We will hire well-known artists as visiting professors at the school, and introduce outstanding well-known artists and educators at home and abroad as the teaching staff of the art school.


Anna-Marie Holmes  (Honorary Artistic Advisor)

Former Artistic Director at Boston Ballet

Choreographer at American Ballet Theatre

Anna Marie Holmes

Artistic director, choreographer, master teacher, and celebrated ballerina, Anna-Marie Holmes is an internationally acclaimed dance luminary.

She is a recipient of the prestigious Dance Magazine Award for extraordinary and lasting contributions to the art form and her staging of “Le Corsaire” for PBS’s Great Performances earned her a coveted Emmy Award.

Anna-Marie also holds the special distinction of having been the first North American to have been invited to perform with the legendary Kirov Ballet. She was coached for her roles in the great Russian classics by the famed Natalia Dudinskaya and Alexander Pushkin.

Holmes went on to dazzle the ballet world as a ballerina in more than 30 countries with companies like the London Festival Ballet, the National Ballet of Holland, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Les Grand Ballet Canadiens. Major choreographers such as Agnes de Mille, Rudi van Dantzig, and Brian MacDonald created works for her.

Anna-Marie also starred in a number of international dance films, dancing the leads in Don Juan, The Chinese Nightengale (DEFA Film Studios), Ballet Adagio and the documentary, Tour en L’Air (National Film Board of Canada). Ballet Adagio won First Prize at the American Film Festival, the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, the Premier Prix at the Prague Film Festival and the Medal d’Or at the Rome Film Festival.

Her stagings of Russian ballet classics are in the repertoires of leading ballet companies worldwide, and she is a master coach of principals and soloists in companies such as American Ballet Theatre and English National Ballet. A guest artist at Jacob’s Pillow in 1968 and 1969, this is Holmes’s 18th season as Ballet Program Director.


 Maina Gielgud (Honorary Artistic Patron)

Former Artistic Director at The Australian Ballet

Former Guest Teacher at royal ballet

 Maina Gielgud

Trained by the great Russians including Tamara Karsavina and Lubov Egorova, and later Rosella Hightower, Maina Gielgud has had an incredibly diverse career creating works with Maurice Bejart’s XXth Century Ballet, dancing as a principal with London Festival Ballet and Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet, as an international guest artist, and being partnered by Rudolf Nureyev. 

She was then Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet (1983-1997) and the Royal Danish Ballet (1997-1999).   She was principal coach with English National Ballet (2007 – 2012)

Maina made a comeback in 2003 and 2008 as a dancer and actress in Bejart’s L’Heure Exquise.

Free-lancing since 1999, Maina’s own stagings of classical productions are much in demand: her highly acclaimed Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, as well as Coppelia, and Cinderella in her own choreography.  

She also stages works choreographed by Maurice Bejart, Kenneth MacMillan, Serge Lifar: Rudolf Nureyev, and classical favourites such as  La Sylphide, Les Sylphides, Le Spectre de la Rose, Paquita. 

She guest teaches and coaches in major companies all over the world, as well as in renowned schools, and is regularly invited to judge ballet competitions.

‘Coaching the Coaches’ is an experimental interactive workshop, dedicated to discussion and examples of  methods of coaching  professional dancers for their solo and principal repertoire, as well as students for repertoire and ballet competitions.  

Maina’s 2019 staging of Maurice Bejart’s Song of a Wayfarer for the Joyce Festival in New York, with David Hallberg and Joseph Gordon received an immense and emotional response.

Exciting projects for 2020 were postponed due to Covid…  but thanks to Zoom technology, Maina remained busy throughout, giving private classes as well as coaching and repertoire classes to professional companies and schools.

With the ultra talented students of Conservatorio Annarella, and the then 15 year old Margarita Fernandes and 17 year old Antonio Casalinho dancing the principal roles – she staged Anton Dolin’s Pas de Quatre and Variations for 4, Giselle, Swan Lake, and The Seeping Beauty, performed live and streamed. 

In early June 2021, she restaged Maurice Bejart’s [‘Heure Exquise for Alessandra Ferri in Ravenna, then at the Linbury Theatre of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and continuing to tour.

