H N M D A N C E
H N M D A N C E
Sarah McCullough learned dance with Madelyn Weingarden at an early age, then forgot everything in favour of boogieing at the Dance Cave and the Loop. Years on, she was fortunate enough to be introduced to HNM Contact Improv class, which led to a rekindled love for movement. She has been dancing with this incredible group of humans for over a decade and is looking forward to several more.
Lisa Vegh is a social worker and teacher who enjoys hiking, reading, drawing and music. She regards physical activity as another form of self-care. As a fitness instructor in her youth, and later a yoga instructor, she has learned that alignment and good form are vitally important. Now with dance being the new frontier for Lisa, she is conscientiously adapting this early training to the complexity and variability of dance movements. It’s an exciting journey where she is discovering new layers of herself. This is made possible by the welcoming and warm environment that one can find at HNM Dance.
Marie Ouellette was exposed quite young to the world of dance. A gift given to her by her mother. She would watch many of her mother's friends find lasting friendships, and the discipline required at the ballet barre. As the years passed, Marie was graced with the opportunity to dance with those same dancers. She began her ballet training at The Dance Studio, and subsequently continued at the Academie Ste Cecile. After many cecchetti exams, she decided to explore different genres of dance. Jazz was enjoyed for many years but her true joy was found in modern dance. Being a part of HNM Dance Company has provided Marie with many opportunities to perform with the Windsor Symphony and many other local artists. Marie has been a registered nurse for 35 years, and has raised her family with her husband here in Windsor. She loves to travel with Marc and explore Canada. Dance continues to bring much joy, laughter, and stability to her everyday life.
Dan Brzezinski is a retiree who has lived in Canada (Lakeshore) with Fred, his partner of 47 years, since 2004. Before that, he lived in Michigan and worked in auto-related manufacturing. His main hobby over the years was home remodeling and improvement, and he and Fred worked on their house for over twenty years before moving to Canada. In addition, Dan was always interested in dance, starting in the disco era, and now he is able to express that interest through HNM Dance.
Julia Debono's teachers advised her "Dare to Dance...and Don't you DARE quit!" and she is grateful to them and especially to HNM Dance Company for providing an opportunity to learn, discover, and express through dance. First starting dance as an older adult, Julia loves all forms of movement, from yoga to hip hop to belly dance to ballet. Dance has been healing for her in her work as a Social Worker and in her personal health journey. She's eager to discover more and more about what the body can do. You never know how much time you have left.
Judith Aikman hails from Jamaica where she started dancing as a little girl at the Fay Simpson Ballet School. She was introduced to modern dance when she attended University to become a Physical Therapist. She went on to dance professionally with LACADCO Dance Company and toured the Caribbean, Mexico, and Holland. Upon migrating to Canada, she continued her love affair with dance by joining HNM Dance company and teaching dance at Cathy's Dance Studio.
Patricia Morneau has taken a circuitous route to dance, spending her youth playing basketball, baseball, figure skating, squash, and long distance running. In the background was always a curiosity about dance but the opportunity to explore it did not come until she was older when she found HNM Dance classes twenty years ago. It has been a joyful, challenging journey that she hopes to continue for as long as possible with this group of inspiring people.
Sean Brewer's first love was music. He has studied piano, keyboards, French horn, voice, songwriting and electronic music production. His band released an independent album in the late 90's that enjoyed some chart success on college radio and piqued some music industry interest. Although he decided to pursue a career in the health sciences, music and movement have always been a fascination. Sean is excited to start this new journey thanks to HNM Dance Company.
Diana Fleming has been dancing more years than she can remember. She began by studying ballet with Jack Bickle and Florence King Proulx. As an adult, she discovered modern, jazz and social dance and took numerous classes and workshops in these genres in Canada and the United States. She has performed with the Windsor Light Opera, University Dancers and with HNM Dance Company for more than 20 years. She has also been involved with dance as a board member of Gina Lori Riley Dance Enterprises and the University Dance Series and is manager for HNM Dance. She has taught social dance at the University of Windsor and Parks and Recreation as well as creative movement, ballet and exercise classes for HNM. Besides dancing, she managed to raise two sons, earn a Bachelor of Education degree, and last year an Arts, Culture and Heritage Funds grant from the City of Windsor.
John Kosty is an accomplished cellist based in Windsor, Ontario, with a passion for both performance and education. His musical journey includes having played with the Windsor Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Windsor Community Orchestra, and Western University's Orchestra. John also shares his enthusiasm for the cello as a dedicated private music teacher through Long and McQuade. Beyond his teaching, he performs at various events and is locally sought after for recording session work.
