“I’ve seen beautiful things, visited beautiful places and experienced beautiful moments.  I am having the time of my life … it is because of dance.”

Ms. Janice Lynn – F.B.A.T.D., Artistic Director
Janice is a Fellow of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing and brings with her over 30 years of dance experience.  She has attended Teachers Training Programs with the B.A.T.D. in Scotland and Toronto and continues to educate herself by attending workshops with many master teachers.  Janice has owned and operated her own studio for 22 years and has won many choreography awards for her work. She is currently the Vice-President of the Toronto District for the B.A.T.D.
     Janice has been on faculty as an Examiner with the B.A.T.D. for the past two years, with Miller Lights Theatre group as Choreographer and has produced many numbers for local charities including the Children’s Wish Foundation and Dancing with The Doctors.
     Her students have won many scholarships and over –all titles from the most respected dance organizations in North America and Europe.  Her students currently hold the B.A.T.D. North American Titles in the Senior Jazz, Junior Ballet and Junior Jazz divisions.  Ms. Lynn’s students have gone on to study at Ryerson University for Dance, York University for Dance, Sheridan College for Musical Theatre, the National Ballet School of Canada, have performed in Movies (Hairspray), Musicals (Hey Marilyn, Les Miserable), Ballet Jorgen (The Nutcracker), and currently compete in  Ballroom.
     As a Dance Educator she provides opportunities for students to grow through classes, workshops, examinations, competitive team and year end recitals. 

“As a teacher, nothing gives me greater joy than to see the power of discovery on a student’s face.  More than anything else, this is my goal: to facilitate, challenge and inspire every dancer to find their own greatness.”

Mrs. Mary Knights-Rossler - Ballet Instructor
Mary began to study ballet at the age of three and added jazz, tap, lyrical and gymnastics to her repertoire over the years.  She taught at the Janice Lynn School of Dance for thirteen years and achieved her teaching qualifications in ballet, stage and modern under the B.A.T.D. syllabus. She left for three years to attend Canada’s National Ballet School and completed the Teacher Training Program which is an intensive program solely designed for training dance teachers in the newest and most innovative methods to teach ballet.  During her time at NBS studied Royal Academy of Dance syllabus, Checchetti syllabus and NBS Style (based on the Vaganova syllabus).She graduated in June 2009 with Distinction from the Teacher Training Program.  She is a registered teacher of the RAD, an Associate of the ISTD – Checchetti Branch and an Associate of the B.A.T.D.

“Be Yourself, Everyone else is taken”.

Miss Katie Fitzgerald – Lyrical, Contemporary and Jazz Instructor
Katie began dance lessons at the age of four and a competitive dancer by the age of ten.  She spent many hours with Miss Janice and Miss Mary until I completed high school.  Katie studied dance at the University of Western Ontario under Donna Peterson (a Merce Cunningham dancer), where she gained her passion for modern dance and composition.  She taught at several dance schools in London, Ontario and was heavily involved in the theatre community that is prevalent in that city.  Katie completed her HBA in Kinesiology in 2006 and has remained very interested in health and wellness.  She currently has her NCCP Level 2, Gymnastics Ontario Women and Men’s Level 2, Gymnastics Ontario Trampoline Level 1, YMCA Fitness Specialist.  Katie has returned to the Durham Region to pursue her teaching degree through York University.  She hopes to become a Secondary School dance and phys Ed teacher.

“Dancing is my life. I love taking dance class, teaching dance, watching dance, performing dance.  Now that I have the privilege to pass on my knowledge to students, I have never been happier”.

Sarah Rorabeck – Tap, Jazz, Acro Teacher
Sarah began her dance training at the age of four at the Janice Lynn School of Dance. Currently she has trained in ballet, jazz, tap, modern/lyrical, Acro and musical theatre.  She became a competitive team dancer at the age of 10 and began to sing, act and students assist at the age of fourteen.  Sarah has her advanced levels of her BATD exams in tap, jazz, modern ballet and Acro and is currently studying and training for her Associates diploma in jazz and tap.  Sarah graduated high school in 2009 and received the performing arts award as was chosen from her graduating class as “Face Of The Future”.  Sarah has had great success in the acting and dance world.  She has held the roles of Gavroche in Les Miserables, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast all at her high school. She is currently working on Les Miserable as Madame Thenardier at Oshawa Little Theatre.  Sarah has been a BATD Scholarship nominee several times and has won the title of Junior North American Tap Runner Up in 2004, Senior North American Tap Champion in 2006, and Senior North American Jazz Champion in 2008.

“Give it everything you’ve got, no regrets, tomorrow is a different day.”

Sydney Scheel – Student Assistant
Sydney has been dancing with the Janice Lynn School since the age of four and competing since the age of seven. She has been selected to compete at the BATD Scholarships in Tap, Jazz and Ballet every year since she was ten.  In 2005 Sydney won the “Hot Shoes Dance News” title, won the Champions Dance Festival Highest Tap Mark in 2007 and 2008, was Miss Pick The Stars in 2008 and was Top 5 teen at the Bedazzled Dance Finals.  Sydney shares her love of dance assisting on Saturday mornings with our youngest students.

“Dancing with your feet is one thing, but dancing from the heart is another”.

Devin Welch – Student Assistant
Devin has been dancing for twelve years with eleven of them at the Janice Lynn School of Dance.  A competitive dancer for the past six years, she has travelled to Halifax, Montreal and Quebec City.  With the successful completion of her BATD dance exams she has had the honor of going to the BATD North American Scholarships and making the top ten for Jazz and tap. Devin has also danced in the Rising Star competition at the National Exhibition in Toronto for the past two years.  She has been seen on television on Much on Demand in 2009 with a Toronto performance troupe.

“Dancing allows me to express my individuality, I love it”.

Kayleigh Graham – Student Assistant
Kayleigh has been a student at the Janice Lynn School of Dance since she was six and is now currently enrolled in ballet, pre pointe, jazz and tap. She has been a dancer on the competitive team for a number of years.  This past Christmas, Kayleigh performed with Ben Jorgen’s Ballet “The Nutcracker”, in Markham.  She has currently been nominated for a B.A.T.D. scholarship in Senior Jazz.  Kayleigh is new to the Student Assistant program and would love someday to be a teacher.

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