Ms Jeannelle /Artistic Director
Ms Jeannelle’s journey into the world of dance began at the early age of four, when she discovered her love for dance. As she grew, so did her passion and dedication. She has now been dancing for over twenty-eight years and has completed extensive training in jazz and ballet (Royal Academy of Dance and Cecchetti). Her desire to share this passion with others, as well as her background in Early Childhood Education, has materialized into over fifteen years of teaching dancers of all ages and abilities.
Ms Jeannelle’s performance experience began with jazz, acro, hip-hop and tap, then broadened to include competitive dance with the Alda Legata Hennis School of Classical Ballet. As a result of her success, she was invited to tour through Spain, performing at several prestigious events, including fashion shows and large corporate functions. Her competitive journey included many successful jazz, tap, and ballet performances, and after five years of success she was motivated to share her passion of dance to others. Since then, Jeannelle has become part of the world renowned dance institution, Dance Masters of America (DMA), Acrobatic Arts Certification (AAC), which certifies her to administer acrobatic arts exams. Jeannelle is currently completing her Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teachers A.D.A.P.T, which certifies her to administer Jazz, Tap and Ballet exams.
Ms Jeannelle began her teaching career at a large dance studio in the Durham Region, where she continued to train and participate in multiple teacher workshops in order to stay current, and develop as young dance teacher. After a few years teaching in a large studio, she decided it was time to teach independently, and began offering dance classes at the Montessori Learning Centre of Pickering for children 18 months to 15 years of age. In 1999, when Jeannelle started her dance program, she had one ballet class and eight eager tiny ballerinas. That program then blossomed into a competitive and recreational studio called, What’s Kickin’ Dance and Performing Arts, where the competitive dancers have been extremely successful receiving many awards and trophies at many dance competitions throughout Ontario. She hopes that in founding her new, permanent studio in 2015, Prodigy Dance & Performing Arts, she is able to continue to inspire others to discover their full potential in dance and in life.
~Realize your potential and embrace your inner prodigy~
Ms Jeannelle’s performance experience began with jazz, acro, hip-hop and tap, then broadened to include competitive dance with the Alda Legata Hennis School of Classical Ballet. As a result of her success, she was invited to tour through Spain, performing at several prestigious events, including fashion shows and large corporate functions. Her competitive journey included many successful jazz, tap, and ballet performances, and after five years of success she was motivated to share her passion of dance to others. Since then, Jeannelle has become part of the world renowned dance institution, Dance Masters of America (DMA), Acrobatic Arts Certification (AAC), which certifies her to administer acrobatic arts exams. Jeannelle is currently completing her Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teachers A.D.A.P.T, which certifies her to administer Jazz, Tap and Ballet exams.
Ms Jeannelle began her teaching career at a large dance studio in the Durham Region, where she continued to train and participate in multiple teacher workshops in order to stay current, and develop as young dance teacher. After a few years teaching in a large studio, she decided it was time to teach independently, and began offering dance classes at the Montessori Learning Centre of Pickering for children 18 months to 15 years of age. In 1999, when Jeannelle started her dance program, she had one ballet class and eight eager tiny ballerinas. That program then blossomed into a competitive and recreational studio called, What’s Kickin’ Dance and Performing Arts, where the competitive dancers have been extremely successful receiving many awards and trophies at many dance competitions throughout Ontario. She hopes that in founding her new, permanent studio in 2015, Prodigy Dance & Performing Arts, she is able to continue to inspire others to discover their full potential in dance and in life.
~Realize your potential and embrace your inner prodigy~
Ms Layla / Junior Artistic Director
Ms Layla has been a dancer of the Durham Region for the past 15 years. She began her dance training in Ballet, Jazz, and Tap at the age of 5 and eventually went on to find a passion for many styles such as: hip hop, modern, lyrical, contemporary, acro, and musical theatre.
Layla’s successes in the competitive dance world inspired her to continue her education at the prestigious Randolph Academy For The Performing Arts in Toronto where she trained in acting, dancing, and singing. As a result, she landed principle roles in productions such as, The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot (The Annex Theater) and Legally Blonde: The Musical (The Randolph Theater). Layla has been teaching since the age of 15 and loves sharing her passion with the next generation of performers.
Layla is an Acrobatic Arts certified teacher and is currently obtaining her Associated Dance Arts For Professional Teachers (ADAPT) certification. Layla is an award winning choreographer and has created unique and successful routines for reputable studios across the Durham Region. Above all, Layla aspires to uplift and inspire the dancers she works with and create relevant and innovative art.
Layla’s successes in the competitive dance world inspired her to continue her education at the prestigious Randolph Academy For The Performing Arts in Toronto where she trained in acting, dancing, and singing. As a result, she landed principle roles in productions such as, The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot (The Annex Theater) and Legally Blonde: The Musical (The Randolph Theater). Layla has been teaching since the age of 15 and loves sharing her passion with the next generation of performers.
