Ontario Secondary School DANCEFEST has been a registered not-for-profit organization since 2015 and operates with a volunteer Board of Directors. A passionate group of teachers, performing artists, and volunteers have welcomed secondary students from across the province since 2003. Secondary schools offering Dance classes in the curriculum and extracurricular dance teams are invited to join us for an enriching performing arts experience.
Ontario Secondary School DANCEFEST has been a registered not-for-profit organization since 2015 and operates with a volunteer Board of Directors. A passionate group of teachers, performing artists, and volunteers have welcomed secondary students from across the province since 2003. Secondary schools offering Dance classes in the curriculum and extracurricular dance teams are invited to join us for an enriching performing arts experience.
Ontario Secondary School DANCEFEST has been a registered not-for-profit organization since 2015 and operates with a volunteer Board of Directors. A passionate group of teachers, performing artists, and volunteers have welcomed secondary students from across the province since 2003. Secondary schools offering Dance classes in the curriculum and extracurricular dance teams are invited to join us for an enriching performing arts experience.
OSSDF organizes a 3-4 day annual event to provide opportunities for secondary dancers and their dance teachers/coaches to broaden their knowledge, creativity and experience through sharing, collaboration, performance, and educational development in a friendly forum.
We strive to open the lines of communication between high school teachers of Dance in Education classes and after-school dance programs, elementary teachers of curricular/extracurricular dance, and university dance crews. We want to create links for students of all ages to give them choices of how they can continue supporting their lifestyle, including their passion for Dance.
“It is with great pleasure and excitement that I extend my warmest welcome to all of you for the upcoming season of DANCEFEST. As the President of this event, I am deeply honored to be a part of such an inspiring group of board members, adjudicators, workshop leaders and of course, dance educators and talented dance students.” Read Full Message
“It is with great pleasure and excitement that I extend my warmest welcome to all of you for the upcoming season of DANCEFEST. As the President of this event, I am deeply honored to be a part of such an inspiring group of board members, adjudicators, workshop leaders and of course, dance educators and talented dance students.” Read Full Message
“It is with great pleasure and excitement that I extend my warmest welcome to all of you for the upcoming season of DANCEFEST. As the President of this event, I am deeply honored to be a part of such an inspiring group of board members, adjudicators, workshop leaders and of course, dance educators and talented dance students.” Read Full Message
As an organization and settlers on this land known as Kanata and Kanadario, we are proud to acknowledge those who were on this land before us.
We live, teach and practice on land that has been inhabited by Indigenous peoples from the beginning. As settlers, we are grateful for the opportunity to reside here, and we thank all the generations of people who have taken care of this land for thousands of years. We acknowledge the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Ojibway/Chippewa, Haudenosaunee, Neutral peoples and many other Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island. Although this territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treatise, we acknowledge that we are also critical of how it has largely been breached by settlers and newcomers. We support the movement toward a renewed Indigenous sovereignty and deeply appreciate their historic connection to this place. We seek to learn more.
We also want to acknowledge Indigenous black people of colour and LGBTQ2+ who have been marginalized for centuries and our collective responsibility to take action for a better world that is free from oppression, discrimination and racism.
We encourage all who visit our site and interact with our organization and all Canadians to do the same. We have provided sources of information to provide a source of education and to pass on to others.
As an organization and settlers on this land known as Kanata and Kanadario, we are proud to acknowledge those who were on this land before us.
We live, teach and practice on land that has been inhabited by Indigenous peoples from the beginning. As settlers, we are grateful for the opportunity to reside here, and we thank all the generations of people who have taken care of this land for thousands of years. We acknowledge the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Ojibway/Chippewa, Haudenosaunee, Neutral peoples and many other Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island. Although this territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treatise, we acknowledge that we are also critical of how it has largely been breached by settlers and newcomers. We support the movement toward a renewed Indigenous sovereignty and deeply appreciate their historic connection to this place. We seek to learn more.
We also want to acknowledge Indigenous black people of colour and LGBTQ2+ who have been marginalized for centuries and our collective responsibility to take action for a better world that is free from oppression, discrimination and racism.
We encourage all who visit our site and interact with our organization and all Canadians to do the same. We have provided sources of information to provide a source of education and to pass on to others.
Meet the dedicated board members behind DANCEFEST, a passionate team committed to fostering creativity and inclusivity in the world of dance.
