Toni Grates – Artistic Director and Founder

Toni Grates has worked as an actor, writer, director, choreographer and producer in theatre, film and television in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

She is currently the head writer for the television series “Out There with Melissa DiMarco”; a Canadian sitcom produced for CityTV, OMNI, CanWest Global and Out TV. 

As an actor, you can currently see her as the “Special Investigator” on YTV’s hit show “Ghost Trackers”. She has also had roles on “The Jon Dore Television Show” and in several Movies of the Week. She has appeared in dozens of commercials in both Canada and the United States. Recent commercials include Old El Paso, Ford, Great Wolf Lodge, Cold FX, Dunkin Donuts, OLG’s “Instant Keno” and Air Transat’s “Eiffel Tower”.

She has performed on several stages in Chicago and Los Angeles as well as in many regional theatres, including the Tony Award winning Utah Shakespearean Festival. She was also the resident choreographer at the Utah Shakespearean Festival in 2003. In 2004, Toni’s one woman show, “A String of Broken Curling Irons” (which she wrote and starred in) was produced in Hollywood at the Egyptian Arena Theatre. 

No stranger to comedy, Grates has done choreography for several shows at The Second City. She also choreographed the Off-Broadway and Chicago version of the original “Sister Bernie’s Bingo Bash” and the Dora Nominated and Canadian Comedy Award winning production of “SARSical” at the Factory Theatre in Toronto. 

Grates is the Founder and Artistic Director of “The Travelling Stage”: a creative arts education company that brought dance and drama to over 10,000 students this past year. She has also been an adjudicator for the Utah Shakespearean Festival’s High School Shakespeare Competition, a guest artist for the Sears Drama Festival and a juror for the 2009 Gemini Awards. 

Grates is the co-creator and co-producer of the Award Winning As Promised Productions, where she has created and produced original shows for the Canadian National Exhibition and the Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights. In May of 2007, she created and co-produced “Magic of the Mist”, which won CHUM Television’s Greenbelt Prize Competition’s Top Prize.

Grates is a member of ACTRA, SAG, AEA and CAEA. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from York University and a diploma in Musical Theatre from the Randolph Academy. 

For more on Toni Grates, please visit: www.tonigrates.com and www.aspromisedproductions.com

Nicole Fraser – Instructor

Nicole Joy-Fraser is a multi-disciplinary artist of European and Aboriginal descent, adopted from Vancouver and raised in Mississauga. Her training began with ballet at the age of five and she continued to study modern, tap and jazz and gratefully performed all over Mississauga with Kathleen Duffy’s Canadian Youth Dance Company. She continues to dance with the International MARGARET MORRIS MOVEMENT Association which encourages cross-cultural exchange and dance for ALL ages and abilities and is a certified teacher for young children and beginners to dance.

Encouraged to pursue a career in fine arts, she was a recipient of a full-term scholarship from THE NATIONAL ABORIGINAL ACHIEVEMENT FOUNDATION to attend the Randolph Academy in Toronto and just before graduating landed the role of “Ali” (the bridesmaid) in the original cast of MAMMA MIA! at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. Touring with the same cast through the U.S. and appearing on THE TONIGHT SHOW with JAY LENO gave her the traveling bug and after singing-back up vocals for Canada’s award-winning TAMARA PODEMSKI and LORI NUIC, Nicole packed her bags for London, England. She made her UK debut on the WEST END stage of the controversial hit musical, JERRY SPINGER-THE OPERA understudying and playing the role of “Peaches/Baby Jane” and appears in the live BBC recording available on DVD. After singing in the choir for launches of THE LORD OF THE RINGS at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the travelling continued with a UK Tour of Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, taking her as far as Athens, Greece.

Since happily returning home last fall, Nicole has been busy connecting with Toronto’s Indie Arts Community and sang in the Factory Theatre’s workshop of SAVITRI & SAM, Native Earth’s staged reading of TOMBS OF THE VANISHING INDIAN by Marie Clements and their workshop of GIIWEDIN- a new opera sung in English, French and Anishnawbe Mowin. She has recently arrived back from touring RAVEN STOLE THE SUN- an Aboriginal Dance-Theatre Piece for family audiences and was performing in communities all-over B.C, Alberta and Ontario. Nicole is looking forward to playing the lead in Yvette Nolan’s JOB’S WIFE in the Summerworks Festival this August.

