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 Scottish Highland Dancing this year while her daughter Laurel begins her first year of dance with us!  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 lives in Guelph with her husband Adam, daughter Laurel and son Alec. 


Jenna Matthews - (Miss Jenna) Teacher

Jenna is a 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 a recent graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University where she received her Bachelor of Arts. She is continuing her teaching journey by beginning her Bachelor of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University this year.



Shannon McBride - (Miss Shannon) Teacher 

Shannon teaches Ballet, Modern and Acro 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 and is currently an elementary teacher with the Bluewater District School Board.

Jennie McInnes - (Miss Jennie) Teacher, Creative Director

Jennie is a graduate dancer of The Dance Academy and teaches Ballet and Modern 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 near Holstein with their kids Islee, Lily, and Jack, and dog Storm. 

Heather Denhartog - (Miss Heather) Teacher 

Heather will be teaching our Tap 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 Plattsville Christian School.  

Heidi Denhartog - (Miss Heidi) Teacher
Miss Heidi is teaching Little Dancers this year. She is a past graduate from The Dance Academy and her love of dance and children makes her a perfect fit for our littlest dancers. Heidi has her Honours Therapeutic Recreation degree from University of Waterloo and currently works in life enrichment at Royal Terrace Nursing Home in Palmerston.
Shirley Brown moved to Pike Lake last year and is a Certified Clogging Instructor. She has been teaching clogging since 1985 after taking lessons for three years. Her first clogging group was the Ontario Rhythm Cloggers out of Toronto and then she started a group called “The Simcoe County Cloggers” while holding classes in Elmvale, Penetang, and Orillia. Always on the go, Shirley also formed an exhibition team called “Swingin’ County” and they performed all over at grand openings, fall fairs, nursing homes, and clogging conventions. Her biggest adventure, so far, was taking the team to perform at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) for 5 consecutive years and proudly representing Canada. Shirley is jumping for joy to be able to teach Clogging at The Dance Academy!

Cindy Aitken - Volunteer Administrator, Co-Founder, Assistant to Miss Heidi for Little Dancers

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 currently teaching Kindergarten at Dundalk and Proton Community School.  She and her husband Mark live near Holstein and are very proud of their family of five: Jennie and her husband Scott, Andy, and Jon and his wife Paige.  They are also head-over-heals in love with their four grandbabies: Islee, Lily, Jack, and Lennox.   

Cairine Domzella - 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 continues to help out during our year end recital.