Layla is an Acrobatic Arts certified teacher and is currently obtaining her Associated Dance Arts For Professional Teachers (ADAPT) certification. Layla is an award winning choreographer and has created unique and successful routines for reputable studios across the Durham Region. Above all, Layla aspires to uplift and inspire the dancers she works with and create relevant and innovative art.
Ms Danielle
Ms Danielle is a versatile dancer trained in all forms of dance. She began her training at the age of three, and immediately fell in love with Ballet. She has been fortunate to train with the renown John Ottman, as well as to have taken many classes with National Ballet of Canada’s principal dancers and instructors. Danielle holds both her intermediate RAD and Ceccheti diplomas. Danielle is a graduate of Cardinal Carter Academy For the Arts (Dance major), and is currently continuing to train in ballet, jazz, improvisation and modern as part of the Performance Dance program at Ryerson University. Danielle also spends her summers training with Pro Arte Danza - a Toronto based professional contemporary company, under the artistic direction of Roberto Campanella. As a competitive dancer, Danielle has received many distinctions and awards, including a scholarship to the prestigious Steps on Broadway conservatory program in New York City. She has relished every opportunity to learn from up-and-coming choreographers as well as well-established dancers such as Travis Wall, Stacey Tookey, Kenny Wormald, Tokyo, and the legendary Evelyn Hart. Danielle enjoys working with younger students and wishes to pass on her passion for dance and the performing arts to other aspiring dancers.
Ms Deanna
Deanna has been pursuing her passion for dance and performing since the age of 6, when she began dancing and competing at a local studio in the Durham Region. Over the years Deanna has continued her training in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, musical theatre, hip hop and acro.
Completing her role as a dance student, she decided to share her passion with others and began teaching and choreographing recreational and competitive routines. Deanna has been providing dancers with the opportunity to experience the joy of dance, while developing and maintaining their strength and technique for well over a decade. Her students have achieved scholarships, choreography awards and overalls at multiple dance competitions across Ontario.
Ensuring inclusivity of all dancers - no matter their ability is a fundamental focus for Deanna. She has been a core educator and instructor for dance classes to ensure success and support for children with developmental disabilities as they explore their passion for dance. Deanna prides herself in providing quality dance training that focuses on happy and healthy dancers.
Deanna graduated from the University of Toronto with Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology and later completed a Masters Degree at Brock University in Applied Disability Studies. Deanna has successfully completed her International Academy of Dance Adjudicators (IADA) and her Acrobatic Arts Module 1 Certification.
Deanna’s life passions center around dance and working with children and is looking forward to sharing it with the students of Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts.
Completing her role as a dance student, she decided to share her passion with others and began teaching and choreographing recreational and competitive routines. Deanna has been providing dancers with the opportunity to experience the joy of dance, while developing and maintaining their strength and technique for well over a decade. Her students have achieved scholarships, choreography awards and overalls at multiple dance competitions across Ontario.
Ensuring inclusivity of all dancers - no matter their ability is a fundamental focus for Deanna. She has been a core educator and instructor for dance classes to ensure success and support for children with developmental disabilities as they explore their passion for dance. Deanna prides herself in providing quality dance training that focuses on happy and healthy dancers.
Deanna graduated from the University of Toronto with Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology and later completed a Masters Degree at Brock University in Applied Disability Studies. Deanna has successfully completed her International Academy of Dance Adjudicators (IADA) and her Acrobatic Arts Module 1 Certification.
Deanna’s life passions center around dance and working with children and is looking forward to sharing it with the students of Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts.
Thank you your interest in Prodigy Dance. We look forward to you joining our dance Family.
A message from our family to yours....
The Weese Family
It is my pleasure to welcome you to Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts. We are a family business and have made the studio an extension of our family. My husband Brad and studio manager, was a product engineer for 8 years who left to pursue a career as a police officer. As our family grew, he choose to support my dream of opening a dance studio. Our son is a boy through and through and has a passion for Hip Hop. Our daughter is our little “ballerina princess”, who has tons of personality, and loves to dance and express herself just like her mommy!
We hope that our love, support and dedication to each other can be seen in our support of our dancers and their families. We hope to share our passion of creative expression, music and movement with all of you, and promise to work hard and motivate students to discover their hidden gifts and talents. We truly do want each dancer to reach their full potential and be the best they can be, as dancers and as people. We welcome you to our family and hope that through shared goals, open communication, and on-going support, all our students can experience success and reach their dance goals.
Sincerely,
Jeannelle Weese, Artistic Director
We hope that our love, support and dedication to each other can be seen in our support of our dancers and their families. We hope to share our passion of creative expression, music and movement with all of you, and promise to work hard and motivate students to discover their hidden gifts and talents. We truly do want each dancer to reach their full potential and be the best they can be, as dancers and as people. We welcome you to our family and hope that through shared goals, open communication, and on-going support, all our students can experience success and reach their dance goals.
Sincerely,
Jeannelle Weese, Artistic Director
