About Us
Our Mandate and guiding principle is to make dance accessible to all who wish to pursue it.
Our classes are customized to all ages and abilities, from the young to the pre-professional and mature student. Our qualified, dedicated teachers foster creative development and self-discipline while providing their students with sound dance technique, musicality and professionalism. Our students acquire a true appreciation and love for dance, embracing it as their means to artistic expression.
Many of our students have pursued their education in dance and choreography at Canada’s most prestigious professional schools such as the National Ballet School of Canada, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Professional Division, the GOH Ballet Academy in Vancouver, Winnipeg School of Contemporary Dancers and many fine universities. Many former students have gone on to successful careers in the performing arts world.
Our History
In 1973, Barbara Withey Ehnes founded the Brandon School of Dance and the Brandon Dance Ensemble. Barbara danced professionally with the Ruth Page International Ballet Company, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and the Chicago Ballet. Barbara retired in 2010 after thirty-seven years of teaching and mentoring young dancers.
The studio was purchased by Brent Campbell in 2010 in order to provide continued opportunities for young dancers to receive training of the highest calibre in the Brandon area. Under new ownership, the studio expanded and moved to its current 7000 square foot facility on 10th Street. (Read More…)
At this time, Kelly Lumbard assumed the responsibility of Artistic Director of the Brandon School of Dance and the Brandon Dance Ensemble, continuing Barbara’s legacy of excellence and professionalism and preserving the training and structure of the classes. She remained in this role until 2016.
Maritel Centurion assumed the role of Artistic Director from 2016 to 2020. During this time, she firmly established the Flamenco program at the studio, facilitating many summer study trips to Jerez, Spain. Linda Kearns filled the role of head teacher from 2020 to 2022 as an international search was conducted for a new ballet instructor.
In 2022, the studio welcomed Alida Tromp from South Africa as Head of Ballet Studies. Alida brings extensive experience to the studio as both professional dancer and master teacher. The Brandon School of Dance continues to thrive and grow under her leadership.
Faculty

Alida Tromp
Head of Ballet, Pointe, PBT, Ballet Company
Alida’s dance journey began in South Africa at age three. She is trained in six dance genres including Ballet, Modern and Contemporary. Alida began competing at international competitions and European Summer Schools at age nine. At fifteen, she was awarded the Alan Hooper RAD Bursary to study at Elmhurst Ballet School in the UK. Alida graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1987, majoring in Ballet, Contemporary, Anatomy & Physiology, and Ballet Teaching Methodology. There, she was awarded her Solo Seal, RAD Ballet’s highest level. Her professional career as a soloist and first artist included performances in many classics such as Swan Lake, Nutcracker, as well as several Balanchine works. She trained under NYC Ballet principals Melissa Hayden and Bart Cook. She also starred in eleven musical theatre productions including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Over the course of Alida’s thirty years of teaching, many of her students have gone on to pursue professional dancing or teaching careers.

Amanda Vidito
belly dance
Amanda has always had a love of dance in one form or another. As a young adult, she found her true passion after stumbling upon Middle Eastern Belly Dance as a means of exercise. She was hooked! Amanda has been studying Middle Eastern dance for the past five years and has had many skilled instructors, most notably Wendy Schabrel, Cassandra Shore and Ildiko Gyarmati. Amanda has been teaching for three years and is excited to share this genre of dance with her students.

Amelia Hebert
Lyrical
Amelia started her dance journey at the age of four and has been passionate about it ever since. She has extensive training across various disciplines, having successfully completed numerous ballet, tap, jazz, and acro exams. Her competitive dance background, spanning several years, is marked by many scholarships and awards. Amelia is known for her welcoming and supportive nature, and she has been a natural leader among students at the studio. She is excited to transition into teaching, eager to share her experience, knowledge, and deep love for dance with her students.