President of Ontario Secondary School Dancefest
Katie Knowlton was one of the grade 12 students in 2003 who helped organize and run the first live event. 21 years later, Katie is now a dance educator and science teacher at Cameron Heights in Kitchener and has been bringing her students to DANCEFEST since 2014. She organizes and runs a Dance Team at Cameron Heights that has over 100 dance students that participate in styles of dance such as Bollywood, Bhangra, K-pop, Hip Hop, Jazz and Contemporary. Katie has experience teaching dance in both education as well as at Laurier University, Davenport Dance Project and as the choreographer of the KW Titans Dance Pack. As a Dancefest Alumni and a huge advocate for this event, Katie is excited to be leading the OSSDF board this year to help continue to make DANCEFEST a positive experience for students and teachers.
Vice President of Ontario Secondary School Dancefest
Meghan Kidd is a Dance, Drama, and English teacher at the Waterloo Region District School Board. She has been teaching Dance at Laurel Heights Secondary School for 12 years and loves sharing her love and passion for the performing arts with her students. Meghan has choreographed and directed several school musicals during her 14 year teaching career. She runs and organizes her school’s Dance Teams and has been attending DanceFest with her students since she began teaching in 2010.
Co-Founder and Past-President of Ontario Secondary School Dancefest
Laurel Brown, Hons.B.A., B.Ed., hosted the first DANCEFEST event in 2003 at Bluevale Collegiate in Waterloo with the support of teachers who attended the York Dance AQ the winter of 2002/03. Today, she feels very fortunate that many of those teachers continue to return each year to network and provide important “next steps” to their student dancers and choreographers at this friendly and empowering dance experience now called Ontario Secondary School DANCEFEST.
Laurel was honoured to be OSSDF President until 2023. In addition, she is the West Region Coordinator for CODE, the Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators, our provincial subject association. Laurel has directed, choreographed and/or performed for several community theatre companies for over four decades and recently performed professionally for Drayton Entertainment. She was presented with the Mentor Award from Kitchener Waterloo Arts Awards in 2004 for her contributions as Founder and Artistic Director for Acting Out, a musical theatre experience for youth she coordinated from 1994-2012 in Stratford. Laurel retired from WRDSB in 2018 as a secondary Dance and Drama educator and continues to share her passion as a P/T instructor at Brock University’s Faculty of Education.
Secretary/treasurer of Ontario Secondary School Dancefest
Cathy Bowman is a long-time dance lover and former dance mom (in a good way!) who believes that it is important to support dance education. She worked as a financial executive in the insurance industry in Waterloo Region for many years. After retiring in 2017, it was important for her to find rewarding volunteer opportunities. Ontario Secondary School DANCEFEST has allowed her to combine her interests and skills to help provide opportunities for young choreographers and dancers to achieve their very best. Cathy joined the Board in 2020 after helping with DANCEFEST in 2018 and 2019. She is very excited to continue her duties and be back at the Registration Desk for DANCEFEST!
Member at Large
Nikkie Price BA, MScEd, has proudly been a Dance and Geography Teacher at Forest Heights Collegiate Institute in Kitchener, Ontario for 20 years. More recently, she became the Geography Department Head in 2019 to further her curricular leadership. She was proudly the KW Titans Dance Pack Director, alongside OSSDF President Katie Knowlton, for the NBLC team’s first two seasons. Nikkie’s stage credits include West Side Story and Guys and Dolls with Kitchener Waterloo Musical Productions, and West Side Story with Royal City Musical Productions. As a classically trained dancer of over 35 years, Nikkie’s foundations in technique and alignment help to guide her practice and belief that dance is for all bodies; which has fueled her passion for dance education. As a complement to her training, she is also a certified DanceGroove instructor. Nikkie has coached hundreds of students in the art of dance and choreographic artistry through the FHCI curricular and extracurricular programs over the past 19 years. She has had the honour and the pleasure of bringing dance students to OSSDF since 2005, in order for them to showcase their talents and shine their brightest lights on stage. She has witnessed over and over again the massive positive impact that dance education has on young individuals and she is thrilled to be able to formally support this amazing opportunity for our students through OSSDF.
Member at Large
Cathy Harris has enjoyed being part of the dance community for over 40 years. She started as a modern dancer with Gina Lori Dance Enterprise in Windsor. Her dance career furthered as an educator in the secondary division and during that time one of her highlights was being involved in Dancefest. Cathy retired in 2021 after teaching at St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic Secondary School for over twenty years. In 2009, she was hired to teach dance PT at the University of Windsor where she continues as an instructor in Continuing Education. Being a part of OSSDF is a continuation of her love for dance by watching young artists share their visions.
