Meet our Team
Team Profile
Jessica Slessor
Instructor
Jessica has been dancing for 25 years and danced competitively for 17. She has extensive training in tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary, pointe, musical theater, modern and acro. Jessica has completed her grades 1-8, Intermediate and Advanced Foundation RAD ballet exams. In addition to her own training, she began teaching classes at her home studio after completing her teacher certification exam under the BATD. Jessica is jazz, tap and modern certified and has 10+ years of teaching experience at both Recreational and Competitive levels. Jessica traveled to Germany in 2012 with the Canadian tap team to compete in the IDO National Dance Championships. She also spent many years training with the senior and youth company at the Tap Dance Centre. In 2013, Jessica and 10 other senior dancers traveled to Cuba and danced with the National Ballet of Cuba. During the trip she also had the opportunity to train and perform with the Sol Arenas Professional Dance Company. Jessica always sought out opportunities to expand her dance education by attending various workshops and conventions. Some of her favorites include Nuvo, Fresh, Hit the Floor, Bring Tap Back, Dance Attack and ASH.
Jessica is a graduate from Dalhousie University with a BSc. (Rec). At the beginning of her degree, Jessica searched for any opportunity to get involved in the Halifax dance community. Jessica danced on the Dalhousie Black and Gold Competitive Dance Team throughout her undergrad and was a member of the executive council and took on the role of Captain in her last year. Jessica was also heavily involved in Dalhousie’s Recreational Dance Society, both as a dancer and choreographer. In addition to her own dancing, Jessica taught at Element Dance Studio at both recreational and competitive levels. In her last year in Halifax, Jessica had the opportunity to teach and take class at House of Eights, a new drop dance studio in Halifax. Jessica completed her Bachelor of Education degree at Queen’s University (and is now a full time school teacher). Jessica has continued her dance teaching career alongside her school teaching and looks forward to dancing with the students at Muskoka Dance Connection.
Meagan Landry
Dance Masters of America, O.F.C.
Meagan Landry started dancing at the age of 9 in Pickering, Ont. She soon became a teacher’s assistant and then began teaching her own classes. She left teaching to further her dance experience performing as a Toronto Argonaut Cheerleader. From 1992-1996 Meagan worked at Deerhurst Resort as a dancer/singer in their nightly show.
Tamara Boese
Dance Masters of America
Tamara Boese discovered her love of dance at the age of 5 in St. Catharines, Ont. She trained extensively in ballet, tap and jazz, which led to numerous competitions across Canada and the U. S. At the age of 13 she became an assistant teacher. Tammy has performed in numerous productions, as well as choreographed numbers for school productions.
Kasey Stephan
Instructor
Kasey has been teaching for twenty years, the last eight in Muskoka. She brings a vast array of dance experience to her students. She grew up with a strong ballet background, obtaining her Junior Teacher’s certification from the Edmonton School of Ballet and performing in the children cast of the Nutcracker for the Alberta Ballet. This strong ballet foundation blossomed into a strong love of lyrical and contemporary dance.
Melanie McKenna
Instructor
Melanie has been dancing since the age of 3 imitating the solid gold dancers and going to ballet class. She began dancing competitively at Bojangles Dance Arts in Kitchener where she discovered her love of all forms of dance. Melanie appeared on the Showstoppers tv show in 1991 and was awarded teen dancer of Detroit at age 14. She earned her intermediate level ballet certificate from the Royal Academy of Dance in 1996.
Sam Gasson
Instructor
I have been dancing since the age of three, and dance has been a lifelong passion that has shaped who I am both personally and professionally. With over 10 years of experience as a dance teacher, I feel incredibly fortunate to share that passion with my students and help them discover the joy, confidence, and creativity that dance can bring.
Jessica Slessor
Instructor
Jessica has been dancing for 25 years and danced competitively for 17. She has extensive training in tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, hip hop, contemporary, pointe, musical theater, modern and acro. Jessica has completed her grades 1-8, Intermediate and Advanced Foundation RAD ballet exams. In addition to her own training, she began teaching classes at her home studio after completing her teacher certification exam under the BATD.
Rebecca Liebau
Associate CC-CICB
Instructor
Rebecca Liebau is a ballet educator and former professional dancer whose lifelong commitment to the art form began at the age of two. At 10, she was accepted into the intensive training program at the Quinte Ballet School of Canada, where she developed a strong foundation in classical ballet technique and performance.
Zoe Janke
Instructor
Zoe has been dancing at our studio for the past 13 years and has been assisting with classes for the past 6 years. Last season, she took the next step in her teaching journey by team-teaching her first class.
Over the years, Zoe has been inspired by the encouragement and support she has received from her teachers, and she loves being able to create that same positive experience for younger dancers.