Guest Faculty

Elya Grant

Born in Parksville, British Columbia, Elya Grant is a graduate of Vancouver’s contemporary dance training initiative Modus Operandi. Elya has also attended Rubberbandance Group’s Domain Forget, the Ecole de Danse Contemporaine de Montreal, and the Eastman/Sidi arbi Cherkaoui’s Intensive in Antwerp. Locally, Elya has had the pleasure to work and perform with Out Innerspace Dance Theatre, The Response, Karissa Barry, Thoenn Glover, Katie Devries and Company 605. She was also invited to choreograph and perform in the 2016 TEDxSFU’s Take The Leap. Her enthusiasm and continual engagement towards young dancers naturally led her to begin teaching at various studios in Vancouver, UBC’s Dance Horizons and a recurring guest artist for the pre-professional company Helix Dance Theatre. This fall, Elya will be joining Out Innerspace Dance Theatre on their international tour to Italy. She looks forward to sharing her passion and knowledge with the students of Reforming Art Productions.

Sophia Wolfe

Sophia Wolfe is a Vancouver based contemporary dance artist who also works in visual media including photography, film, and video art. Sophia started dancing at the age of three and completed her post secondary dance training in Vancouver through Modus Operandi, where she was featured in works by Justine A. Chambers, Out InnerSpace Dance Theatre, Wen Wei Wang and Crystal Pite.

Sophia’s dancing has lead her to tour nationally and internationally with Company 605, and has more recently worked with Co-Erasga and with independent choreographer Chick Snipper. Sophia has participated in workshops such as ImpulsTanz Vienna International Dance Festival, Deltebre Danza in Spain and The Toronto Dance Community’s Love-In; training with artists/companies such as David Zambrano, Rootless Root, Frey Faust, Ame Henderson and Laura Airs.

Outside of dance performance, Sophia has created and presented video installations through Vancouver's Contemporary Art Gallery mentorship program. Her deep interest in dance on screen has lead her to organize and curate the first ever International Youth Festival Of Recorded Movement (F-O-R-M), which is happening for it’s second year in June 2017. (www.f-o-r-m.ca)

Ralph Escamillan

Ralph started his training at age 14 at Harbour Dance Centre Vancouver, BC. His arsenal of performance skills include a verity of street dance styles, ballroom, circus, drag and was a graduated of Contemporary Training Program Modus Operandi (2015).  

He’s worked with commercial choreographers Paul Becker, Tucker Barkely, Luther Brown, Aakomon "AJ" Jones, Kenny Ortega and Gil Duldulao; and artist Victoria Duffield, Zendaya Coleman and was a guest dancer for Janet Jackson “Unbreakable” tour (2015). Contemporary contracts include: Gadfly Collective (Toronto), Inlayers (Calgary), Kinesis Dance Somatheatro, Out Innerspace Theatre, and in 2014 apprenticed with Kidd Pivot. He is currently working/touring with Co- Erasga Dance, Company 605 and Wen Wei Dance.

As an emerging choreographer Ralph explores works that strive to understand the complexities of identity and culture. For more info about Ralph and his work please visit: www.ralphescamillan.com

Clare Twiddy

Clare Twiddy finds inspiration through the diversity of her artistic endeavors: dance, music, choreography, painting, songwriting, and film making. She works to reimagine how these artistic palates can blend and inform each other. Her early dance training started at Parksville Ballet school where she studied flamenco, musical theatre, jazz, modern, and ballet. Later she studied with Modus Operandi (MO) under the direction of Tiffany Tregarthen and David Raymond.

During her time in MO Clare developed her love and knowledge for dance on film. She co-created a film, “Fragment”, with Sophia Wolfe and Alex Tam which has aired at various festivals including BC Buds, FORM, and RADAR.

In the past year she has received support towards her choreographic practice from The Interplay Project, SFU Launch Festival, and residencies with Mascall Dance’s Bloom and The Dance Centre’s 12 minute max.

As a musician Clare spends most her time as the vocalist in Vancouver based jazz/R&B ensemble, Raincity Blue. They have played across BC at weddings, events, and festivals performing covers and original material. Avid songwriter, Clare has written over 100 songs and performs as a solo artist using a loop pedal, vocal harmonies, and a guitar.

Carolyn Schmidt

Carolyn Schmidt creates, performs, teaches and produces dance in the Vancouver area and beyond.

Training formally at The Ailey School in NYC, Carolyn has solid background in contemporary and modern dance techniques, improvisation and dance composition. As a dancer, Carolyn has performed in work by emerging and established choreographers throughout the USA, Canada and Spain. As a choreographer, her dances have been presented at venues and festivals including Dumbo Dance Festival (NY), Young Choreographers Festival (NY), Feats Festival of Dance (Edmonton), Dancers Studio West (Calgary), Dance Victoria (Victoria, BC), HATCH Series (NY), Vancouver Fringe Festival, Vines Art Festival (Vancouver) and TEDx East Van.

Currently Carolyn is producer of a performance platform for emerging artists called To.Be.Announced and co-directs a dance and movement education company called VAULT Movement Projects. Carolyn is also a certified Fascial Stretch Therapist and works with dancers, athletes and the general public to help them recover from injuries and gain healthier mobility and flexibility. Dedicated to a life of moving and shaking, Carolyn is constantly seeking ways to connect, share and grow through the art and science of movement. www.carolynschmidtdance.com 

Valérie Poulin 

Valérie Poulin is a dance entrepreneur and founder of Danse Bloom, a Youth Dance Community based in Vancouver.  

With a passion for dance and youth, she has over 13 years of experience working with youth, first as a Dance Teacher and then as Coordinator for National and International exchanges programs. This love of dance helped her though highs and lows, built her self-confidence and made her a creative problem solver.  

Since launching Danse Bloom, Valérie has seen the benefits of creating a space for young dancers to invest in self-development by connecting them with local leaders. The goal of Danse Bloom is to highlight the human behind the dancer and to create raw conversations about common challenges.  

With a value for education, Valérie completed the Simonson Method of Teacher Training in New York with Lynn Simonson and Teresa Perez Ceccon. She has an AEC in Dance Education and a Double DEC in Dance and Arts and Letters from Cégep de Drummondville in Quebec. Always curious to learn about different cultures, she travelled in 15 countries while completing her BA in Communications and Human Resources Management at McGill University, UQAM and ULB in Belgium.  

When Valérie isn’t creating projects for Danse Bloom, you can find her in a coffee shop meeting new people, training in a dance studio or planning her next trip.

Danielle Jeal

Danielle is passionate about storytelling in all forms, with dance holding a special place in her heart from over 20 years. She launched her contemporary dance company, Exult Dance, in 2011, with their 30 minute original work and accompanying documentary, RELATE, premiering in 2012. The company has been on hiatus since 2013. In that time, Danielle has completed a Bachelor of Arts (English) at Simon Fraser University, Certificate of Creative Writing (SFU), and the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training at Vancouver School of Bodywork and Massage. Danielle is currently a sought after instructor, choreographer, and ajudicator in the lower mainland.