The Dance Academy 
of Mount Forest

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At the Dance Academy of Mount Forest, we provide a positive environment where we encourage all our students, regardless of ability, to develop a love for dance, musical expression, and the performing arts. We are a non-profit enterprise that focuses on keeping our fees low, being parent friendly, and protecting your child(ren) as we would our own.


Lydia Parker - (Miss Lydia) Teacher 

Lydia will be teaching Ballet, Pointe and Modern to our older students again this year.  Lydia is a graduate student of The Dance Academy, has her Members level certificate with the British Association of Teachers of Dance, and has her Bachelor of Science, Honours Agriculture from the University of Guelph. Lydia's love for dance is seen in every class she teaches at the Academy and she is thrilled to be able to share her passion with our students.  She is married to Adam and lives in Guelph.  


Jenna Matthews - (Miss Jenna) Teacher

Jenna is a recent graduate of The Dance Academy and will be teaching our younger dancers Ballet, as well as Modern again this year.  She is a beautiful dancer with a strong stage presence and her choreography is truly beyond her years.  She is in her third year at Wilfrid Laurier University working on her Bachelor of Arts.  Jenna loves teaching dance!  



Shannon McBride - (Miss Shannon) Teacher  **currently on leave

Shannon teaches Ballet to our younger dancers at the Dance Academy.  She is a graduate of The Dance Academy and is a dedicated dancer whose attention to detail and technique makes her an excellent teacher. Shannon loves teaching dance and considers her job a dream come true! :) Shannon has her Masters of Arts in Child Study and Education from the University of Toronto. 

Heather Denhartog - (Miss Heather) Teacher 

Heather will be teaching our Tap classes, and some Ballet classes this year.  She is a graduate student of The Dance Academy, and is so excited to be teaching with us.  Heather has her Honours English, and B.Ed from Redeemer University.  She is currently teaching a grade 3/4 class at a Plattsville Christian School.  

Myra McGowan - (Miss Myra) Teacher
Mrya was born and raised on a dairy farm in Sunderland On, where she danced for 18 years.  Myra has recently moved to the area and is a first time mom with her daughter Ava.  She is looking forward to teaching what she loves to do most, dance!

Jennie McInnes - (Miss Jennie) Teacher, Creative Director

Jennie is a graduate dancer of The Dance Academy and teaches Ballet for us.  Jennie has her Bachelor of Arts, Honours English and her Bachelor of Education from Wilfrid Laurier University.  Jennie is an elementary school teacher and she and her husband, Scott, are the co-founders of Firefly Theatre Academy.  Jennie and Scott live in Holstein with their kids Islee, Lily and Jack, and dog Storm. 

Cindy Aitken - (Mrs. Cindy) Teacher, Volunteer Administrator, Co-Founder

Cindy is the Volunteer Administrator at the Dance Academy.  She takes care of the financial side of the studio, writes our newsletters, and organizes much of what goes into our year end performance.  She is very excited to be teaching drama this year!  Cindy graduated from the Early Childhood Education program at Conestoga College, has her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Waterloo and her Bachelor of Education from Nipissing University.  She is an elementary school teacher for the Bluewater District School Board. 

Cindy loves providing a safe and morally strong place for people to dance!

Cairine Domzella - (Mrs. D.) Artistic Director, Co-Founder

Cairine is a past teacher of the Academy.  She has her Bachelor of Arts, Honours Dance, from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Arts Theology: Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy.  She is balancing life as the Director of Care at Woodside Bible Fellowship and as a Counsellor/Therapist at Woolwich Community Health Centre, both of which are in Elmira where she lives with her husband, Perry, and three children, Tony, Sam, and Eliza.  Cairine initially created the syllabi we use at The Dance Academy and now she helps out yearly at our year end performance.  For Cairine's extensive dance bio please see "Biographies"