Owner/Director of Preschool & Lower Intensive Programming

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Deena is proud to be a first-generation dance student of this very community under the exceptional guidance and mentorship of Linda Klassen and Bev Aitchison at Parksville Ballet School. Performing at various regional competitions, Deena received numerous awards and bursaries, which enabled her to continue her studies. Deena had the privilege to study at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, the San Francisco Academy of Dance, the Banff School of Fine Arts and the Ryerson Theatre School teacher training program. Deena has even had the privilege of studying with dance legend Janet Sassoon and Canadian ballerina Nadia Potts.

Deena holds her Cecchetti Associate Diploma and has taught for over 30 years at various schools throughout the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. She was a founding member of the Vancouver Island Youth Dance Association company “Dancestreams” and co-directed a semi-professional company, “Dance Is….” based on the lower mainland from 1993 to 1997.

With a specialty in preschool movement principles, Deena really excels with the little ones. Through her boundless energy and kindness, she passes on the love of dance, fosters confidence, and gives children a great foundation to move forward in the performing arts in whatever direction they may pursue.

Deena now divides her time teaching dance, including creating her preschool dance syllabus, "Inner Spark Dance", owning and running the Innovate studios, managing "Helix Dance Theatre,” producing "Unite in Dance" conventions, enjoying travel & visiting with her adult daughter who also has chosen to continue with her “love of dance & performing arts.

Owner/Director of Higher Intensive Programming

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Sarah started her training at the Legendary Parksville Ballet School and later moved on to train at various prestigious dance institutions in British Columbia, such as Arts Umbrella and The Goh Ballet. During her early years as a dancer, she had the privilege of working with several renowned teachers and artists including Linda Klassen, Beverly Atchison, Artemis Gordon, and Joe Laughlin, among others.

After completing her training, Sarah returned to her home studio, which she now runs under the name Innovate Dance Arts, located on Vancouver Island. As the Director of higher intensive programming, she works with dedicated dance students who want to further their training. Sarah is well-known for her ability to enhance dancers' awareness of movement quality and artistry, and she works closely with them to help improve their performance and confidence on stage.

Sarah is also a celebrated choreographer, known for her innovative choreography and her ability to showcase dancers' technical skills and artistic abilities. She frequently travels as a judge and adjudicator, sharing her passion for dance and her unique approach to performing.

In 2010, Sarah founded Helix Dance Theatre, a pre-professional contemporary dance company, which operates as a non-profit organization. Helix provides a collaborative environment for talented young artists from various dance studios and training centers to work together. Sarah serves as the Artistic Director, working alongside some of Canada's most prominent professional dance artists.

Sarah takes pride in the many dancers she has trained who have gone on to pursue post-graduate dance programs and professional dance careers worldwide. She remains grateful for the opportunity to share her love of movement and her passion for dance with others, and to continue exploring and inspiring the art form.

Director of Intensive Ballet

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Jennifer Quibell began her dance training at Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts in Nanaimo studying Ballet(RAD), Jazz, Tap(CDTA) & Modern. During these early years she furthered her training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Summer Sessions and L’Ecole de Superieure de Danse in Montreal. In 2003, she graduated with Distinction from the 3 year Teacher Training Program at the National Ballet School in Toronto. Jennifer obtained her teaching qualifications in both the Royal Academy of Dance and Cecchetti syllabi and was the recipient of the Carol Chadwick Award.

Upon returning home to Nanaimo(2003 -2010), Jennifer taught at Kirkwood Academy as a full time dance teacher She was also the Ballet Mistress for Kirkwood Productions and the Co-Artistic Director and Choreographer of the Kirkwood Youth Dance Company for 5 years, touring with the company in LA (Disneyland Magic Music Days, on Royal Caribbean Cruise lines, The Edge and Millennium) and New York (Alvin Ailey, Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Centre)

From 2010 - 2013 Jennifer worked at Arts Umbrella as the Professional and General Dance Program Liaison and full time Ballet teacher in the Professional and General program. She was also the Children’s Rehearsal Mistress for the Alberta Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” production in Vancouver at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for the 2 years.

