Faculty
Sarah Lockett, A.R.A.D., A.I.S.T.D.
Executive Director (1979)
The Director and founder of our school is Sarah Lockett, A.R.A.D. An Associate of
the Royal Academy of Dancing and Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Ms. Lockett
trained in Canadian and British schools and performed professionally before founding
OSB in 1979. Ms. Lockett is also the Executive Director of the Ontario Ballet Theatre,
a professional touring company founded in 1980.
Tara Roberts - Ballet
Managing Director (2007)
Tara is a graduate from the George Brown Dance Performance Studies Program. Upon
graduation she received the Dean’s Award and the Professional Development Certificate.
Tara has worked with many prestigious choreographers and directors and with Ontario
Ballet Theatre. Tara is the Managing Director of Ontario Ballet Theatre and Ontario
School of Ballet. Tara is currently enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dance Certificate
in Ballet Teaching Studies Program.
Shannon Whelan - Tap
Associate Director Tap (2005)
Shannon trained under the RAD and ADAPT syllabuses for 14 years as well as dancing
at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and in New York City. She was a competitive team dancer
at Can-Dance, American Dance Awards and Footloose Internationals in Chicago in 2001
and in Las Vegas in 2002 where she was chosen to be the Canadian Dance Team Captain
and part of Dan Karaty’s Extreme Dance Team. Shannon has been teaching and choreographing
for the past 9 years under the ADAPT Jazz and Tap syllabus and her students have
continually excelled in their examinations. Her choreography has been well recognized
receiving choreography awards at local and national competitions. Professionally,
she is a full member of ACTRA and continues to work as a professional performer.
Debbie Wilson - Ballet
Cincinnati Ballet Company at the age of 12 where she was promoted to soloist and
rehearsal assistant. She has worked as dancer/ rehearsal mistress for several companies,
including The American Dance Machine, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal and Ballet Jörgen.
She has also worked with the Judith Marcuse Dance Company, the Randy Glynn Dance
Project as well as many independent choreographers across Canada and the U.S. Her
rich background as dancer, teacher and rehearsal director reflects a lifetime of
work with some of the greatest artists of our time, a lifetime reflected in her
resonant choreographic voice. Debbie is the Artistic Director and Founder of the
OMO Dance Company.
Kara Duncan - Jazz (2005)
Kara Duncan is a dancer, dance instructor, actress and choreographer. With over
16 years of Competitive dance training, Kara has trained and performed with some
of the best the dance world has to offer. She has trained and choreographed dancers
at various studios and private schools around Ontario. Her students have won many
over-all titles, high scores, and scholarships from the most respected dance organizations
in North America. Kara has recently returned home after sailing the seas on Carnival
Cruise line as a performer and dance instructor. Kara is currently in her 3rd year
at Ryerson University.
Kate Kernaghan - Ballet
Kate is a 2006 graduate of The National Ballet School of Canada’s Teacher Training
Program. During her studies there, she earned her teaching qualification with the
Royal Academy of Dance. For two years, Kate taught Ballet and Jazz classes to various
ages at Seneca College in Toronto. She also had the opportunity to perform small
roles in The National Ballet of Canada’s production of The Nutcracker. Kate holds
her Associate Modern Theatre teaching qualification with the ISTD. She has been
teaching for 4 years under the ISTD and RAD ballet syllabus, as well as ISTD modern
and jazz syllabus.
Caroline Niklas-Gordon - Ballet
Ms. Caroline Niklas has trained at The Prague Conservatory of Dance & Music, Ryerson
University and George Brown College. She holds the Royal Academy of Dance Teaching
Certificate. Ms. Niklas has taught ballet extensively for over twelve years and
for the past nine at the Pia Bouman School for ballet in Toronto.
Stefanie Poland - Acro
Stefanie is a graduate of the Regional Arts Program at Mayfield Secondary School
and is in the Concurrent Education Program for Teachers at University of Toronto.
Stefanie trained in gymnastics for 8 years and was a competitive dancer for 10 years
at Performing Dance Arts. She is also a graduate of the ADAPT Teacher Training School
and is qualified to teach in Jazz, Tap, Acro, Lyrical and Ballet. Stefanie won the
regional title for her Acro solo and has received the Highest Academic Award in
Dance for 2007 and 2008 at Mayfield. She specializes in Acrobatics and is looking
forward to teaching Acro at Ontario School of Ballet this year.
Anya Willis - Jazz (2008)
Anya attended the Northern Ballet School, Manchester UK where she trained in RAD,
achieving Honours in Advanced, and ISTD, achieving Honors in Advanced Ballet, Tap
and Jazz. Upon graduation, she joined the European Ballet where she danced the Blue
Bird pas de deux in Sleeping Beauty, then toured with the English National Ballet
in Derek Dean’s production of Swan Lake. She has also performed as Victoria (the
White Cat) in Cats, was a dancer/singer in Broadway Boulevard, was a dancer in a
famous illusion show Mystique and has worked for Celebrity Cruise Lines as an aerialist
and dancer. Since moving to Canada in 2008 Anya has taught and choreographed for
All that Dance and this is Anya’s second season with Ontario School of Ballet.
Serena Ali, BFA (Hons), RTS, RAD T.Dip., RAD T. Cert. - Ballet
Serena Ali is a guest choreographer at Turning Point. Serena earned her BFA (Hons.)
in Dance from York University, has extensive RAD teacher certification and BATD
jazz training. Ms. Ali has been teaching ballet, jazz and modern dance across Canada
since 1989. Many of her students have gone on to become successful dance professionals.
Serena pioneered the Dance Mosaic and other youth performing groups, and has choreographed,
produced and managed dozens of diverse stage productions. She is excited to be joining
the OSB teaching faculty as well as the administrative team.