
Directors

Miss Chelsea
Co-Owner/Director
A graduate of Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning’s Music Theatre Performance Program, Chelsea has performed continuously on many levels.
show moreShe has appeared in music videos, including a release from Theory of a Deadman; has performed in many theatrical productions, locally and in the Toronto area; has studied under and performed with vocalists Lorraine Lawson and Mary-Lu Zahalan; and has been a member of the song and dance VIBE Rock On productions, touring the Muskoka resort venues.
Chelsea was selected to sing with country music performer, Billy Currington at the K-Rock Centre. Chelsea has facilitated the Summer Theatre Camps for the City of Kingston and for area dance studios, has choreographed productions for the Sheridan Dance Pack, The Kingston Meistersingers, Bottletree Productions, Collective Productions, Polson Park Elementary School, The Olympic Torch Relay, and Brian Orser’s Skate Canada Clinic.
As a teacher of dance since 1999, she has won awards for her choreography, has coached her competitive students to first place overall finishes, has choreographed the Holy Cross Glee Club, and has prepared a number of students towards the successful outcomes of their B.A.T.D. examinations. Chelsea has achieved her Associate Level Certification with The British Association of Teachers of Dancing (B.A.T.D.), Zumba® and Zumba Gold® Certification and is also the founder of Kingston’s Once Upon a Princess, a party performance company, servicing Kingston and surrounding communities.
Chelsea was an active participant in Kingston’s Dancing with the Easter Seals Stars fundraiser in 2014. In August 2015 Chelsea successfully completed her Acrobatic Arts Teaching Certification course.
show less
Miss Shannon
Co-Owner/Director
A graduate of Queen’s University, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Studies, Shannon is committed to her passion for knowledge and practice of all aspects of a healthy lifestyle.
show moreShe has studied dance for 24 years in Kingston and with the Queen’s University Dance Program. She performed on many occasions locally and competitively in eastern Ontario. Shannon has been a regular volunteer with the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health Unit and with GoodLife Fitness to assist in their promotion of healthy, active lifestyles, and maintains a personal regime of yoga, aerobics and dance.
She has achieved her Associate Level Certification with The British Association of Teachers of Dancing (B.A.T.D.) and has instructed students in dance since 2003. Shannon has coached many students towards the successful outcome of their B.A.T.D. examinations, overall 1st place competitive awards and has received awards for her choreography.
Shannon was an active participant in Kingston’s Dancing with the Easter Seals Stars fundraiser in 2014. In August 2015, Shannon successfully completed her Acrobatic Arts Teaching Certification course.
show lessKDF Instructors and Choreographers

Miss Jane
Jane fell in love with dance before ever taking a dance class- she was registered in baseball and was better at pirouettes with the bat than hitting the ball. She started dancing in a studio
show moreat age 7 and continued dancing competitively until she graduated high school. Jane completed Royal Academy of Dance ballet examinations and Al Gilbert tap examinations during her dance training.
Jane began assisting her dance teachers at age 11 (Burlington, Ontario) and began leading classes as a primary instructor at age 15 (Edmonton, Alberta). She taught preschool-age dance classes until she completed the Al Gilbert Syllabus in her own dance training, at which point she found a passion for teaching tap dance! Jane has led many students to successful completion of tap dance examinations, on-stage performances, and competition experiences.
Jane began training in heels with Vixen Fatale Dance Force in Edmonton, Alberta, and performed in the role of Katalin Helinszki during the company’s interpretation of “Chicago”. She believes that heels is a wonderful and empowering dance style for adult performers, with or without wearing footwear with a heel!
In addition to her love for dance, Jane is a published neuroscientist (University of Alberta, 2023), biomechanical expert, and now, a Queens medical student! She is passionate about teaching students the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of movements within dance. Her methods of teaching are rooted in both dance history and exercise science!
show less
Miss Tori
Tori Muxlow is a choreographer, dancer and teacher that is working towards her dream career at Queens University. At school, she is majoring in Sociology, and completing her
show moreB.Ed. in the Concurrent Education program. Tori began her dance career from the age of 3 at her local dance studio (iDance Studio) in Newmarket. Over the years, she has trained in numerous styles including Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, HipHop, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Acro, Tap and Modern. As well, Tori completed numerous Cecchetti Ballet and CDTA Jazz exams within a 7 year span. Since 2013, Tori has performed across Ontario with her studio’s competitive team, showcasing her dance abilities in groups, duets/trios, and solos. At various competitions, she received multiple specials, overall awards and scholarships. Additionally, Tori started working at her studio at the age of 12, where she grew her skills as a leader, communicator, and ultimately fell in love with teaching. As she grew to become a strong technical dancer, she joined the Huron Heights Secondary School dance program at the age of 14. Since then, she has developed her ability to choreograph, movement quality, and became a program leader in her graduating year. In 2022, Tori traveled to Slovenia to compete with Team Canada Dance at the IDO World Championships, where she was awarded a gold medal in Adult Ballet. Currently, she is a valuable member of the Queen’s Competitive Dance Team, where she competes against other university teams across Ontario. As well, she has attended countless workshops and developed her choreography with leading names in the dance industry.
