Tina Nico

Studio Director

Maya Martin-Spisak

Youth Program Coordinator

Esra Leia

Ballet Program Coordinator

Jasmine Bentivoglio

Youth Performance Company

Director

Emma Rosborough

The Groove Crew

Director

Amanda Arruda

Tap

Amanda began dancing at the age of three at the Ontario School of Ballet training in ballet, jazz, tap, acrobatics, hip-hop, and contemporary, as well with a knowledge of ballroom and Latin dance styles. From a young age she had a true passion for tap dance, competing with many tap solos. For over twelve years she danced competitively as a member of the Trillium Dance Company, and was in Tap! Dance Company at the Tap Dance Centre. Amanda grew up studying the RAD ballet foundations as well as ADAPT tap and jazz. She continued dancing for a few years after graduation to complete her ballet and tap exams to the highest levels. She graduated from the dance arts program at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts as well as completed her certification in ADAPT’s jazz and tap Teacher Training Program. She graduated from the fashion design program at George Brown. She currently works full time at a design company making dance studio costumes. She is very excited to continue her dance journey and to share her knowledge, passion, and overall love for the art of tap.

Brianna Chapple

Dance Athletics, Jazz Combo, Tiny Twirlers

Brianna started dancing at the age of 3 at Star-Lite Dance Studio in Hamilton ON. She went onto compete in jazz, tap, contemporary, acro, and musical theater across Ontario and the US, before moving to Toronto for her post secondary education. After a successful career as a pastry chef she has turned her attention to starting a new career in childcare and getting back into her love of dance. When not completing her final year of ECE studies Brianna loves bringing her passion for dance to the younger generation while keeping a focus on inclusivity, fun, and creating positive relationships. Brianna is very excited to join the CDC youth program and continue her dance journey!

Emma Rosborough

Groove Crew Director

Hip Hop, Jazz Combo, Tiny Groovers

Emma developed the foundations of dance through her training at Canada’s Ballet Jorgen and the Quinte Ballet School of Canada. She danced competitively for many years in a wide range of genres including but not limited to: Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Musical Theatre, Pointe and Contemporary. As a member of Footnotes Academy, Emma first studied and practiced Hip Hop, Popping, Locking and House under the direction of Pyro and Mariano. Emma had the opportunity to learn from PopNTodd and participated in an International Dance Mentorship Program led by Reet Roy. She is a current member of Reality Check, a company that focuses on Popping & Animation education founded by Aj MegaMan. Some of Emma’s performance credits include: Cinderella - The Panto with Drayton Entertainment; The Nutcracker - Canada’s Ballet Jorgen; Deep Jandu “Delhi Ki Chhori” music video; 7-Eleven commercial; performance series with Award-Winning Children’s Entertainer, Saidat; Arts in the Parks, guest performer with School of Groove; Toes for Dance, guest performer with School of Groove; Am3nn “Devils Juice” music video; White Elephant, True Colour Feature Film; Reignite Dance Show with City Centre Dance. She is currently attending York University to achieve her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, as well as her Bachelor of Education. She is passionate and dedicated to her dance and strives to have a positive impact on her students by building a safe space where artists can reflect on their creative process.

Esra Leia

RAD Ballet/ Ballet Program Coordinator

Ballet, RAD Ballet

From a young age, Esra has been passionate about sharing her love for dance with others. With a background in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Contemporary dance, she has had the opportunity to perform recreationally and competitively for over a decade. Esra studied ballet throughout her childhood and adolescence through the Royal Academy of Dance, completing all the graded and vocational examinations up to Solo Seal. After training at the Ontario School of Ballet and Related Arts for 10 years, she began her studies at Ryerson University in the Early Childhood Studies program. Esra has simultaneously been working to complete the Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies programme through the Royal Academy of Dance in order to become a certified ballet teacher with the RAD. The combination of these two programs has shaped Esra’s philosophy of teaching; through inclusion and differentiated instruction, her goal is to create a playful and safe atmosphere for children to physically explore their bodies and express their emotions.

