Principal Dancer, Philadelphia Ballet

Sterling Baca began his training at age 11 at the Academy of Colorado Ballet and later with world-renowned instructor German Zamuel. He then studied with American Ballet Theatre (ABT), before joining the Philadelphia Ballet, formerly Pennsylvania Ballet, as a Principal Dancer for the 2016/2017 season. Since joining, he has tackled featured and principal roles in a varied repertoire that includes full-length ballets such as Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella (Prince); Angel Corella’s Le Corsaire (Conrad), Swan Lake (Prince), and The Sleeping Beauty (Prince Desire); and Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo & Juliet (Romeo). He has also performed in contemporary works like Brian Sanders’ Chicken Bone Brain, or a more classical approach such as in George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, Jewels, and Western Symphony (Fourth Movement).

Artistic Director, Kirov Academy & Founder, Runqiao Du Ballet Coaching

Mr. Du was born in Shanghai, China. At the age of 11, he was selected and awarded scholarship to study at the famed Shanghai School of Dance. Upon graduating with honors, Mr. Du moved to the United States to begin his performing career with The Washington Ballet. During his nearly 20-year tenure with TWB, he performed various leading roles in classical and neoclassical ballets including Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Albrecht in Giselle, Prince Charming in Cinderella, Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Prince in Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, and the Cavalier in The Nutcracker.

In 2019, Mr. Du became the Artistic Director of the Kirov Academy in Washington D.C., and is the founder and Artistic Director of “Runqiao Du Ballet Coaching”, an online ballet program that provides quality live ballet lessons for worldwide access.

NBS DIP. & ARAD

Fiona Smith has provided guidance and leadership for the Goh Ballet’s Junior Division for over a decade, choreographing award-winning pieces, providing coaching for international competitions, and leading preparations for all levels of RAD examinations in the Academy

A graduate of the National Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program and the London Studio Centre in London, England, Fiona Smith has taught ballet in Japan, Toronto and Vancouver as well as in Missouri, Montana for the VIBE Competition. Her formal training began at Goh Ballet Academy, where she performed and toured throughout B.C., France and China with the Goh Ballet Youth Company. She then toured England with London Studio Centre’s Images of Dance working with choreographers such as Geoffrey Cauley, Michael Corder and Harold King.

Tanya Phelps has an extensive background in classical ballet as well as jazz, tap, modern, hip hop and flamenco. She received her professional training at Kirov Academy of Ballet, Goh Ballet Academy and Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal before joining the Goh Ballet Company in 2001. Having completed examinations with honours in the Royal Academy of Dance and the Ukrainian Academy of Dance, Ms. Phelps has also toured throughout Asia and Canada with Goh Ballet’s Youth Company performing in varied repertoire such as: Giselle, Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Fairy Doll, Balanchine’s Serenade, La Fille Mal Gardee and numerous neo-classical pieces. In 2005 she was part of Guangdong TV’s reality show “Future Stars of Tomorrow”, where she performed as an actress and dancer as well as choreographed pieces for them while touring throughout Asia and Europe.

Ms. Phelps has been a teacher at the Goh Ballet Academy for over 10 years and is Associate Director of Goh Ballet’s Outreach & Special programs. Ms Phelps completed her ballet teacher training with Goh Ballet’s 3-year certificate teacher’s course working closely with Mrs. Lin Yee Goh and Professor Xu Ding Zhong of Beijing Dance Academy, where she studied the Vaganova teaching methods and syllabus.

R.A.D Dual & Solo Seal Examiner

Isabel Yuan was born in China where she studied classical Ballet at the Beijing Dance Academy (the National Ballet of China), and graduated with distinction in all subjects. Ms. Yuan danced professionally as a principal ballet dancer for 15 years with the Tani Ballet Company in Tokyo, Japan and performed internationally in the most famous classical ballets such as Don Quixote, La Sylphide, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, La Fille Mal Gardee, Coppelia, Cinderella and Swan Lake among others. After sustaining dance injuries, Ms. Yuan retired from dancing and came to Canada to study at the National Ballet School of Canada to obtain her professional dance teacher training in Toronto. She has over two decades of teaching experience and this includes guest teaching at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School of Canada, the Beijing National Ballet School, and the National Ballet School of New Zealand.

