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Miss Maggie
Owner/Artistic Director
Maggie is the owner and artistic director of Fortitude Dance Centre. She began her dance training at the tender age of three and has enjoyed her journey and development ever since. She started with fundamental ballet and jazz classes but it did not take long for her passion to branch out into different dance forms such as musical theatre, lyrical, hip hop, and tap, at both the recreational and competitive levels. To further her training, Maggie enrolled in the dance program at York University where she took a variety of courses, with a focus on dance science and education.
Along with her dance training, Maggie has years of choreographing and teaching experience. Starting as an assistant instructor in her teenage years, she went on to teach for elementary and high schools, the City of Barrie, and various dance studios throughout Simcoe County. Many of her competitive routines have won special awards and overall high score awards at dance competitions across Ontario.
It has always been Maggie’s dream to own a studio and after years of hard work, she is more than thrilled to finally see that dream come to life. She looks forward to sharing her love of dance with all of her students, in a fun and safe environment, at Fortitude Dance Centre!
Miss Jenn
Instructor
Miss Jenn first found her passion for dance at the age of two when she began taking ballet classes at the local recreation centre in Barrie. She quickly fell in love and moved to a studio where she expanded her studies in other styles including jazz, musical theatre, hip hop, tap, pointe and lyrical, taking part in both the recreational and competitive programs.
Beginning in her late teens, Miss Jenn began assisting dance classes in the Barrie area and later taught classes of her own in Windsor. During this time, Miss Jenn attended multiple conventions in Detroit and Toronto, studying under Desmond Richardson, Tessandra Chavez, Brian Friedman, Tyce DiOrio, Chris Judd, Mia Michaels, Stephen “Twitch” Boss, and many more!
Miss Jenn has always felt at home in the studio! She is excited to be teaching at Fortitude Dance Centre and cannot wait to share her passion and love for dance with every student in her classroom!
Miss Juliana
Instructor
Miss Juliana’s love of dance started at the early age of 3 when she began attending the Alice Arja Professional School of Dance in Brazil. Over the years she danced ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary and truly discovered how rewarding dance could be!
She later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance Performance at UniverCidade University in Rio de Janeiro. It was here that she found her true calling while performing jazz choreography in musical productions. Throughout university, Juliana began ‘dancing with purpose’ and realized that a career as a dance instructor was exactly what she wanted. She loves helping dancers to find themselves and their own ‘voice’ on the dance floor.
While working as an instructor at La Danse school in Rio, Miss Juliana had the opportunity to study abroad at The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, DC before moving on to train at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway in New York City! These experiences broadened her perspective on the dance world, in both classical and contemporary styles, and encouraged her to and bring new “flavours” back to the students in her classes.
Miss Juliana understands that dance is everywhere in the world and believes there is always something to learn, refine, and perfect wherever you go! She takes this approach to life, both in and out of the studio, and is very excited to bring the lessons she has learned in her travels to her new Fortitude family!
Miss Breeanna
Instructor
We are excited to welcome Miss Bree as our newest instructor!!!
Miss Breeanna has been dancing since the age of three, performing in just about every style possible, recreationally and competitively. As most young ones usually do, her passion for dance started with tap and jazz and quickly transformed to the need to attempt every genre dance had to offer.
In her final year of high school, she became the host of a weekly television show on Rogers TV. She then excelled in Toronto’s Seneca College acting program, and dipped her toes in the acting world for a few years, appearing in many TV shows, movies, and commercials.
Miss Breeanna’s love for dance never faltered and although she remained a substitute dance instructor throughout her acting years, she wanted to return to her roots. She began taking as many classes and workshops as she could to help hone her skills so she could excel as a dance instructor. Miss Breeanna earned her Module 1 certification in Acrobatic Arts, and is on her way to being fully certified in Module 2.
Miss Breeanna joined a not-for-profit dance troupe that performs in many different dance shows throughout Simcoe County and she also holds the title of ‘Volunteer Coordinator’ for a professional dance festival in Barrie called ‘Dusk Dances’. Miss Breeanna is very excited to start at Fortitude Dance Centre!
