Kickit Dance Studio | Winnipeg Dance Studio

Kickit Dance Studio Staff
At Kick It Dance Studio, our instructors and faculty are all qualified professional dancers.

Robert Boge – Co-Director: Tap, Hip Hop and Funky boys

Robert has had a very exciting dance career. He has trained in all disciplines of dance at some of the most distinguished studios in North Americia. Professional credits include: 42nd Street, Big the Musical, West Side Story, Footloose, Joseph and the Amazing Techno Coloured Dream Coat, King and I, Beauty and the Beast, Good News, Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan (Rainbow Stage, Winnipeg, MB.) Annie, Crazy for You, New York New York, Thoroughly Modern Millie (DDP Calgary, AB.) Robert has also been seen on stage opening for the Sean Paul concert as well as, choreographing and dancing for two time Grammy nominated Hip Hop Star Fresh I.E. Film Credits include: Shall We Dance (Miramax), Make It Happen (Mayhem Project.) Robert was the co-director of both Saturday and Vision (Circuit Performing Arts Company.) His choreography has been featured in Gilbert and Sullivan production of H.M.S. Pinafore. Robert is also the choreographer for the Canadian National Hip Hop and Tap Teams which compete at the World Championships.

Robert has been teaching dance since 2001 throughout Winnipeg as a guest teacher for many elementary, Junior High, High Schools and at the University of Winnipeg, and is looking forward to another great year here with the Kickit family.

Lori Watson-Boge – Co-Director: Mighty Dancers, Movers and Shakers, Jazz, and Acro

Lori has adored dance since her first class over 20 years ago. Since that time she has trained extensively in all disciplines in cities such as Winnipeg, Toronto, Vancouver, Minneapolis and Los Angeles. Professional credits include: Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz, Smokey Joe’s Cafe and Good News (Rainbow Stage, Winnipeg, MB.) Touring throughout the United States with The Big Comfy Couch Live on Stage (KOBA), Performing alongside two time Grammy nominated Hip Hop artist Fresh I.E. Dancing onboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Thoroughly Modern Millie, New York, New York (DDP Calgary, AB), Jazz on Tap (Winnipeg, MB.) and Pooh Friendship Day (Disney). Selected commercials, industrials and film work include: Shall We Dance (Miramax) Harley Davidson, Winnipeg Goldeyes, Exchange District of Winnipeg, and Cats Invasion. Choreography credits include: Celebrations and Jubilations Dinner Theatre. Lori was a member of the Canadian National Tap and Hip Hop Teams who competed at World Championships and is now returning for the second time as choreographer for the Junior CanadianTap Team which placed third in the world last year. Lori grew up as a competitive gymnast and is a certified gymnastics instructor.

Lori began teaching 11 years ago and enjoys sharing her love and knowledge of dance with her students here at Kickit.

Lisa Zeilstra – Office Manager

Lisa studied at the University of Manitoba, graduating with her Bachelor of Commerce Degree, majoring in Marketing. Upon graduation she was hired on by Xerox Canada as a sales representative where she was challenged to quickly apply what she had learned in University to the working world. After Xerox, she joined the Powerland Computers team as a Corporate Sales Representative, where she worked for five years. In 2002, she took a break from her professional field and has enjoyed being at home with her four children, Arabella, Juliana, Marcus and Christopher. With the support and inspiration of her husband Derek, Lisa is excited to be working in her fifth year with Kickit and is honored to be working with her brother Robert and sister-in-law Lori.

Brittany Stephen – Tiny Dancers, Hip Hop & Tap; Office Assistant

Brittany began dancing at the age of 3 and has since trained in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, musical theatre, and lyrical.  Since then she has been in numerous productions across the city including dancing for Sketch Williams and Pooh Friendship Day (Disney, Canada).  As well she has participated in competitions, conventions, and workshops in Canada and the US.  In 2008 she was a co-recipient of the senior hip hop scholarship at the Manitoba Provincial Dance Festival.  This year Brittany will be representing Canada at the World Hip Hop Championships as a member of the National Team.

