Erin McNeill - Artistic Director
Erin began training at the young age of four, under the watchful eye of Dolores Kirkwood at Kirkwood Academy in New Westminster. She joined Royal City Youth Ballet Company where she performed and toured many ballets including The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Coppelia. She also had the pleasure of performing in Royal City Musical Theatre Company's productions of Hello, Dolly! and Gypsy as a chorus girl and dancer.
In 2003, Erin joined Pacific DanceArts in Vancouver and was soon after accepted into the pre-professional division under the direction of Li Yaming. There she had the opportunity to perform both neo-classical and classical work including Swan Lake; Grand Pas de Deuxs from Le Corsaire, The Nutcracker, Raymonda and La Bayadere; as well as original choreography. In 2009, she competed in the Youth America Grand Prix Finals in NYC. Upon graduating, Erin moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to dance professionally with Atlanta Ballet, directed by John McFall and Sharon Story. While at Atlanta Ballet, she performed and gained exposure to many different styes and repertoire including Michael Pink's Dracula, David Bintley's Carmina Burana, James Kudelka's Four Seasons and Christopher Wheeldon's RUSH, as well as practicing Gaga technique for Ohad Naharin's Minus 16. She also worked with NYCB's Troy Schumacher on original work, George Balanchine's Who Cares?, and Christopher Hampson as the lead in his piece Silhouette. Erin also performed leading roles in Atlanta Ballet's productions of Cinderella and Snow White.
In May 2014, Erin appeared as a guest artist in Irene Schnider's production of Coppelia performed by Coastal City Ballet. And in June of that same year, she was one of twenty-two dancers invited from around the world to attend the Ballet Program at The School of Jacob's Pillow. There she performed in the season opening Gala in a new work choreographed by the award winning Choreographer Jessica Lang. Under program Director Anna-Marie Holmes, Erin worked with a faculty of choreographers, artists, and directors, including Dinna Bjorn, Adam Sklute, Madeleine Onne, and Maxim Beloserkovky.
During her season with Coastal City Ballet, Erin performed the lead role in the season opener of Don Quixote as Dulcinea in “Dream Scene”, lead soloist in a new work by Wen Wei Wang and was honoured to be cast as Cinderella in Ms. Schnider’s production of Cinderella, one of her favourite roles.
In October 2015, Erin travelled to Ireland to join Cork City Ballet as a Soloist. There she performed Yury Demakov's Swan Lake under the direction of Alan Foley in the Cork Opera House. And in June of 2016, Erin joined the prestigious English National Ballet under the direction of Tamara Rojo CBE to perform Derek Dean’s Swan Lake in the Round, in the world famous Royal Albert Hall in London. Also with ENB she performed in George Williamson's My First Sleeping Beauty.
In 2016 Erin joined Ballet Theatre UK as a Principal dancer and has performed and toured several lead roles such as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet which was a new creation and successfully reviewed in Dancing Times, the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, The Sugarplum Fairy in the Nutcracker, Titania in A Midsummer Nights Dream, and the Little Mermaid in Christopher Moore’s The Little Mermaid. As well as performing a selection of feature roles in the 10 year Anniversary Gala of the company where she was again highly praised for her work in the August 2018 edition of Dancing Times UK.
In 2003, Erin joined Pacific DanceArts in Vancouver and was soon after accepted into the pre-professional division under the direction of Li Yaming. There she had the opportunity to perform both neo-classical and classical work including Swan Lake; Grand Pas de Deuxs from Le Corsaire, The Nutcracker, Raymonda and La Bayadere; as well as original choreography. In 2009, she competed in the Youth America Grand Prix Finals in NYC. Upon graduating, Erin moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to dance professionally with Atlanta Ballet, directed by John McFall and Sharon Story. While at Atlanta Ballet, she performed and gained exposure to many different styes and repertoire including Michael Pink's Dracula, David Bintley's Carmina Burana, James Kudelka's Four Seasons and Christopher Wheeldon's RUSH, as well as practicing Gaga technique for Ohad Naharin's Minus 16. She also worked with NYCB's Troy Schumacher on original work, George Balanchine's Who Cares?, and Christopher Hampson as the lead in his piece Silhouette. Erin also performed leading roles in Atlanta Ballet's productions of Cinderella and Snow White.
In May 2014, Erin appeared as a guest artist in Irene Schnider's production of Coppelia performed by Coastal City Ballet. And in June of that same year, she was one of twenty-two dancers invited from around the world to attend the Ballet Program at The School of Jacob's Pillow. There she performed in the season opening Gala in a new work choreographed by the award winning Choreographer Jessica Lang. Under program Director Anna-Marie Holmes, Erin worked with a faculty of choreographers, artists, and directors, including Dinna Bjorn, Adam Sklute, Madeleine Onne, and Maxim Beloserkovky.