Stephen Gray – Instructor

Stephen Gray is an established performer, choreographer and dance educator. Coming from a dance background, Stephen trained in all disciplines of dance, winning overall titles and scholarships to dance workshops, including Performer’s Training Outlet in New York City. Continuing his training on full scholarship at Sheridan College’s Music Theatre – Performance Program, he graduated a Sheridan Scholar with Honours, receiving the Ron Holgerson Dance Award for Technical Excellence. Since graduating, some theatre credits include; the Canadian Premiere of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Drayton Entertainment), Beauty & The Beast (Stage West Mississauga), Anne of Green Gables (Stage West Mississauga), Les Feux Follets (Charlottetown Festival’s Young Company,) and Superstars & Graveyard Shift (Paramount Canada’s Wonderland). Stephen also spent two seasons with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival where he performed Oliver!, Coriolanus, Don Juan, Oklahoma! and My One & Only. Film and TV credits include Save the Last Dance 2: Stepping Up, and the CTV movie Degrassi Goes Hollywood. Aside from performing Stephen is also an active dance educator, adjudicator and choreographer. Stephen is currently on faculty with George Brown College, as well as a guest instructor at many studios and schools throughout Ontario. His choreography has been featured at Disney World, The Miss Universe Canada Pageant, as well in several student shows at Sheridan and George Brown. Look for Stephen in Ross Petty’s Robin Hood at the Elgin, and as “Abraham” in Altar Boyz at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, Fall 2009. For more information, check out www.stephenrobertsonline.com!

Graeme Guthrie – Instructor

Graeme grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick as a nationally competitive gymnast and martial artist. He began jazz dance in his senior year of high school. However, in university, he picked up Street Dance, i.e. Popping, Locking and B-boying. These dance styles immediately became his passion. He furthered his skills dancing with different break dance crews and hip-hop troupes around the Maritimes, while taking trips to New York and LA to compete and take lessons with the originators of these art forms. Since moving to Toronto in May of 2004, Graeme has performed with So Be It Union, Fantastic Poppers, Team Ryouko, Toronto Raptors Groove and Blue Jays’ 2005 J-Force while still competing internationally. Recent credits include “The Lord of the Rings” (Mirvish), “Cirque Du Soleil” and being a performer and choreographer on “That Dance Show” (PEI).

Michelle Hiratos – Instructor

Jamie Holmes – Instructor

Jamie is a dancer, actress, singer, adjudicator, aerial artist, teacher and entrepreneur. She has had extensive training in jazz, ballet (RDA and Cecchetti), hip hop, tap, modern, acro, aerial (silks and hoop), and is certified with Fight Directors of Canada in stage combat. She is a graduate of the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts which is a triple threat theatre school in Toronto, Ontario.

Some of Jamie’s dance credits include Cher’s Farwell Tour, Grande Opening for Casino Windsor, The Steve Nash All Star Basketball Game, “Chicago” for Bell Mobility’s Celebrity Gala, being a featured dancer aboard Celebrity Cruise Lines, “Artrageous” Gala in Nashville, “Gillette” Canadian Tour, C Lounge “Vegas Nights”, Fashion Cares, and was the assistant to Micheal “the ladder man” James. Jamie also frequents Las Vegas where she performs in shows and industrials at casinos such as Harrahs, Stratosphere, Hard Rock Café, Mandalay Bay and the Hilton.

Jamie has also had many opportunities to both dance and act in film and television. Some of her credits include Honey, Get Over It, ReGenesis, Instant Star, Repo the Genetic Opera, Harvard Man, New Jersey Turnpikes, Run Robot Run. She also hosted the extreme television show Envy TV, and has been in many commercials, and music videos.

Jamie has been teaching and choreographing for over 10 years throughout Canada and the United States. She is the founder and president of the newly created Triple 7 Entertainment which is a live entertainment company providing entertainment to casinos, conventions, and corporate events. Jamie is also credited with developing the Ballet Barre Workout Video Line.