Katie Mecher-Williams is a dance artist from Windsor, Ontario. She fell in love with dance at a very young age, after watching the Nutcracker ballet on television, and from here she could not sit still. Katie graduated from the dance program at Ryerson University where she also fell in love with Modern dance. She continued on to a career as a performer and dance educator. Katie has trained at the Minsk Choreographic School in the U.S.S.R, with The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, and with Ottawa’s Le Groupe de la Place Royale. She has worked with a number of dance companies both in Canada and the U.S., where she has enjoyed both performing and participating in educational programming. For 18 years, Katie shared her love of dance with the students of the musical theatre program at St. Clair College. She also has worked with the “Learning Through the Arts Program as an artist educator in public schools. Katie has been a dancer with HNM since its beginning. After a few years hiatus, she is grateful to be back moving & grooving with her favourite friends and dance family.
Anh Nguyen is a classical-contemporary choreographer and composer. He’s currently the artistic director for HNM Dance. Nguyen makes regular appearances with other progressive dance companies, orchestras, galleries, festivals, and universities; including American Ballet Theatre, Dancetheatre David Earle (France, Canada), Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, Danny Grossman Dance Company, Peter Sparling Dance Company, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Institute of Arts, Northwood University (Florida, Michigan, Texas), Ball State University, University of Toledo, Western Michigan University, York College (NYC), York University, Dance Teq (National Ballet of Canada), The 509 Collective, CADA/BC (Vancouver), Toronto International Dance Festival... Anh’s choreography and compositions have been commissioned and performed by Wayne State University Dance Company, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, EFA Dance Ensemble, Detroit Dance Collective... In recognition for his contribution to artistic & cultural life Anh was given the Mayor's Award of Excellence for Outstanding Artist. The Globe & Mail describes his creativity as “brilliant”. The Courier-Journal describes Anh's choreography as "PURE PLEASURE”.
Cathy Harris has been part of the dance community in Windsor for over 40 years. She started in 1980 as a dancer with Gina Lori Riley Dance Enterprises. The company performed full-length shows throughout Ontario, Quebec, Michigan, and Ohio. Independently, she enjoyed working with local artists to create performances in a multi disciplinary context. As a professional in the community, it led her to a career as a dance educator. From 1989-2020, she taught dance at the Windsor school boards, as well as the University of Windsor. Cathy continues to enjoy dance through classes, workshops, and performance.
Dale Ashworth is retired after working 30 years in the telecommunications industry. He has always been intrigued with music and dance. He began ballroom dancing after being introduced in an aerobics class at his health club. Tangos, Viennese Waltzes and Sambas…count him in! He was fortunate enough to meet and take lessons from some of the most incredible dancers, students and instructors alike. He just recently started ballet, modern and contemporary dancing at HNM Dance Centre. Looking forward to running and jumping with his new group of dancers.
Kathleen Hart is delighted to be dancing with her kindred spirits of HNM Dance Company. She graduated from the WCCA – Walkerville and continued her studies at Point Park College, PA and the University of Concordia in the Fine Arts Dance program. She had the privilege of performing with several dance companies throughout North America and is a dance educator in the Windsor Essex County region. Kathleen would like to pay homage to all her dance teachers near and far especially Pam Scholl who in 1977 took her to her first dance class at Enid Ricardeau’s dance school.
Paige Moore (she/they) was born in Timmins Ontario which is located in Treaty 9 territory and are the traditional territory of Ojibwe/Chippewa, Mushkegowuk (Cree), Algonquin, and Métis Peoples. Paige started taking dance classes at the age of 3 and has been trained in multiple dance genres since then. They have participated in dance competitions, workshops, and examinations, attaining advanced examinations in Ballet (Society of Russian Ballet), Tap and Jazz (ADAPT). In 2021, Paige packed up their dancing shoes and moved to Windsor, ON, to train in the Music Theatre Performance program at St Clair College! She is grateful to work and study on traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations – comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. They wish to pursue a performing arts career and inspire others to lead with love.
Gracienne Swarbrick (she/her) is a budding professional performer straight from the shores of Lake Huron. She trained in classical voice from the age of 11 and grew up at her home dance studio, SB Dance. Gracienne is currently training at St Clair College in their Music Theatre Performance Program. Enjoy the show!
Emma Cannon was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, and has been a part of the local dance scene for most of her upbringing. Emma has always had a strong passion for the art of dancing and storytelling. Throughout her youth she trained to become a well-rounded dancer. She has experience from dancing competitively and having the opportunity to participate in workshops for Hip Hop and Fosse taught by professional choreographers in New York City. She is furthering her training as a performer at St. Clair college, where she will soon graduate from the Musical Theatre Performance Program. Emma is thrilled to be a part of Intimate Art 6.