During her season with Coastal City Ballet, Erin performed the lead role in the season opener of Don Quixote as Dulcinea in “Dream Scene”, lead soloist in a new work by Wen Wei Wang and was honoured to be cast as Cinderella in Ms. Schnider’s production of Cinderella, one of her favourite roles.
In October 2015, Erin travelled to Ireland to join Cork City Ballet as a Soloist. There she performed Yury Demakov's Swan Lake under the direction of Alan Foley in the Cork Opera House. And in June of 2016, Erin joined the prestigious English National Ballet under the direction of Tamara Rojo CBE to perform Derek Dean’s Swan Lake in the Round, in the world famous Royal Albert Hall in London. Also with ENB she performed in George Williamson's My First Sleeping Beauty.
In 2016 Erin joined Ballet Theatre UK as a Principal dancer and has performed and toured several lead roles such as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet which was a new creation and successfully reviewed in Dancing Times, the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, The Sugarplum Fairy in the Nutcracker, Titania in A Midsummer Nights Dream, and the Little Mermaid in Christopher Moore’s The Little Mermaid. As well as performing a selection of feature roles in the 10 year Anniversary Gala of the company where she was again highly praised for her work in the August 2018 edition of Dancing Times UK.
Yana Dragieva - Ballet - Character
Born in Shumen, Bulgaria, Yana Dragieva has studied classical ballet in the Vagganova system since the age of six. She graduated from Sofia National Music and Dance University Choreographic department in 1996 in the class of prima ballerina Kalina Bogoeva. She continued her professional development with famous Masters such as Tadeusz Matacz and Alexander Ursuljiak from John Cranko School, Loippa Aroijo from Cuba National Ballet School, Seriozna Petrosjan in Erevan and Master Daniel Sallier in Montreal. Her mentor in her teaching career was Alexander Ursuljak, former director of Stuttgart Ballet School.Yana's professional dancing career started in Varna's State Opera house and continued later at State Music Theatre, Sofia. During this period she toured and later lived and performed in Wiesbaden, Germany, Finland, Norway and France. Yana has a Bachelor Degree from Bulgarian National Music University in Dance. She specialized in Classical Ballet Pedagogy Vaganova system, Choreographing and Rehearsing.
Valeria Bañales López - Contemporary - Ballet
Valeria Bañales López was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and started her dance training at Ballet de Cámara de Jalisco and RELEVÉ Escuela de Baile. She immigrated to Canada in 2001 and grew up in North Vancouver where she attended North Shore Academy of Dancing. In 2006, she started dancing at Pacific DanceArts & moved on to Coastal City Ballet after graduating high school. She’s had the privilege of training at Gibney Dance in New York under the International Visa Program and went on to dance as a trainee at Alonzo King Lines Ballet in San Francisco. Valeria has attended summer intensives at Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Jörgen, The Royal Danish Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Peridance Contemporary Dance Company. Valeria has performed choreographies by Joshua Beamish, Wen Wei Wang, Micaela G. Taylor, Roderick George, Rena Butler, Robyn Mineko Williams, Igal Perry, and Alanna Kraaijeveld among many others. Valeria’s passion is ballet and contemporary dance. She is the most excited to share what she has learned and give back to her local studio, Pacific DanceArts.
Eowynn Enquist - Contemporary
Eowynn Enquist is a contemporary dance artist currently performing and making work in Vancouver on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations. In 2017, Eowynn obtained her BFA at Simon Fraser University where she was awarded the Amir Algahband Award in Contemporary Arts. Eowynn is fortunate to collaborate professionally with Vancouver Companies and Independent Artists such as: Wen Wei Dance, Vision Impure Compagnie, Action at a Distance, Rachel Meyers, Mahaila Patterson O’Brien and Anya Saugstad. Eowynn is thrilled to be investigating contemporary dance technique with the half day program at Pacific Dance Arts.
Isak Doran Enquist- Contemporary
Isak Doran Enquist is a dance artist living on unceded Coast Salish territories, presently on the Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh, Skwxwú7mesh, and xʷməθkwəy̓əm First Nations. Raised in the Kootenays (Ktunaxa) of Canada, Isak began formal training in Shotokan Karate. He began dance education at Simon Fraser University before enrolling with the Modus Operandi Contemporary Training Program. As an emerging dance artist, Isak has performed with Out Innerspace Dance Theatre, Compagnie Vision Impure, and Shay Keubler Radical System Art. Touring with these companies have included performances across Canada, Italy, USA, and Israel.
Radostina Panova-Todorova- Guest Faculty
Trained at the State Choreographic School in Sofia, Bulgaria and danced with Varna Opera House and with the National Opera and Ballet in Sofia. Classical ballet dancer for 12 years, performing classical and contemporary ballet choreographies, opera and operetta productions. Her repertoire includes Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, Nutcracker, La Sylphide, Paquita Grand pas and others, performing from corp de ballet to soloist and lead roles, such as Kitri, Cygnets, Pas de trois des odalisques.Ms. Panova is experienced ballet teacher for more than 20 years, teaching at the National school of arts in Varna, Russian ballet school in Sofia. Prepares dancers for the competitions: "National Meeting for Young Dancers: Sofia, Bulgaria, International Ballet Competition Paris-France, International Ballet Competition Luxembourg, International Ballet Competition Varna. 2012- 2018 she is teaching all levels of ballet, pointe, (Vaganova technique), variations, repertoire, historical dance and conditioning at the prestigious Royal Winnipeg Ballet school in Canada.
