FACULTY

Nancy Voce, RT DMA, CDTA

Nancy began her dance training at the age of 3 in ballet , jazz, tap and acrobatics. At the age of 7, she began performing at local commmunity events and on local television. She has trained extensively throughout North America with such well- known choreographers such Gus Giordano, Nan Giordano, Joe Tremaine, Frank Hatchett and Debbie Reynolds. At the age of 18, Nancy became of member of the Canadian Dance Teachers Association (C.D.T.A.); Dance Masters of America (D.M.A.), completed all her examinations with the Royal Academy of Dance (R.A.D.) and began her teaching career. Nancy attended Ryerson University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1989, Food Science and Nutrition being her major area of study. In 1991 she became Director of the Mississauga School of Dance. In recent years, Nancy has adjudicated various competitive dance events sharing her knowledge and expertise with others. Her students have won many awards over the past 17 years under her guidance. Nancy Voce has devoted her life to dance and contiunes to share her love and passion with her students. In April 2008, Nancy received the ‘Fever Dance Award’ for her contributions to the dance community.

Mary Swierczynski, RT RAD

Mary began her dance training at the age of five with the Alarie School of Dance in Oakville. She then attended the Fleming School of Dance for seven years taking classes in Ballet , Modern, Jazz and Musical Theatre. While there, she completed dance examinations in both Ballet and Modern through the Royal Academy of Dance (R.A.D.) and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (I.S.T.D) Mary also performed in productions with the Oakville Players, Burloak Theatre Group, and the Brampton Musical Society. In 1984, Mary began her professional training at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto. She graduated in 1987 and holds both the Canadian College of Dance Teaching Diploma and RAD-RTS Royal Academy of Dance Teaching Diploma. Since then has held teaching positions at the Tate Dance Studio inYellowknife, N.W.T. and several prominent schools in the Greater Toronto Area. Mary is a longstanding member of the R. A. D. and has been a part of the Mississauga School of Dance teaching staff since 1994.

Heather Purdie, RT BATD

Heather started out at the age of 5 as a figure skater and gymnast. She then began dancing at the age of 8 to improve her competitive skating when she realized dance was her true passion. She danced at Lorri’s Dance Place Unlimited as a competitive dancer taking Jazz, Tap, Acro and Ballet. Heather attendied the Etobicoke School of the Arts from grades 9 to 11 where she was then accepted to Silverthorn Collegiate Institute . She was a graduate of the High Performer Program for gifted athletes. Heather is also a graduate of the Computer Sales and marketing Program and the General Arts & Sciences Program at Humber College. Heather has completed her examinations through the British Association Teachers of Dance (B.A.T.D) in Jazz, Acro and Tap and her Royal Academy of Dance (R.A.D.) in Ballet.
Heather has been teaching for many years and is well known in the dance world. She has taught and choreographed routines for competitive and recreational students at numerous studios all over Ontario.
Heather joined the teaching faculty at the Mississauga School of Dance in 2001 and commits her true passion to her students. She truly believes that dance is an expression of the soul that is hidden within us and through her guidance she teaches her students to let it all out.

Kathleen Duffy, RT RAD

Ms. Kathleen Duffy is an independent dance artist specializing in teaching, choreography and performance training for children age 9 – 19 years.
She has received her professional dance and teacher training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and was a soloist with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company from 1970 to 1981. Her 15 year performing career as an independent principal artist and Royal Winnipeg Ballet soloist, spans four continents and has allowed her to work with many of the dance world’s most acclaimed choreographers, artists and teachers.
She has performed leading roles for choreographers such as John Neumier, Rudy van Dantzig, Eliot Field and Agnes de Mille, while her extensive list of teachers and coaches includes such names as Dame Alicia Markova and Madame Vera Volkva.
Ms. Duffy’s teaching and adjudicating credits include the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Alberta Ballet School, York University, Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre, as well as Art schools, private schools and professional programs throughout Canada and the U.S.
She operated her own school in Mississauga from 1987 – 2003 and served three years as Chairperson, Dance for the Mississauga Arts Awards.