Director of Tap

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Shilo began dancing at the Parksville Ballet School at the age of three and very quickly fell in love with tap. She trained in ISTD tap and Cecchetti ballet, as well as jazz, modern, musical theatre, lyrical and stage. She completed her associate exam in ISTD Tap and in ISTD Modern.

Shilo competed in the North American Tap Championship in Boston, Mass. where she won gold with both her tap solo, and with her group.

In 2000 Shilo became a member of the Canadian Tap Team, rehearsing in Toronto with Mathew Clark and competing at the World Tap Championship in Reisa, Germany, where the Canadian team won second place.

Shilo had the exciting opportunity to dance with the Tap Dogs in Dancers for Life in Victoria. She has also had the opportunity to take classes at the Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival and has trained and taken workshops with teachers such as Chloe Arnold, Dianne Walker, and Caleb Teicher, all of whom she still considers as mentors and role models to this day.

While Shilo was living in Victoria she taught at Allegro Performing Arts Centre for 7 years entering students in tap and modern exams along with choreographing for festival and the Peninsula Young Performers' (PYPs') Dance Company.

Shilo has been teaching at Innovate Dance Arts for the past 10 years. Shilo's students have obtained high standings in their exams and she has had students who have been selected as provincial candidates. While teaching at Innovate Dance Arts Shilo has won choreography awards such as the “most entertaining award” for both tap and stage.

Shilo's biggest enjoyment comes from sharing her love and passion for dance with her students.

Ballet Instructor & Office Manager

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Bernice van Dyken was born and grew up in South Africa, where she was classically trained in both the Royal Academy of Dance and Cecchetti methods of ballet. She is a registered and certified teacher with the R.A.D., as well as a member of the American Academy of Ballet.

In South Africa she owned a large ballet studio for 15 years, where her students successfully participated in R.A.D exams, American Performance Awards, annual shows and competitive festivals. Bernice also worked as Ballet Mistress for the Johannesburg Youth Ballet for numerous years.

In 2008 Bernice and her daughter moved to Dawson Creek, BC to take up the role as ballet instructor. Here her students also successfully participated in R.A.D Exams, American Performance Awards, Competitions and workshops in BC and Alberta. A numer of her ballet students have received scholarships to study at the American Academy of Ballet summer intensives in New York.

Bernice loves to assist dancers grow in their love of dance and in their self-esteem and confidence.

Jazz & Broadway Instructor

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Trishann has trained in many styles of dance including tap, jazz, ballet, Scottish dancing, and Ukrainian. Her dancing began in the Lower Mainland, training with Barry McClinton. She then moved to Vancouver Island studying with Danette Bell, Laurie Tinkler, and Pat Pantuso.

Trishann participated in many festivals and competitions in Canada and the U.S.; winning a competition in Hawaii, 3 years consecutively. She also danced in the opening of EXPO '86, the Winter Games in Nelson, and many artistic events throughout the Kootenays. Trishann then studied under the direction of Lynette Lightfoot. She began assisting with classes and realized that this was her real passion. She eventually opened up a home studio teaching dance with students participating in Festivals and Galas, in the West Kootenays.

Trishann has previously been on the faculty of Parksville Ballet School, teaching for four years sharing her love of Jazz with youth and adults. Along with her positive energy, she creates a setting for confidence and growth for all dancers.

Ballet & Modern Instructor

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Sarah was raised on a farm in northern Alberta. In true Canadian fashion her very first dance class took place above the local curling rink. She was fortunate to have parents who drove her to the city to take ballet lessons, to train under a teacher from the School of Alberta Ballet, and to spend her summers dancing at The Banff Centre.