Member at Large
Brianne Mauro BScN RN, is a dance teacher, choreographer and Critical Care Registered Nurse in the KW area. She began exploring choreography at Forest Heights C.I under the mentorship of OSSDF Board Member Nikkie Price, and in 2010 & 2011 attended OSSDF where she won multiple overall awards including “Outstanding Choreography” for her graduating solo. Brianne thanks OSSDF for providing her with the confidence in her dance and choreography ability to then pursue leadership opportunities at Nipissing University, where she was the President of the Dance Club and member of the varsity Dance Team. In 2016 she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and was awarded the prestigious “Dave Marshall Leadership Award” for her campus involvement. Brianne is now working as an RN in the Intensive Care Unit, and is permanent faculty at Carousel Dance Centre in Waterloo. She is credited with establishing their Lyrical Program – which now has over 100 students enrolled – and is Co-Director of Carousel Theatre Company, a dance and theater program for adults with disabilities.
Member at Large
Maddy Eby is a proud member of the dance community, as a Dance Instructor, and an aspiring school teacher. Her passion for dance pushed her to pursue her BFA in Performance Dance (Toronto Metropolitan University), developing her love for choreography and pedagogy. Throughout high school, she was a captain of her school’s dance team and participated in the school’s incredible dance program. She has been a studio dance teacher for over 5 years, working with children from ages 3 to 18. She continues to further her education by attending dance teacher’s training workshops, classes, and additional teaching certifications. Her experiences, and the mentorship of her teachers have guided her to pursue a BEd (Laurier University) that she will be completing in 2025. Her students’ enthusiasm and love for dance fuels her love for teaching and choreography. She is so excited to join the OSSDF team this year!
Teachers’ Council Convenor
Joanna Perlus, BFArts (Concordia) and BEd (York), continues with more than 20 years in the classroom to bring her enthusiasm, creativity, leadership and love of dance and visual art to students. Her past experiences as a professional dancer and commissioned artist have fueled her passion to advocate actively for the arts in education. Joanna is the Teacher’s Council Convenor for the Ontario Secondary School Dance Festival (OSSDF), the Dance Liaison for the Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators (CODE), and a long-term member of the Newtonbrook Secondary School family where she teachers dance, drama and visual arts and is both the assistant lead of the Arts & Culture SHSM, and the Head Coach for the competitive dance team. Joanna’s practice is deeply embedded with a “dance for all students” educational approach emphasizing the creative process, critical thinking, safely strong technique, and the embodiment of thoughts, feelings, and insights in student compositions.
Member at Large
Meet the dedicated board members behind DANCEFEST, a passionate team committed to fostering creativity and inclusivity in the world of dance.
President of Ontario Secondary School Dancefest
Katie Knowlton was one of the grade 12 students in 2003 who helped organize and run the first live event. 21 years later, Katie is now a dance educator and science teacher at Cameron Heights in Kitchener and has been bringing her students to DANCEFEST since 2014. She organizes and runs a Dance Team at Cameron Heights that has over 100 dance students that participate in styles of dance such as Bollywood, Bhangra, K-pop, Hip Hop, Jazz and Contemporary. Katie has experience teaching dance in both education as well as at Laurier University, Davenport Dance Project and as the choreographer of the KW Titans Dance Pack. As a Dancefest Alumni and a huge advocate for this event, Katie is excited to be leading the OSSDF board this year to help continue to make DANCEFEST a positive experience for students and teachers.
Vice President of Ontario Secondary School Dancefest
Meghan Kidd is a Dance, Drama, and English teacher at the Waterloo Region District School Board. She has been teaching Dance at Laurel Heights Secondary School for 12 years and loves sharing her love and passion for the performing arts with her students. Meghan has choreographed and directed several school musicals during her 14 year teaching career. She runs and organizes her school’s Dance Teams and has been attending DanceFest with her students since she began teaching in 2010.
Co-Founder and Past-President of Ontario Secondary School Dancefest
Laurel Brown, Hons.B.A., B.Ed., hosted the first DANCEFEST event in 2003 at Bluevale Collegiate in Waterloo with the support of teachers who attended the York Dance AQ the winter of 2002/03. Today, she feels very fortunate that many of those teachers continue to return each year to network and provide important “next steps” to their student dancers and choreographers at this friendly and empowering dance experience now called Ontario Secondary School DANCEFEST.
