OUR TEAM
Acclaimed Local Dance Teachers and Choreographers
Our instructors and instructor trainees are passionate, talented, and trained in an array of disciplines. We work closely with our new instructors to ensure that you will receive quality instruction. Our studio owners, Miss Candy, Mr Mark, Miss Georgie, and Miss Dixie, have taught dance for over two decades. All owners are professionally trained dancers and acclaimed choreographers with post-secondary degrees and dance training.
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Candy Chiselle-Williams – the founder of Danceworks – is a professionally trained dancer and acclaimed choreographer with more than 50 years of experience. Miss. Candy grew up in London, England, where she graduated from the Corona School of the Performing Arts.
Miss. Candy teamed up with Mr. Mark shortly after the formation of Danceworks, and they have been inseparable business partners ever since. They both believe in taking a unique approach to dance education. In addition to teaching, their creative choreographic talents have enhanced many of our community theatre productions. Some of their credits include local productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, A Chorus Line, Avenue Q, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Anything Goes. Between 1992 and 2001, Candy and Mark were regular adjudicators for the Dance Magic Pageants including the national finals in Oregon. They are also winners of the 1990 CanPro Award for choreography for their participation in the CISA-TV production Dream Dance.
Miss. Candy believes in providing a solid technical foundation while encouraging students to create and explore movement. As our students progress through our program, they are provided many opportunities to create, teach, and present their own dance routines and combinations.
Mr Mark grew up in Lethbridge. For those that remember when local TV was our main form of entertainment, he was a yearly performer on both the Georgia Fooks and Joan Waterfield morning shows, as well as a dancer for the nightly CJOC sign-off. Before leaving Lethbridge in the 70s, he was often seen as a performer for the Christmas Pantomimes, Whoop-Up Days, and community and high school musicals. He credits both Romulo Ully and Muriel Jollife for creating his love of dance and performing.
While earning his bachelor's degree in dance at Brigham Young University, he toured as a dancer through most of the Western United States, Japan, and Western Europe. His most memorable moment was meeting the Japanese Prime Minister. He credits Caroline Prohosky, Cathy Black, Dee Winterson, and Abby Fiat as major influencers for his love of creative dance.
Upon returning to Canada, he earned a second degree in Education. While teaching high school, he teamed up with Miss Candy to form Danceworks. Over the last 40 years together, they have taught dance to hundreds of students and choreographed over 50 local shows and musicals. Their work has been seen on stage through Lethbridge Musical Theatre, New West Theatre, Hatrix Theatre, Raymond Playhouse, Centre Stage Productions, and, of course, 40 recitals.
He believes Danceworks differs from other local dance schools through their dedication to the art of dance, encouragement of creativity in class, and the importance of sharing the love of dance. It is important to him that students receive a strong technical foundation, but even more importantly, he wants students to be able to create their own movements and dance for themselves. He believes expressing and sharing your inner voice through movement is magical and is truly the foundation of Danceworks.
Miss Georgie has been a member of the Danceworks family since 1993 and began teaching in 1999. Back then, her name was Catherine George, so Miss Candy nicknamed her Georgie, and it stuck!
As a teenager at Danceworks, Miss Georgie was a member of Inturns Modern Dance Company, and under the guidance of Mr Mark and Miss Candy, she developed a passion for modern dance. She continued dancing and teaching at Danceworks while completing a Bachelor of Music at the University of Lethbridge and her intermediate Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing ballet exam. Then, that passion for modern dance took her to Toronto to study at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre. She completed the 3-year Professional Training Program at STDT, where she had the honor of working with world-renowned teachers and choreographers and was introduced to the technique of Martha Graham.
She returned to Lethbridge in 2007 and has been teaching at Danceworks and sharing her love of dance as much as possible ever since. She is honored to have recently taken on the role of co-owner at Danceworks. Working alongside Mr. Mark, Miss Candy, and her partner in the dance, Miss Dixie, she hopes to keep Danceworks thriving and inspire passionate, lifelong dance artists.
Outside of Danceworks, Miss Georgie is a co-founder of the Lethbridge Society of Independent Dance Artists and served as its president for 5 years. She also teaches Ballet Beats fitness classes and continues to take any chance to perform or learn more about dance.
