910 Camosun Cres, Kamloops | 250.314.9974 | info@aodkamloops.com
Our Staff
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Krista Faraday
Owner and Artistic Director | Alixa Flexibility Cert. | Acrobatic Arts Cert.
Progressing Ballet Technique Cert.
Miss Krista began dancing at the age of 3 at Enchainement Studio under the direction of Judy Russell in Prince George BC, and immediately fell in love with dance. She continued most of her dance training here in Kamloops and is well experienced in all styles including Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Musical Theatre, Lyrical and Contemporary.
Throughout her youth she performed at many events throughout the community including the BC Summer Games, and has traveled dancing with various performing groups. At a young age Krista began training throughout the lower mainland and Las Vegas. Currently she keeps her training up to date by attending workshops and conventions in Vancouver, Long Beach and New York City.
Krista LOVES teaching dance and sharing her passion with today’s youth. She believes in offering a safe space for all youth, and loves the community that Academy of Dance is.
Miss Brie
Dance Teacher
Brie Larson danced with AOD for fifteen years and peformed and competed throughout the Okanagan. She has also performed with the Moscow Ballet in their Great Russian Nutcracker, and danced in Disneyland, California. Throughout her time dancing, Brie participated in various workshops at different competitions, as well as in Jasper, BC with the Rocky Mountain Dance Project.
Brie has taught at a studio in Ashcroft, BC and has been a substitute teacher for AOD in previous years. She now teaches Acro at AOD!
Currently, Brie is working towards completing her Bachelor of Science at Thompson Rivers University here in Kamloops.
Miss Cassie
Dance Teacher | Acrobatic Arts Cert. | Progressing Ballet Technique Cert.
Team Canada 2017
Cassie Rigler has performed throughout the Interior and Okanagan, as well as taken many dance education programs in the Lower Mainland and Alberta. Miss Cassie has performed all over the world, including on Main Street in Disneyland, CA and the Minskoff Theater on Broadway NY, NY. She has also performed with the Moscow Ballet in The Great Russian Nutcracker, and competed in Riesa, Germany coming 8th in the Worlds. Miss Cassie is excited to be working at AOD and loves teaching children of all ages!
Miss Jessica
Dance Teacher
Jessica Jolicoeur has grown up with us here at the Academy of Dance. She began at the age of two and quickly fostered a love dance! She has trained at AOD in many different styles including jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical and contemporary. She has competed throughout the Okanagan, has performed multiple times with the Moscow Ballet and is apart of AOD’s Disneyland team.
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Dance Teacher | BA with Psychology major | Masters in Counselling
Alixa Flexibilty Cert. | Acrobatic Arts Cert. | Progressing Ballet Technique Cert
Miss Katie
Katie is an energetic and kind hearted individual and a perfect fit at The Academy of Dance. She is trained in Acro, Ballet, Jazz, Pointe, Hip Hop and Lyrical, and has performed in California, New York and throughout BC.
Katie continues to keep up her training, in Vancouver, Long Beach and New York City. Katie LOVES teaching dance and welcomes you to her class with a smile.
Dance Teacher | B. Kin | Cert. Dance Ed | A.R.A.D. | C.D.T.A full member tap and jazz
B.A.T.D highland member | Acrobatic Arts | C-I training Level 2
Kinesio Taping Practitioner
Miss Kaitlin
Kaitlin Jamieson started dancing at the age of two, picking up a new style of dance every couple of years. She has competed in many dance genres across BC and Alberta, while performing in solos, duets and groups.
Her competitive years as a young dancer began when she attended Sonia Fabian’s School of Dance in Prince George, BC. During her competitive years, Kaitlin was consistently a representative at the performing arts BC provincial festivals, having been sent for all three genres; stage, ballet and modern. In 2008 Kailtin won the senior modern category at provincials.
Kaitlin has completed her full teaching member status with both the CDTA and BATD associations and now teaches, choreographs and adjudicates. She has obtained her associates of the R.A.D, and is Acrobatic Arts certified. Kaitlin has recently moved back to Kamloops after completing her Bachelor’s of Kinesiology, and a minor in Dance (Distinction) from the University of Calgary. This was where she was able to meld her passion for dance and science and continue to offer great education to her future students.
Miss Lauren
Dance Teacher | B. Ed. | Acrobatic Arts Cert. | Progressing Ballet Technique Cert.
Lauren Nordstrom is an enthusiastic instructor at the Academy of Dance. She has been dancing with us since the age of 13 and is experienced in a variety of disciplines, including Ballet, Lyrical, Jazz, and Hip Hop. Lauren has performed on Broadway in New York City and in Disneyland, California. Currently Miss Lauren keeps up her training in Long Beach and NYC. Miss Lauren LOVES sharing her passion of dance with her students and welcomes everyone to her class!
Mister Riley
Dance Teacher
Riley Schutz comes from Poirier Productions in Burnaby, BC where he trained under Rachael Poirier. Since deciding to devote his time and energy to his training at age 11, Riley has had the great fortune to train at many local and international conventions, learning from some of the most sought-after choreographers including Lane Napper, Doug Caldwell, Nick Lazzarini, Wildabeast, Paul Otterbein, Matt Cady and Travis Wall, to name just a few. Riley’s passion for dance earned him the Doug Caldwell inaugural “Passion for Dance” award at the 2018 Jump Dance Convention in Portland, as well as the opportunity to compete for Teen Male Best Dancer at The Dance Awards. Riley is looking forward to joining AOD this year and sharing his passion for dance with students of all ages and abilities.
Miss Maddy
Dance Teacher
Maddy Howell comes to us from Ontario. Miss Maddy Started Dancing at the age of three and she has been competing since the age of six in Ontario. She has trained in Acro, Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Open, Hip Hop, and Tap. Miss Maddy has taken class with Twitch (Hip Hop), Allison Holker(Contemporary), Emily Einsmann (Jazz Funk), and many more. She is Certified with Acrobatic Arts and has completed up to and including her Grade 5 B.A.T.D. She has received many scholarships over the years including workshops in Florida and Toronto.
Miss Laura
Dance Teacher | RAD RTS | Licentiate member | CDTA Ballet | PBT Ballet/Pointe
Laura was born and raised in Terrace and is a registered Royal Academy of Dance teacher. Her training began in Terrace and continued to Vancouver, Winnipeg and Edmonton. She has 27 years experience in teaching/choreographing Ballet. Laura has trained students successfully for RAD exams and provincial representatives. Many of her students have gone on to have careers in dance becoming teachers, performers and choreographers. She continues to stay updated with many courses that have taken her to New York, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary as she feels it's important to always be learning as the dance world is always changing. Her latest accomplishment is being appointed mentor for teachers to receive their teaching degree.
Miss Taylor
Office Manager
Meet the bright and sunny personality that is Taylor! You can find Taylor behind our front desk and around the studio helping out to keep everything running smoothly.