Laurel was honoured to be OSSDF President until 2023. In addition, she is the West Region Coordinator for CODE, the Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators, our provincial subject association. Laurel has directed, choreographed and/or performed for several community theatre companies for over four decades and recently performed professionally for Drayton Entertainment. She was presented with the Mentor Award from Kitchener Waterloo Arts Awards in 2004 for her contributions as Founder and Artistic Director for Acting Out, a musical theatre experience for youth she coordinated from 1994-2012 in Stratford. Laurel retired from WRDSB in 2018 as a secondary Dance and Drama educator and continues to share her passion as a P/T instructor at Brock University’s Faculty of Education.
Secretary/treasurer of Ontario Secondary School Dancefest
Cathy Bowman is a long-time dance lover and former dance mom (in a good way!) who believes that it is important to support dance education. She worked as a financial executive in the insurance industry in Waterloo Region for many years. After retiring in 2017, it was important for her to find rewarding volunteer opportunities. Ontario Secondary School DANCEFEST has allowed her to combine her interests and skills to help provide opportunities for young choreographers and dancers to achieve their very best. Cathy joined the Board in 2020 after helping with DANCEFEST in 2018 and 2019. She is very excited to continue her duties and be back at the Registration Desk for DANCEFEST!
Member at Large
Nikkie Price BA, MScEd, has proudly been a Dance and Geography Teacher at Forest Heights Collegiate Institute in Kitchener, Ontario for 20 years. More recently, she became the Geography Department Head in 2019 to further her curricular leadership. She was proudly the KW Titans Dance Pack Director, alongside OSSDF President Katie Knowlton, for the NBLC team’s first two seasons. Nikkie’s stage credits include West Side Story and Guys and Dolls with Kitchener Waterloo Musical Productions, and West Side Story with Royal City Musical Productions. As a classically trained dancer of over 35 years, Nikkie’s foundations in technique and alignment help to guide her practice and belief that dance is for all bodies; which has fueled her passion for dance education. As a complement to her training, she is also a certified DanceGroove instructor. Nikkie has coached hundreds of students in the art of dance and choreographic artistry through the FHCI curricular and extracurricular programs over the past 19 years. She has had the honour and the pleasure of bringing dance students to OSSDF since 2005, in order for them to showcase their talents and shine their brightest lights on stage. She has witnessed over and over again the massive positive impact that dance education has on young individuals and she is thrilled to be able to formally support this amazing opportunity for our students through OSSDF.
Member at Large
Cathy Harris has enjoyed being part of the dance community for over 40 years. She started as a modern dancer with Gina Lori Dance Enterprise in Windsor. Her dance career furthered as an educator in the secondary division and during that time one of her highlights was being involved in Dancefest. Cathy retired in 2021 after teaching at St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic Secondary School for over twenty years. In 2009, she was hired to teach dance PT at the University of Windsor where she continues as an instructor in Continuing Education. Being a part of OSSDF is a continuation of her love for dance by watching young artists share their visions.
Member at Large
Brianne Mauro BScN RN, is a dance teacher, choreographer and Critical Care Registered Nurse in the KW area. She began exploring choreography at Forest Heights C.I under the mentorship of OSSDF Board Member Nikkie Price, and in 2010 & 2011 attended OSSDF where she won multiple overall awards including “Outstanding Choreography” for her graduating solo. Brianne thanks OSSDF for providing her with the confidence in her dance and choreography ability to then pursue leadership opportunities at Nipissing University, where she was the President of the Dance Club and member of the varsity Dance Team. In 2016 she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and was awarded the prestigious “Dave Marshall Leadership Award” for her campus involvement. Brianne is now working as an RN in the Intensive Care Unit, and is permanent faculty at Carousel Dance Centre in Waterloo. She is credited with establishing their Lyrical Program – which now has over 100 students enrolled – and is Co-Director of Carousel Theatre Company, a dance and theater program for adults with disabilities.
Member at Large
Maddy Eby is a proud member of the dance community, as a Dance Instructor, and an aspiring school teacher. Her passion for dance pushed her to pursue her BFA in Performance Dance (Toronto Metropolitan University), developing her love for choreography and pedagogy. Throughout high school, she was a captain of her school’s dance team and participated in the school’s incredible dance program. She has been a studio dance teacher for over 5 years, working with children from ages 3 to 18. She continues to further her education by attending dance teacher’s training workshops, classes, and additional teaching certifications. Her experiences, and the mentorship of her teachers have guided her to pursue a BEd (Laurier University) that she will be completing in 2025. Her students’ enthusiasm and love for dance fuels her love for teaching and choreography. She is so excited to join the OSSDF team this year!
