B
RENDEN TURANICH
Brenden Turanich, originally from Saskatoon commenced dance at the age of seven. A talented young artist, Brenden at 12, performed professionally for National Tours in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Nutcracker and the Canadian National Ballet’s Giselle. Brenden continued his training in Saskatoon until, at age eighteen, he began his worldwide professional career.
Brenden, based now in Los Angeles, is sought after by prominent conventions as an adjudicator and by Canadian and international studios for his unique talents as a teacher and choreographer.
Brenden’s credits include screen and live performances for Chris Brown, Cee-Lo Green, Stevie Wonder, Cirque, NBC Universal, Paramount, Diesel, Mac Cosmetics, Estee Lauder, and UNICEF.
Brenden is the driving force behind the North America Company Dance Force Workshops, a company that provides specialty workshops in a studios own facilities. Brenden is very proud of his company because of his talented faculty and the passion they bring to the workshops. The instructors are enthusiastic individuals who aspire to share their love of dance with every generation.
Brenden’s objective is to teach the dancers of tomorrow to not only execute choreography, but at the same time expand their minds and create their own movement from self-inspiration.
JACKIE ENGLISH
Jackie English was for years the host and face of the Ontario’s TVO Kids live show “The Space” but is best known for her award-nominated TV series “Jackie’s School of Dance” and her list of memorable characters.
Ms. English credits also include CTV’s Rookie Blue” and Brandon Cronenberg’s film “Antiviral” which screened at Cannes and TIFF as well as two new TV series “Beauty and the Beast” and “Cracked”.
Jackie also was the Assistant Director, Choreographer and actor in “My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding”, a stage musical produced by David Mirvish, and choreographed for Second City and CBC’s TV Special “I Martin Short Goes Home”. Jackie’s short film “Nimby” won first place at the Toronto Urban Film Festival and she is also the Artistic Director of a short film collective “The Splinter Unit”, and has won an international award for children’s animation.
Jackie enjoys all aspects of the entertainment industry, a multi-talented individual she demonstrates her love of theatre by dancing, singing, writing and producing in a multitude of venues and for a host of individuals of all ages. Jackie is passionate in her commitment to the young and demonstrates this by her innovative writings, stage shows, improve, acting, dance classes and workshops for children.
DIEGO ARVELO
Born in the Dominican Republic, Diego started ballet at nine years of age. With his father’s influence and training, he became the youngest dancer in the Ballet of Santo Domingo, joining the company at age 16. While the company toured through South America, Diego appeared in such productions as “Firebird”, and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. At the age of 25 he turned his focus to choreography.
Mr. Arvelo’s credits also include the Ottawa production “The Messiah” and two original ballets “Cry for the Damned” and “ Reflex ion”, also choreographing for the production of “Much ado about Nothing” at the St. Laurence Shakespeare Festival. In 2004 Mr. Arvelo began yet another creative endeavor with the opening of the Brockville Youth Stage and Dance Company (2004-2009). His productions included “The Wizard of Oz”, “Peter Pan”, “West Side Story”, “Oliver”, “Grease”, and “Disney’s Aladdin”, each of which received outstanding reviews. Most recently Diego was presented with the coveted title of Guest International Choreographer for EDANCO 2011, an International Festival of Contemporary Dance, hosted in Santo Domingo, the Capital city of his birth country, the Dominican.
Mr. Arvelo has spent the majority of the last 20 years teaching ballet, modern, jazz and lyrical jazz technique throughout Eastern Ontario and Western Canada as well as teaching and choreographing at the St. Laurence College Musical Theatre Program. In March of 2002 Diego opened the doors of D.A.D.X Dance Academy, where he served as the Artist Director. Mr. Arvelo has judged at numerous regional and national dance competitions and enjoys having the opportunity to provide young, aspiring dancers with constructive comments and advice. With his vast experience in dance training, teaching and choreography, he offers an exceptional level of knowledge and expertise to all performers.