The Dance Centre Our Instructors

Erin KOEHLER

Coming Soon

Joanne Tiernan

Joanne started dancing at age 3 in England and is trained in ballet, jazz, tap and Irish. She enjoyed success as a competitive dancer in both solo and group routines in various dance forms and attained the RAD ballet exams up to intermediate level. As a performer, she danced in many local theatre and university musical productions. She continued her love of dance when she moved to Canada 15 years ago resuming her ballet and jazz training at local dance studios. Joanne's most recent dance training and passion is Irish. She is in her 7th year training with SSDC and is excited to have the opportunity to share her love of dance with all her students. Joanne has started the process of taking Irish dance grade exams with the World Irish Dance Association, with plans to become a certified instructor with WIDA once she completes all her exams. Joanne's chosen career is physiotherapy and she is currently working as a hospital based physiotherapist. TDC is thrilled to have Joanne on our teaching staff instructing both recreational and competitive students!

Michelle banerjee

Michelle has trained in many types of dance, starting in ballet, and then moving on to take jazz and Irish dance. She continued her love of dance while attending Brock University taking jazz, Irish, street jazz, hip hop, ballroom and Latin. During her second year at Brock University, Michelle took over teaching the Irish dance classes for Brock Dance and continued to do so until she graduated. In 2007 Michelle won the "Outstanding Teacher" award for Brock Dance. Upon her return to TDC after University, she performed and competed with Celtic Dynamic for a number of years before moving into her teaching role at the studio. She recently started her Irish dance grade exams with the World Irish Dance Association and has successfully completed Grades 1 through 6 and is working towards becoming a fully certified instructor with WIDA. We are delighted at TDC to have Michelle as an Irish Dance Instructor.

Kristen Macarthur, TCRG Pt 1

Kristen has trained in Irish and jazz dance at local studios, SSDC and with Irish Dance Schools. She has been teaching all levels of Irish dance, recreational and competitive, as well as pre-dance classes in jazz and ballet for nine years. Kristen recently sat for and passed the first part of her teacher's exams with the World Irish Dance Association (WIDA). Her competitive routines have won many overall awards and special awards, and her creative choreography has earned her judges choice awards. During her time as an amateur dancer she worked as a class assistant, and performed and competed with SSDC's company, Celtic Dynamic. She has performed throughout the Kitchener-Waterloo area for many St. Patrick's Day events and summer festivals. A highlight for Kristen has been dancing a full-length duet on the interview segment of CKCO News and Noon. She is a graduate of Mohawk Collage for advertising and continues to take professional dance workshops. The Dance Centre is proud to have Kristen on our teaching staff.

Samantha Paul - BA, Assoc. Grad TTS DMA, DMC ch. #38, TCRG Pt 2, AAC1

Samantha has been dancing since age 3 and has been teaching children and adults for over 20 years. She studied dance and its history at Eastwood Collegiate, the University of Waterloo, and through the 4 year Dance Masters of America (DMA) Teachers Training School at the University of Buffalo. After completing the DMA programme, Samantha took her exams in jazz and tap and is a certified instructor with the century old organization. She is also a jazz and tap examiner and examines teachers wishing to become certified. In November 2012 Samantha successfully passed exams to obtain her part 1 and 2 of her TCRG (certified teaching certificate) with the World Irish Dance Association (WIDA). As of July 2016 Samantha is also a certified Acro Dance teacher with Acrobatic Arts. She attended their teacher training programme and completed her exams successfully attaining her ACC1 qualification. She has performed and competed across North America, winning many regional and national awards. Samantha danced with the “First Generation Dancers” Irish dance troupe for four years where she performed at festivals across Ontario such as Goderich’s Celtic Roots, Toronto’s Harbourfront and Hamilton’s Earthsong. She has organized and directed many dance shows, and her choreography has been featured several times on local, provincial and national television. Samantha has also performed on Breakfast TV. In 2007/2008 Samantha choreographed Rockway Mennonite’s sold-out production of High School Musical. She has also choreographed and/or performed for several artists including The Spirit of the West, The Irish Descendants, Ken Brown, Pierre Schreyer, Failte, The Marcell School of Drum, The K-W Symphony, The Millennium Orchestra and Choir, the Community Connection Choir and for euro dance singer Tânia Costa of Azuria. Samantha believes dance class should be fun and at the same time provide a strong technical base. She’s happy to answer any of your questions.

Beth Cornwall - RAD, CDTA, IDTA

Beth was the owner and artistic director of Grand River Academy of Dance for 14 years. She began her dance career locally under the direction of Cora Black before going to university to study dance. She attended both the Ryerson & York university dance programs while teaching at studios in and around Toronto. After university she became a Ballet Mistress and received her Royal Academy of Dance teaching certification. In addition to being a teaching member of the RAD she also is a member of the CDTA and IDTA. "Miss Beth" over the years has enjoyed watching her students grow into confident and dedicated adults who have gone on to have successful careers in dance and the professional world.