In addition to her personal accomplishments, Tori has watched her students in competitive dance achieve overalls and special awards for years. Beyond teaching dance, she strives to teach life lessons to her recreational and competitive dancers every class. Tori educates her dancers to continue to be respectful, kind and passionate souls, alongside their success in the industry. Her students are pushed to become dancers through technical training, learning the importance of foundation in dance, and the necessity of movement quality.
show less
Miss Sarrah
Sarrah began her dance journey at the age of three and joined her competitive dance team at seven, training in a diverse range of styles, including her favourites: Jazz, Tap, Modern,
show moreand Musical Theatre. Her passion for working with younger peers led her to become an assistant teacher at twelve, igniting her love for teaching. By fourteen, Sarrah was leading her own dance classes.
At fifteen, she had the honour of representing Canadian students at an international student conference in China,
performing for a global audience. While still in high school, Sarrah leveraged her passion for dance to make a positive impact by participating in two music video-style campaigns: the YMCA’s Strong Kids campaign and “See Me (I’m In Here),” a PSA aimed at raising awareness for mental health in collaboration with Dancing 4 Change.
Sarrah graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology and holds a Certificate in Digital Marketing from St. Lawrence College. Since 2015, she has been choreographing competitive dance routines, earning multiple awards at various competitions across Ontario.
Through dedication and hard work, Sarrah understands that being a great teacher requires continuous learning from her students and colleagues. With ongoing training, she is committed to pushing the boundaries of her creativity and finding new ways to inspire young dancers.
show less
Miss Margot
Margot’s journey into the arts began at the age of five, when she began taking dance and vocal lessons. From those early days, her passion for performance grew rapidly, leading her to
show moreexplore a wide range of dance styles. During her time training, Margot has completed multiple examinations in Modern, Jazz, and Acro dance, and has competed extensively across the GTA. Her dedication, artistry, and stage presence have been recognized through special awards, choreography distinctions, and overall titles at various competitions.
Margot’s love for teaching began early—by the age of twelve, she was already stepping into assistant and instructor roles at her home studio. Since then, she has choreographed award-winning routines for competitive dancers and has taught a variety of styles to students in both the Barrie and Kingston areas. Her teaching philosophy focuses on connecting to music, movement quality, and telling stories.
Currently, Margot is pursuing her BA (Honours) in French and English Studies at Queen’s University, where she balances her academic commitments with a devotion to the arts. She is an active member of the Queen’s Dance Club, as she served on its executive team, and teaches beginner dance classes within the club’s recreational program.
show less
Miss Julia
Hi! My name is Julia Nord-Leth, and I’m so excited to be teaching Acro and tumbling this season at KDF. I was a competitive acro dancer for eight years in British Columbia, and have
show moretaught Acro for five years. I’ve had the opportunity to train in silks, trapeze, and hoop… but really handstands will always have my heart. I’m working on my PhD at Queen’s University and my background is in health promotion and physical and health education, and I’m passionate about movement, building confidence, and creating a positive, inclusive space for students to learn and grow!
show less
Miss Narineh
Narineh has been dancing for 16 years and started her dance journey at the age of 3. Until the age of 11 she danced only in her cultural style of Armenian dance, working on her
show moreflexibility and strengthening the basics of dance as this style is built on foundations similar to those of ballet. Although she hadn’t yet started dancing acro, she would practice with her cousin after her acro classes and quickly fell in love with the style. At the age of 12, Narineh switched to dancing acro, jazz, and hip-hop at a studio in Toronto. In 2020, she switched to a different studio which is where she found her passion for dancing and teaching. She started dancing competitively at this studio and trained in acro, tumbling, jazz, ballet, and contemporary, with a primary focus on acro. In 2022, she was an assistant during a March break camp. For the rest of the season, she was a substitute teacher and then began teaching her own classes during summer camps and later on during the year. This was when she started teaching acro, jazz, ballet, and hip-hop.