Miss Georgie married her high school sweetheart, Kris, and they have two wonderful kiddos. Her daughter, Erin, shares her mom’s passion for dance, so you’ll always see her around the studio.
Miss Georgie’s other passion is music. As a classical double bass player, she serves as Principal Bass in the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra and teaches private bass lessons through the University of Lethbridge Conservatory of Music.
Miss. Candy
Mr. Mark
Miss. Georgie
Miss. Dixie
Miss Dixie is passionate about instilling Dancework’s unique core values in her students. She is a highly sought-after teacher and choreographer.
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Dixie's love of dance was established throughout her training at Danceworks and across North America. She went on to obtain many prestigious awards while pursuing her Diploma in Dance from Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, Alberta, and studying dance at the University of Calgary. She has since become a registered ballet teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance and has completed teacher certifications in multiple dance disciplines and modern techniques.
She has traveled internationally, performing her own work as an independent contemporary artist and on contract with many companies and organizations, including Mile Zero Dance Company, Dance Theatre David Earle, Prairie Dance Connection, We Found Love, and the Good Women Dance Collective. In 2003, the Edmonton Arts Council invited her to present her work in Korea as part of the Edmonton Dance Artist Ambassador Program.
Miss. Dixie has spent much of her time in the classroom over the past twenty years, influencing, developing, and instilling passion in the spirits of young upcoming artists. She specializes in educating students on the exceptionally diverse and specific elements associated with traditional, modern techniques. Miss Dixie has also been the recipient of countless choreography awards. She prides herself on taking risks and pushing herself and her students to explore a rich palate of movement and creation approaches. She works diligently every day to preserve and perpetuate the spirit of humanity through movement.
Miss. Katie
Miss Katie started her movement journey at the age of 5, beginning in recreational gymnastics and progressing into competitive gymnastics and eventually trampolining. She began dancing at the age of 12 in jazz at Danceworks and ballet at the University of Lethbridge. In high school, she decided to commit fully to dance and left trampolining to pursue performance opportunities through the LCI dance program. She took every chance she could to participate in workshops, classes, travel opportunities, and performances, working with a variety of teachers and choreographers in modern, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, and musical theater.
In grade 12, she returned to Danceworks and, after graduating, completed a year-long apprenticeship with Miss Georgie. After teaching for two years, Miss Katie took an extended break from teaching to complete her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. In 2011, she got married and now has two little girls who can often be seen at the studio running a muck.
Miss Katie has been back teaching at Danceworks since 2019 and has rediscovered her love of teaching and choreography. She looks forward to being back in the studio with new and familiar students.
Miss. Julie-Vanessa
Miss Julie-Vanessa has been a dancer and avid performer since age 3. She has performed, competed, and taught locally, as well as throughout her travels and studies in New York, Grenada, and Miami. She was in several dance performances as a member of the Inturns Modern Dance Company and Young Ambassadors in Lethbridge, and FNC (a hip-hop dance troup) in New York City. In 2012, she graduated with her MD and worked as a research fellow, clinical tutor, and visiting professor at her alma mater. Last year, she was dance captain, and a cast member in Evil Dead, the Musical, and this year is a cast member and choreographer for the Toxic Avenger the Musical. Miss Julie-Vanessa is the residing president of LSIDA, the Lethbridge Society of Independent Dance Artists, that promotes dance as art for professional and pre-professional dancers in Southern Alberta. Currently, she is a stay at home mom to her wonderful 7 year old son, and dances, teaches dance, choreographs for Danceworks as well as for several arts events throughout the city. In her spare time loves to swim, garden, and make and sell all kinds of crafts.
Miss. Sierra
Miss Sierra started dancing at the age of 3 at the University of Lethbridge. She then came to Danceworks at age 5 and has been with the Danceworks family ever since. Miss Sierra started as a demonstrator and then soon after became a teacher. This will be her fifth year teaching!
She has taken many classes over the years from countless teachers. Some include Miss Georgie, Miss Laura, and, of course, Mr Mark and Miss Candy. In addition to Danceworks, she danced throughout school at GS Lakie and Chinook High School. She has been given numerous opportunities to perform and share her love of dance. Some of these include The Yellow Umbrella Society, LSIDA, many competitions, and year-end recitals! Danceworks is home to many laughs and memories over the years; she will always remember them.
