Society of Classical Ballet Vaganova method S.T.T., Open World Dance Foundation Vaganova’s Teacher Certificate, P.B.T. Level 1

Clare graduated from the Comprehensive Professional Development Program at Maple Leaf School of Russian Ballet in 2018 after studying extensively in Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Choreography and Character dance. Clare has had the opportunity to study under luminaries such as Irina Kolpkova (student of A.Vaganova, ABT ballet mistress), Evgenia Obratzova (Prima Ballerina Bolshoi, Mariinsky), and Daria Klimentova (English National Ballet) amongst many others.

She received her first formal teacher training through the Open World Dance Foundation in Riga, Latvia in 2017 but continues to expand her teaching knowledge. Additionally, she is a member of The Society of Classical Ballet Vaganova Method and certified in Level 1 of Progressing Ballet Technique. She has performed internationally, most recently dancing with Ballet De Catalunya in Spain for the 2022-2023 season.

Clare has performed principal and soloist roles in  productions such as: The Nutcracker, Don Quioxte, Coppelia, and Pas De Quatre. In addition to her live performance work, Clare can be found in numerous films including the series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.

Taisiia began her dance journey at the age of four an has studied extensively in Vaganova ballet, character dance, stretching, costume design, and dance history . She attended the Serge Lifar Kyiv Municipal Academy of Dance graduating with her Master’s diploma in choreography.

Upon graduation, she was offered a job with Kyiv Municipal Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet where she toured more than sixteen different countries. She has danced a variety of corps, soloist and principal roles. Amongst her most notable roles were performing the principal roles of ‘Kitri’ in Don Quixote, Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker and ‘Lady’ in Lady and the Hooligan.

She has been teaching for over 7 years ages two through to adults and particularly loves teaching stretching/flexibility classes. She is delighted to be a part of the Maple Leaf Dance Community and bring her wealth of knowledge to share with students of all ages.

Elena deGuzman began her training at age three at Philadelphia Dance Theatre under Joy Delaney-Capponi. She has attended prestigious programs including American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive, Boston Ballet’s Summer Program, and Miami City Ballet’s Spring Intensive. As a two-time scholarship recipient at the Chautauqua Institute for Performing Arts, she trained under Patricia McBride and performed works by G. Balanchine. She continued her pre-professional training at The Washington Ballet under Xiomara Reyes and Julie Kent before attending the Rock School for Dance Education on scholarship. In 2023, Elena joined Philadelphia Ballet as a trainee under Angel Corella, performing works by Balanchine and Ben Stevenson. She then performed new creations with Ballet Rhode Island under Kathleen Breen Combes before accepting a studio company position with The Washington Ballet under Edwaard Liang, where she has performed works by Balanchine, Septime Weber, and Edwaard Liang. 

While dancing professionally at Ballet Rhode Island, Elena began teaching ballet classes to children and adults of all levels. She has since taught at Wissahickon Dance and Philadelphia Dance Theatre, where she gained experience teaching developing dancers and enriching their technical foundations. She teaches a breadth of methods and styles, bringing her training in the Vaganova, Balanchine, and Cecchetti methods into the studio. She received her Pilates Mat certification in 2025 and added mat Pilates and ballet conditioning to her teaching repertoire. Elena is excited to continue her teaching journey at Maple Leaf Ballet.

Kathleen Holmes is a graduate of the Performing Arts/Dance Centre of Tennessee.  Upon graduation, Kathleen joined the Tennessee Festival Ballet, directed by David and Anna-Marie Holmes. As a member of the corps de ballet, immediately embarking upon a three-state tour in a full-scale production of Swan Lake.  During the 27-performance tour her exceptional lyrical qualities soon became apparent and she was elevated to Demi-Soloist. 

