Makaila started her dance training with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and danced with the RWB company as an apprentice before moving to Stockholm, Sweden to join the Royal Swedish Ballet. On returning to Canada, she joined Ballet BC where she danced as a principle dancer for more than a decade. Dancing nationally and internationally, her personal performance highlights have included works by choreographers  Johan Inger, John Alleyne, Crystal Pite, Twyla Tharp, Aszure Barton, Serge Bennathan, Jorma Elo, Jiri Kylian and Medhi Walerski, among others. She has worked with Roberto Campanella and Robert Glumbek (ProArte Danza) in Toronto, Canada.

Since departing from Ballet BC as a dancer, Makaila has lead a number of classes at some of the world’s leading companies (including both the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company and Ballet BC). She has also facilitated regular classes through Harbour Dance in Vancouver and has taught adult Creative Exploration and ballet workshops as part of Ballet BC’s outreach program.

In 2017 Makaila joined Ballet BC’s artistic staff as a part time rehearsal director (under the direction of Emily Molnar). In 2018 she began the Gaga teacher training program in Tel Aviv and is continuing training this year.

Makaila has extensive experience teaching and coaching ballet at both recreational and professional levels. As a teacher and coach, she is dedicated to creating a positive environment where she hopes those participating will have the opportunity to explore their connection to movement in an open and creative space.

For over 30 years, Farley has referred to himself as a kinetic chameleon, moving from classical ballet to contemporary dance, capoeira and contact improvisation. Farley’s safe and gentle approach to large movement and his witty delivery makes his class a wonderful experience! Throughout his career in dance, he has experienced a broad spectrum of injuries. It was those experiences that lead him to become a RMT with a strong interest in treating orthopaedic and sport-related injuries. Farley’s vast dance experience and medical training equip him with great knowledge on exploring movement creatively and safely.

Originally from Victoria, Kiera is a moving, thinking dance artist. She deepened her performance and choreographic practices with the York Dance Ensemble where she collaborated with choreographers Susan Lee, Tracey Norman, Julia Sasso, Michelle Silagy, and Holly Small. These artists sparked her interest in improvisation and play, which has formed the foundation for her artistic voice. 

Kiera has continued to explore and expand her movement practice at leading dance intensives, including TransFormation Danse (Montreal), ImPulsTanz International Dance Festival (Vienna), Batsheva’s Gaga Intensives (Tel Aviv), HASADNA (Tel Aviv), and Vertigo Dance Company Masterclass (Jerusalem). 

Shannon studied at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and the Rudra Bejart Ballet in Switzerland. She has worked in Canada, Sweden, Germany and Brazil as an independent teacher, dancer and choreographer for over 25 years. She has most recently graduated from West Coast College of Massage Therapy.

Her barre class builds on fundamental movement principles from ballet to help build postural awareness, increase articulation and coordination. Students learn to transfer weight more efficiently, building toward more complex movement patterning. 

Brandy’s training over the past decade has been in Iyengar Yoga. This style of yoga works specifically with sequencing, timing, precision and alignment. It accounts for different factors that may be affecting the student and works to bring balance to body, breath and spirit. Brandy is looking forward to sharing some of this practice with SEDA dancers, and will be focusing on parts of the practice that nourished her dance life.

Brandy has worked and preformed with Lynda Raino, tripod collective, Suddenly Dance Theatre, Mascall Dance, Kokoro Dance, Constance Cooke as well as creating her own work. Her work has been shown at The Metro,The McPherson Theatre, Bounce (Victoria Event Centre and Dance Victoria), Upstairs Dances, and in Vancouver at 12 Minutes Max.

Jen grew up in beautiful BC (Penticton), before moving to Winnipeg to dance at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet school. Upon graduation, Jen was offered a job in the RWB company and danced professionally for 13 years. She retired in 2011 and pursued yoga, travelling back to Victoria, to take the 500hr Yoga Training with Modo Yoga International. She taught at the Modo studios in Winnipeg for several years and was part of the creation team for the studio’s Barre classes. Jen is also a certified Prenatal Yoga Instructor, Barre Instructor, and Mutu Certified Pro™.

A job opportunity allowed her and her family to move back to BC in 2017. Jen absolutely LOVES being back amongst the mountains and ocean, and happily traded in her Sorels for rainboots. She is currently a (mostly) stay-at-home mom, and instructor at Annex Fitness, Yoga Lab Victoria, and Yoga Lab Westshore. Jen has a passion for creating classes that inspire people to move their bodies. She loves to offer a challenging class while realizing that every body and every day is different.