Outside of dance, Miss Sierra is a full-time Interior Designer Technologist at a local firm called FWBA Architects. She graduated from Lethbridge College in 2021 with her Interior Design Technologist diploma on the Dean’s list. Miss Sierra loves animals and spends her free time volunteering at the Lethbridge Humane Society. When she’s not dancing, working, or volunteering, she enjoys spending her time outside, reading, or picking up other random hobbies.
Miss. Laura
Meet Miss Laura! She is a proud Inuk (Inuit person) who was born in Whitehorse, Yukon. When she was 2, her family moved down to the Lethbridge area, and shortly after, her involvement with dance began. She joined the Danceworks family when she was 5 years old, and this was when her passion for teaching and choreography started to grow. Whether it was helping teach the dance unit in Junior High, helping coach the cheer dance team in High School, or convincing
(volun-telling) all of her younger cousins to participate in a dance, she decided to teach them. From the age of 12, she started demonstrating and helping in classes and started teaching at Danceworks in 2014.
Miss Laura was also involved in many Lethbridge Musical Theater productions, including The
Music Man, Hairspray, Peter Pan, and Guys and Dolls. She also had the opportunity to be in
Danceworks musical production of Charlie Brown was also involved in Danceworks Young Ambassador of Lethbridge. She is also proud to have worked with the Lethbridge Society of Independent Dance
Artists.
Miss Laura has had the opportunity to study Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Contemporary, and
Modern through Danceworks. She also enjoys attending dance conventions, including We Found Love Workshop, iDance Convention, and the DJD Dance Marathons. In 2012, she had the opportunity to attend the BYS Street Dance Intensive at Leaping Feats in Whitehorse, Yukon. There, she was able to learn from choreographers from around the world in various styles of Hip Hop including House, Locking, Breaking and Street.
Outside of dance, Miss Laura is a very busy person. She spends most of her time working with
Alberta Health Services, or running her small business, Lavender Antler Design Co, and teaching yoga with her recent 200hr Yoga Teacher Certification.
Miss. Zoe
Miss Zoe is so excited to be back at Danceworks! Miss Zoe has been a part of the Danceworks family for 20+ years as a student and a teacher for the last years. After high school, she branched out into other areas of the art world, taking a special interest in vocals. Her love of singing began with muscular theatre, which led her to receive her Bachelor of Music at the University of Lethbridge in the spring of 2023. Throughout her degree, Miss Zoe received classical vocal training in opera, performing with the University of Lethbridge opera workshop and the Lethbridge Symphony on a number of occasions.
For the past three summers, Miss Zoe has performed with the Cardston Carriage House Theatre, taking on principal roles and, as of recently, took on the role of a choreographer in the summer of 2023. Miss Zoe has a passion for the performing arts and hopes to share that passion with the students at Danceworks Dance Academy
Miss. Ahniya
Miss Ahniya has been dancing with Danceworks since she was 4 years old and has had a passion for it ever since! This year will be her third year of teaching, and she is especially excited to work with her partner in crime, Miss Jasmine, for the second time! Miss Ahniya had been demonstrating for the younger dancers at Danceworks since she was 11 and continued until she graduated high school and started teaching. Throughout high school, Miss Ahniya danced in the LCI Dance Academy Program, where she got to work with amazing teachers and choreographers from all over Canada! Tap has always been her favorite style of dance until she learned many different types of hip-hop styles in the Academy Program. Now, tap and hip-hop are both equally enjoyable to her.
Miss Ahniya is entering her second year of college in the General Arts and Science program, as she is working towards getting her diploma and then a degree in social work. Miss Ahniya wants to explore different areas of work in social services, as she ultimately wants to help people in need. Having the opportunity to teach at Danceworks has helped Miss Ahniya recognize her true desire to work with kids in the future and thus encouraged her to work towards a career where she can help children and families who are struggling in different ways.
Miss Ahniya is super excited for this upcoming dance year and to work alongside the lovely staff of Danceworks for another year!
Miss. Jasmine
Miss. Jasmine started dancing at age 5 in a very small town in British Columbia. Upon moving to Lethbridge, she was introduced to one of her closest friends and fellow instructors, Miss. Ahniya, who opened the door to Danceworks. Ever since, Miss. Jasmine has been dancing with the Danceworks family!
