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The GS Team
Ashley Goddard-Kabakos
Director and President
Acro, Aerial Hoop & Silks, Hip Hop, Jazz, Lyrical, Strength & Flexibility, Conditioning
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Certifications Include;
Acrobatic Arts; Module 1, 2, Aerial & Back Handspring, AcroDance Pre-School, Aerial Arts Hoop by Acrobatic Arts, Aerial Silks by Acrobatic Arts, DMA, Progressive Ballet Technique,
Alixa Flexibility; Module 1 & 2, A.D.A.P.T,
Strong by Zumba.
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I have been dancing since the age of two and have trained in many styles and genres of dance and musical theatre. Since the age of 16, I have nurtured a successful career as a professional dancer, and have even had the pleasure of travelling around the world doing what I love. I have had the privilege to work with some of the industry’s top choreographers, Sean Cheeseman, Marty Kudelka, and Jeff Dimitriou to name but a few.
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I grew up in Surrey, England and studied at The Royal Academy of Dance and Julie Sianne Theatre Arts. I trained in RAD and ISTD Ballet, and ISTD Tap and Modern Theatre Dance. I am a graduate of Tiffany Theatre College, where I achieved my diploma and my ISTD Modern Teaching Associate – I was one of the youngest students to have achieved this.
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Growing up, I featured in various television shows and commercials and at the age of 8, I landed my first role in “Scrooge the Musical” at London’s West End Dominion Theatre.
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When I wasn’t performing I was competing. I was deemed All England Champion in four different categories - Jazz, Tap, Character and Contemporary, and was honoured to receive the Musicality Award at the 2004 ISTD Ballet Awards.
I have continued to dance professionally, and have developed my portfolio to include accomplished Choreographer and Producer. Recent career highlights have included performing at the Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto, The Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, and Toronto’s prestigious Princess of Wales Theatre.
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All whilst pursuing yet another passion. The passion to teach.
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Through the years I have taught a variety of classes and styles at various dance schools, all of which I have thoroughly enjoyed, although the classes always seemed to end so quickly which left me feeling that I was unable to get everything that I had planned done. It was then that I came to the realization that time and class size play crucial roles in learning to dance, that and of course dedication.
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Goddards Studio, for those who want more.
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What I want for Goddards Studio is to take everything that I had learnt and experienced in my career and apply it to how our students will be taught and how the studio is run. Shaping it into something completely different.
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Get lost in the dance, not in the class.
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A wonderful mantra we have adopted at Goddards and a belief very dear to my heart. No child should be left at the back of the class, every student deserves their teachers undivided attention. Our well rounded programmes and classes here at the studio will be capped at only eight students, and more time per class has been granted. I want to ensure success in each and every class and help your child learn and progress with confidence. Less students and longer classes makes for the perfect winning combination.
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I have been lucky enough to have the constant support and encouragement from my family which has pushed me even further as a dancer, and helped mould me into the person I am today. The world of dance is constantly changing and developing, I am still learning to this day and my love and passion for the arts continues to grow and evolve.
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"We are committed to both our students and our parents and we can’t wait for you to be a part of our family.
Your child will grow up in a studio that is based on grace, passion, respect and determination".
Stephen Michael Kabakos
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Stephen (otherwise known as Steve Michaels) has been a successful professional entertainer for over two decades. Based out of Milton, Ontario, his passion and love for music and acting has taken him all around the world, and has continued to be the driving force behind his extraordinary accomplishments.
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He has had the privilege to work with two of England’s top producers – Bill Kenwright and Laurie Mansfield of London’s West End, starring in the musical “This is Elvis”, where he performed over 200 shows in six months.
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His most recent successes include starring in the hit concert musical “Return to Grace” at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto, where he and a cast of over 31, performed to more than 10,000 audience members.
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In 2001 Stephen created his production company, TVB Productions, which has successfully created many theatre shows and concert presentations over the past 20 years.
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Creating Goddards Studio with his wife, Ashley, is a huge, exciting endeavour one that he hopes you will become a part of.
Stephen Michael Kabakos
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Stephen (otherwise known as Steve Michaels) has been a successful professional entertainer for over two decades. Based out of Milton, Ontario, his passion and love for music and acting has taken him all around the world, and has continued to be the driving force behind his extraordinary accomplishments.
