Art in Motion Dance
Faculty
Emily Hart
Member CDTA Ballet, Jazz, PBT Certified, ADAPT TTC
Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop, Tap, Stretch & Strength
Emily Hart is an Art in Motion Alumni that spent over seventeen years training in the Terrace community. Fifteen of those years were spent training at the Northern Conservatory of Dance and Art in Motion in ballet, jazz, lyrical/contemporary, modern and tap.
Emily left Terrace in 2012 and spent two years training in Vancouver at Harbour Dance Centre. In 2012/13, she auditioned and was chosen for the Intensive Training Program, which involved training, company performances and commercial work. In 2013/14, she auditioned and was selected into The Source Dance Company. She continued with extensive hours of training, choreography, and, ultimately, increased performance and commercial work opportunities. Those two years provided many learning opportunities and growth as she also expanded her training to include hip-hop and musical theatre.
Emily’s commercial dance experiences include multiple flash mobs, Vancity Project 5 & 6, Building Dreams Performance, the 2014 opening ceremonies for the Vancouver Aquarium expansion, Harbour Dance Centre’s production of Westside Story, multiple commercial dance shows, and video dance work with Mariana’s Trench in their 2013 video “Stutter.”
Emily completed her three-year Teachers Training School through the ADAPT Syllabus in 2021, under the direction of Mr. & Mrs. Foley. Emily is very excited to share the skills she developed. Her focus on technique, training, and discipline, within a positive and caring environment are skills that she feels will continue to benefit our AIM dancers.
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Lexi Shinde
PBT Certified
Ballet, En Pointe, Stretch & Strength, Modern, Jazz
Lexi began her dance journey with Art in Motion at the age of three. She eagerly stepped into her first dance class and discovered a lifelong passion that would shape her artistic path. For fifteen years, Lexi immersed herself in the world of ballet, jazz, and modern dance under the guidance of Art in Motion. With each graceful movement and dedicated practice session, she honed her technical prowess, nurtured her artistic expression, and cultivated a deep love for the art form.
Lexi's talent and commitment propelled her to remarkable heights, earning her the prestigious honor of being selected as a provincial ballet delegate at Performing Arts BC. This recognition showcased her exceptional skills and dedication to the craft, a testament to the countless hours she devoted to perfecting her technique.
In her pursuit of excellence, Lexi undertook the Intermediate and Advanced Foundations Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) exams, further solidifying her mastery of ballet. These rigorous examinations served as milestones, marking her progression, and demonstrating her unwavering commitment to artistic growth. Driven by her thirst for knowledge, Lexi embarked on her latest endeavour, pursuing the PBT teaching certification. This valuable certification expanded her teaching repertoire.
Having witnessed the evolution and growth of Art in Motion since its inception, Lexi returned to the studio in 2022, not only as a distinguished alumna but also in a teaching capacity. With passion and dedication, she seeks to instill in her students the same love for ballet that has fueled her own artistic journey.
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Brianna Onstein
Acrobatic Arts Certified
Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop, Acro, stretch & Strength
Brianna, an Art in Motion alumna, has immersed herself in the world of dance for over fifteen years, honing her skills through extensive training and competition in Terrace. During her years at AIM, she trained in a wide variety of styles including ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop, lyrical/contemporary, and acrobatics/gymnastics.
In 2022, Brianna continued her dance journey in Vancouver at Harbour Dance Centre after successfully auditioning for the Intensive Training Program for the 2022/23 season. Throughout the program, she dedicated countless hours not only to dance, but also to singing, acting, and choreography, expanding her understanding of the commercial dance industry. Brianna was also selected to participate in Platform on Camera, a program designed to support young dancers entering the film and television industry, where she gained valuable experience dancing on set and attending professional seminars.
Brianna travelled to London, England, where she trained under Christie Lee Manning in House of Jazz’s professional jazz program. During her time abroad, she immersed herself in the style, history, and technical foundations of jazz dance while continuing to grow both personally and professionally.
In 2025, Brianna also completed her Acrobatic Arts Certification, further expanding her training and teaching knowledge.
Brianna has been teaching at AIM for the past couple of years and is passionate about sharing her love of dance with the next generation of dancers. She is excited to continue bringing the skills, experiences, and inspiration she has gained throughout her dance journey back to the AIM studio where her own dance story began.
Stephanie Raposo
iTap Level 1 Certification
Tap
Stephanie is thrilled to be teaching tap at Art in Motion. With an extensive background in various dance styles, including Ballet (RAD method), Tap (CDTA method) Contemporary, Jazz, Lyrical and Musical Theatre. Miss Stephanie’s knowledge and experience are vast and diverse.