In 2024, Narineh moved to Kingston to study Nursing at Queen’s University and joined KDF as a teacher. She was also a part of the Queen’s Dance Club where she danced lyrical, ballet, and for the first time ever, tap. Now going into her second year of teaching at KDF, she is very excited to return for another season and watch her students grow as dancers and people. She is passionate about inspiring young dancers and sharing the values and skills that shaped her journey.
show less
Miss Avery
Narineh has been dancing for 16 years and started her dance journey at the age of 3. Until the age of 11 she danced only in her cultural style of Armenian dance, working on her
show moreflexibility and strengthening the basics of dance as this style is built on foundations similar to those of ballet. Although she hadn’t yet started dancing acro, she would practice with her cousin after her acro classes and quickly fell in love with the style. At the age of 12, Narineh switched to dancing acro, jazz, and hip-hop at a studio in Toronto. In 2020, she switched to a different studio which is where she found her passion for dancing and teaching. She started dancing competitively at this studio and trained in acro, tumbling, jazz, ballet, and contemporary, with a primary focus on acro. In 2022, she was an assistant during a March break camp. For the rest of the season, she was a substitute teacher and then began teaching her own classes during summer camps and later on during the year. This was when she started teaching acro, jazz, ballet, and hip-hop.
In 2024, Narineh moved to Kingston to study Nursing at Queen’s University and joined KDF as a teacher. She was also a part of the Queen’s Dance Club where she danced lyrical, ballet, and for the first time ever, tap. Now going into her second year of teaching at KDF, she is very excited to return for another season and watch her students grow as dancers and people. She is passionate about inspiring young dancers and sharing the values and skills that shaped her journey.
show less
Miss Kailey
Kailey is an enthusiastic, passionate and engaging dance instructor that strives to bring out the best in all of her students. Kailey grew up competing regionally and nationally at
show morecompetitions such as Intrigue Dance Nationals, The dance awards, and Break the floor productions, attending conventions and working with high class choreographers. Kailey has won numerous awards including, VIP runner up at Jump Dance convention, scholarships at 24 Seven Dance convention and competed as a best dancer finalist at The Dance Awards. Kailey has also had the opportunity to perform in the professional industry in events such as, ChoreBall, Young Creators, ElevateTo, and dancing for dogs. Kailey has been training competitively since the young age of six and has experience dancing in styles such as ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, modern, tap, acro and hip hop. From grade nine to grade twelve, Kailey attended Wexford Collegiate school for the Arts as a dance major where she furthered her dance education in modern, the history of dance, composition and injury training. During these four years, she performed in several Wexford shows such as our yearly winter variety shows, fall showcases, and open houses. In her senior year, she choreographed, and organized a piece called “Home” which was showcased in her school’s winter production. Kailey became an assistant dance teacher in grade school and later became a dance instructor teaching and choreographing recreationally and competitively at various studios throughout the Toronto and Kingston area. Kailey currently attends Queen’s university completing a Bachelor of arts with a major in health studies. As well as her studies she has performed and choreographed in the “Queen’s Vogue Charity Fashion Show” Kailey creates a safe and inclusive learning environment for her students where she is determined to share her love of dance and inspire the next generations of dancers. Kailey is excited to embark on this new journey with Kingston Danceforce studios and connect with the students and staff of this wonderful academy.
show less
Miss Sienna
Sienna is a Concurrent Education student at Queen’s University where she is working towards her Bachelors of Science in Biology as well as her B.Ed. She is a proud member of the
show moreQueen’s Competitive Dance Team and this year, she has the privilege of being the team’s Director of Technique and Conditioning as well as a member of the choreography team. Sienna has been dancing competitively since she was 10 years old in styles
including jazz, lyrical, ballet, acro and contemporary. She has competed and trained across North America at prestigious events like the American Dance Awards National events in Florida and Rhode Island as well as the CLI Conservatory Summer Intensive in Massachusetts.
As an aspiring teacher, Sienna loves working with students in both the classroom and the studio. She strives to help dancers grow as both people and artists, encouraging them to build confidence, embrace challenges, and approach each class with an eagerness to learn.
show lessGuest Instructors and Choreographers

Julia Tomaino
JULIE TOMAINO (she/her) is a theatre director, a choreographer, and an educator. She has won a Dora Award, a Jessie Award, multiple Ovation Awards, and multiple
show moreBroadwayWorld Awards for Outstanding Original Choreography in Musical Theatre.
Julie trained and worked as a performer in New York City for 13 years. Notable credits include playing Louise on the US National Tour of Crazy for You, dancing in Celebrate Broadway starring John Lithgow and Linda Eder at The Kennedy Center, and performing as a Rockette at Radio City Christmas Spectacular for six
seasons. As a Rockette, she appeared numerous times on The Today Show, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and at the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Julie is now based in Toronto and travels across Canada and the US putting up musicals at some of the top regional theatres including The Citadel, The Arts Club, Theatre Calgary, The Rev Theatre Co (formerly Finger Lakes MT), Chemainus Theatre Festival, Young People’s Theatre, Thousand Islands Playhouse, The Capitol Theatre in Port Hope, The Grand, Western Canada Theatre, Persephone, The Globe, Magnus, and Ross Petty Productions.
