Kylie Fudge-Jensen is the newest addition to the core teaching team for dance umbrella – a program of Confederation Centre – as well as the Holland College School of Performing Arts (or SoPA), presented in partnership with the Centre. Officials at the Centre are also pleased to announce Sion Irwin-Childs as a guest instructor this week for both children’s camps and evening workshops with adults.

“I am thrilled to be welcoming these new instructors into our programs,” says Peggy Reddin, Director of Arts Education at Confederation Centre. “Whether it is for workshops of shorter duration or long-term commitment, we strive to enrich the local community by hiring teachers with a depth of training and experience. A fresh perspective and new ideas are always inspiring and exciting for our students.”

Originally from Victoria, B.C., Ms. Fudge-Jensen is a graduate of George Brown Dance and has been performing, choreographing, and teaching in the Toronto area for the past five years. Her specialization is ballet and contemporary with experience in jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, and modern dance. She has a strong base in movement improvisation and dance-for-camera work and in addition to creating her own collection of works, she has performed in solo pieces, duets, and a variety of group work including as backup dancer for international touring artists. “I am thrilled to be starting a new chapter with dance umbrella and SoPA,” she offers, “and am very excited to be back living on an island!”

Mr. Irwin-Childs will be teaching with the Centre’s dance camp from August 22 to 26 and also conducting workshops in the local community, with a focus on choreographic practice. He is a critically acclaimed choreographer, performer, and instructor currently on a coast to coast teaching tour. He carries a dance M.A. as well as an English degree from York University. After many years of teaching dance composition for Ballet Jörgen Canada and George Brown, he recently left to pursue equestrian interests and help nurture dance at a grass-roots level across the country. His touring workshop is based on a highly-rated Ballet Jörgen Canada Summer School series, gleaned from 13 years of experience.

“I have designed my workshops to be broadly inclusive and to require only a willingness to participate,” Irwin-Childs explains. “Students do not have to be fantastic dancers or imagine themselves continuing in dance to find a use for the skills that I bring to the table. My students develop a greater sense of confidence and a strong voice when given an opportunity to assert ownership over their respective skill sets. The positive impact of this outcome has been noticed in other classes, by parents and teachers and this is what I would like to bring to the Centre community.”

dance umbrella and SoPA classes begin the first week of September. For more information on summer dance camps and other arts education programs at Confederation Centre, please contact Kayla Shaw at 902.629.1175 or performingarts@confederationcentre.com, or explore online at confederationcentre.com.