Jeannelle Weese/Artistic Director
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.
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.
Jeannelle began her teaching career at large studio 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 awards and trophies at many dance competitions throughout Ontario. She hopes that in founding her new, permanent studio, 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~
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.
Jeannelle began her teaching career at large studio 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 awards and trophies at many dance competitions throughout Ontario. She hopes that in founding her new, permanent studio, 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~
Layla Cornacchia / Junior Artistic Director
Layla Cornacchia 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.
Bartira Barreto (RAD-RTS, ARAD, Cecchetti Associates, TTP Dip, NBS)
Bartira was born in Brazil where she had her ballet training in the Royal Academy of Dance Methodology. She also took classes with the Cuban school, Cuballet, training in the Vaganova method. She went on to extended her training at the North of England College of Dancing, where she had the opportunity to perform with their semi-professional company. Bartira danced professionally with the Brazilian contemporary company Ballet Teatro Castro Alves; she has performed in Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, England, Brazil and Portugal.
Bartira holds her Advanced 2 RAD and ISTD, as well as Cecchetti Advanced 1 and National-ISTD Advanced 1. She also has a bachelor's degree in Sociology from the Federal University of Bahia/Brazil. In 2003, Ms. Barreto became a certified Pilates instructor and has taught in Brazil, as well as in Canada.
Bartira has taught classical ballet for more than 15 years, and in 2008, Bartira was invited to teach classical ballet for a school in the north of Portugal.
Bartira Barreto graduated from the Canada’s National Ballet School's Teacher Training Program with distinction and she was the winner of the Betty Oliphant Award, as well as the Carol Chadwick Award. Through NBS she was certified with the Cecchetti Society of Ballet with distinction, and the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD-RTS).
Ms. Bartira Barreto, also known as Ms. B is very pleased to be a member of the Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts family.
Bartira holds her Advanced 2 RAD and ISTD, as well as Cecchetti Advanced 1 and National-ISTD Advanced 1. She also has a bachelor's degree in Sociology from the Federal University of Bahia/Brazil. In 2003, Ms. Barreto became a certified Pilates instructor and has taught in Brazil, as well as in Canada.
Bartira has taught classical ballet for more than 15 years, and in 2008, Bartira was invited to teach classical ballet for a school in the north of Portugal.
Bartira Barreto graduated from the Canada’s National Ballet School's Teacher Training Program with distinction and she was the winner of the Betty Oliphant Award, as well as the Carol Chadwick Award. Through NBS she was certified with the Cecchetti Society of Ballet with distinction, and the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD-RTS).
Ms. Bartira Barreto, also known as Ms. B is very pleased to be a member of the Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts 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 believe the studio is an extension of our family. Brad Weese, my husband and studio manager, was a product engineer for 8 years, who left to pursue a career as a police officer. As our family grew, Brad decided to support my dream of opening a dance studio, and instead became a stay at home “dance dad” to our two beautiful children, Raign and Davia. Our son, Raign, is a boy through and through. He’s a busy 7 year old, who loves Hip-Hop & Acro. Our 5 year old daughter, Davia, 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