Stephanie's dance journey began at the age of 4 at the esteemed R&S School of Dance, where she trained under some of the industry's best. Her mentors included award-winning choreographers, dance examiners, and renowned adjudicators such as Shirley Ray, Senga Cowie, Stacy Cole, and Ronelle Roode-Brothers. She additionally participated in training, workshops and choreography opportunities with globally recognized artists. These included Stephen McAteer of Riverdance, Kelly Konno, Dorie Konno and legendary tap artists Malcolm Gale, William Orlowski, and Brenda Bufalino.
Although dance took a back seat as she grew her family, tap remained close to her heart as she participated in several adult competitive groups throughout the Vancouver area.
Since moving to Terrace, Miss Stephanie is thrilled to be pursuing teaching tap while continuing her own personal tap education. In the summer of 2024, she completed her iTap Level 1 Teacher certification with Tap artist, Hillary-Marie and aims to motivate her students to achieve their own goals by inspiring them through her own journey. Stephanie believes in the transformative power of dance at any age, not just within the studio walls, but in life, and she is dedicated to making a lasting impact on her students' lives through her teaching.
Sophia Franco
Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop
Sophia, a passionate dancer, embarked on her dance journey at the age of three at Art in Motion. For twelve years, she dedicated herself to honing her skills and nurturing her love for dance within the walls of AIM. During those years, Sophia spent many hours volunteering her time as a student teacher. As Sophia grew and flourished as a dancer, she embraced the competitive realm, showcasing her talent in various dance styles. Training in ballet, jazz, modern, contemporary, lyrical, and hip-hop, she explored a diverse range of disciplines.
Life took Sophia to Vancouver Island, where she spent two years dancing with a local team at Brentwood. In Sophia’s final year of high school, her dedication and talent were recognized when she was appointed dance captain. This role not only allowed her to lead her team but also gave her the opportunity to showcase her creativity by choreographing recital pieces.
Completing her Degree in Science with honours, majoring in Psychology and returning to Terrace, Sophia is excited to return and teach at Art in Motion, where her dance journey began.
Bianca Reneiro
Ballet, Jazz, Modern
Bianca began her dance journey at the age of four in Terrace, BC, where she was born and raised. Over the next fifteen years, dance became a major part of her life as she trained, performed, and developed both as a dancer and teacher. Throughout her dance journey, she spent several years teaching and assisting classes, where she discovered a passion for mentoring and inspiring younger dancers.
Bianca has trained in a variety of styles, with a particular love for jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and lyrical. She is drawn to jazz for its energy, performance quality, and confidence on stage, while contemporary and lyrical allow her to connect with movement through emotion, flow, and storytelling. Alongside her studio training, Bianca successfully completed CDTA Ballet examinations throughout her dance education, helping build a strong technical foundation and versatility as a dancer.
In 2020, Bianca was accepted into both the ITP Dance Program and Ballet Jörgen programs, opportunities that reflected her dedication and passion for dance.
Having grown up in Terrace, Bianca is excited to give back to the dance community that helped shape her. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge, creativity, and love of dance with the next generation of dancers while fostering a positive environment where dancers can build confidence, express themselves, and grow both inside and outside the studio
Kira MacDougall
Ballet, En Pointe, Modern, Tap
Kira has always had a strong passion for dance. From the moment she stepped into the studio at eight years old, she knew dance would become an important part of her life.
She has trained in a variety of styles including jazz, tap, ballet, modern, contemporary, and hip hop, with ballet always holding a special place as her favourite discipline. In 2021 and 2022, Kira was honoured to be selected as a Provincial Ballet Delegate with Performing Arts BC.
Following her graduation in 2023, Kira travelled to Toronto to train and perform in the Kylie Thompson Creative Workshop, where she had the opportunity to work with renowned dancers and choreographers including Emily Spearing, Darryl Tracey, and Kylie Thompson.
Kira has completed Jazz, Ballet, and Medal examinations through the Canadian Dance Teachers Association and is currently working toward her CDTA teacher certification. Kira has been teaching dance for the past four years and loves sharing her passion for dance with young dancers. Outside of the studio, she is pursuing a degree in Social Work with hopes of working with youth in the community.
We are excited to welcome Kira to the AIM teaching team and look forward to having her share her passion, knowledge, and love of dance with our dancers this season.
Bianca Reniero
Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop
Bianca began her dance journey at the age of four in Terrace, BC, where she was born and raised. Over the next fifteen years, dance became a major part of her life as she trained, performed, and developed both as a dancer and teacher. Throughout her dance journey, she spent several years teaching and assisting classes, where she discovered a passion for mentoring and inspiring younger dancers.