Jasmine Bentivoglio

Youth Performance Company Director

Ballet, Dance Athletics, Jazz Combo, Tiny Tumblers, Tiny Twirlers

Jasmine is from New South Wales, Australia and began dancing at the age of 3. She danced competitively all over Ontario and eventually competed in the United States. During her time as a competitive dancer she choreographed some of her own solos which won choreography awards and first overall awards. Jasmine has gone on to win triple overall soloist multiple times in her competitive career and was recognized for her passion when performing. She received scholarships to different dance conventions and was also nominated for Miss Dance Canada in 2017. Along with competing, Jasmine performed in shows outside of the studio such as Canada's Ballet Jorgen's Nutcracker and attended many dance intensives. After graduating from high school she followed her passion for dance to George Brown College's Commercial Dance Program where she blossomed into a triple threat performer. Jasmine has had the opportunity to dance with tWitch, Travis Wall as well as book an agent, backup dance and do Commercial/TV work. Jasmine's goal is to create a fun and positive class atmosphere for dancers of all levels and ages. She is very excited to join the faculty at City Dance Corps and can't wait to see you in her classes!

Jimmy 'Chico' Vasquez

Hip Hop, Street Dance Styles

Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Jimmy Vásquez González started his dance career at the age of 7. Surrounded by the Latin culture of his native land, Jimmy started his journey with the dance styles of Salsa, Bachata and Merengue. At the age of 13, Jimmy moved to Toronto, Canada, where he was introduced to the style of native Toronto Hip-Hop for the first time, also referred to as "Flavor". Though it wasn't an easy transition, Jimmy was able to maintain his love for dance by facing and accepting new challenges as well discovering his own identity through Hip-Hop and what it means to have your own identity through the art of dance. Shortly after his move to Canada, Jimmy was able to find other relatable individuals with the same drive and passion for dance, soon after becoming a member of Scarborough's very own dance crew, “The FLVRSquad”. The FLVRSquad is a team of individuals under the mentorship of one Toronto's most notorious and respected dance crews, BUCC N FLVR. With the mentorship of arguably Toronto's best of the best, Jimmy has been equipped with the tools necessary to comfortably share the knowledge passed down, as well as adding his personal Dominican flavor, giving his dance a very distinguishable energy and charisma. Jimmy has distinguished himself as a leader and mentor to his peers and those around him, further strengthening his values and the impact one can spark in others through dance. Today, Jimmy continues to pursue his undeniable love for dance, through teaching, performing and sharing his own creativity in hopes of inspiring others.

Katrina Hindle

Jazz Combo, Parent n Tot, Tiny Stars, Tiny Twirlers

Katrina is a Toronto based musical theatre performer/teacher. She is a graduate from both the Eastwood Collegiate Integrated Arts Program where she was a vocal, dance, and drama major, as well as a graduate from the Triple Threat program at the Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto. She has trained in many styles including ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap, hip hop, modern, acro, and musical theatre. Throughout her life she has performed competitively and has received many awards and scholarships including an opportunity to perform on Broadway in New York City. She has also performed with the K-W Symphony, NIKE HANGtime Fitness, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest. Her most recent and favourite performing credits include Legally Blonde: The Musical (Pilar), Seussical: The Musical (Bird Girl), and Guys and Dolls (Hot Box Dancer). When she is not performing, Katrina loves to teach children of all ages. She loves bringing her positive and bubbly energy to her students as well as the ability to really push them to become their best. She is so excited to be able to share her love of dance with the City Dance Corps Youth Program!

Krystalia Hatzinakos

Jazz for Parents, Class Assistant, Ballet

Krystalia began dancing at the London School of Dance at the age of three, engaging in dance examinations and competitions over the span of thirteen years. Krystalia completed Royal Academy of Dance ballet exams up until the Advanced 2 level. She also completed jazz, tap, and acro exams with the British Association of Teachers of Dancing, earning the associate teaching exam certificates for tap and jazz styles. Alongside her technical training, Krystalia attended Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts where she expanded her performance experience in contemporary and musical theatre. Currently, Krystalia is completing an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto, adding knowledge of mobility, strength, and conditioning exercise to her repertoire. While completing her degree, Krystalia has had opportunities to work and volunteer in a variety of rehabilitative healthcare settings, assisting physiotherapists and occupational therapists in providing care to clients and families. Here, she has facilitated adapted movement-based programming for populations with diverse abilities, learning effective ways to foster inclusive spaces for people of varying ages and skill levels. Krystalia prioritizes the fun and enjoyment of her students while valuing inclusivity by taking an individualized approach to teaching. She strives to empower, motivate, and support students as they work towards achieving their personal goals.