Her new production of Giselle for Cape Town City Ballet opened to wide acclaim this March.


 Ken Guan (Artistic Director & Principal)

 Ken Guan

Mr. Guan studied at the Guangdong Dance Academy, the Beijing Dance Academy, and the Goh Ballet Academy’s professional training program.

He received distinction on all RAD Vocational examinations, as well as receiving the highly coveted Solo Seal , also received his RAD Major Examinations Teaching Certificate. showing his excellence in the art of ballet.

Mr. Guan is an extraordinary performer. His passion and artistry are visible through the extensive list of principal roles he has performed including; Don Quixote, La Corsaire, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Flower Festival Pas de Deux, Nutcracker, La Sylphide, The Conservatory Ballet Master, Modern Dance, and Jazz.

In 2005, he joined the Suzanne Farrell Ballet Company as a soloist guess artist  in Don Quixote, Mozartiana,, La Valse, Romeo & Juliette, Slaughter, Bugaku.

Following his performing experience. Mr Guan is a International Dance Competition Gold Medals Trainer !


Qi Huan (Guest Professor)

 Qi Huan

Qi Huan, born in Anshan, China was a principal dancer with the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) until joining the faculty of the NZSD in 2014.

Qi studied dance in Shenyang, and then at the Beijing Dance Academy (BDA). Following a serious knee injury, Qi taught at the BDA (2003 – 2004).

Dancing with the RNZB since 2005, Qi has performed many leading roles including Ethan Stiefel and Johan Kobborg’s Giselle, Sir Russell Kerr’s Swan Lake and Petrouchka, Garry Harris’s The Nutcracker and Don Quixote, Christopher Hampson’s Cinderella and Romeo & Juliet, Greg Horsman’s Sleeping Beauty, David Dawson’s A Million Kisses to my Skin, MacMillan’s Concerto Pas de Deux, Benjamin Millepied’s 28 Variations, George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Jorma Elo’s Plan to A, and Michael Pink’s Dracula.

He started teaching again in 2012 with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, New Zealand School of Dance, Queensland Ballet, Wellington Dance Academy, Singapore Ballet Academy, Lyon Opera Ballet, The National Ballet School of Canada and so on.

He ventured into choreography, creating two short dance pieces, and starred as Albrecht in Johan Kobborg and Ethan Stiefel’s filmed production Giselle. While teaching at the NZSD Qi has performed with ballet superstar Gillian Murphy in Singapore and San Lucas Cabo, and has been invited to perform as a principal guest artist with Queensland Ballet


Dong Xue (Guest Professor)

Dong Xue

Senior Ballet Teacher at the Frankfurt Ballet Academy

Member of the German Dance Teachers Association

Former principal dancer of the Baden State Ballet of Germany

Founder and Art Consultant of Sino-German New Culture and Art Exchange Association

Founder of online dance education brand Enjoy Ballet

Graduated from Beijing Dance Academy in 2002, majoring in ballet performance and education. The scholarship provided by the students went to Germany to continue their studies and entered the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Mannheim, Germany, to study at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Mannheim, and obtained a double master’s diploma in ballet and stage performance practice. He studied under Professor Birgit Keil, a world-renowned ballet master, and Professor Vladimir Klos, the former principal dancer of the Stuttgart Ballet.

In 2017, after systematic mat Pilates training, became a registered Pilates instructor in Germany

Completed the HIIT Ballet training course in June 2019, becoming the first dance teacher in China with HIIT Ballet training qualifications. Completed the training course of Pilates for dancers in September of the same year.


Ying Zhang (Teacher & Choreographer)

 Ying Zhang

She was born in China,stared dancing at 7 years of ageshe had her training at the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy.She excelled in Ballet,Character Dance, Traditional Chinese Dance and Chinese Folk Dance.

In 1995 the Guang Zhou Ballet Company was established. Mrs.Zhang was invited to join the company where she performed a variety ofrepertoire including Swan Lake,Coppelia, Nutcracker,Anna Karenina, Black Phoenix,Paquita,The Lady ofthe Camellias, Yellow River and Butterfly Lover.

