambridge, ON where she studied ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical & acro. at “Sue Bottrill Dance Studio”. Tara has traveled across Canada and the U.S. competing in various dance competitions and she has taken workshops with world-renowned dancers & choreographers such as Savion Glover and SNL’s “The Fly Girls”. Tara is known for her clean and well-rehearsed routines each season and Penticton School of Dance is thrilled to have her back for another season at our studio!

Emily McDonald S.D.T.A – (Highland)
Coming to Penticton School of Dance from Merritt, BC Emily McDonald will be returning to teach highland dance for a 2^nd season at our studio.  Emily has trained in hip-hop, tap, jazz, & ballet and has been teaching highland dance at the “Merritt School of Dance” for 2 years prior to moving to Penticton.  After completing 9 years of highland dance training from the “Lorena Harrison's School of Highland Dance” (in Kamloops, BC) Emily received her SDTA Highland Associate Teachers certification. Emily looks forward to seeing her highland dancers again next season and we’re happy to have her back for another year at our studio!

Jacquie Prowse C.F.E.S. – (Jazz)
Jacquie was one of the first students to dance at Penticton School of Dance when it opened its doors in 1978. Jacquie has extensive dance & fitness training and is a former instructor of the “Coquitlam School of Ballet”. She has trained with “Tremaine Dance Conventions” and “L.A. Danceforce” and she is also C.F.E.S. certified in fitness instructing. Jacquie is very excited to be a part of our faculty again for her 3^rd straight year and we look forward to another exciting season with her!

Jenny Thomson – (Hip Hop)
Penticton School of Dance is so happy to be welcoming back talented hip hop instructor & choreographer Jenny Thomson to our faculty for the 2008/09 dance season.  Jenny received her dance training from “Stages Peforming Arts School” in Victoria, BC before moving to the Okanagan and we are so fortunate to have her back at our studio providing fun & challenging classes to our hip hoppers on a weekly basis.  Jenny brings a great deal of dance experience to her performance pieces and we all look forward to seeing more great work from Miss Jenny in the years to come!

Alexandra Fraser – (Tap)
Penticton School of Dance is happy to welcome Alexandra Fraser to our faculty for the 2008/09 season.  After guest teaching throughout our previous season Alexandra is looking forward to sharing her expertise & love for tap with her new students at our studio.  Also the owner of “Step In Time” dance studio in Oliver, BC Alexandra is devoted to providing quality instruction to her new tappers and we want to welcome Miss Ali to our team this season!

Michelle Edis – (Song & Dance)
Penticton School of Dance is very happy to have Michelle back for her 2^nd season teaching Song & Dance at our studio.  Michelle has a degree in Musical Theatre from Chabot College in California and she is the former founder & director of “Manteca Children’s Musical Theatre” also in California.  She is the former director of the “Nevada Children’s Reparatory Theatre” in the US and she has worked as a professional singer, actor & dancer at the “Palace Showboat Theatre” and for the “Pacific Stage Company”.  Michelle’s proudest accomplishment is being a mother of 3 dancers who are students at Penticton School of Dance!