Julie also choreographs for film and TV, most recently working on a Holly Hobbie episode for Season 3, and a Lifetime Christmas movie entitled Christmas Movie Magic, which aired during the 2021 holiday season. She worked with Idina Menzel on the Beaches remake, Jon Benjamin Hickey and Elizabeth Marvel on the pilot episode of Blink, and with Harland Williams on an episode of Package Deal.
Julie’s artistic practice has grown throughout years of education, experience, conversation, and collaboration. She prides herself on creating safe and inclusive rehearsal spaces; fostering trust through transparency, dialogue, and an open heart and mind.
She loves educating the next generation of artists and has been on faculty at AMDA NYC, Sheridan College, Randolph College for the Performing Arts, and Capilano University.
Storytelling and collaboration are what make Julie tick, and she cannot wait to create stories with you!
show less
“Bash” Hirtenstein
Sebastian “Bash” Hirtenstein’s undeniable versatility, unshakeable fearlessness and captivating qualities in performance have allowed him to work with a wide spectrum of
show morechoreographers & companies such as BoucharDanse, Addy Chan, Michael Caldwell, Canadian Opera Company, Emilio Collalilo, Lenny de la Pena, Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo, Rodney Diverlus, The Dietrich Group, Scott Fordham, Gadfly, Kaha: wi Dance Theatre, Little Pear Garden Dance Company,
Jennifer Nichols, Kevin Ormsby, Red Sky Performance, Jennifer Thiessen, Kylie Thompson and Lydia Zimmer.
He has performed throughout Canada, the Middle East, and Asia with Creativiva’s Aladdin and Pinocchio (for which he was dance captain) and has shared stages with stars such as Ariana Grande, Jason Derulo, Kiesza, Bebe Rexha, Shaun Frank, Delaney Jane, Allan Rayman and Polina Grace. He has also starred in multiple TV series including Canada’s Drag Race (Seasons 2 & 3) American Gods, Shadowhunters, The Umbrella Academy, Killjoys, Eva Longoria’s Glamorous, and has worked with major brands such as Jack Daniel’s, Microsoft, Duracell, Priceline, Captain Morgan’s, TD Bank, Nordstrom, IÖGO, and the Toronto Argonauts. He has also created choreography for the Hamilton Conservatory of the Arts, Marie Copp’s Fashion Shoot Extravaganza, and artists such as Marie-Clo, HERDD, Husslah and Harriet Chung.
show less
Jessica Irwn
Jessica Irwin began dancing at the age of three and quickly developed a passion for the
performing arts. She trained extensively in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, musical
theatre, cheerleading, modern, and contemporary. As a competitive dancer, Jessica
earned numerous awards at national and international competitions, including an
International Title. She also completed ADAPT Jazz and Tap exams during this time.
Jessica holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in Performance and Choreography
from York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design. While at
York, she performed in several mainstage dance productions such as Fleur De Sel, Dance
Innovations: Counter/Point, Terpsichore-in-Progress, and Beginnings & Endings. She
was a featured member of the York Dance Ensemble, performing in numerous shows
and at TEDx events, and trained in Cecchetti Ballet as well as the modern techniques of
José Limón and Martha Graham. Jessica also danced competitively on the York Dance
Energy team, receiving multiple awards. In her final year, she studied under acclaimed
modern dance artist Julia Sasso, deepening her skills in choreography and performance.
Professionally, Jessica has performed with TDC Entertainment, Sole Power
Productions, and D’air Dance Collective, and since 2017, she has been a company
member of Movement Market, appearing in productions such as Grounded at the
Ground Up Dance Festival (2023 & 2024), Unfamiliar at the Juvenis Festival, The Path,
and Women in Coats, under choreographer Kay Kenny.
Jessica is committed to ongoing professional development and has trained with renowned
artists including Blake McGrath, Danny Lawn, and Mia Michaels. She is currently
completing her DANCE PL3Y certification, holds Levels 1–3 of the Alexia Flexibility
Certification, and is trained in Acro-Demics with completed levels from Beginner
through Senior. She is also a member of the Professional Adjudicators Alliance, and
has adjudicated various dance competitions across Ontario.
In addition to her artistic work, Jessica is a qualified educator with a Bachelor of
Education from Queen’s University, specializing in Primary/Junior education. She has
taught both recreational and competitive dance for over 15 years at studios across
Toronto and Kingston, earning accolades for her choreography and coaching. Jessica has
also worked with H’ART Centre and the HAAP program, delivering inclusive dance
programming for adults with intellectual exceptionalities and seniors in long-term care.
Jessica brings a wealth of experience, passion, and energy to every class and
performance. She looks forward to inspiring a new generation of dancers to work hard,
dream big, and believe that anything is possible.