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He has had the privilege to work with two of England’s top producers – Bill Kenwright and Laurie Mansfield of London’s West End, starring in the musical “This is Elvis”, where he performed over 200 shows in six months.
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His most recent successes include starring in the hit concert musical “Return to Grace” at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto, where he and a cast of over 31, performed to more than 10,000 audience members.
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In 2001 Stephen created his production company, TVB Productions, which has successfully created many theatre shows and concert presentations over the past 20 years.
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Creating Goddards Studio with his wife, Ashley, is a huge, exciting endeavour one that he hopes you will become a part of.
Studio Administrator
Ms.Nicole
Ms. Nicole goes above and beyond to keep our dancers and studio running smoothly. Her attention to detail, hard work and positive attitude are invaluable assets to our Goddards Studio family.
Thank you for everything you do.
Our Dance Instructors
Ms.Kayla
Kayla started dancing at the age of 7 & quickly found her way into the competitive dance world. She spent 12 years competing & attending high level intensives & competitions all over Canada and the USA. Kayla was awarded dozens of scholarships & opportunities through her hard work & dedication to her craft starting at a young age & eagerly jumped to take on every opportunity she could to improve. She began teaching when she was only 15 years old & has continued educating dancers ever since.
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In 2012, Kayla was accepted into the Conteur Dance Academy under the direction of Eryn Waltman, where she had the privilege of spending the next two years immersed in the world of contemporary dance. Kayla trained an in depth 40 hours a week in contemporary, floor work, modern, partnering, choreography, improvisation, jazz, yoga, pilates & more. In 2014 after graduating, Kayla spent the next two years dancing professionally for several different entertainment & stage shows while also freelancing as a dance instructor. By 2017, Kayla co-founded Beyond Dance Academy & carried out growing in the studio business for the next 4 years. In those 4 years the studio received two Readers Choice awards, countless top scoring overall awards and numerous top studio awards. Through these years, Kayla created an abundance of memorable, unique & authentically curated routines for the stage. In the summer of 2018 she had travelled to New York City to the Martha Graham School for Contemporary Dance to learn the ins & outs of Graham Technique led by Virginie Mecéne.
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Kayla now finds herself educating & training competitive dancers in contemporary, jazz & advanced technical classes. She continues to push the creative envelope with each routine she designs. By creating safety & trust in the classroom with students, she is able to assist young dancers to achieve their goals confidently as well as discover their artistry. Her passion, focus & genuine care for advancement in dance, make her classes to be an exciting & educational experience.
Ms. Lisa
Lisa Auguste is a multi-faceted performer working in Toronto, Ontario. She is a highly sought after professional dancer specializing in ballet to hiphop, latin to breakdance
(and everything inbetween).
Lisa can be seen on T.V in “Zoey’s extraordinary playlist”’ What we do in the shadows”, Shadow Hunters”, “The Expanse”, “Disneys “Sneakerella”, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show(Remake)”. She acted in feature films including “Silent Hill 2”, “Jean of the Joneses”, “Shall We Dance” (starring Richard Gere). Lisa was honoured to be a finalist in the first season of “So You Think You Can Dance Canada”, after gracing the Mirvish stage as Cheetah in “The Lion King”. She has shown her prowess dancing in music videos for Katy Perry,Janelle Monae, Jully Black, Kreesha Turner, Shawn Desman and more. She has performed at the PanAm Games Ceremonies in Guadalajara and Toronto. She took to the Four Seasons Stage in “Nixon in China” and “Aida” for the Canadian Opera Company.
When she is not performing, Lisa is teaching, working, choreographing and adjudicator across Canada.
Ms.Jasmine
Jasmine Best is a ballet instructor that is dedicated to helping each student develop their full technical and artistic potential. She is a member and accredited ballet teacher, being an associate member of the Canadian Dance Teachers Association and is certified in Conceptual Dance Education.