Natalie Nesterenko

Natalie’s innovative choreography, distinct teaching style, and unwavering dedication to her students, have been fundamental in her continued success in the Toronto dance scene and competitive dance industry. She has been a choreographer for ten years, a Toronto Argonaut Cheerleader for five seasons, and an Argonaut captain/choreographer for two seasons. She was honorably selected as the East Dream Team Captain for two consecutive Grey Cup Championship Games (2008, 2009), and selected to assist in teaching the Stereos’ “Summer Girl” choreography at the 2009 Grey Cup intro dance rehearsal. Natalie has been featured on Breakfast Television, ET Canada, BPM T.V., and Argo Access. She has worked with artists such as New Kids on the Block, and Nelly Furtado, performed in videos for Mya, and Kardinal Offishall, and danced at Grey Cup for artists including: Black Eyed Peas, Mobile, and The Stereos. Natalie co-choreographed and performed in a video with “So You Think You Can Dance Canada’s” Natalli Reznik and Natalie Lyons, and has had the honor of performing in a piece by “So You Think You Can Dance Canada’s:” Luther Brown at a CFL game. Recently Natalie opened for Jay Martin’s uptown Comedy Series, starring Eddie Griffen, with SYTYCD Canada’s Lisa Auguste and High School Musical’s Ofilio Coto. Natalie is excited to join the Mississauga School of Dance team. She aspires to instill confidence, promote health and wellness, and help dancers discover unknown potential.

Nadine Scoccia, RT DMA

Nadine has trained as a Triple Threat Performer for 25 years and performed professionally for 15 years in all forms of dance, drama and vocals and has been conservatory trained in voice and piano. She graduated from the Etobicoke School of the Arts and received the Board of Education Scholarship of Excellence for Musical Theatre. Nadine attended The Randolph Academy of the Performing Arts for voice, drama and dance. She received her teaching certification from the Dance Masters of America, where she graduated with honours in jazz and tap.
Nadine has won numerous awards for dance, vocals and choeography. She won a gold medal in New York City for Best New Broadway Production. She has performed for the United Nations and the Gemini Awards.Nadine was also the former Captain and Choreographer of the Toronto Blue Jays Cheerleading Team. Nadine has had the opportunity with great masters such as William Orlowski, Canadian Tap Legend and Tom Ralabate, American Jazz Legend to name a few.
Nadine is the Arts Coordinator for the City of Mississauga creating programs for the preschool age through adults in the area of Performing Arts. She is happy to be joining the Team at the Mississauga School of Dance and looks forward to her years to come.

Annastacia Smith, BFA hons

Annastacia has 26 years of pre-professional and graduate level training. She holds a BFA honours in dance from York University, as well as her level one certificate in gymnastics, and her PSW to work with children with special needs.
She has performed professionally for many stage companies, including RYT and Mirvish productions.
She trained in Toronto, where she was accepted into many summer ballet intensives including Quinte and The National Ballet School. At age 13, she was accepted to Cawthra Park School of the Arts where she majored in dance and minored in theatre. She has trained in CDTA, RAD, Limon and Graham techniques under such teachers as Sharon Wong (Alvin Ailey Dance Company) and Coralee McClaren (Toronto Dance Theatre).
Annastacia’s goal is to give her students the highest quality of training, regardless of age or ability, and impart her passion for dance to her students.

Hannah Etlin-Stein

Hannah Etlin-Stein is an independent dance artist, choreographer, and teacher from Toronto, with a passion and love for dance. She began dancing at the Ontario School of Ballet and Related Arts in Toronto. She continued her dance education at Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre under the direction of Deborah Lundmark where she completed her Royal Academy of Dance Intermediate Ballet Exam. Upon completion of high school, Hannah moved to Montreal where she studied liberal arts at McGill University. Greatly inspired by her time studying at Ballet Divertimento, she radically changed career paths and returned to Toronto where she received her BFA Honours from York University with a specialization in dance science and pedagogy. With an interest and great aptitude for both dance performance and choreography, Hannah joined the dance company NewFound Dance, as both a dancer and choreographer. Her most recent choreography’s include Samana (2009) and Pura Vida (2010), created for NewFound Dance’s most recent production. Hannah’s movement vocabulary expands to studies in yoga, pilates, and she is a certified teacher of C-I Training (conditioning-with-imagery). Through her great appreciation for dance artistry and her pedagogical beliefs in healthy dance training, Hannah aims at instilling a passion and love for dance in all her students.