Ms. Yuan’s teaching credentials include: the National Ballet Professional Dancer Teaching Certification (NBS. P.D.T.C.), Imperial Society Teachers of Dancing, Advanced Certification and Associate Certification (A.I.S.T.D.), Royal Academy of Dance Teaching Certification (R.A.D. TC.). Ms. Yuan was appointed as a Vocational Examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance in 2005, and has been a Dual Examiner since 2011.

R.A.D. RTS

With an extensive background of professional teaching experience, Tyra has been recognized for her dancing, choreography, and teaching throughout her career. She began training extensively in classical ballet at the age of three, and later complimented this with modern, jazz, and musical theatre. Tyra has been passionate about teaching from a very young age. After graduating, she pursued her Teaching Certificate at Simon Fraser University while continuing to teach ballet.

R.A.D. RTS

Mann Pan received her professional ballet training at Guangzhou Ballet. She graduated with distinction after 6 years of training in the Vaganova methods and syllabus, as well as extensive training in Chinese classical and folk dance. As a performer, Ms. Pan toured extensively in China, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong performing in repertoire such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Nutcracker. In 2006, she received her certificate of Ballet Teaching and Certificate of Chinese Dance Teaching from the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy.

In 2008, Ms. Pan came to Vancouver and continued her passion for dance by joining the Professional Advanced program at Goh Ballet. She completed her 3-year Teaching Certificate, and later became an RAD Certified Teacher for the Academy.

Katherine Somody began her dance training at a young age where she developed her lifelong love of dance. Ms. Somody received her dance training in Goh Ballet Academy's Senior Professional Division, where she toured China and Japan performing in varied repertoire, including: Swan Lake, Giselle, Nutcracker, Don Quixote, and Balanchine’s Serenade. She holds a BA in Art History from UBC and the Sorbonne in Paris, France, and an MFA (Performance Art & Dance) from Cornell University in New York. Ms. Somody has had the privilege to perform, choreograph, and teach in Berlin, Paris, New York, Halifax and Vancouver. In addition to continual ballet teacher training, Katherine has also trained in various functional movement methodologies, including Countertechnique, Axis Syllabus, Developmental Movement Patterning (Laban/Bartenieff Fundamentals), Contact Improvisation, the Franklin Method and Gaga. She is also a certified Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) instructor. With a fascination for the intersection of Ballet and Somatic practices, Katherine continues to be impressed by the confidence, courage, creativity and grace of the dancers she works with.

Makayla is a professional dancer, actor and educator. She grew up in Calgary where she trained competitively at Drewitz Dance Productions. After receiving a scholarship to Harbour Dance Centre, Makayla moved to Vancouver to join The Source Dance Company while enrolled in Capilano University’s Musical Theatre Program. Since graduating in 2014, she has had the pleasure of performing on both stage and screen, across Canada and throughout the world. Credits include Toronto Raptors Dance Pak (NBA Dancer), Crazy for You (Citadel/Theatre Calgary), Ross Petty Panto (The Elgin), Beauty and the Beast, Spamalot (The Arts Club), Grease, Footloose (Chemainus Theatre Festival), Evita (Vancouver Opera), James and the Giant Peach (CTYP) and a featured dancer with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Makayla was also the assistant director/choreographer to Josh Epstein and Shelley Stewart Hunt on Studio 58’s recent production of Cabaret, and will be performing in The Arts Club’s upcoming production of Kinky Boots.

