For more than two decades Ms. Smith has provided leadership for the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver, Canada, overseeing the Children’s Division, Junior School, and aspects of the Senior Professional School. Choreographing award-winning ballet pieces, providing coaching for national and international competitions, and leading preparations for all levels of RAD examinations, she has been recognized for her student-centric approach and dedication to the well-being and personal success of the student body.
A graduate of the Teacher Training Program at Canada’s National Ballet School and the London Studio Centre in London, England, Fiona has held instructor positions in Tokyo, Toronto, and Vancouver. She provides instruction for ballet intensive sessions on the margins of dance competitions and showcase events, including the Ballet Beyond Borders Competition held in Missoula, Montana, and Los Angeles. She has also been sought after as a ballet adjudicator and judge for various dance competitions, including the U.S.A. and the Victoria DanceWorks Festival. Her portfolio includes annual leadership of significant theatre productions, including Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker and adaptations of classical ballets for the Children’s Division such as Sleeping Beauty and Alice in Wonderland.
Her career has brought her full circle, having received formal training at the Goh Ballet Academy, where she performed and toured throughout Canada, France, and China with the Goh Ballet Youth Company. She moved to England in 1995 to perform with London Studio Centre’s Images of Dance, working with choreographers such as Geoffrey Cauley, Michael Corder, and Harold King.
Transitioning her love of teaching into her next career move, Ms. Smith returned to Canada and continued her post-secondary education at Canada’s National Ballet School, as well as earning her Advanced 2 R.A.D., Advanced 2 Cecchetti and Advanced National Dance Examinations. She also achieved her teaching certificates in both the R.A.D. Teacher’s Examination and the ISTD National Dance Teachers Examination. Ms. Smith also recently received her Silver Swans Licence from the R.A.D. Ms. Smith returned to the Goh Ballet Academy in 2001, bringing her international experience and love of ballet as the Associate Director to the Junior School.