Faculty

Lana Moller: Owner and Director – Head of Ballet Department

Lana Moller’s dance career has taken her throughout Canada. In her own career, Lana has been recognized as a performer, choreographer, and educator. Locally, Lana has danced with many companies and independent choreographers. Lana’s Choreography has been presented in festivals such as Vancouver’s Kiss Festival, Dancing on the Edge, and Toronto’s Fida festival. Lana holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University. The biggest rewards in Lana’s career have been reached through teaching at Langley Dance Academy. She has been teaching dance for over 25 years. Lana is a registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance and in 2011 was appointed a teaching mentor for the Royal Academy of Dance. Creating Langley Dance Academy and nurturing its exceptional environment has been her lifelong dream and passion.

Seina Singleton: Director – Head of Jazz Department

Seina has been teaching at Langley Dance Academy since 2007 and was thrilled to take on a Director role in 2013. Seina’s love of dance began at the age of 7 and has continued to grow from there. Her training includes the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Harbour Dance Centre, The Edge Performing Arts, and Millennium Dance Complex, as well as countless local conventions and classes. During her studio training, she completed her Royal Academy of Dance ballet exams from Grade 4 to Advanced 1. Outside of the studio, Seina has choreographed musicals, taught high school and adult classes, and worked with various athletes to help achieve their physical goals. Seina has her Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University, which helps connect her entrepreneurial spirit to her passion for dance at Langley Dance Academy. Seina truly loves teaching dance and sharing her enthusiasm and passion for movement with students of all ages.

Reid Colton: Ballet

Reid is currently residing in Langley and teaches at various studios in the Lower Mainland. He has been teaching ballet classes at Langley Dance Academy since 2009. Reid specializes in teaching Ballet Technique, Men’s Variations, and Pas De Deux. Reid began training with Philip Fuller in Los Angeles at the age of 8. As a student at the Idyllwild Arts Academy, he attended summer sessions on scholarship with American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, and the Royal Ballet. He received a scholarship to the Post Secondary Program of Canada’s National Ballet School, where he studied with Lindsay Fischer and he had a brand new piece choreographed for him by James Kudelka. Reid represented NBS in an international showcase, dancing Rudi van Dantzig’s “Third Song” at the Stuttgart Ballet. Upon graduating from the Post-Secondary Dance Program Reid joined Ballet West in Salt Lake City, and performed ballets such as “Giselle”, “Sleeping Beauty”, and Balanchine’s “Stars and Stripes”. In 2008, Reid joined The Orlando Ballet and danced roles in Fernando Bujones’ “Don Quixote”, “Bolero”, and Robert Hill’s “Le Corsaire”.

Heather McBride: Ballet

Heather McBride is a registered teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance with her Advanced Dancers Certificate. She has over 30 years of teaching experience and attends R.A.D. Teaching Refresher Courses. She has trained under the direction of Sheila MacDonald, Bill McGrath, Mara McBirney, Marcia Caple, Ellen Andrews, and Josephine Slater. She attended the Banff School of Fine Arts intensive dance training program in Classical Ballet, Repertoire, Modern, Jazz, Pas de deux and Production. She has Modern Contemporary Dance Training with Norbert Vesak, Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, and Ted Shawn. She has done Jazz & Lyrical Jazz Training with Eva Von Gencey of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Co. Jazz Division. She has performed with Vivaldi Concert Dancers, E. Andrews, J. Slater, and Norbert Vesak, Ballet Horizons with Morley Wiseman from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Co., the Vancouver Opera Society with Franklin White from the Royal Ballet Co. from England, and Ozma’s StepOut with fellow dancers and choreographers.

Alivia Villadiego: Hip Hop

Since starting at Langley Dance Academy in 2009, Alivia has played an integral role in cultivating the hip hop program into what it is today. Alivia has been dancing since the age of 3, exploring different styles eventually discovering her passion for hip hop. Alivia’s performance accolades include performing alongside K-os in the 2010 Winter Olympics and appearances in a music video for local hip hop artist IG. Her love of dance and teaching can be seen as she choreographs and coaches classes from a beginner level through to competitive. She is currently studying as a Special Education Teacher and dreams of starting a dance program for those with exceptionalities and wants to see dance available to everyone. Additionally, she’s taught at many Elementary schools for gym classes and spring recitals, and has done choreography for wedding first dances and bridal party dances. Alivia continues to attend workshops and conventions to bring students what is at the forefront of the hip hop community while maintaining her own distinct style.