In 1997 she was promoted to be soloist where she performed Romeo and Julliet and Giselle.Mrs.Zhang was also casted in many character roles in ballets due to her excellent stage presence and acting abilities. While Mrs. Zhang was dancing at the Guang Zhou Ballet Company, she also taught ballet and pointe work at Guang Zhou Acrobatics Company and worked as a rehearsal ballet coach at Canton Ballet Academy.

 Year 2000 she moved to Canada to join the Goh Ballet AcademyWhile receivingher teacher training certification,Mrs.Zhang was still performing on stage in roles such as Arabian in the Nutcracker, Balanchine’s Serenade,Spring Fantasy,the mother in Giselle and the mother in La Fille Mal Gardee. Mrs.Zhang also attended the Royal Academy of Dance Major Examinations.

Mrs. Zhang worked closely with Mrs. Lin Yee Goh as her teaching assistant.Mrs.Zhang has received her Royal Academy of Dance Teaching Certificate and the Goh Ballet Academy Full-time Professional Training Teacher’s Course Diploma.

She has choreographed many pieces in classical ballet,neo classical, and Chinese dance where her dancers have placed amongst the top 3 in competitions.Mrs Zhang’s teaching experience also includes being invited to guest teach at Haga Ballet Academy in Okegawa, Japan.


Serena (Teacher & Choreographer)

Serena

Won the champion of Hubei International Standard Dance Latin Dance Professional Group

The third runner-up of the Latin dance professional rising star in the Shanghai International Standard Dance Open

Latin dance instructor and choreographer at Hubei National Ballroom Dance Academy

Judge of Hubei Ballroom Dance Association

Latin dance teacher at Shenzhen Wenshan Art School

Hong Kong star personal trainer

Latin dance teacher at Old Barn center, UBC University, Canada


Barb Bartnik (Teacher & Choreographer)

Barb Bartnik

As a professional ballet dancer and ballet teacher I’ve had the opportunity to work in a large institution. I have benefited from its varied repertoire, both classical and contemporary and I have learned much about perseverance, passion and hard work. It was the right place to start but I find myself now ready for a new chapter in my life. As a dancer, teacher and artist, I look forward to the opportunity to learn in an different environment that will offer me a more creative platform to keep growing.

GLOBAL DANCE CHALLENGE COMPETITION – the best choreographer award

XIV Polish Dance Competition, Gdansk, Poland – Third place – March 2005

XIII Polish Dance Competition, Gdansk, Poland – Third place – March 2003

XX International Competition of Ballet, Warna, Bulgaria – Semi-Finals – July 2002

IV Japan International Ballet and Modern Dance Competition, Nagoya, Japan – Participant

February 2002 (the youngest participant)

XII Polish Dance Competition, Gdansk, Poland – First place – April 2001

International Competition of Classic Dance, Caen, France – Third place – February 2001.


Tyler Carver (Teacher & Rehearsal assistant)

Tyler Carver

Dance Instructor: RAD Ballet, Lifting & Partnering

Tyler has spent many years dancing professionally all over the world on many different stages through out China, Europe, as well as many places in both Canada and the USA performing multiple soloist and principle roles.

He has trained at many prestigious schools such as San Francisco Ballet School, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, American Ballet Theater, Houston Ballet, and Goh Ballet Academy.

2014 – 2019       

Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company Dancer – Andre Lewis, Director

  • “Nutcracker”(Tchaikovsky )Nutcracker Prince; Cavalier, Edward “Romeo and Juliet” (Kudelka) Paris
  • “Sleeping Beauty” (Tchaikovsky)Bluebird
  • “Going Home Star”(Godden)
  •  “Dracula” (Godden) Jonathan Harker
  •  Angels in the Architecture” (Godden)
  • “Celts” (York)
  • “Vespers” (Kudelka) Hawk
  • “Moulin Rouge”(Morris)
  • “Swan Lake” (Tchaikovsky)
  • And others…

Marsha Kwan (Teacher & Choreographer)