Guest teacher in Bulgaria, Canada, Italy, Germany and Turkey. Holding MA in Ballet pedagogy from the National Academy of music Sofia, Bulgaria.
Guest teacher in Bulgaria, Canada, Italy, Germany and Turkey. Holding MA in Ballet pedagogy from the National Academy of music Sofia, Bulgaria.
Jaclyn Wheatley - Contemporary, Jazz - Guest Faculty
Originally from Vancouver, B.C., Canada, is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in Seattle, WA. An alumna of the Alvin Ailey/Fordham University B.F.A. program, Jaclyn graduated Summa Cum Laude with a major in Dance and a minor in Business Administration. A member of the JUNTOS Collective, Jaclyn travelled to Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Nicaragua to participate in dance outreach activities. She has performed the works of Alvin Ailey, Jennifer Archibald, Joshua Beamish, Ronald K. Brown, and Arch Contemporary Ballet. Since joining Spectrum Dance Theater, Jaclyn has performed in many of Donald Byrd’s productions including Drastic Cuts, LOVE, Carmina Burana, Shot, and (Im)pulse, as well as works presented by Alex Crozier, Vincent Michael Lopez, and The Cabiri. Other credits include the Closing Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics and feature films Center Stage: Turn It Up and Dancing with Shadows. Jaclyn is currently on faculty at The School at Spectrum Dance Theater, and guest teaches, choreographs, and adjudicates throughout the Seattle and Vancouver areas
Justine Fraser - Choreography - Guest Faculty
Justine was born and raised in Penticton BC, where she was introduced to dance at the age of three. Mentored by numerous great teachers and guest artists, Justine developed a movement foundation deeply rooted in both classical and stage dance. At the age of 14, Justine's passion and deep commitment to dance lead her to leave home and move to Vancouver BC, where she would begin her professional training at Pacific Dance Arts. As a student, Justine spent her summers training at a variety of schools, under scholarship, including the Banff Centre for Performing Arts, Boston Ballet School, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Under the mentorship of Li Yaming, Justine would go on to represent Canada as a finalist dancer in both the 2009 New York Grand Prix, and as a semi- finalist in Beijing’s International Ballet Competition in 2008.
Justine completed her formal training in 2012, under the mentorship of Alonzo King in San Francisco CA, and has since performed as a guest artist with numerous Canadian and American dance companies. In 2012, Justine joined Ballet Jorgen, where she was a soloist dancer for Bengt Jorgen's 25th anniversary tour of Swan Lake. Throughout her time with BJC, Justine was fortunate enough to perform principal roles, featuring Contemporary and Classical dance works, with both Danza Corpus and Les Petit Ballet, in Toronto ON, under the direction of Jose Carret and Mercedes Bernardez.
It was during this time that Justine developed a hunger for new movement and an interest in alternative approaches to her classical foundation. This hunger lead Justine to return to Vancouver where she would continue to investigate and research new ways to expand her classical training as an educator, choreographer, and freelance dance artist.
Currently, Justine teaches and choreographs, throughout Western Canada. She is also the Artistic Director of Reforming Art Productions - a Contemporary Dance Company dedicated to creating innovative dance works and further developing high caliber training opportunities for the next generation of professional dancers. She looks forward to sharing her passion for contemporary dance with attending students.
Justine completed her formal training in 2012, under the mentorship of Alonzo King in San Francisco CA, and has since performed as a guest artist with numerous Canadian and American dance companies. In 2012, Justine joined Ballet Jorgen, where she was a soloist dancer for Bengt Jorgen's 25th anniversary tour of Swan Lake. Throughout her time with BJC, Justine was fortunate enough to perform principal roles, featuring Contemporary and Classical dance works, with both Danza Corpus and Les Petit Ballet, in Toronto ON, under the direction of Jose Carret and Mercedes Bernardez.
It was during this time that Justine developed a hunger for new movement and an interest in alternative approaches to her classical foundation. This hunger lead Justine to return to Vancouver where she would continue to investigate and research new ways to expand her classical training as an educator, choreographer, and freelance dance artist.
Currently, Justine teaches and choreographs, throughout Western Canada. She is also the Artistic Director of Reforming Art Productions - a Contemporary Dance Company dedicated to creating innovative dance works and further developing high caliber training opportunities for the next generation of professional dancers. She looks forward to sharing her passion for contemporary dance with attending students.
Pacific DanceArts
Est. 1999