Bianca has trained in a variety of styles, with a particular love for jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and lyrical. She is drawn to jazz for its energy, performance quality, and confidence on stage, while contemporary and lyrical allow her to connect with movement through emotion, flow, and storytelling. Alongside her studio training, Bianca successfully completed CDTA Ballet examinations throughout her dance education, helping build a strong technical foundation and versatility as a dancer.
In 2020, Bianca was accepted into both the ITP Dance Program and Ballet Jörgen programs, opportunities that reflected her dedication and passion for dance.
Having grown up in Terrace, Bianca is excited to give back to the dance community that helped shape her. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge, creativity, and love of dance with the next generation of dancers while fostering a positive environment where dancers can build confidence, express themselves, and grow both inside and outside the studio.
We are excited to welcome Bianca to the AIM teaching team and look forward to having her share her passion and experience with our dancers this season.
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Britta Nordean
Yoga Instructor
Stretch & Strength
Meet Britta, a dedicated yogi and certified yoga teacher with a passion for helping others connect with their bodies through movement and breath. Since 2003, Britta has been immersed in the world of yoga, finding solace and inspiration on the mat.
In 2020, Britta achieved her 200-hour certification with Yoga Alliance, solidifying her commitment to her practice and paving the way for her teaching journey. Eager to deepen her knowledge and expand her skill set, she pursued additional training in various specialties, including yin yoga, flexibility, back bending, inversions, and arm balances. These specialized trainings have equipped Britta with a diverse range of tools to guide her students through
transformative and empowering yoga experiences.
Driven by her thirst for growth and education, Britta is currently on the path to completing her certification in Pilates and Barre. This endeavour allows her to explore new avenues of movement and enhance her teaching repertoire, providing her students with a holistic approach to physical fitness and well-being.
Beyond her commitment to yoga, Britta is thrilled to share her love of the practice with dancers this season. Recognizing the immense benefits stretching can bring to dancers' bodies and minds; she is excited to help them enhance their flexibility, strength, and overall performance.
Makenna Harris
ADAPT TTC
Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Contemporary
Makenna has over 14 years of dance experience and is a certified ADAPT instructor. Through her ADAPT certification, Makenna has developed a deep understanding of how to guide dancers through each level with confidence and clarity.
With a background as a competitive dancer, Makenna teaches through experience and knowledge. She was an apprentice teacher at Art in Motion for 2 years, working with students of various ages.
Outside the studio, Makenna completed her Bachelor of Business Administration Degree with a major in Human Resources at Vancouver Island University. Her academic background adds a thoughtful, organized, and people-focused approach to her work as a teacher.
Makenna is passionate about sharing her love for dance. She is excited to be returning to Art in Motion as a teacher and looks forward to making a positive impact in every class.
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Laura Flynn
R.A.D. RTS, Licentiate Member CDTA Ballet, PBT Certified, Member of Rambert Grades
Ballet, En Pointe
Laura was born and raised in Terrace, and is a registered Royal Academy of Dance ballet teacher. Her training began in Terrace and continued to Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Edmonton. She has 25 years’ experience in teaching/ choreographing ballet. Laura currently teaches in Kamloops at Dance Gallery, but thankfully is able to still make time for our Terrace dancers.
Laura has trained students successfully for RAD exams and as 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 appointed mentor for teachers to receive their teaching degree.
Laura passion for teaching is passing along her knowledge and love for ballet to others.
Laura is currently teaching at The Dance Gallery in Kamloops, while continuing to mentor and support AIM’s Ballet and RAD programs. We are incredibly grateful to continue having her knowledge, guidance, and expertise as part of our AIM dance family.
Hope Misner
Ballet, Jazz
Hope is a talented and accomplished dancer who has been a part of the Art in Motion Dance family since she was a young child. She brings a wealth of experience, passion, and leadership to her new role as an instructor.
Throughout her years at AIM, Hope has trained extensively in multiple styles, including ballet, modern, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, and tap. Her dedication to the art of dance has earned her numerous achievements, most notably being named Intermediate BCADC Performer of the Year in 2022, a testament to her technical skill, stage presence, and unwavering commitment to excellence.
Beyond her achievements in competition, Hope is known for her natural ability to connect with students and inspire those around her. She leads with kindness, focus, and enthusiasm, creating a positive and supportive environment in every class she teaches.
We are proud to welcome Hope to the AIM faculty and look forward to watching her continue to grow as both a dancer and a leader in our studio community.