Krista Hassen: 

Born in BC, Krista trained in the Professional Ballet Programs of The Richmond Academy of Dance, National Ballet School of Canada, Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Banff Centre for the Arts, and Montreal’s L’Ecole Superieure de Danse du Quebec. While living in Montreal, she
worked with company dancers of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and studied daily with the esteemed Alexandra Wells, former principal dancer of Boston Ballet and faculty member of The Juilliard School, New York. Krista danced many classical and contemporary roles, completed all RAD Vocational Examinations, and won numerous awards and scholarships, including one to train at London Studio Centre, England. After injuries put a stop to her performance career, Krista obtained a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Food, Nutrition, and Health, from The University of British Columbia. 

With a special interest in wellness and injury prevention, she has conducted
nutrition seminars for dancers. Krista’s teaching career is in its 27th year and spans multiple studios in BC and Alberta, where she has had the privilege of leading ballet programs and inspiring dancers to recognize their full potential. She holds her Teaching Certificate and Registered Teacher Status with the Royal Academy of Dance and is also certified in the Progressing Ballet Technique conditioning method. Krista has also been privileged to work with Vancouver’s newest emerging professionals, teaching company classes for both Ballet BC, and the pre-professional and professional artists of Lamondance.

Krista teaches class with passion and an eye for detail, holding high technical standards, while encouraging individual discovery and expression. She has the honour of guest teaching and choreographing at different schools throughout Western Canada, as well as adjudicating at competitions, festivals and within exam settings. Krista offers coaching in classical repertoire, open choreography, Vaganova and RAD influenced open work, PBT, and RAD Exam Syllabus.

Her students are consistently recognized for strong exam results, awards and top competition placings.  They continue to be chosen as representatives to the BC Provincial Festival, are
accepted to prestigious international training institutions, and have gone on to dance professionally. Krista has a genuine passion for ballet and loves sharing this with dancers of all ages and levels!