Gina Kim – Instructor

Born in Edmonton Alberta, Gina Kim moved to Niagara Falls, Ontario and started her dancing career at the age of six under the watchful eyes of The Port Colborne Dance Academy, now formally known as Dance Expressions. Ms. Kim has diverse training in tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical, modern, musical theatre, hip-hop, National dance and Korean traditional folk dance. Ms. Kim received Honors in numerous C.D.T.A Tap and Jazz exams, Advanced Cecchetti and RAD ballet exams and Advanced I.S.T.D National dance exams. Ms. Kim was a competitive dancer since the age of six, receiving numerous awards and scholarships at local, national and various competitions across North America. After twelve years of competing, Ms. Kim is now a certified adjudicator in association with I.A.D.A. and is the Director/Owner of Dance To The Top, Dance Competition. Greater accomplished credentials include: Associates in The Cecchetti Society of Canada, Royal Academy of Dance, Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, Dance Masters of America and Canadian Dance Teachers Association. Ms. Kim attended master classes and workshops in Toronto, Buffalo, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Japan, Korea and Winnipeg. Her performing experience includes Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with Quinte Ballet School, The Nutcracker with The National Ballet School, Guys N’ Dolls, Bye-Bye Birdie, Grease, Chicago and Westside Story.   After graduating with her BFA Honors in Dance from York University, Ms. Kim furthered her education at Canada’s National Ballet School, and joined the teaching staff in the Associates Program in 2006. Ms. Kim has also taught dance to under privilegedkids in Thailand, Dominican Republic, Native Reserves and Mexico. Her motto is “Life Is Not A Dress Rehearsal” and with that she gives 110% in every aspect of her life, and strives to share her love and passion for Dance.

Sarah Matton – Instructor

Sarah is a highly motivated performer with twenty years training in many disciplines. After taking her first ballet class at the age of four, she continues to develop her craft and expand her knowledge in the world of dance. Sarah attended Ryerson University’s dance program where she achieved her BFA. She is a certified Jazz and Tap teacher under the A.D.A.P.T. syllabus and a certified Acro teacher under P.A.E.C. She is also an associate of the Royal Academy of Dance after successfully completing her advanced ballet exam. This past summer, Sarah performed at Stirling Festival theatre and played the role of Cassandra in CATS. She also recently appeared on Canada’s new hit series “Being Erica” as a dancer. Sarah also had the opportunity to work for Royal Caribbean cruise lines, where she performed and toured Bermuda, New England and the Eastern Caribbean. She has also performed at fFIDA, Toronto’s week long dance festival. Currently, Sarah performs with “Lady Luck Productions” in and out of the GTA. Sarah is grateful for the influence her past teachers have had on her and hopes she can inspire the next generation!

Adam Sergison – Instructor

A professional dancer, actor/singer, choreographer and teacher, Adam has worked with some of the industry’s most admired companies including Disney and Mirvish Productions.  He appears in the ensemble dance cast of the movie “Camp Rock” and the soon to be released “Harriet the Spy”.  He was a member of the Toronto cast of “We Will Rock You”  and will be appearing in “Peter Pan” in Halifax this year.

Adam performed with Toronto’s Premier Jazz/Contemporary Professional Dance Company: The Helix Dance Project in their full length dance production entitled “Rain-Life in Full Bloom” and assisted Mia Michaels during the first season of “So You Think You Can Dance Canada”. He has worked with industrial shows such as The LiveRight Gala for the Canadian Liver Foundation and the Puma Fashion Show and appeared in several commercials.

As a choreographer and teacher, Adam has conducted a number of workshops for The Travelling Stage as well as many dance studios throughout the Greater Toronto Area.  His training includes ballet (Vaganova), jazz, hip hop, lyrical, tap and partnering.  Adam attends dance conventions and workshops regularly and enjoys working with some of the dance world’s elite choreographers including Mia Michaels, Wade Robson, Brian Friedman, Mandy Moore, Shane Sparks, Tyce Diorio, Faye Rauw, Dee Caspary, Luther Brown, Linda Garneau and Justin Giles.

Thirteen successful years as a competitive dancer have given Adam valuable perspective and he loves to share his knowledge by giving back to the dance community.

Melissa-Jane (MJ) Shaw – Instructor

MJ is an Actor, Producer and Choreographer, based out of Toronto.

Presently, you can hear MJ as the voice of Sajuica on YTV’s hit animation series Erky Perky, and see her as the segment host of W Network’s What’s Cooking. Select film & TV credits include: The Triumph of Dingus McGraw (Village Idiot Prod), Lost & Found (Bravo!FACT), Grocery Mishap (Bravo!FACT), Care Bears III (Nelvana), Fall, Hot Rain (Mayhem Prod), Broken Crown: A Fairy Rhyme (One Inch Punch Prod), It’s Me Gerald (Showcase), Kojak (USA), Then They Were Made of Stone (Systematic Prod.), The Robert Hansen Story (Fox) and Black Hole High (Brewster Prod).