Teachers’ Council Convenor
Joanna Perlus, BFArts (Concordia) and BEd (York), continues with more than 20 years in the classroom to bring her enthusiasm, creativity, leadership and love of dance and visual art to students. Her past experiences as a professional dancer and commissioned artist have fueled her passion to advocate actively for the arts in education. Joanna is the Teacher’s Council Convenor for the Ontario Secondary School Dance Festival (OSSDF), the Dance Liaison for the Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators (CODE), and a long-term member of the Newtonbrook Secondary School family where she teachers dance, drama and visual arts and is both the assistant lead of the Arts & Culture SHSM, and the Head Coach for the competitive dance team. Joanna’s practice is deeply embedded with a “dance for all students” educational approach emphasizing the creative process, critical thinking, safely strong technique, and the embodiment of thoughts, feelings, and insights in student compositions.
Member at Large
Ontario Secondary School Dancefest Adjudicator
Alan Goetten is a Brazilian dancer and choreographer with over 20 years of experience in the dance industry. Alan’s passion for dance has been a driving force throughout his career, leading him to excel in various styles including jazz, hip-hop, Reggaeton, and lyrical/contemporary. Having studied and taught dance to students ranging from ages 6 to 18, as well as adult classes, Alan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his teaching. He spent 15 years with his previous dance team in Brazil, competing in numerous dance conventions across the country and even internationally in the United States.
Alan’s talent and dedication were further showcased when his dance team had the opportunity to choreograph and perform shows at Disneyland Orlando in 2016 and Disneyland Paris in 2019. These experiences not only highlighted his choreographic skills but also allowed him to share his passion for dance on a global stage. In the past three years, Alan has been teaching in Canada, where he has made a significant impact on the local dance community. At a studio in Toronto, he has guided approximately 130 children through his dance programs, instilling in them not only technical skills but also a love for the art form.
Alan’s ultimate goal is to inspire the younger generation and provide them with the tools they need to shine on stage. His commitment to sharing his knowledge and fostering a supportive learning environment reflects his dedication to nurturing the next generation of dancers.
Ontario Secondary School Dancefest Adjudicator
Award-Winning Choreographer, Expert Adjudicator and International Dance Authority. For over 3 decades, Shawn Byfield sets the bar as a highly respected coach, choreographer, outstanding adjudicator, and emcee for festivals, competitions, and major events. Shawn (www.ShawnByfield.com) is a DORA MAVOR MOORE AWARD™ winning choreographer (Canada’s version of a TONY Award™,) a GEMINI AWARD™ nominee, a 2x BLACK CANADIANS AWARD™ nominee, and a leading force in Canadian entertainment. He’s a veteran performer and energizing instructor with oodles of experience to share!
Shawn worked with celebrities Adam Sandler, Gregory Hines, Twitch, Andrea Martin, Derek Hough, Barry Lather, Jason Priestley (plus others.) As a dance educator, he coaches thousands of dancers nationwide. Film & TV credits include: Sneakerella (Disney+), My Spy (Amazon Prime), Self Made (Netflix), HAIRSPRAY, A Simple Favor, Working The Engels, Make Your Move, Turn The Beat Around, Blues Brothers 2000, Taal, Bojangles, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, The Music Man, Slings & Arrows, Instant Star… and many TV shows, theatre productions, and commercials. Most importantly- he’s a wired encourager and positive role model. Shawn motivates regularly on his Instagram (@ShawnByfield) and through The DanceBug Channel across North America. He’s a Director for the Canada International Youth Dance Festival; is a Certified Public Speaker; and he’s a Certified Coach, Trainer and Presenter, which equips him to better understand and connect with dancers on their level. Shawn’s fun personality, positive feedback and entertaining lessons leave dancers and audiences excited for the future!