 Marsha Kwan

Training

Goh Ballet Academy    2002-2018

Goh Ballet Youth Company     Member    2015-2018

ProArte: CatchingArt Contemporary Ballet Company    Member    Sept 2018- 2020

Coastal Coastal City Ballet    Member    Sept 2021- Present

Instructors include: Beverly Bagg. Yao Ping Zhu. Olga Iakovlevskaya, Adonis Daukaev, Guy de Bock

Additional/ Private coaching by: Maina Gielgud, Phillip Broomhead, Karl Condon, Bruce Wells

Awards and Achievements

3rd Place Professional Classical Soloist: Ballet Beyond Borders Missoula, MT 2020

2nd Place Professional Contemporary Soloist: Ballet Beyond Borders Missoula MT 2020

1st Place Senior Classical Soloist: Danza Firenze Florence, IT 2018

1st Place Classical Pas De Deux: Surrey Festival of Dance Surrey, BC 2018

Completed all Royal Academy of Dance vocational exams with distinction

Performances

Principal Roles:

Riverport Productions’ Nutcracker Sugarplum Fairy 2019

Soloist Roles:

Maina Gielgud’s World Premiere of Cinderella Summer Fairy 2018

Goh Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” Arabian, Mirliton 2016-2019


Sara (Teacher & Choreographer)

Sara

Sara has spent many years dancing professionally on stages around the world, including China, Korea, the United States, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Canada.

She has won local scholarships and international awards, including finalist at the London Gênée International Ballet Competition, finalist at the Beijing International Ballet Competition, 3rd place San Francisco YAGP finals and Bronze medal at the Seoul International Ballet Competition.

Sara’s extensive training began at the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver where she earned the Royal Academy of Dance Solo Seal in 2016.   International training included Beijing Dance Academy, ABT New York, Ballet West, Pacific Northwest Ballet School and Oklahoma City Ballet school.  Sara became a Studio Company member with Oklahoma City Ballet in 2018.

Sara has performed the following professional roles:

                             The Nutcracker (Balanchine):  multiple roles

                             Valse Fantasie (Balanchine): pas de quatre

                             Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky): Swan Corps; Czardas

                             Snow White (Bruce Wells):  Evil Queen

                             Midsummer Nights’ Dream:  Fairy

                             Fanfare (Robbins): Celli

                            La Sylphide: Sylph

                             Four Temperaments: Melancholic

                             Romeo and Juliet: Lady Montague, Juliet’s friends

                             Firebird: Kastchei


Cierra (Teacher & Choreographer)

Cierra

Cierra started dancing at the age of three in her hometown of Port Moody. After discovering her love for ballet, she began studying at the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver in pursuit of a professional career. There, she completed all of the Royal Academy of Dance Vocational Examinations with Distinction and received the prestigious Solo Seal Award in 2016.

After graduating, Cierra joined Oregon Ballet Theatre 2 as a member of the company in 2017. As a professional dancer she has performed in many productions including George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella, Septime Webre’s ALICE (in Wonderland) and was featured in Nacho Duato’s Rassemblement and as the Russian Girl in Balanchine’s Serenade.

Throughout her career Cierra has been fortunate to perform on stages in China, Germany, South Korea, the United States, Vienna and Canada. She has received awards from both local and international competitions as well as receiving the BC Arts Council Scholarship for her abilities in dance. Cierra has also been featured in numerous film and media projects as a result of her dance training.

Cierra has taught dancers of all ages and levels and has been teaching across the Lower Mainland since 2019. Her favourite aspect of dance has always been performing and she hopes to pass on her enthusiasm and knowledge to the next generation of students.


Brittany Bishop (Teacher & Choreographer)

Brittany Bishop

Brittany grew up studying intensively in ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, modern and tap dance. Brittany completed her Cecchetti examinations and competed at many dance competitions all over Vancouver. At age 14, Brittany decided to pursue her passion for ballet and began her training at The Goh Ballet Academy, where she studied in the RAD and Vagonova methods. 