Kiyomi Kato: Ballet

Kiyomi started dancing at the age of 3. Her dance training includes Royal Academy of Dance Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, and Hip Hop. Kiyomi has successfully completed all of the Royal Academy of Dance Ballet examinations from Pre-Primary to Advanced 1. During her training at Langley Dance Academy, Kiyomi had the pleasure of participating trips to St. Petersburg, Russia and to New York City for dance. While in St. Petersburg, Kiyomi trained with the Mariinsky Ballet, one of the world’s leading ballet companies and is also known as the Kirov Ballet. While there Kiyomi, took daily classes, including a Pas de Duex with principal dancers from the Mariinsky Ballet. In her final year of training at LDA, Kiyomi joined fellow students and her teachers in travelling to New York City. There she received unforgettable dance training in Ballet, Contemporary, Broadway, and Jazz. Travelling and training abroad was a highlight of her dance training! Kiyomi is a certified Ballet Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance. She has been an instructor at Langley Dance Academy since 2011. She aims to inspire and nurture a love of dance in all of her students.

Paris Zondag: Ballet and Jazz

We were thrilled to have Paris Zondag join our faculty in 2015, after dancing with Miss Lana since the age of 3. She attributes this as the reason she has developed a passion for dance over the years and quickly grew a love for dancing competitively. Paris teaches Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, and Musical Theatre classes at LDA. She has completed the RAD Ballet Program up to Advanced 2. During her own dance career, she travelled to New York and trained with world renowned choreographers. She continues to expand her dance career by attending workshops and intensive summer camps, such as though offered at Harbour Dance Centre in Vancouver. She is currently attending Kwantlen University working on a General Arts Degree. Paris is successful member of the Vancouver Stealth Lacrosse dance team where she is a part of the Bombshell Squad. She is currently working on her teacher certification with the Royal Academy of Dance. She is excited to teach to other young dancers what she learned from Miss Lana at such a young age.

Bernadette Matthew: Ballet

Bernadette Matthew found her love of teaching young and now has over 25 years’ experience.  In addition to developing dancers in RAD ballet, she has had success at the competitive level in the areas of ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and musical theatre. In 1996, she graduated with distinction from Trinity Western University with a major in Communications and from 2003-2006 she studied Modern Dance at Simon Fraser University. Bernadette holds membership with the Royal Academy of Dance and the Checcetti Society of Ballet, Affiliate Membership with the Australian Teachers of Dance and holds her Associates with the Scottish Dance Alliance. She was the founder, owner and Artistic Director of FreeStyle Dance Centre located in BC, Canada from 1998-2008, growing her school to 350+ students and taking them through RAD Advanced 2 and to BC Provincials Championships.  Bernadette’s past students have gone onto train, perform and teach with the Banff Centre of the Arts, BC Provincial Festival of the Arts, The National Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Coastal City Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Joffery Ballet, The Australian Ballet, Queensland Ballet, McDonald College in Sydney, Grant MacEwon College, The University of Calgary, Simon Fraser University, Fiji Dance Company, cruise ships, Disney in California and Japan, television, commercials, music videos, movies, independent dance companies, and more. Bernadette’s teaching philosophy believes in approaching the dancers an unique individuals in an mutually respectful environment. She works to aspire students to technical and artistic excellence, reaching for each child’s full potential. She has great success developing a true love and appreciation of ballet in her students, leading them to high standards in RAD exams and competitive work.

Paige Harrison: Tap

Paige says Langley Dance Academy is like a second home to her, where she has been a student since the age of 7. She has completed her Royal Academy of Dance Ballet Exams from Grade 3 to Advanced 2. Paige has also completed her Grade 3 to Advanced 2 ISTD Tap Exams and is currently enrolled in the ISTD Teaching Program for Tap. Paige loves children and is studying to become an Education Assistant. Any student is lucky to have Miss Paige as their teacher! She has been assistant teaching since 2011 and also is an integral part in running all of our camp programs throughout the summer months. Paige says she loves teaching young dancers at LDA because it gives her a sense of accomplishment when she sees the student succeed. Paige loves watching the relationship grow between dance and the dancer.