Born in Mississauga, Ontario, she has studied the foundations, progressions and execution of classical ballet techniques for over 16 years. Jasmine found her passion for ballet at the early age of 2 and constantly seeks opportunities to advance her proficiency. Since then, she has gained a solid technical foundation, holding a teaching certificate in Vaganova and, formally training in the ballet schools of RAD, Vaganova, the ABT curriculum and BATD. This has allowed her to prepare
(pre-ballet - vocational level) ballet students for RAD examinations, competitive performances, auditions, and professionalism in post-secondary dance programmes.
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While competing and performing around Canada, she has received high praise for her artistry and performance skills, being trained by Lynn Morrison, Natalia Romanova, Amanda Peterson, Ciprian Campianu, and Rajka Kupesic. She has also performed in the annual Nutcracker with Ballet Jörgen. This led to her being the first junior international ambassador for
Brown Girls Do Ballet.
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Her love for performing inspired her to fuse performance techniques into all of her ballet classes. While continuing her learning in the art of ballet,
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Jasmine aspires to instill a healthy approach to ballet, physically and mentally in her students with her radiant and energetic teaching style.
Ms. Brittany
With over a decade of experience as a dance teacher and choreographer of all levels from beginner recreational to advanced competitive, Brittany is excited to join Goddard’s Studio for Dance and the Performing Arts.
Brittany is certified ADAPT (Jazz and Tap) and Acrobatic Arts (AAC1, AAC2), as well as an AcroDance Preschool instructor. Brittany has spent the last 8 years in Oakville as a Competitive Dance Director where, through her commitment to each dancer’s long term growth as artists and teammates, she has led studios to achieve Top Studio, Top Choreography, Dance-Off Championships, Top Studio Spirit and more. She is always looking for new ways to continue her professional development in an effort to bring the best instruction to her students. Brittany enjoys connecting with dancers and studios from all over and she finds great value in guest teaching, adjudicating and choreographing.
Prior to graduating from York University’s Dance Education program in 2015, and her Bachelor of Education from Trent University in 2017, Brittany trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre and Vocal. While performing and competing, she also completed extensive examinations, including Cecchetti Classical Ballet and in Jazz and Tap through the Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teachers (ADAPT). Brittany has had the honour of working with notable teachers such as, Richelle Kinley, Mr. Brian Foley, Lauren Van Gijn, Ashley Miller (McNeil), Glenn Gilmour, and John Ottman, to name a few. Brittany’s days as a young dancer helped her develop an eye for excellence and attention to detail.
For Miss Brittany, dance class is where high energy meets high standards in technique, artistry and performance. After years of mounting countless polished, entertaining and award-winning routines, Brittany is proud of the life skills that every one of her students learns during their time together each year. Working together to ensure every dancer has a chance to soar and exceed their highest expectations, Miss Brittany is excited to instill a love of dance in each and every one of her dancers at Goddards.
Ms.Anysa
Anysa started her young years off as a gymnast, but eventually found her way into dance at the age of 14, after watching her younger sister hit the stage. She trained in many styles, including Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, Ballet, Pointe, Hip Hop, and Acro. Anysa also represented Team Canada at the Dance World Cup, being selected to perform in the Contemporary and Ballet categories.
Throughout university, she continued her dance training. She was a member of the Guelph Gryphons Dance Pak, a competitive university dance team that competed against other Canadian varsity teams throughout Ontario. In her fourth, and final, year she took on a captain role where she was responsible for organizing and leading the team.Anysa holds an Acrobatic Arts module one and module two certification and has taught styles such as Acro, Jazz, Lyrical technique, and more.
Ms. Carley
Carley started dancing at the age of 3 and quickly developed a love for it from the moment she took her first class. She trained competitively with Sues’ Dance Centre from the age of 6 until she graduated at 17. She trained in Jazz, Ballet, Acro, Lyrical, HipHop, Pointe & Musical Theatre. After finishing high school, she went away to Brock University. Carley joined the university dance team where she had the opportunity to both dance for the schools varsity team as well as teach to other university students on weeknights for their recreational program. She loved that she had the opportunity to continue doing something she loved, it brought a piece of home to her while she was away for 4 years. After finishing her undergraduate degree, Carley’s path took her to UofT where she got her Masters in Teaching & gained her Ontario Teaching Certificate. Nearing the end of her graduate studies, Carley knew she wasn’t ready to give up dance completely & was very fortunate to have the opportunity to teach for two childhood friends who opened a new dance studio in Aurora. Before moving to Milton, Carley worked at Dynamic Dance Company for 2 years teaching various styles to dancers in the primary, junior & senior levels. While working under their direction, Carley also received her “Acrobatic Arts Module 1” certification.