Brittany joined the Kickit family two years ago as a competitive dancer.  Since, she has been assisting, teaching, working in the office and helping to coordinate costumes for competitions and the year end recital.  Brittany is looking forward to another sensational year at Kickit!

Jennifer Metelski – Ballet and Pointe

Jennifer comes to Kickit with many years of teaching experience She is a recent graduate with greatest distinction from the Brandon University with a Bachelor of Education. Prior to that Jennifer graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts as a Dance Major. She has studied dance extensively both locally and internationally, including at the respected Lou Conte Dance Studio in Chicago as well as the acclaimed Decidedly Jazz Dance Works in Calgary. Jennifer is an award winning choreographer in numerous cities including:  Vancouver, Minneapolis and Winnipeg.  Jennifer has been a teacher at Westwood Collegiate for the past 3 years in their performing arts/dance department.

Jody Watson – Tap, Jazz,  and Acro

Jody began her dance career at the early age of 3 taking tap, ballet, and baton at the Donna Fiala School of Dance. Since then, dancing has been a big part of her life. She has had the opportunity of traveling to Minneapolis, New York, and Vancouver to participate in classes and workshops. For several years she danced with the Storm Performance Company doing a variety of performances with some highlights including a UNICEF gala with Roger Moore and a Harley Davidson fashion show. It has been 15 years that Jody has been teaching tap, jazz, and hip hop at a variety of studios. She has had students who have competed in both the World Tap Championships in Germany and at the World Jazz Championships in New York. Jody is also a certified gymnastics instructor.

Sam Manchulenko – Musical Theatre

Physical movement has always been an important part of Sam’s life.  She spent much of her childhood making up dances in her basement and forcing her poor younger brother to learn dance steps from her and try on her costumes.  Sam’s dance career has provided her with many opportunities to travel and meet interesting people.  She has performed across Canada in many musicals including Anne of Green Gables, West Side Story, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Fame, and Joseph and for films including Shall We Dance, One Last Dance, and Inside the Osmonds.  She also enjoys choreographing and has created pieces for the Confederation Centre’s Young Company in Charlottetown, musicals including Bye Bye Birdie, Napoleon and Emily in Ontario and the Chai Fold Ensemble.  Sam teaches pilates, dance, musical theatre, and yoga.  She completed her Moksha Yoga teacher training in India and continues to study other yoga methods to enhance her teaching abilities.  Sam is the creator of the Lifestyle Pass (www.thelifestylepass.com) a passport which encourages and supports healthy living in our city.  She is passionate about discovering the beauty of meditation, the complexity of the spirit and all facets of movement of expression.

Joel Taylor – Ballet

Joel began dancing at the age of 5 starting with a tap combo class, and from there began exploring other disciplines that include Ballet and Jazz!  Since that first dance class, Joel has had the good fortune of receiving scholarships to study at such places as:  State Street Ballet, Santa Barbra, CA, and American Academy of Ballet, New York NY, where he was able to work with teachers and choreographers from all over the world.  Joel has also been seen performing professionally on the stage at such venues as Rainbow Stage in shows as:  Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, Grease, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, and Good News and also in My Fair Lady MTC.  Joel is excited to be sharing his knowledge of dance to new aspiring students.

Tyrell Witherspoon – Hip Hop and Tap

Tyrell is thrilled to be working at Kickit!  Tyrell comes to Kickit with 11 years of dance experience in various styles of dance including hip hop and jazz.  He has been fortunate enough to travel to different conventions and work with some of North America’s best choreographers.  Tyrell’s accomplishments include roles in many Rainbow Stage productions such as:  Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, The Full Monty, Wizard of Oz, Miss Saigon, Good News, Dancing on board Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as well as becoming a finalist on Canada’s first season of So You Think You Can Dance, and Triple Sensation.

 
Karen MacKenzie – Acro

Karen joins the instructors of Kickit Dance Studio with 15 years experience in artistic gymnastics and power tumbling, including competing at provincial and national levels.  She has attended coaching and judging clinics with the Manitoba Gymnastics Association.  Karen is very excited to be back teaching the acro dance class and looks forward to celebrating new accomplishments with the dancers at Kickit.