Ontario Secondary School Dancefest Adjudicator
Jocelyn has recently taken on the role of Program Coordinator for the Near North District School Board, overseeing the Specialist High Skills Major programs and Experiential Learning. Prior to this new educational endeavour, she taught dance, drama and vocal music for 28 years at the high school level in North Bay, Ontario. Her passion for performance arts for all ages and for everyone, has led her to accumulate over 30 years’ experience working in community theatre with Dreamcoat Fantasy Theatre, Summer Challenge, and Theatre OutReach On Stage in North Bay, more recently Huntsville Festival of the Arts (Huntsville) and South Shore Summer Theatre (Nova Scotia). Jocelyn continues to foster the educational aspects of performance arts by being an active member of the North Bay Entertainers Hall of Recognition, Educational Consultant for the Huntsville Festival of the Arts and a member of the board with the Huntsville Theatre Company.
Jocelyn’s true passion is to help develop students who find the value in not only dancing and performing for others, but with others. As an original founding member of DanceFest she is so proud of all the participants have accomplished over the years of this program, but most importantly gives kudos to those that have kept this program, and the foundations on which it was built upon, alive and well for as many students as possible. Jocelyn is always looking for opportunities to create and explore the elements of performing arts with anyone who shares a passion for the arts.
Ontario Secondary School Dancefest Adjudicator
Alan Goetten is a Brazilian dancer and choreographer with over 20 years of experience in the dance industry. Alan’s passion for dance has been a driving force throughout his career, leading him to excel in various styles including jazz, hip-hop, Reggaeton, and lyrical/contemporary. Having studied and taught dance to students ranging from ages 6 to 18, as well as adult classes, Alan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his teaching. He spent 15 years with his previous dance team in Brazil, competing in numerous dance conventions across the country and even internationally in the United States.
Alan’s talent and dedication were further showcased when his dance team had the opportunity to choreograph and perform shows at Disneyland Orlando in 2016 and Disneyland Paris in 2019. These experiences not only highlighted his choreographic skills but also allowed him to share his passion for dance on a global stage. In the past three years, Alan has been teaching in Canada, where he has made a significant impact on the local dance community. At a studio in Toronto, he has guided approximately 130 children through his dance programs, instilling in them not only technical skills but also a love for the art form.
Alan’s ultimate goal is to inspire the younger generation and provide them with the tools they need to shine on stage. His commitment to sharing his knowledge and fostering a supportive learning environment reflects his dedication to nurturing the next generation of dancers.
Ontario Secondary School Dancefest Adjudicator
Award-Winning Choreographer, Expert Adjudicator and International Dance Authority. For over 3 decades, Shawn Byfield sets the bar as a highly respected coach, choreographer, outstanding adjudicator, and emcee for festivals, competitions, and major events. Shawn (www.ShawnByfield.com) is a DORA MAVOR MOORE AWARD™ winning choreographer (Canada’s version of a TONY Award™,) a GEMINI AWARD™ nominee, a 2x BLACK CANADIANS AWARD™ nominee, and a leading force in Canadian entertainment. He’s a veteran performer and energizing instructor with oodles of experience to share!
Shawn worked with celebrities Adam Sandler, Gregory Hines, Twitch, Andrea Martin, Derek Hough, Barry Lather, Jason Priestley (plus others.) As a dance educator, he coaches thousands of dancers nationwide. Film & TV credits include: Sneakerella (Disney+), My Spy (Amazon Prime), Self Made (Netflix), HAIRSPRAY, A Simple Favor, Working The Engels, Make Your Move, Turn The Beat Around, Blues Brothers 2000, Taal, Bojangles, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, The Music Man, Slings & Arrows, Instant Star… and many TV shows, theatre productions, and commercials. Most importantly- he’s a wired encourager and positive role model. Shawn motivates regularly on his Instagram (@ShawnByfield) and through The DanceBug Channel across North America. He’s a Director for the Canada International Youth Dance Festival; is a Certified Public Speaker; and he’s a Certified Coach, Trainer and Presenter, which equips him to better understand and connect with dancers on their level. Shawn’s fun personality, positive feedback and entertaining lessons leave dancers and audiences excited for the future!
Ontario Secondary School Dancefest Adjudicator
Jocelyn has recently taken on the role of Program Coordinator for the Near North District School Board, overseeing the Specialist High Skills Major programs and Experiential Learning. Prior to this new educational endeavour, she taught dance, drama and vocal music for 28 years at the high school level in North Bay, Ontario. Her passion for performance arts for all ages and for everyone, has led her to accumulate over 30 years’ experience working in community theatre with Dreamcoat Fantasy Theatre, Summer Challenge, and Theatre OutReach On Stage in North Bay, more recently Huntsville Festival of the Arts (Huntsville) and South Shore Summer Theatre (Nova Scotia). Jocelyn continues to foster the educational aspects of performance arts by being an active member of the North Bay Entertainers Hall of Recognition, Educational Consultant for the Huntsville Festival of the Arts and a member of the board with the Huntsville Theatre Company.
