Pam Hicks | Joyce Scott | Kim Robb | Reija Best

Lisa Rittenhouse | Lindsay Randall | Ricki-Lee Allison  | Bonnie Nicholas | Paul Koehler | Anna Broadway | Julie LeBlanc | Christine Shaw (not in picture)

Pam Hicks

A true islander, Pam’s inspiration to dance began at four years of age.  Her rigorous training in classical ballet was under the tutelage of Wynne Shaw in Victoria, and later with Norbert Vesak in Vancouver.  Pam has her Advanced Certificate and is also a Registered member with the RAD.  She has attended local and international summer schools including the RAD in London, England.  Pam has imparted her knowledge and love of dance at a number of dance centres.  Today, students appreciate her exam preparation here at Carlson’s where she has taught since 1994.  Pam specializes in open ballet and stretch and strength classes and dancers seek out her expertise in choreography for festival competitions.  Students enjoy her dedication and receive a class that polishes their technique and strengthens their dancing.

Joyce Scott

Joyce has been involved in theatre and dance since she was a young child.  If she had a chance to sing or dance she was happy!  Her early ballet training began here on the island in Sidney, then in Victoria and Vancouver for her RAD  majors.  As well as being a registered teacher with the RAD and of the ISTD, Joyce has a strong musical background and has worked extensively with the Cowichan Secondary School Music Program as well as with the Cowichan Musical Society as a performer, choreographer and board member.  Here at Carlson’s Joyce specializes in the teaching of Ballet and Musical Theatre and students benefit from her expertise and dedication.  Teaching young people the joy of dance is something in which Joyce takes great pleasure.

Kim Robb

Kim, a registered teacher with the RAD and an associate teacher for Tap with the AITD, trained at the Carousel School of Dance in Jersey C.I. and at the Doreen Bird College of Theatre Dance in London.  She graduated as an Associate in ballet, modern and national dance with the ISTD.  Kim came from London, England to Canada in 1976 to teach for the Alberta Ballet Company School and then moved to the Edmonton School of Ballet the following year to introduce the RAD method of ballet.  She became Vice Principal in 1981 and was responsible for all RAD exam work from Primary to Advanced.  Kim began teaching at Carlson’s in 1996.

Reija Best

Trained in Germany and Finland, Reija has coached figure skating, rhythmic gymnastics, creative dance, formation jazz dance and choreography at the national level.  She holds a Bachelors Degree in Physical Education and is a five-time winner of the ladies Figure Skating Championship in Middle Finland.  Her enthusiasm and attention to detail have motivated young dancers at Carlson’s since 1995.  Reija’s dance classes and choreography are in modern dance, jazz and hip hop, from beginner to adult.  Reija has been honoured by the Duncan community with the Black Tie service award.

Lisa Rittenhouse

Lisa was introduced to Hip Hop when she was on an exchange year in Japan when she was 15. She followed that with classes in Abbottsford,  Karen Clark Dance Studio and with Liz Vasen at Excalibur Dance. This exploration into Hip Hop followed Lisa’s extensive training in Ballet, Modern and Jazz. Lisa represented the Cowichan Festival at the Provincials twice for Intermediate Ballet and once for Senior Modern. She will be teaching all of the Senior and Intermediate Hip Hop classes and one Junior Hip Hop class at Carlson’s this year. 

Lindsay Randall

Beginning her dance training with ballet at the age of 4, Lindsay’s background includes Ballet and Jazz at Carlson’s (culminating in her RAD Intermediate Vocational Certificate in Ballet) and Highland Dance with Kathy White School. She participated for many years at the Cowichan Festival, and has competed in two Provincial Festivals for Ballet. Lindsay will be teaching the Saturday morning classes for Carlson’s while she pursues her career as a teacher for School District 79.

Ricki-Lee Allison

Ricki-Lee's training began at the age of 5 with Margaret Carlson's Pre-Primary Ballet class. Since then she has taken classes in every style offered at the school and completed her Royal Academy of Dance Ballet Grade 8 Award. After many years of assisting teachers in their classes, Ricki began teaching her own in Lake Cowichan in 2004. She has recently traveled to England for a teachers' intensive training program with the International Society of Teachers of Dancing in Modern Theatre and is a registered teacher with the Association of International Dance Teachers for tap and hip hop. Ricki-Lee participates annually in the Cowichan Music Festival and has done many musicals with Frances Kelsey Secondary, the Cowichan Musical Society, and the Comox Valley Youth Music Centre.

Bonnie Nicholas

A Carlson’s alumna, Bonnie achieved her Intermediate Vocational Certificate in RAD and her Advanced 1 level in ISTD Modern Jazz  while a student at Carlson’s, as well as being a regular in Reija’s Free Jazz Classes.  Summer Schools, Festival competitions, Musical Society Shows and Dance Conventions rounded out her dance years.  While attending University, Bonnie continued her dance education at the Karen Clarke Dance Studio in Victoria.  Bonnie is pleased to be sharing all she has learned with her students at Carlson’s while she completes her BA (Psychology) Degree at VIU.

Paul Koehler

Paul has been dancing for over 10 years and is self taught in the genre of hip hop dance. His talent has given him many opportunities to perform in different events, showcasing his passion and dedication to hip hop . He brings that passion this year to Carlson's and hopes to be able to pass on his talent as he gets to know the students.

Anna Broadway

Anna has over 20 years of dance training behind her in Ballet and Modern Jazz.  She has achieved her RAD Advanced 1 Vocational Certificate in Ballet.  She continues her training, as she takes on her duties teaching in the Ballet Section at Carlson’s.  Anna has rounded out her dance career  participating in the Music Festival both as dancer and choreographer and in several Cowichan Musical Society productions, acting as Dance Captain in Guys and Dolls. 

Julie LeBlanc

Julie studied Modern Jazz in her native Quebec for many years. More recently, while taking Salsa classes, she discovered Zumba® and immediately fell in love with the Latin rhythms and the amazing vitality of the formula. She found that in a Zumba® class, she could not only get a good workout, but also express her love of dance and movement, while having an incredible amount of fun! Julie did her Zumba® Instructor Training in Marysville, USA with Magdalene Aponte.

Christine Shaw

Christine trained with Kirkwood Academy in Nanaimo and Parksville Ballet School, achieving Intermediate levels in both RAD and  Cecchetti Ballet and Advanced in ISTD Tap.  She was also noted for receiving runner-up at the  Provincial Festival, which she attended consecutively for 6 years representing Nanaimo in ballet and modern. Christine attended many other programs including DanceStreams and The Banff School the Arts and trained with the Arts Umbrella graduate program and the Ballet B.C. Mentor Program. Christine is excited to share her knowledge and joy of dance with her students in Ballet and Modern Jazz.