Dance has always been one of Carley’s biggest passions in life and it continues to be something she has loved into adulthood. With the knowledge she brings from the classroom setting, Carley hopes to spark a love for dance in the students that she works with. She is absolutely thrilled to join the team at Goddards and looks forward to bringing her years of experience into the studio.
Ms.Christina
Christina was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec and currently resides in Mississauga, Ontario. Having recently entered the dance world after completing a successful 15 year career as a rhythmic gymnast, she knew dance was something she has always wanted to pursue in her life. As a gymnast, she had the amazing opportunity to compete in numerous international competitions and hopes to do the same with her new career as a dancer.
Currently she is a dance ambassador for a dance photographer as well as a dance collective. These have given her amazing opportunities to further expand her portfolio. With all her extensive knowledge in rhythmic gymnastics, she have been able to help dancers and fellow gymnasts with their technique, flexibility, strength and conditioning training. Helping dancers/gymnasts reach their full potential is what makes her more motivated to help them improve and succeed. Seeing their happy faces after all the hard work they’ve put in is the best reward as a teacher.
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She is excited to be apart of the Goddards faculty this season!
Ms. Julia
Julia started recreational dance at the age of 5, from there she quickly discovered her love for dance & performing, which led her to begin dancing competitively. Julia has had extensive training in all styles of dance including ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hiphop, tap & acro. Throughout her years of training Julia grew very fond of competing in both jazz & tap. She has competed & attended multiple competitions & conventions in both Canada and the US, where she has been recognized for many achievements. She has also had the privilege of representing Team Canada at the Dance World Cup in Spain, with World Performers Canada Inc, where she brought home both a silver and bronze medal.
Julia has always loved teaching dance. From a young age she was always eager to assist dance classes in various styles, in hopes that one day she would have her own classes & students to pass her passion and love of dance on too. She is currently completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph majoring in Child & Youth Development. She hopes to inspire the next generation of dancers using the information she has learned in school, as well as her experience growing up in the dance environment. Julia is so excited & honored to be a part of Goddard's faculty & can't wait to share her knowledge with all the dancers, both recreational &competitive. She am excited to be apart of the Goddards faculty this season!
Ms.Katerina
Originally from Oakville, Ontario, Katerina is an aspiring dancer and choreographer, passionate about sharing her art with others.
As a Centennial College Dance Performance Diploma Program graduate, she has training in multiple dance styles, including contemporary, modern, lyrical, ballet, jazz, acrobatics, hip-hop, commercial, waacking, breaking, and house. Katerina
is hard-working and dependable, with an ambitious mindset.
She is a multi-talented and creative dancer, who pushes artistic boundaries with her energetic performance and detail-oriented choreography. Katerina is passionate about teaching and aims to create an open and welcoming environment where dancers can push their creative limits. Constantly striving to be the best version of herself, she is always open to new opportunities that support her growth as an artist and a person.
Ms. Kelsea
An award winning choreographer, musician, educator and performer, Kelsea Dowdall has over 16 years of experience in the performing arts. From a young age, she knew her passion was within the arts. Kelsea is a proud alumni of O’Neill CVI’s Performing Arts Programme. She furthered her education at York University with a Bachelor of Arts training in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Musical Theatre, as well as a Bachelor of Arts Minor in Instrumental Music and Bachelor of Education.
In relation to her dance training, Kelsea has extensive music training as a drummer and percussionist. She has toured Nationally and Internationally performing in an award-winning jazz band. She has had the privilege to perform for audiences in Venice, Florence, Rome, Chicago, New York, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and more. Kelsea has performed in highly sought after venues such as The Hard Rock Cafe, Canadian Parliament, Professional Sports Games and more. She has accompanied live dance and choir performances, as well as competed in National Music Competitions. Kelsea
strongly believes that her love of music, drumming, and rhythm has drastically improved her tap teaching, choreography, and knowledge of rhythms and musicality.