Beth Fedorov
Head of dance, ballet, Jazz, Tap, COmpany
Beth is originally from the UK, however commenced her dance training in Cape Town, South Africa in ISTD Modern and Tap, and also RAD Ballet.Upon returning to the UK, Beth went on to train professionally at The Hammond School in Chester – gaining her National Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre. In 2011, Beth went on to dance professionally across the world working in many shows such as ‘Spirit of the Dance’ (USA and Canada), Puttin’ on the Ritz (USA), New Jersey Nights (USA) and Santa Claus the Musical (Singapore). Then spent 10 years working onboard Cruise Ships as a soloist with companies such as P&O, Cunard and Holland America Line, taking on the role of Dance Captain and Company Manager.
Amongst her performing Beth gained her Teaching Qualifications for Ballet through both RAD and IDTA boards, and Tap and Modern through ISTD. She has been teaching across numerous schools across the United Kingdom and Dubai, as both head of RAD ballet and ISTD Modern and Tap whilst entering students into Annual Examinations with both examining boards. Beth has also won several awards for her Choreography for International competitions in Paris and New York throughout her teaching years.

Charlene Hiscock
Tap, Hip Hop, Acro, Combo
Charlene started dancing at age five and has not stopped dancing since then. She has taken classes in a wide range of disciplines, competed in countless festivals and participated both onstage and behind the scenes in all of the DI Productions. In 1996, Charlene was fortunate enough to be among the first dancers in Canada to complete her Grade 9 Tap Exam with Al Gilbert. In addition to being certified in Al Gilbert Tap, Jazz and Ballet, Charlene has received certification in ADAPT, Acrobatic Arts, Alixa Flexibility and Zumba. She continues to take courses and attend workshops in order to bring new and exciting ideas to her classes. Charlene has over twenty-five years of experience teaching and choreographing for dancers of all ages and levels of ability.

Claire Bell
Adult exercise
Ms. Bell is an avid skater, skier, hiker and swimmer. She is the senior instructor for the ‘Learn to Skate’ program at the Brandon Sportsplex. Ms. Bell has served on the Board of Directors for the Brandon Festival of the Arts for many years.

Fiona Wilson
Acro
Fiona has been dancing since the age of three and has now moved to the next chapter of life by studying biomedical science at Brandon University. She has completed many exams in Jazz, Acro, Ballet, and Tap, including the ISTD Intermediate Tap and Al Gilbert grade 8 exam. Over the years, Fiona has been a member of both BSD companies and competed in many dance competitions. She loved the experiences and close-knit environment it created, and the opportunity to develop her hardworking attitude throughout each performance. Fiona is very excited to be able to share her enthusiasm for dance through the supportive and positive environment of this dance studio.

Olga Wins
hip hop
Olga has been teaching Hip Hop for over fifteen years and brings an extensive background in this dance genre. She taught Hip Hop in Germany for two years before moving to Manitoba. She led various summer courses in the community and became a Hip Hop instructor at the Brandon School of Dance in 2016. Her style includes a mixture of dancehall, afro beats, house, old school and modern Hip Hop. Classes are choreography based, but freestyle sessions are also part of the routine.

Vitaliy Fedorov
Ballet, Jazz, Acro, PBT, Contemporary, Tots, Parent and Me, Lyrical, Strength and Conditioning, Company
Vitaliy’s Dance training began in his home country at the National University of Culture in Kyiv, Ukraine, where he gained a Masters Degree in Choreography and Contemporary Dance.
Upon graduation, Vitaliy went on to perform at the National Ukrainian Musical Theatre as a Dancer and Choreographer. Simultaneously he was teaching at ‘The School of Arts’ on the Crimean peninsula and was responsible for training students in Jazz, Ukrainian Folk Dancing, Contemporary and Choreography.
In 2006 Vitaliy took his talents abroad and went on to perform in the Xua-Xia Theater, Zhen-Zhen, China in the innovative new concept show ‘Elements.’ A love for travel bought Vitaliy to dance across the world on Cruise Lines including companies such as Cunard Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Holland America Line as a Dancer/Aerialist and Dance Captain. Where he performed for over 10 years as a soloist specialising in Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet and Commercial Dance.
Vitaliy worked for 4 years in Dubai as a full-time Dance teacher with a focus on RAD Ballet, Contemporary, PBT (Progressive Ballet Technique) and Jazz for several Dance Academies. Across his time here, Vitaliy has prepared students for their annual RAD examinations (Pre-Primary – Advanced 1), Acro and Jazz with successive pass rates as well as choreographing for several shows, competitions and events such as EXPO 2020.
Vitaliy is a proudly qualified Contemporary Dance teacher with Rambert Grades and loves to share his knowledge and experience with everyone!