MJ is the Artistic Producer and founder of Seventh Stage Productions, which houses a not-for-profit theatre company that produced the critically acclaimed Canadian premiere of Anthony Minghella’s Whale Music at The Tarragon Theatre in Spring 2007; the Bravo!FACT Grocery Mishap in 2006 and dozens of corporate entertainment productions. Next up is our next theatre production in 2009, two more Bravo!FACT film shorts and a new corporate entertainment firm. For more information please visit www.seventhstageproductions.com.

To up the ammo, MJ choreographs and dances for numerous theatre, film, television and corporate performances. She can be seen on MTV Canada and Much Music teaching various guests how to dance! Her choreography can also be seen on the Flirty Girl fitness DVD collections and in Macau China. MJ spent 3 summers on scholarship at The American Theatre Dance Workshop in NYC, learning the most renowned styles from the best Broadway choreographers. MJ is teacher certified in jazz and tap (B.A.T.D), ballet (R.A.D), group fitness and personal training (YMCA), spinning (Keiser) and yoga (The Yoga Alliance). MJ is also a proud singer with the 12-piece funk sensation The ElastoCitizens and a member of Project Undertow Theatre Collective. For more info: www.melissajaneshaw.com.

Alejandra Valiente – Instructor

Alejandra is a professional dancer, teacher, and choreographer specializing in teaching Ballet, Floor Barre, Modern and performing Latin dance forms like Salsa at many types of special events in various countries like Canada, USA, Mexico, Costa Rica and Grenada Island. She was awarded as the Teacher of the Year at St. Lawrence College in Canada (2007) and Best Choreographer Award from Dance Studio Tecamachalco in Mexico.

With 30 years of extensive experience in performing and teaching, she started her career as a ballet teacher at the National Ballet School in Mexico City and complemented her studies at The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing as an Associate. In addition, she studied in Mexico at the Vaganova School, with Farhilda Sevilla and Sonia Castañeda, and with several summer intensives for The Royal Academy of Dance and The Harlem Ballet.

She has worked for Professional Training Programs, such as The Academia del la Danza Mexicana and Modulo Dancistica Company in Mexico

In Canada has been working for Ballet Creole Company as a Company member and teacher. She is also currently at Sean Boutillier Dance Academy as a faculty member

She has collaborated as a dancer with Santee Smith, Alaejandro Ronceria, Milton Meyerles, Gaby Camino, Patrick Parson and Donna Greenberg, among others choreographers.

Her dance experience in Classical and Neo-Classical Ballet, Folklore European, and later in Musicals, including Cats, Saturday Night Fever, Walt Disney Tour “Dream is a Wish”, as well as TV programs and Commercials, gave her the opportunity to develop her creativity as Choreographer and Costume Designer. She has created special event concepts for Reebok, Toyota, Bimbo, LG and Sol. She is currently the Creative Director of Conexion en Movimiento (Mexico), a Company with extensive experience in managing massive events and shows like soccer games, carnivals, and parades.

Amber Yates – Instructor

Passionate, innovative and eager to learn describe Amber’s relationship with dance. Her life long love of dancing lead her to further her education and earn a BFA Honours degree in Dance from York University. Amber has trained in ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern-favouring the Graham technique, musical theatre, pointe, West African, and lyrical. Her excitement for movement has given opportunities to experience workshops including traditional Korean, Chinese-operatic, tap, ballroom and more. After graduation she began travelling the world as a dancer and choreographer and developed a true love of cultural dance. Whether learning the wild and crazy rhythms of the Caribbean aboard cruise ships, the intricately stunning movements of belly dance in Egypt, or the lively latino salsas and sambas in Mexico, Amber’s love and respect of ethnic dance forms is a welcome influence in her choreography and teaching techniques.

Amber was a competitive dancer for over 8 years and has choreographed competitively for studios as well. She has had the opportunity to teach at many studios in a variety of disciplines from beginner to advanced, and adult classes. Her love of teaching has taken her as far north as the Yukon to instruct at a special summer intensive, and down south to Colorado and California with the American Dance Training Camp for two seasons. Amber has also worked with The Travelling Stage, a company dedicated to promoting arts education in school systems.

Her performance and choreographic credits include dancing with You-Nique Dance Collective for 4 annual shows in the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts, as well as choreographing pieces in the shows repertoire. As a dancer for two contracts in Egpyt, Cancun and later Tampico, Mexico where as the Head Choreographer for the shows she performed as well. It has been a whirlwind journey and Amber is looking forward to see what, or even where, will be next…