Brittany has performed various soloist and principle roles with The Goh Ballet Academy, and has received various awards at multiple international ballet competitions. In 2019, Brittany attended Canada’s National Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program, and furthered her education in teaching ballet. Brittany has received her Associates teaching certification and is a certified member of the Cecchetti USA.


Makena Ram (Teacher & Choreographer)

Makena Ram

Makena Ram grew up in Port Moody BC and fell in love with ballet and performance at a very early age. Spending many years at the studio Makena graduated from Goh Ballet Academy’s Pre-Professional Training Program in 2019, completing her RAD Examinations, and also joined the Goh Ballet Youth Academy as an apprentice. Having an extensive background in the performing arts (including Musical Theatre, Theatre, Voice Performance) Makena has also trained under Mandy Tulloch for over 20 years through ABC Let’s Act Canada and Tulloch Academy. Some notable roles have included “Stepsister” in Maina Gielgud’s World Premiere of Cinderella and “Quintet dancer” in Kirsten Wicklund’s March of the Unnamed Brigade.

Currently Makena is working towards her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance at SFU working with significant artists such as Justine Chambers, Henry Daniels, Rob Kitsos, Megan Walker-Straight, and Emmalena Fredriksson. With such a significant background in classical ballet Makena is now expanding into contemporary, modern, and improvisation training while keeping a focus on mental health in dance and dance psychology for future studies.

Working as a choreographer for Evergreen Cultural Centre and Tulloch Academy Makena has choreographed for numerous productions in Vancouver, Yellowknife, and now the Comox Valley including “Cinderella’s”, “Coquitlam Rises”, “Canada 150”, and more. Makena has taught for Goh Ballet Academy’s Junior school, Adult Ballet Program, and outreach programs within Crofton House, West Point Grey, and Mulgrave, as well as currently for the Evergreen Cultural Centre, and for Tulloch Academy. Mentors and Instructors: Yao Ping Zhu, Fiona Smith, Isabelle Yuan, Reid Cuming, Kirsten Wicklund, Margarida Macieira, Ken Guan, Marla Eist, Monica Proenca, as well as Maina Gielgud, Michael Shannon, and Aleksandar Antonijevic.


Ying Nan Shi (Teacher & Project Management assistant)

Ying Nan Shi

Education: BFA (York University)

Latest Highlights

Youth Day Global: Selected Saturn Choreography by Ying Nan Shi at Yonge-Dundas Square. 2022

Goh Ballet Bayview: The Don Quixote (Rehearsal Assistant). 2022

York University Creative Arts Students Association Dance Representative. 2022-2023

Accomplishments

Canada Council for the Arts Official Approved Dance Artist. 2022

Royal Academy of Dance Advanced one (Ballet) Certificate. 2017

Vienna International Ballet Experience Semi Final in Solo. 2017

Global Dance Challenge Final in Solo. 2017

Surrey Festival of Dance 16-20 years group First Place in Classical Variation with Trophy. 2017

Royal Academy of Dance Intermediate (Ballet) Certificate. 2015

Surrey Festival of Dance First Place in Group Variation. 2015

The Royal Conservatory of Music Grade Eight Piano Certificate. 2015

Goh Ballet: The Nutcracker Certificate of Merit in the role of Fritz. 2013

Goh Ballet: Certificate of Achievement of Completed the A6 level at in the Junior

Division. 2012/2013

Goh Ballet: Certification of Achievement International Summer Intensive.2012

Goh Ballet: Certificate of Achievement of Most Adaptive Dancer Award. 2012

Appearance

Little Pear Dance Garden Company: Asian Dance Professional Development Spring. 2022

York Dances Coordinates Assistant Stage Manager & Digital Promoter Spring. 2022

York Dances: Coordinates Series Y – Choreographer for Saturn Spring 2022

York Dances: Liminal Spaces – Assistant Production Manager Fall 2021

York Dances: Language of Landscape -Assistant Stage Manager Spring 2019

Goh Ballet: The Nutcracker (Fritz, Giant Mouse, Mouse King, Russian). 2012-2017

Goh Ballet: The Four Seasons (Fall). 2017