Jocelyn’s true passion is to help develop students who find the value in not only dancing and performing for others, but with others. As an original founding member of DanceFest she is so proud of all the participants have accomplished over the years of this program, but most importantly gives kudos to those that have kept this program, and the foundations on which it was built upon, alive and well for as many students as possible. Jocelyn is always looking for opportunities to create and explore the elements of performing arts with anyone who shares a passion for the arts.
Discover how Ontario Secondary School DANCEFEST has grown from its start in 2003 into a leading showcase of student dance talent and creativity.
The idea of hosting “something similar to the SEARS Drama Festival for dancers” sprang from a Research Inquiry project presented by WRDSB teachers, Laurel Brown and Tabatha DeBruyn at the York University DANCE Additional Qualification course during the winter of 2002.
The “work to rule” action in 2013 changed the course of DANCEFEST. Never again would the event be held in a secondary school venue.
In February 2015, Ontario Secondary School DANCEFEST incorporated as a not-for-profit organization with legal assistance from Les Protopapas, of Protopapas and Spielberg, of Kitchener, and Shelley Wickenheiser, CPA Wickenheiser Tax Advisory Professional Corporation of Elora.
A Board of Directors was formed with a group of dedicated dance teachers, most of whom had been advocates since 2003: Jocelyn Bell-Summersby; Laurel Brown; Melissa Lolarga Chiandussi; Tara Duffy; Michelle Hillier; and, Debra Kapp.
In March 2020, the world shut down. A global pandemic, COVID-19, would force the cancellation of OSSDF2020 that was planning to return to the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls. A small virtual event was offered with 7 “live” dance workshops. This platform would continue to grow over the next 3 years and offer OSSDF2021 and OSSDF2022 as virtual events as well and expand the virtual “live” workshops to 31.
The introduction in 2020 of OSSDF Teachers’ Council meetings allowed Ontario dance educators to meet and share information and resources; participate in “live” teacher workshops; and, gain opportunities to discuss the changes/reactions in education occurring during the pandemic.
OSSDANCEFEST2023 was LIVE! and in person with 208 dance entries performed by 373 participants from 16 registered schools plus 1 independent and 1 home school participant. The event was held at the University of Waterloo, Theatre of Art, in Waterloo where OSSDF2024 continued in 2024 and is planned for the Humanities Theatre for OSSDF2025.
Discover how Ontario Secondary School DANCEFEST has grown from its start in 2003 into a leading showcase of student dance talent and creativity.
The idea of hosting “something similar to the SEARS Drama Festival for dancers” sprang from a Research Inquiry project presented by WRDSB teachers, Laurel Brown and Tabatha DeBruyn at the York University DANCE Additional Qualification course during the winter of 2002.
The “work to rule” action in 2013 changed the course of DANCEFEST. Never again would the event be held in a secondary school venue.
In February 2015, Ontario Secondary School DANCEFEST incorporated as a not-for-profit organization with legal assistance from Les Protopapas, of Protopapas and Spielberg, of Kitchener, and Shelley Wickenheiser, CPA, Wickenheiser Tax Advisory Professional Corporation of Elora.
A Board of Directors was formed with a group of dedicated dance teachers, most of whom had been advocates since 2003: Jocelyn Bell-Summersby; Laurel Brown; Melissa Lolarga Chiandussi; Tara Duffy; Michelle Hillier; and, Debra Kapp.
In March 2020, the world shut down. A global pandemic, COVID-19, would force the cancellation of OSSDF2020 which was planning to return to the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls. A small virtual event was offered with 7 “live” dance workshops.
This platform would continue to grow over the next 3 years and offer OSSDF2021 and OSSDF2022 as virtual events as well as expand the virtual “live” workshops to 31.
OSSDANCEFEST 2023 was LIVE! and in person with 208 dance entries performed by 373 participants from 16 registered schools plus 1 independent and 1 home school participant. The event was held at the University of Waterloo, Theatre of Arts, in Waterloo where OSSDF2024 continued in 2024 and is planned for the Humanities Theatre for OSSDF2025.
Ready to take the next step? Contact us today to learn more, get involved, or register for our upcoming events!