Seanna Bailey

Youth Performance Company

Seanna Bailey is a powerful artist who constructs with a unique perspective. She feeds solely on the connection of the mind & body when dancing. Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Seanna is taking all the knowledge and passion from her past, onto a new path as an emerging artist in Toronto. Currently, she is a member of faculty at City Dance Corps, sharing her vision through the Contemporary Fusion movement. She is currently choreographing, dancing & artistically directing new works in Toronto, while pushing the barriers of the dance world with her intricate style and vision.

Shaniece Phillips

Hip Hop

Shaniece Phillips’ first experience with dance was at a ballet class at a community centre in grade 2. While it didn’t stick at the time, dance was something she loved to do and fantasized about performing on stages. Her older sister was a dancer and teacher. Shaniece spent most of her time playing sports, specifically soccer. She rediscovered dance in high school, joined the dance club, and through inspiration of America’s Best Dance Crew and the Krump scene joined a crew with her brother and other friends. She continued to play sports, and went on to study Psychology at the University of Guelph-Humber. But dance always had a place in her life. After experiencing a brain injury while playing sports and it sidelining her for months, she decided to step away from sports to make sure that nothing could take her away from dance that long, ever again.

Victoria De Rose

Ballet, Dance Athletics, Jazz Combo, Tap, Tiny Tappers, Tiny Tumblers

Victoria began dancing at the age of three, at the Ontario School of Ballet and Related Arts. She studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Acro, Pointe, Hip Hop and Lyrical, while also dabbling in art forms such as Contemporary, Street Jazz and Musical Theatre. At age 6, she started competing for the Trillium Dance Company, and continued to do so for over ten years. Victoria grew up studying the foundations of the Royal Academy of Dance, as well as the ADAPT Jazz and Tap Syllabus. Victoria is now studying at the Toronto Metropolitan University where she is enrolled in the Early Childhood Studies Program. Victoria is beyond thrilled to be sharing her passion and knowledge of dance with young aspiring dancers, while also ensuring a safe space for children to have fun and express themselves.

Zuri Skeete

Jazz Combo

Zuri began learning and developing her love for dance at a young age. Her training includes 10 years of competitive dance at Denise Lester Dance Academy where she worked with choreographers including Raffaele Brereton, Brandon “Bizzy” Owusu, Ming Bo Lam, and Bailey Woodman. She also studied at the arts high school O’Neill C.V.I. where she got the chance to work with artists like Lauren Cook, David Norsworthy, Jaz-Fairy J, Kristen Carcone, and many more. Zuri currently studies at York University for her BFA in Dance Choreography/Performance. She’s also participated in a few different events including The Next Step, the Pickering Mayor’s Gala, Tim Hortons’ Black Tie Gala Fundraiser, the Toronto International Youth Festival, and Ignite. Zuri is excited to continue learning, growing, and sharing her passion and love for dance.

Ashley Maia

Tiny Dance Classes, Jazz, Hip Hop, Ballet, Tap

Ashley started dancing at the age of 6, in Toronto. Began as a technical and competitive dancer for 11 years, trained in ADAPT and RAD while completing all examinations. In summer 2017 she was accepted and trained at the Joffery Ballet School in New York City in ballet, jazz and hiphop styles. Ashley has performed and opened for Portuguese artists including Mickael Carriera’s Toronto concert in 2016 and the Miss Portugal Canada Pageant in Toronto. Since 2020 Ashley has also branched out into more urban styles and has worked on some amazing projects. Some of these projects include campaign videos and concept videos with the following Toronto artists: Tatiana Parker, Shavar Blackwood, Leon Blackwood and Jac Valiquette. She is a member of Kode Red dance team from Toronto and expanding her training through it. Always a student growing her knowledge and experience as a dancer to bring the best guidance to her students.