In addition to Danceworks, Miss. Jasmine was involved in the LCI Dance Arts Academy Program for 4 years, which helped her step out of their comfort zone and explore new dance forms. Various other workshops and performance opportunities, such as LSIDA, have also helped her to learn and grow as a dancer. Miss. Jasmine began demonstrating at Danceworks in her early teen years and is excited to begin her third year teaching!
Outside of dance, Miss. Jasmine works at Ray’s No Frills as a front-end supervisor. In 2022, she received her diploma in Correctional Studies on the dean’s list and will be entering her fourth year to receive her Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. Besides working and attending school, Miss. Jasmine enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, swimming, and spending time with her friends.
Miss. Nicola
Mabuhay! Meet Miss Nicola! She has been part of the Danceworks family for a decade now. Like many of the other teachers, she has demonstrated, taught, and choreographed under the guidance of Miss Candy, Mr. Mark, and Miss Georgie, who have fostered Miss Nicola’s love for dance in her adolescence. Though Miss Nicola will not be teaching a class, she will be a familiar face around the studio as a substitute teacher, choreographer, and graphic designer for the upcoming dance year!
Miss Nicola was born and raised in the Philippines, where she first started her training in classical ballet and modern jazz. On top of her formal training with Jonathan Terry, Miss Nicola explored some Philippine folk dances and casual dance groups within her school. She continued dancing in Canada at Danceworks and shifted her main focus from classical ballet to modern dance, instructed by Miss Candy, Mr. Mark, Miss Georgie, and Miss Dixie.
Outside of dancing, Miss Nicola enjoys playing video games, creating graphics and designing, drawing, crocheting, and building keyboards! She is a fourth English + Education student entering her first education practicum as a student teacher at the University of Lethbridge, brimming to share her newfound knowledge with those around her. If you are ever in need of finding her, I’m sure you’ll run into her at a local cafe, sipping her iced matcha latte with her head stuck in a book!
Miss. Cassandra
Miss Cassandra has been dancing ever since the age of 5, with ballet as a strong focus and foundation for her dance technique. She grew up learning ballet from Mary Falconer, Carol Godlonton, and Maddison Meierhofer with the University of Lethbridge Ballet Program. Her passion for the art form led her to teach, first starting out as a demonstrator and later as an assistant teacher for the UofL Ballet program. Her journey to become a ballet teacher led her to Danceworks in 2019. In 2021, Miss Cassandra earned her Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies from the Royal Academy of Dance, giving her the opportunity to further develop her skills as a ballet teacher under the mentorship of DeAndra Sullivan during her studies. A creative spirit, Miss Cassandra is also an interior designer, graduating from Lethbridge College with a diploma in Interior Design Technology in 2018. When she's not teaching at Danceworks, she works full-time as a designer for Avonlea Homes. Her passion for both dance and interior design allows her to express herself creatively through both art forms. When she's not working, Cassandra enjoys walks, coffee, pilates, reading, shopping, and getting inspired by new interior design and choreography ideas. Cassandra is so happy to continue teaching at Danceworks this year and looks forward to sharing her passion for dance while encouraging growth and artistry in each of her students!
Miss. Sydney
Bio Coming Soon
Miss. Alisha
Miss Alicia has been a member of the DanceWorks family since 2001. She began demonstrating at the studio in 2015 and moved on to teach in 2019. Since Miss Alicia’s teen years, she has participated in many dance opportunities through LSIDA and DanceWorks. As well, Miss Alicia danced with The Moscow Ballet, in their production of “The Nutcracker”, as a snowflake many years ago. In addition to dancing and teaching at DanceWorks, Miss Alicia always keeps herself busy and on the go. Miss Alicia has a diploma in Psychology and Sociology and a Bachelor of Social Work degree. She plans to get her Master of Social Work degree within the next few years. Miss Alicia’s love for learning makes her both a great student and teacher. Miss Alicia has a passion for dance and social justice. She can be found at one of her two other jobs when she is not teaching. One as a full-time case manager and the other as a part-time crisis intervention worker at a local women’s shelter. Miss Alicia is a leader inside and outside of the dance studio with endless compassion and empathy for others, including her dance family. Miss Alicia is grateful to teach at a dance studio that uplifts one another and creates art purely for the love of dance. She looks forward to creating movement and seeing her dancers grow throughout this dance year.