PAUL A. GORDON
Choreographer, Performer, Adjudicator, Emcee.
Master Class Teacher, Certified Trainer.
Paul has been performing for over 36 years in theatre, TV, film, industrial shows & over 35 commercials.
Some film credits include Hairspray with John Travolta, The Magic Show with Doug Henning and Didi Conn, Superstar with Molly Shannon & Will Farrell, Christmas Carol with Henery Winkler.
Favorite theatre credits include Oklahoma at Theatre Aquarius, Swing with Drayton Entertainment and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at Stage West and the lead role in Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show for 4 years.
For over 20 years Paul and his wife Anita operated their studio in Hamilton, Ont. Since they semi-retired he now teaches tap, jazz, musical theatre, lyrical and production classes and workshops across Canada. He also works across North America adjudicating and as emcee for many competition tour companies. (pgdancers@cogeco.ca)
TAMMY MCVICAR
Tammy McVicar has been teaching dance for 18 years; most recently she owned and operated a successful dance studio in Ontario. Tammy has a strong desire and passion for teaching, and believes that young dancers can find joy and confidence through the art of dance. As an instructor, Tammy strives to create choreography and classwork for her student’s that is challenging, yet age-appropriate.
Most recently, Tammy was a guest choreographer showcasing her students in a half time performance for the Toronto Argonauts Football Team. Ms. McVicar holds a Diploma in Music Theatre Performance from The Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts in Toronto (a Professional Triple Threat training program), where she is also a former faculty member. Tammy also helped to develop the dance and drama curriculum that is currently in use for the Durham District School Board for students in grades K-8 in Durham Region, Ontario.
Some of her performing credits include dancing in the Pro-Bowl in Hawaii, The Health Show on CBC television, and acting in several plays including Les Belles Soeurs and Godspell. Ms. McVicar is a member of The Professional Adjudicators Alliance as well as Fight Directors of Canada as a Silver Level Combatant Actor.
Tammy is excited to watch all of the wonderful talent here in B.C. and wishes all of the performers the best of luck.
TAYLOR ROPER
Taylor is a professional performer who has been dancing since the age of six. He is highly trained in jazz, tap, contemporary, ballet, acrobatics and hip hop. He also studied in the music theatre program at Wexford Collegiate Institute for the Arts.
He has worked for some of the industry’s leading entertainment corporations. He was a dancer and acrobat for Royal Caribbean Cruise lines on the “Mariner of the Seas” and the “Brilliance of the Seas”. He was also a featured dancer in the cirque inspired show “Mystic Rhythms” at Tokyo Disney Sea. Taylor has also danced for Patti Wilcox from New York City and has danced in festivals throughout Toronto. Taylor has spent the past year living in Belgium dancing in a contemporary company and teaching workshops.
As a competitive dancer, Taylor has captured numerous titles including Mr. Dance and Teen Mr. Dance of Canada ch.38, Dancer of the Year for American Dance Awards and was also the highest scoring male soloist for can dance in 2007 and had the opportunity to travel and perform in Spain. He has been a dance instructor at many studios and high schools over the years throughout Ontario. Taylor is a certified member of the International Academy of Dance Adjudicators.
He is a firm believer that technique and creative style are extremely important in the development of a dancer and wishes all the competitors all the best of luck!
NATALIE LEFEBVRE GNAM
Natalie is a Vancouver based dance artist, educator and certified Conditioning-with-
Imagery teacher. Born in Prince George BC, Natalie received her training at L’École Superieure de Ballet in
Montreal and has worked with Le Jeune Ballet du Québec, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal,
dancersdancing and Coleman Lemieux & Co.
In 2008, Natalie and husband James Gnam co-founded the plastic orchid factory for which she is a director,
collaborator and administrator. The company’s primary focus is to investigate how classical bodies can relate
to contemporary ideas in performative settings. The body of work created in the factory is rooted in
collaboration and aims to fearlessly challenge and redefine the cultural function of contemporary ballet for the
Pacific Northwest. The company’s work has been presented in Vancouver at The Dance Centre, Dance in
Vancouver (2009, 2011), The Dancing on the Edge Festival, Dances for a Stage and The Vancouver Art Gallery,
as well as in Victoria at ROMP!, in Nanaimo at the InFringGing Festival and in Toronto at Series 8:08.
In 2009, Natalie and James were named as the emerging artists at the Mayor’s Arts Award for Dance in
Vancouver by the late Lola McLaughlin. Natalie was also the recipient of the 2009 Isadora Duncan Award for
Excellence for her performance in ‘endORPHIN’, the plastic orchid factory’s first evening length work.
Natalie has also received professional development awards from the BC Arts Council and the Canada Council
for the Arts.
As an educator and mentor to developing artists, Natalie has taught ballet and contemporary technique at
Arts Umbrella, The Parksville Ballet School and in various communities across British Columbia, as well as for
the plastic orchid factory. She is currently on faculty at The Richmond Arts Centre and an invited artist for
The Modus Operandi Training Program in Vancouver.