Though her first love was for ballet, her interest in modern and contemporary dance led her to pursue her education.Sarah earned a diploma in modern dance from Grant MacEwan as well as a BFA from Simon Fraser University. She is also a registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance.

Sarah has been teaching ballet and modern for over 15 years in several schools on Vancouver Island. Many of her students have been accepted into professional schools (RWB, NBS, Arts Umbrella) and have gone on to careers in dance. Sarah taught for five seasons at Parksville Ballet School, with Kirkwood Academy and is now in her eighth season with Innovate. She loves the daily rewards that teaching brings as well as the opportunity to create work that is both challenging and accessible for students of all ages.

Hip Hop Instructor

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Marina's journey in dance began when she was introduced to ballet at the age of 10. Starting "late to the scene," she quickly realized how much the studio environment added new meaning to her life. A couple of years later, she ventured into her first hip-hop class, deepening her infatuation to a whole new level. Privileged to train under some of Vancouver’s greatest teachers, Marina grew up learning a multitude of styles including popping, locking, whacking, house, freestyle, and to battle.

Teaching students of all ages for 13 years—ranging from children as young as 4 to adults—has taught Marina versatility and patience in the studio. She has taught extensively across Vancouver Island in various studio settings, as well as in elementary and secondary schools. For Marina, no group is too large to enjoy getting "hyped up" together!

With the goal of spreading charisma and sharing her love for the beautiful art of dance, Marina looks forward to embarking on a new season with enthusiasm. A "Colourful frame of mind, child-like sense of wonder" encapsulates her approach to teaching and dancing.

Jazz & Contemporary Instructor

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Alicia is an alumni of Innovate Dance Arts where she began her dance studies at the age of three in Parksville, BC. After joining the performing arts program at a young age she fell in love with the art of dance. As the passion grew, she auditioned and was accepted into the pre-professional youth dance company, "Helix Dance Theatre”.

In June 2016, Alicia graduated from high school and wanted to take dance further. She then went off to Winnipeg, MB to dive deeper into ballet and contemporary dance in “The Professional Division of The School for Contemporary Dancers”. In Winnipeg, she also taught at the Junior Pre-Professional Program at “The School for Contemporary Dancers”. In April, 2018 Alicia was accepted into LamonDance - a contemporary training program based out of North Vancouver. As of June 2020 she completed the full program at LamonDance.

Throughout the years of post secondary, Alicia has taught at Innovate Dance Arts, and has assisted workshops with LamonDance and Helix Dance Theatre. Growing up, Jenkins knew she wanted nothing but dance. Alicia is a young, driven dancer and teacher who enjoys inspiring, teaching and moving not only the audience but her fellow dancers as well.

Primary & Tap Instructor

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Avril is a passionate and dedicated individual with a love for dance, education, and working with children. With an impressive 15-year background in dance, she has honed her skills and developed a deep appreciation for the art form.

Currently, Avril is pursuing her studies to become an elementary school teacher, recognizing the

power of education in shaping young minds. She is committed to creating a nurturing and engaging learning environment where every child can thrive and discover their full potential.

Throughout her journey, Avril has demonstrated her exceptional talent and dedication as a dancer. She began dancing in Nanaimo and joined our studio at the age of 12 when she became part of the Junior Helix Company. The following year Avril joined the senior company and later went on to graduate with us in 2020.

For many years throughout Avril’s dance career she assisted in many classes and after graduation came back to share her love for dance with each student that enters her classroom.

With a natural affinity for working with children, Avril brings a warm and compassionate approach to her interactions. She understands the importance of fostering a positive and supportive environment that encourages learning and growth. Her ability to connect with young learners and inspire them through the joy of dance is truly a gift.

As Avril embarks on her journey to become a teacher, she remains focused on her mission of instilling a love for learning, nurturing creativity, and empowering children to reach their fullest potential. With her passion for dance, her dedication to education, and her natural ability to connect with children, Avril is poised to make a profound impact on the lives of young learners as a teacher.