Andrea Gibson: Jazz and Musical Theatre

Andrea is a multitalented dancer, teacher and choreographer trained in jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet(RAD), hip hop, tap, voice and musical theatre. She grew up on stage winning over $15,000 in personal scholarships and competing as a provincial representative. Andrea has performed in numerous stage productions as well as being cast as a principal dancer in the Warner Brothers movie Scooby Doo 2. Over the last decade she has taught at both recreational and competitive levels, with her students winning numerous high-score and choreography awards yearly. She personally received the “Mentor” award at Shine Dance Festival for her positive attitude and work ethic with her students in 2010 as well as being selected as Shine Dance Festival’s “Teacher of the Year” in 2015. She is always invested in furthering her education as an instructor attending conventions throughout the lower mainland and travelling as far as LA to take part in the Dance Teacher Summit. She recently completed Level One and Two of the International Dance Teaching Standards as well as two intensive workshops with West Coast Choreo Lab. Andrea’s passion for performing is contagious and her focus in class is not only on building dancers but confident and passionate individuals.

Anja Graham 

Anja has been dancing with Miss Lana for 13 years, taking a wide variety of styles including jazz, ballet, tap, contemporary, lyrical and hip hop. She has completed all Royal Academy of Dance Ballet exams up to Advanced 2. Anja has travelled to New York and has trained with the New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and Broadway Dance Center. She has won many awards and titles including “Star Performance”, “Outstanding Solo”, “Most Promising Dancer”, scholarship to Triple Threat Dance Convention, and was included in the Shine Dance Festival’s Top 10 Dancers. Anja continues to expand her dance training and knowledge by attending Harbour Dance Centre’s Summer Intensive.  She has taken workshops with world famous choreographers Kelly Konno, Tara Jean Popowich, and Napolean and Tabitha. Anja is a dance major at Langley Fine Arts, and has been assisting at Langley Dance Academy since 2011. She loves teaching dance because she loves spreading passion and drive for dance with younger students.

Leanne Barden: Ballet

Leanne has a passion for teaching, backed by twenty years experience and three teaching certifications.  Trained in the RAD, Cecchetti, and Vaganova styles,  Leanne utilizes her diverse ballet background to bring the best out of her students.  Leanne is a Mentor for the RAD’s teacher training program, helping guide young teachers as they begin their career. Always looking for enrichment, Leanne takes class in LA, New York, and Russia whenever the opportunity arises. She has taught internationally at the St Petersburg University of Art and Culture, and was a guest teacher on Romania’s Black Sea Coast.  As the BC Coordinator for the Vaganova Society (Russian Ballet), Leanne organizes ballet study tours to St Petersburg for students, parents and colleagues.  Studying with Russian masters at the Mussorgsky and Eiffman Ballet has been transformative.  A certified teacher of yoga and PBT (Progressing Ballet Technique), Leanne values cross training muscles in order to achieve proper classical technique.   Leanne is excited to share her knowledge with students, building classical technique and encouraging creative expression through ballet.

Sara Williamson: Ballet

Sara is passionate about ballet and dedicated to helping students achieve their dreams. A Registered Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance with 20 years experience, she grew up in Kamloops where she began dancing with Regina Bittner-Rothbart. Further study in the Lower Mainland led to in-depth training with Heather McBride. Sara is also a UBC graduate (B.Sc. Chemistry), and holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and Certified Financial Planner designations, in addition to teaching certifications from Acrobatic Arts and various conditioning systems. Sara was part of the worldwide group of teachers piloting the new Discovering Repertoire program during its development phase, and is excited to bring it now to LDA students!

Ed Tiojanco: Breakdancing and Hip Hop

* Bio coming soon!

Gabe Sanchez: Hip Hop

* Bio coming soon!

Kate Nickel: Tap, Jazz, and Musical Theatre

* Bio coming soon!

Lauren Reinders: Ballet and Jazz

* Bio coming soon!

Abi Vilio: Ballet and Jazz

* Bio coming soon!

Kortney Story

Kortney’s own dance career consisted of two short years of ballet and one year of jazz before finding her own passion in Figure Skating. After retiring as a competitive athlete after 22 years, Kortney took on a position as a Figure Skating Judge, which keeps her busy in her free time away from Langley Dance Academy. Despite her own passion for Figure Skating, Kortney always had a love of dance, particulary ballet, and after having her first daughter in 2008, she hoped her daughter would fall in love with dancing. Sure enough, Kortney gets to watch both of her girls dance at Langley Dance Academy now, where they’ve fallen in love with dance. Kortney is glad to see her ability to apply fake eyelashes and make perfect ballet buns get put to use. Outside of her artistic passions, Kortney is a trained medical and legal transcriptionist and has just welcomed a son to complete her family at home.

