Suzanne is an independent artist working as a master ballet teacher and  choreographer with dance studios, aspirants and professional companies.

Originally from Vancouver, she trained and danced with some of the worlds finest ballet companies from Germany’s Stuttgart Ballet to Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, London England’s Dance Centre to Pacific Ballet Theatre (Ballet B.C.)

She performed as a lead dancer, singer and actress in professional musicals from the Vancouver Playhouse,  to Calgary’s Stage West and several productions for TUTS, MUSSOC and Winnipeg’s Rainbow Stage.

Ballet mistress and rehearsal director for Ballet BC for 5 seasons under Artistic Director John Alleyne, she worked with James Kudelka, Paul Taylor, Jean Grand Maitre, Reid Anderson, and Anna Marie Holmes.  She has also rehearsed works with Joshua Beamish at MOVE the Company, Mascall Dance and recently with Simone Orlando and Wen Wei Wang at Ballet Kelowna.

A very creative and innovative choreographer, Suzanne has worked extensively with aspirants and professionals in TV / film,  CBC TV specials, Columbia Pictures Promos, fashion shows for hair and clothing designers, dance programs for Canada’s Olympic skaters, numerous UBC Opera Department’s productions, Vancouver Opera Galas, Royal City Musical theatre productions, the Arts Club theatre, Richmond Gateway Theatre musicals, and Metro theatre pantomimes.

Currently one of Canada’s most respected and talented artists, Suzanne works with many dance studios, coaching YAGP entrants, guest teaching across Canada and adjudicating dance competitions.  Her passion and enthusiasm in many facets of the performing arts make her in great demand as an actor, teacher, choreographer, rehearsal director and adjudicator.

Alysa Pires is a Canadian choreographer who was born and raised on the traditional territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ people near Victoria, B.C. Her works have been performed by companies such as the National Ballet of Canada, Alberta Ballet, Ballet Kelowna, Ballet Edmonton, and more.

Pires held the position of Choreographic Associate at the National Ballet of Canada from 2019-2022. She began working with the company as part of their Choreographic Workshop. The resulting ballet, In Between, premiered as part of FIVE CREATIONS in January 2018 and was subsequently performed at the company’s MADHOTBALLET Gala. Alysa then represented the company at the 13th International Competition for the Erik Bruhn Prize. Alysa was appointed Choreographic Associate by Karen Kain in 2019.

Her next work for NBOC, Frenzied Order, was commissioned for the company’s YOU Dance programming in Fall 2019 and was invited to International DraftWorks 2020 at the Royal Opera House in London, England. Alysa created two films for the company’s 20/21 virtual season including a solo adaptation of In Between and in a state of vanishing. Pires made her mainstage debut with the National Ballet in March 2022 with Skyward.

Her first commission for Ballet Kelowna, MAMBO, was presented as part of the 2018 Fall for Dance North Festival in Toronto and the China Arts Expo in Beijing. Ballet Kelowna’s 2018/2019 season included the company premieres of Pires’ In Between and Spring. Alysa was then invited to create the company’s first full-length commission. After a two-year delay due to the pandemic, Macbeth had its world premiere in May 2022. 

Alysa participated in New York City Ballet’s Choreographic Institute three times (Spring and Fall 2019, Summer 2021) and was one of the 2017 winners of Northwest Dance Project’s International Choreographic Competition.

She also creates under the umbrella of Alysa Pires Dance Projects, which made its critically acclaimed full-length debut with Exterminating Angel at the 2016 Toronto Fringe Festival. 

Upcoming projects include remounting Skyward at Alberta Ballet and a new commission for New York City Ballet. 

Alysa is an Honours BFA graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University and was the recipient of the 2015 Jack McAllister Award, which recognizes alumni accomplishment. 

After retiring from the stage as a principal dancer, Jorden began to study and explore choreography. He attended New York University studying dance and theatre arts. Jorden also worked with Claude Bessy and Serge Golovine from the Paris Opera, studying early French choreography.

His first choreographic pursuits took him to Birmingham, Alabama in 1999 to work with the Alabama School of Fine Arts, and Winnipeg to choreograph for RWB’s Professional Division students before becoming a reoccurring choreographer for RWB. Notable works include full length ballets currently being performed internationally: “Deverell”, “Peter Pan”,  “Moulin Rouge” and “The Great Gatsby”.

Jorden took on the concept, direction and choreography of “Head Start/Feet First”. The project was a collaboration between the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and four intercity high schools. Jorden choreographed the popular work “Free Zone” for this project as well as the finale, which incorporated 160 dancers on stage. His integral participation as a character in the CBC’s children’s television show “The Toy Castle” took a major turn as he transformed it into an interactive live dance performance for pre-school aged children. Since then, Jorden has re-staged the work for Atlanta Ballet. His starring role in the series earned him a Genie nomination in 2003.

Jorden has been guest ballet master for Cincinnati Ballet, artistic director for Citie Ballet in Edmonton, senior creative director for Shumka’s Nutcracker Production, and guest teacher at a variety of companies and schools, including VAB.