Alana Poon – Hip Hop and Tap

Alana began ballet and jazz classes at age 7 and has since trained and competed in a multitude of additional styles including tap, hip-hop, lyrical and musical theatre.  Alana started her ballet training at the RWB where she auditioned and was selected to participate in the Professional Division Summer program.  As a young performer her stage credits included The Nutcracker (RWB), Pooh Friendship Day (Disney, Canada), and The Queen’s Jubilee Gala Performance.  During the summers of 2007 and 2008 Alana trained at the Edge Dance Studio in Los Angeles as a scholarship recipient.  Alana was awarded a Senior Solo Tap Scholarship at the Manitoba Dance Festival in 2008 and 2009.  Last November Alana represented Canada as a soloist and as a member of the Canadian National Tap Team that traveled to Germany to compete in the World Tap Championships.  Alana loves the students, staff and environment at Kickit and is looking forward to another great year!

Cassandra Grist – Movers and Shakers and Jazz

Cassandra has been dancing and doing gymnastics since the young age of three.  She has tried every type of dance from hip hop and tap, to ballet and jazz.  She has attended many competitions such as the Manitoba dance festival and the Canadian nationals as well as the jazz and ballet world championships in Florida and Boston.  Cassandra has also performed at the So You Think You Can Dance Convention, the Pulse in front of choreographers Shane Sparks and Brian Freedman.  Cassandra started by assisting dance classes at the age of 14 and has since progressed to teaching.  Cassandra is also a certified gymnastics instructor.  She is very exciting to be joining the Kickit family.

Rebecca Horvey – Hip Hop and Tap

Rebecca has been dancing since the age of 6 and it has been her passion ever since.  She joined Kickit when she was 14 and has loved every minute.  She has competed in numerous competitions around the city for tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, musical theatre and lyrical.  One of Rebecca’s highlights was receiving the 2 week scholarship for the Edge Performing Arts Centre in Los Angeles.  She has also traveled across the Atlantic to participate in two world class competitions in Germany.  This fall she will again be attending the World Hip Hop Championships in Poland.  Recently she was a company member of the Rainbow Stage production of Beauty and the Beast.  Rebecca is thrilled to continue assisting as well as teaching at Kickit!

 
Kate Armstrong – Ballet

Kate was born in Aurora, ON, where she started dancing at the age of four.  She left home at age 12 to pursue professional ballet training, first spending two years at the Quinte Ballet School of Canada in Belleville, ON.  From there, she came to Winnipeg to train at Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Professional Division, where she graduated in 2006.  Since graduating, Kate has performed with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Manitoba Opera, and Ballet Jorgen Canada.  Her repertoire includes The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, La Traviata, Jorden Morris’s Peter Pan, Bengt Jorgen’s Anastasia and Group of Seven Nutcracker, and Balanchine’s Serenade. Kate is currently studying Engineering and the University of Manitoba.

Aaron Hutton – Musical Theatre

Originally from Minnedosa, Aaron now lives in Winnipeg and is completing a Vocal Performance degree at the University of Manitoba.  Aaron has performed with many local choirs including Canzona, the University of Manitoba Singers, Cantata Singers, and was a featured soloist with the University of Manitoba Women’s Chorus.  He has been fortunate and feels privileged to have plenty of musical theatre experience under his belt.  Past credits include The Wizard of Oz and South Pacific (Strathclair Drama), Naughty Baby (UpFront Productions), Beauty and the Beast and The Sound of Music (Rainbow Stage).  Aaron has been involved with the Musical Theatre ensemble and the University of Manitoba and is currently a part of the Opera Theatre ensemble.  Aaron is thankful and very excited for the opportunity to join the Kickit team.

Assistants:(Back Row left to right)  Desiree Danchuck, Whitney Boiteau, Danielle Brokopp, Jade Repeta

(Front Row left to right) Ailsa Alexander, Kara Flaman, Sami Soloway