The following year Kathleen appeared in Canada with the Banff Fine Arts Concert Group under Arnold Spohr, Artistic Director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.  This was followed by a tour to Europe where she was coached by Bolshoi’s star dancers Ekaterina Maximova and Vladimir Vasiliev.  She there appeared in the Italian Internationale Di Danza of the Nervi Festival.

Kathleen accepted a soloist position with Ballet Hawaii where she was featured in the Nutcracker.

Rejoining the Tennessee Festival Ballet as a soloist, the following year, Kathleen toured extensively in the productions of:  Swan Lake, La Bayadere – Kingdom of the Shades, Beauty and the Beast, The Nutcracker, Peter and the Wolf, Don Quixote Suite, Etudes, Graduation Ball, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Giselle. Along with full-length productions she performed classic Russian miniatures and pas de deux from:  La Corsaire, Gluck Melody, and Spring Waters.

At the request of the Ohio Arts Council, David and Kathleen created the Ballet Theatre Ohio. She not only staged and rehearsed the company, but also starred in:  Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Laurencia, Peter and the Wolf, Petrushka and Coppelia.  Also, during this time period, they expanded and launched another company in Columbus Ohio – Columbus Festival Ballet.  There Kathleen also staged, rehearsed and starred in the Firebird and Paquita. 

Kathleen has been fortunate to have worked under some of the great ballet personalities of our time.  These have included among others:  Anna-Marie and David Holmes, Violette Verdy, Erik Bruhn, Yvette Chauvire, Ekaterina Maximova, Vladimir Vasiliev. With these influences and the Vaganova Syllabus of her original training, Kathleen has developed into an exceptionally fine teacher as well as a performing artist.  Although equally at home teaching advance and professional levels, she enjoys working with children.  She has the teacher’s gift of capturing a child’s imagination and directing it toward achievement.

Kathleen has been teaching ballet for over 30 years.  She has taught in numerous schools, summer intensive workshops and companies from Coast to Coast in the United States and Canada. She has coached all levels of dancers, gymnasts, and even ice-skaters – bringing out the students’ best qualities, and always with a glorious sense of humour.  She has an exceptional quality of making hard work enjoyable.

  In 2012 David and Kathleen formed a new organization – Coasting Along Theatre Society.  CATS was the producer of the Coast’s own highly acclaimed and beloved Nutcracker.  This production was professionally produced and not only included the talent of the Coast, but with their connections in the professional dance world, they brough guest artists from all over the globe to share their talent and knowledge with the cast.

When David passed away in 2013, Kathleen and their two girls decided to stay on the Coast. She was on the staff with the Coast Academy of Dance and continued on as the Artistic Director of Coasting Along Theatre Society, which brought the professionally produced Nutcracker to the Coast for 8 years.

During Covid, Kathleen decided to return home to East Tennessee to help take care of her Father who was fighting Cancer (he passed away in March 2022), and her mother.  She has embraced this time, and generously made time to teach summer intensive workshops, master classes and guest classes.  Her true passion – teaching, seems to follow her.

Now Kathleen is returning to Canda – this time to Victoria!  Stay tuned as the adventure continues

Nai’a has been dancing since the age of three and has developed a lifelong passion for movement, creativity, and education. Throughout her training, she has embraced a diverse range of dance styles, including Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, Tap, Lyrical, Modern, and more, to become a versatile and well-rounded artist.

She has studied RAD, Cecchetti, and Vaganova ballet techniques and completed her RAD Advanced Foundation examination. Nai’a continued her dance education at Simon Fraser University and has further expanded her knowledge through certifications in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) and Rainbow Kids Yoga. She is currently pursuing her passion for teaching at the University of Victoria.

Nai’a believes every dancer deserves a positive, supportive environment where they feel encouraged to take risks, celebrate progress, and enjoy the learning process. She is passionate about helping students develop strong technical foundations while discovering their own artistry and confidence.

She hopes each student leaves her class with more than new skills. She hopes they leave with

confidence, curiosity, and a lasting joy for dance that extends far beyond the studio.