Jennifer Lynch (she/her) is a performer, teacher, and choreographer based on the unceded and ancestral territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. She has
been dancing for over two decades, and has trained extensively in jazz, tap, hip hop, contemporary, ballet, and Musical Theatre. She is a graduate of Capilano University’s Musical Theatre program, and has been working professionally in and around Vancouver since graduating in 2016. Most recently, Jennifer had the privilege of performing as one of the core dancers in Al Wasl Plaza at the 2020 World Expo hosted in Dubai. Select performance credits
include Beauty and The Beast, Mamma Mia (Arts Club Theatre Company- Ovation Award Winner), Mamma Mia (Chemainus Theatre Festival), The Music Man (Gateway Theatre), Anything Goes, Cabaret (RCMT), West Side Story (Theatre Under The Stars), The Nutcracker (Caravan Farm Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar (URP- Ovation Award
Winner) and All Shook Up (Keyano Theatre).

Katrina grew up dancing in North Vancouver. After an injury took her away from a professional dance career, she discovered and fell in love with other forms of movement. Katrina now teaches Lagree, ballet, barre, and pilates mat/reformer. With a welcoming approach to all styles of teaching, Katrina believes that movement is for everyone. Her fulfillment teaching comes from helping her students get to know their unique bodies and what they need and are capable of. Katrina loves teaching dancers and is knowledgeable about how to effectively condition their bodies to support their art.

Mariana Moraes is a dance artist who is known for her impeccable classical and contemporary technique and her ability to share it with her students. Born in Belem, Brazil, Mariana has been training and performing since the age of six, when she first fell in love with ballet. She was invited to participate in the postgraduate dance program Lamondance, in Vancouver, Canada where she developed her creativity and passion for contemporary and modern dance. She is Certified Ballet Instructor with American Academy of Ballet (N.Y.C., New York).

Executive & Artistic Director, Dancers of Damelahamid

Margaret is the Executive and Artistic Director for the Dancers of Damelahamid. She choreographed Setting the Path (2004), Sharing the Spirit (2007), Spirit and Tradition (2009), as well as the multimedia contemporary dance productions Spirit Transforming (2012), Flicker (2016), and Mînowin (2019). Margaret has directed and produced the Coastal Dance Festival since 2008. Margaret holds a Masters of Arts in Arts Education at Simon Fraser University and a B.Sc. from McGill University. She was a sessional instructor at Simon Fraser University for Foundations in Aboriginal Education, Language, and Culture in 2007. Margaret was a faculty member for the Banff Centre Indigenous Dance Residency 2013.

Goh Ballet’s International Senior Summer Intensive is especially designed for students age 14+ who are focused on exploring a professional career in dance. Participants are instructed and mentored by some of the most distinguished annual faculty members as well as prominent guest instructors. Training six days a week this intensive features a curriculum that includes Classical Ballet, Musical Theatre, Mime/Dance Acting, Pas de Deux, Repertoire, Contemporary, Men’s Work, Pilates and Health and Well-being. Programs are structured to nurture each student’s individuality to best prepare them for their future careers. Through dedicated instruction which propell progress, participants will reach new artistic heights and gain invaluable mentorship to aid career development.

Admittance is by invitation only. Please visit our Auditions page for details. If you are unable to attend any of the auditions in person, video auditions are accepted for students residing out-of-town or international students.

Curriculum:

• Classical Ballet
• Ballet Repertoire/ Variations
• Progressive Ballet Technique
• Technique Development/ Men's Work
• Musical Theatre/Theatrical Performance/Mime
• Pilates/ Body Conditioning
• Showcase Demonstration Presentation

The Junior Summer Intensive for students ages 7 to 14 is a unique program designed to accelerate technical ability and performance skills. Classes with guest and annual faculty members are held five days per week, tailored to elevate artistic understanding. Introduction to stylistic influences such as Bournonville, Petipa and Balanchine will be incorporated into weekly training and repertoire work.

Also included in the curriculum are National Dances, Stretch and Body Conditioning as well as Dance Acting supporting students with a well-balanced outlook into the world of dance! The culmination of student’s progress and achievements will be shown at a special presentation for friends and family during the final week.

For children younger than 7, please see information on our themed week long Children’s Summer Dance Workshops.

Curriculum:

• Classical Ballet
• Ballet Repertoire/Variations
• Technique Development
• Character/National Dance
• Musical Theatre/Theatrical Performance/Mime
• Pilates/Body Conditioning
• Demonstration Presentation