Mary Jo Mullins is an award winning Canadian dance artist and a photographer. Her expertise in the arts is grounded in the forms of contemporary dance. A self-taught photographer, she is also an avid practitioner of Conscious Bodies Methodology by Dreamwalker Dance. This sensory awakening artistic practice has become the heart of all her creations, inspiring empowering embodiment and consciously connecting her inner and outer worlds. The landscape of her life makes significant imprints on her being, like tattoos in her psyche and memories from the heart. Deeply and intimately connected with nature and the elements, she has been creating works of art that embody various aspects of the sacred feminine for over two decades.
Louise Paquette BFA, a native of Windsor, ON, received her BFA as a dance major from York University in Toronto in 1995, after graduating from Walkersville’s WCCA program. Paquette was a principal dancer with HNM Dance Company from 1997-2011. Paquette was also a principal dancer with Gina Lori Riley Dance Enterprises 1997-2009 and currently sits on the board of directors. Paquette had the pleasure of dancing and training with Denise Szykula, as a member of Dance Nonce for the 1998 & 1999 seasons and Dance Nonce the Sequel 2010-2018. Paquette has instructed dance at the University of Windsor as a sessional instructor since 2005 and as a special instructor 1999-2005. Louise taught at Academie Ste. Cecile Dance Studio School 1996-2014. Louise opened her own dance school Dare2Dance in 2014 and enjoyed five successful seasons. Paquette has been a mentor artist educator in the classroom with the Learning Through the Arts program 2000-2018 and continues this work with Arts Can Teach currently. Through performance and instruction, Louise feels blessed to continue to share her love of dance with others.
Michele Reis is a dance artist, teacher and choreographer who began her early dance training in her hometown of St. Clair Shores, MI. Her concentrations were ballet and jazz and then modern contemporary when she attended Central Michigan University. After graduating CMU, she began training and performing with Denise Szykula of Dance Nonce in Michigan and Anh Nguyen of HNM Dance in Windsor, ON. As a choreographer and teacher, Reis has been directing and leading Dance Nonce since 2019. She has had the pleasure of dancing her whole life and has enjoyed performing locally and abroad in many productions and signature events. Dance is a life passion for Reis and she delights in sharing that with audiences.
Barbara Robinson B.Ed, Dance and Drama Specialist, has been teaching, choreographing, producing, and performing in musicals, film, live productions for over 45 years. Her passion for dance creation and expression was developed and guided through the tutelage of Patrica Plummer, David Earl, George Randolph and Kenny Pearl. Ms Robinson taught at WCCA Centre for the Arts for 22 years, created the Musical Theatre program at St Clair College and continues to inspire and cultivate the students at The Dance Studio at Academie Ste Cecile. Ms. Robinson has won many choreographic awards and she appears on the cover of Teaching Dance Skills: A Motor Learning and Development Approach by Marliese Kimmerle PhD, and Paulette Cote-Laurence, Ph.D. Ms Robinson hopes to continue teaching, performing, choreographing and producing. She finds she dances because it is the language of her soul. She is Happy to continue the stories.
Benjamin DeFaria, born in Ontario, Canada is a professional dance artist and visual artist. Benjamin began his professional dance training in 2019 by attending HSPRO, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's professional training program (Artistic Director Alexandra Wells). He has recently completed his studies with Modus Operandi in 2022 (Artistic Directors David Raymond, Tiffany Tregarthen and Kate Franklin). Benjamin's performance repertoire includes work by choreographers including: Rena Butler, David Norsworthy, Johnathan Alsberry, Jenna Pollack, Ryan Mason, Ethan Colangelo, Florian Lochner, Alice Klock, Crystal Pite, William Forsythe, Peter Chu, Adam Barruch, Ohad Naharin, Idan Cohen, Brandon Alley, Yin Yue, and Zahra Shahab. Benjamin has worked professionally with Ne.Sans Opera and Dance, Kinesis Dance, Voirelian, and Dance Novella.
Shubhu Maru (formerly Shubhanagana Vishwanathan) is a professional Bollywood and Bharatanatyam teacher at SV School of Dance. She moved to Windsor, Ont. in 2017 after growing up in India’s capital city of Delhi for more than two decades. She has performed in the opening ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, won a number of international dance awards and appeared on television competition shows.
HNM Dance • Windsor, Ontario, Canada
2024 Season
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