Kelsea has many notable accolades and awards when it comes to her professional dance career. She is a member of the Canadian Tap Team and had the honour
representing Canada at the IDO World Championship in Germany where she became a World Medalist. She has trained with Everett Smith (So You Think You Can Dance Canada) as a performer in his professional tap company Bringing Tap Back. She has also had the pleasure of dancing with Savion Glover (Happy Feet)
and Chloe and Maud Arnold (Syncopated Ladies) throughout her years of training.
She has been the teacher and choreographer for many successful students both in the competitive and professional dance industry. Many of her students have transitioned into the professional dance world both as performers and educators. Several have gone on to University Dance Programs & Teams, as well as Raptors Dance Pak, Team Canada, World Performers, Canada’s Wonderland and more.
Kelsea enjoys sharing her passion and knowledge with future generations of dancers and looks
forward to an amazing season ahead!
Ms.Maddie
Maddie began dancing at a very young age and joined competitive dance around the age of 10. She danced all throughout High School, being trained in a majority of styles including Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Lyrical, Hip Hop and Contemporary.
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After graduating, she joined the University of Guelph competitive dance team, Guelph Dance Pak. In her final year of University, she was
co-captain along with three others, focusing primarily on choreographing for the team.
She has continued to teach recreational dance over the years such as Lyrical, Tap, Hip Hop and Jazz & has also focused primarily on competitive tap.
She loves all styles of dance and strive to continue branching out and entering the choreography world.
Ms. Petra
Petra is a dancer from Oakville, Ontario. She began her competitive training in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop at the age of 8. She has trained with artistic directors Roberto Campanella and Robert Glumbek at ProArteDanza’s summer intensive program in Toronto over multiple summers, including her most recent performance at the apprentice level.
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Petra is grateful to have received an apprentice contract for ProArteDanza’s upcoming Fall 2023 Season, where she will be performing in new works by the company. Petra most recently performed at Danzart Festival in Sicily, Italy, under the direction of Ermanno Sbezzo and Giovanni Insaudo. Her TV and film experience includes The Next Step Live on stage tour in Toronto, A Nutcracker Christmas movie, and Backstage season 2.
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Petra began teaching dance while completing her undergraduate degree in Bio-Medical Science at The University of Guelph. Her knowledge in biomechanics helps to support the movement curriculum she teaches in class. Petra continues to learn and explore other disciplines within the arts, and is excited to share her knowledge and experience with other aspiring artists!
Aerial Arts
Ms.Kim
When it comes to the realm of dance, Kimberly’s journey is unlike most. She spent countless hours as a loving dance mom watching her daughter perform aerial arts, until her curiosity got the best of her. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Kimberly discovered her unbridled passion for aerial arts when she took to the hoop.
Today she dedicates her time to learning and perfecting various aerial hoop and silk techniques so that she can provide her students with a positive, growth - oriented experience.
Kimberly’s love for the hoop always shines through.
Vocals and Piano
Olivia Morton
Vocals (Lil Bopz' and Rising Star)
Canadian soprano Olivia's performing has been described as "engaging" by Opera Canada. Previous roles include Corina in "David Conte's Firebird Motel"
(San Francisco Conservatory of Music), Suor Genovieffa in "Suor Angelica" (Accademia Eauropea dell'Opera),
First Lady in the World Premiere of
"A Northern Lights Dream" (Summer Opera Lyric Theatre).
She previously studied at the University of Western Ontario and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
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As a voice instructor, she emphasizes vocal health and utilizes pedagogical techniquies obtained from both vocal professionals and speech pathologists to guide developing voices. She is currently based in the greater Toronto Area.
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Mairead McMullan
Vocal and Piano
Mairead developed an interest in music at a very young age and first began singing with a local choir at the age of 5. Since then,
she studied Belcanto under Kirsten Pelchat and pursued studies in both voice and piano with teachers in Milton and Toronto.
Mairead has performed in many recitals and festivals as a soloist as well as part of a choir. She has won several awards and medals at local music competitions placing first in several categories. In addition to studying privately she is continuing to pursue upper-level exams through the Royal Conservatory of Music while completing her undergraduate studies in
Political Science at McMaster University in Hamilton.
Our team wouldn't be complete with our Assisstant Teachers