Emily Kivinen

Emily’s love of dance has taken her all throughout Canada and the United Kingdom. Originally from Southern Ontario, she moved to England at age 15 where she fell in love with Street Dance and Hip Hop. Emily has danced on all of London’s most prestigious stages and was a backup dancer at the Disney Channel Kids Awards, where she danced for over 15,000 fans. At age 16, Emily auditioned for and was selected to be a backup dancer for British pop band Atomic Kitten. Emily began teaching at 17 and feels most at home teaching in a studio. Her most famous students are Nathan Sykes of the British boy band “The Wanted” and British singer FKA Twigs. Emily has taught all over Ontario, Alberta, and now in BC she has found her home at Langley Dance Academy. Emily has two young girls who she hopes will fall in love with dance like she did.

Amanda Ho

* Bio coming soon!

Danielle Coronado

Danielle recently joined the LDA administrative team. She has plenty of dance experience and an ongoing love for the art. Trained in various dance styles and having been a part of PraiseTEAM, Team Canada Hip-Hop, and Street Kings, Danielle’s passion for dance has taken her around the globe for competitions, including places such as Italy and California. She has also coached and lead dance teams of her own within her high school, and in past summer camps, teaching musical theatre, tap, and urban dance styles. Aside from dance, Danielle also holds a strong passion for the art of music, as she actively takes part in her school music program, and in the past year, co-produced and wrote a musical entitled “The List”. Though new to the studio, Danielle very much loves being a part of Langley Dance Academy — she is very happy to work in such a joyful environment surrounded by such creative, supportive, and talented people.

Morgan Blair

Morgan’s love of dance has been with her since the age of 3, when she took her first ballet class. Awarded “Distinction” in all her ballet exams with Royal Academy of Dance, including her Advanced 2 exam; her passion does not stop there. Along with a strong classical background in Ballet, Morgan has had extensive training in Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, Modern, Salsa, Irish and Hip Hop. Morgan has trained and performed with some of the best in North America including San Francisco’s Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet School, Banff Centre for the Arts, American Academy of Ballet in New York, Royal Winnipeg and Alberta Ballet. She has performed in the 2010 Olympics, a dancer on the tv show “Once Upon A Time”, a representative for the BC Performing Arts Provincials and was Clara with Alberta Ballet’s Nutcracker. Morgan has danced in Vancouver with The Source, Lamondance and Lovers Cabaret companies. She presently teaches ballet, contemporary dance, Zumba and Barre Fitness throughout the lower mainland.

Angella Slaunwhite

Angella is an emerging Vancouver-based dance artist who’s passion for dance started at a very young age. As an adult performing is the heart of her career while she wows the audience through her passion for the art form. She loves telling her story through movement and feeling the adrenaline rush when hitting the stage. Angella has performed in The Nutcracker with the BC Ballet and Alberta Ballet, represented BC in the CDTA solo national competition held in Toronto, awarded Senior Prodigy at NRG Tacoma and travelled to Italy last October to represent Canada at the IDO Worlds competition for hip hop. Angella currently trains with Kill The Lights Co, and performs with The Lovers Cabaret. She has always shared her love and knowledge for dance teaching at various studios, and currently teaches hip hop for the surrey district high schools. Angella has also toured throughout BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan for Dance Power Enterprises along side Darryl Hodgins as his tour assistant. Angella’s great deal of ambition always pushes her to strive and be the best she can be!

Emily Nieken

Born and raised in Surrey, B.C, Emily Nieken has been dancing from the age of 5. She has trained in RAD and Cecchetti ballet, ISTD tap, jazz, lyrical, and musical theatre. Emily has successfully completed all of the Royal Academy of Dance ballet examinations from Pre-Primary to Advanced 2. In her younger years, Emily successfully competed in festivals and dance competitions, attended the Arts Umbrella Summer Dance Intensive, and worked as a performer during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Emily has also had the opportunity to travel to St. Petersburg, Russia with the Vaganova Dance Society to train at the Eiffman Ballet Studios.

After graduating high school in 2012, Emily entered the Teacher Training Program at Canada’s National Ballet School where she attained her Registered Teacher Status with the Royal Academy of Dance, her Associate in National Dance from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, her Associate with the Cecchetti Society of Canada, as well as a diploma. As a teacher, Emily has worked for various studios in both Vancouver and Toronto. Currently, Emily is on faculty at Canada’s National Ballet School as a ballet and jazz teacher in the Associates Program; as well as teaching RAD ballet and competitive ballet at Star Dance Academy in Scarborough. In 2016, Emily also became a 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance.