My Inspiration...

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My life...my dream...my journey.  I’m grateful for the daily inspiration from those closest to me.

Inspiration Number 1 : Family...Pursuing my dream took me away from my family when I was 14. We are a particularly close family and being away has been difficult on all of us. I love and appreciate how they provided me with endless love and support and understood the importance of following my own dreams.  They inspire and encourage me, lift me up when I’ve had a bad day or week and remind me that they believe in me, love me unconditionally.

Inspiration Number 2: Aunt Cassandra makes me laugh...not just a giggle, but a good belly laugh. She gave me my joy back..reminded me that nobody is perfect...perfection is not real, but we can strive to do our best with never-ending effort and constant improvement. Perfectly imperfect!

Inspiration Number 3: Eva is my second mom. She helps me to believe in myself. She was the most encouraging, accepting and loving teacher I have had. Eva accepted me for all of my wonderful qualities and my awful flaws. She is and will forever remain in my heart.

Inspiration Number 4: Lisa...Lisa represents everything great about my educational journey. I had many incredible teachers before her, but Lisa was with me the longest. She supported my educational process much beyond simply teaching...even took a personal trip from the other coast to mediate my final high school exams! She is the true definition of what other teachers should aspire to become. She altered my life and I will forever be grateful to her.

Inspiration Number 5: Elisabeth & Katie...they were my second family. They took me into their home, loved and cared for me and most importantly, taught me that I am enough.

Inspiration Number 5: Miss Fiona was my first teacher “real” ballet teacher...she is the reason I fell in love with ballet to begin with.

Inspiration Number 6: Miss K is an incredible teacher, capable of breaking down and simplifying the most complex of movement. She could teach ballet to anyone or anything...even circus animals!

Inspiration Number 7: Mr M & Ms G were both extremely tough on me, almost to the point of breaking me. If it weren't for them, I would never have known just how badly I wanted to dance.

Inspiration Number 8: Ms Courtnae took me in and rebuilt me...gave me the freedom to fall in love with ballet again & the confidence to dance from a deep emotional place that allowed me to heal. She gave me back my dream when I had all but given up.

Inspiration Number 9: Mr Ellison & Ms V They now help to guide me to be better, do better each and every day. They love this art form as much as I do...and want their students to reach their personal best. I am grateful to be ending my training under them. I will strive to become the dancer they see in me.

Along the way, I have danced  beside and shared the stage with so many talented dancers.  These are a few who  truly inspired me...

My youngest years: Celine Gittens, Francis Chung, Danielle Gould, Janica Grenier, Masha Sherbyna, Samara Rittinger - you were the reason I fell in love with ballet.

My training years: Martina Prefontaine, Natalie Thornley-Hall, Elisabeth Beyer, Guo Wen Jin, Carolyne Galvao, Aviva Gelfer-Mundl - you are the reason I moved away from home to pursue my dream.

My serious years: Svetlana Zakharova, Natalia Osipova, Diana Vishneva, Polina Semionova, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Sylvie Guile, Tamara Rojo, Margot Fonteyn, Alessandra Ferri, Maria Khoreva - you are the reason I aspire to greatness, and make me believe my dream is possible.

Books have always been there for me. They added to my imagination and gave me so much more than just a story. These are a few that continue to inspire me to feel...

Number 1: Heidi - I have my grandmothers original copy from when she was a little girl. It was the first chapter book my dad read to me, and my all time favourite to date.

Number 2: Dr Seus....I adored each and every one of his books. Something about how the words danced around, creating a natural rhythm... a movement you could feel.

Number 3: Magot Moon by Sally Gardner helped me to be brave and embrace my inner weirdness!

Number 4: I received Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt from a close family friend. I was an anxious child and this book taught me that I can be braver than I think I can and everything will be ok.

Number 5: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. My very first novel I read all on my own. Tremendous story and a must read for every child.

Number 6: The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace. This is a collection of Poetry...another one of my secret passions.

Number 7: Romeo & Juliet by Shakespeare. This is my most treasured plays of his, and it just so happens to be my favourite ballet.

Although I love the classics...especially Tchaikovsky ...all music and sound make me want to move. The sound of children playing, construction site hammering, sirens sounding, birds chirping...its what I call the rhythm of life.  Music and noise simply inspire me. 

I currently have three places I call home. 

Number 1: Vancouver, British Columbia, CANADA. The place that raised me. 

 Home is my safe haven. So full of beauty and nature. The place with beaches to roam for treasures, forest to wonder, mountains to climb...a beautiful place to be on a constant adventure. 

Number 2: Toronto Canada. This is my extended family’s home, my home away from home. It's where I meet up with my many cousins to run wild and search for adventures without stress without expectations. It’s a place to let my hair down and just be.

Number 3: NewYork, NewYork. The city that never sleeps. I can't think of a more inspiring place to be. The arts are alive and well here!