Our Faculty

Rebecca Middleton

Artistic Director

Originally from North Lincolnshire, England, UK, Rebecca began her professional ballet training at the Academy of Northern Ballet, Leeds, UK, under the direction of Yoko Ichino. Rebecca took part in many performances during her time with the ANB, including an opportunity to perform in Northern Ballet’s Giselle, directed by David Nixon. At age 17, Rebecca joined Northern Ballet School, Manchester, UK, and danced her first soloist role as Big Swan in Swan Lake. Rebecca had the opportunity to dance a number of roles during her time with NBS within their company, Manchester City Ballet. Rebecca graduated NBS with a NVQ Level 6 Diploma in Professional Dance.

Rebecca moved to Canada in 2015 to join Coastal City Ballet in Vancouver, BC, and danced a number of soloist roles including Myrtha in Giselle, Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Big Swan in Swan Lake. Rebecca also worked with choreographers Wen Wei Wang, Joshua Beamish, Li Yaming and Irene Schneider.

Rebecca’s teaching career began in 2016, while she was dancing with CCB. She taught for a number of different ballet schools across Vancouver, gaining experience teaching different ages and abilities.

Following her time in Vancouver, Rebecca returned to the UK to pursue her teaching career. Alongside teaching for ballet schools in Southampton, Rebecca began her degree in Dance Education with the University of Bath and Royal Academy of Dance, of which she graduated with 1st Class Honours, and became a Registered Royal Academy of Dance ballet teacher. Rebecca maintains a 100% pass rate for her students who have taken RAD ballet exams.

Since returning to Canada in 2022, Rebecca has continued to teach at a number of dance schools and has now chosen the Gatineau/Ottawa region as the place to develop her career.

Rebecca teaches classical ballet, pointe work, repertoire, Progressing Ballet Technique, jazz and body conditioning; she encourages strong technique, movement understanding and both student and teacher-led training. Rebecca’s teaching is driven by her varied experiences from across the globe; facilitating a combination of classical ballet techniques that provide strength, understanding and creativity.

Judith Davies

Founder/Director Emerita

Ms. Davies began her dance training in Toronto, under the direction of Bettina Byers and Marjorie Haskins. Moving to Montreal, she continued her ballet training with Joyce Lewis Cloutier, Sonja Chamberlain, Maisie Macphee and Yvonne Oldaker (nee grey). At age 14, she received a scholarship to attend the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival, studying under Ted Shawn, Peggy van Praagh, Robert Abramson, and Matteo and Goya, among others. At age 17, she trained as a student apprentice with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.

After graduating from university into contemporary dance, Ms. Davies trained with the Martha Graham School and went on to Toronto to perform with the Judy Jarvis Dance Theatre Company. Ms. Davies continued to use a background in Fine Arts to design costumes for the Judy Jarvis Dance Theatre Company.

Moving to Ottawa, Ms. Davies founded both the Ottawa Dance Theatre and ODCS.

As Artistic Director of Ottawa Dance Theatre, her choreographic credits include recipient of two Ontario Arts Council Choreographic Awards, and the choreography of a full-length Ballet “Alice Through the Looking Glass” to an original score by Peter Landey. Former students of Ms. Davies have been accepted by the National Ballet School, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Toronto Dance Theatre and Alberta Ballet.

Ms. Davies taught the extra-curricular Dance Program for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, from 1991 to 2006. She has been Artist in Residence at Danceworks, Dancers, Inc. & Dance Scholars, Memphis, TN, USA from 1990 to 2016 developing student choreography and teaching both classical and contemporary techniques.

Upon retirement, Ms. Davies now acts as Director Emerita for ODCS, providing guidance and coaching alongside the current ODCS faculty.

Tracy Mitchell

Associate Artistic Director

Originally from London, Ontario, Tracy has taught professionally for over twenty years. Tracy is a graduate of the Ryerson University Theatre Dance program in Toronto, where she studied under the direction of National Ballet of Canada prima ballerina Nadia Potts. She is a fully registered teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance and teaches all levels of the RAD syllabus, and has also served as a ballet and movement coach for several professional theatre productions. Tracy appeared in several dance productions in Toronto before moving to Stuttgart, Germany to perform with the Pforzheimer Ballet under ballet master Anthony Sterago.

Her performance credits include roles in Coppelia, Cinderella, Die Fledermaus, Kiss Me, Kate, and Jesus Christ Superstar, as well as an original ballet/modern dance adaptation of the rock musical Pink Floyd – The Wall with the Pforzheimer Ballet.

Tracy is a certified instructor of Pilates and yoga, both of which she incorporates into her ballet instruction to emphasize the fundamentals of proper body alignment, injury prevention, and core strength. As well, she holds credentials in ISTD Modern and Acro, and was one of the first instructors in Canada to be certified in the acclaimed Melody Movement preschool ballet program from England. Tracy holds her Standard First Aid with CPR-C certificate.

Elizabeth Emond-Stevenson

Contemporary and Jazz Teacher

Elizabeth Emond-Stevenson is a Franco-Ontarian dance artist from traditional unceded Algonquin Anishinaabe Territory. Under the name TAKE UP SPACE she creates/performs/teaches/collaborates through connections between people/places and art forms.

Elizabeth’s training includes Quinte Ballet School, The School of Dance, Decided Jazz Danceworks Professional Training Program and The Banff Centre for the Arts. She has also trained extensively in inclusive dance techniques /teaching through Propeller Dance, Candoco (UK), AXIS Dance Co.(USA), & Stop Gap Dance Co. (UK).

Elizabeth continues to guest teach in Ottawa secondary schools and working with local professional companies such as Ottawa Dance Directive. She is currently being mentored by choreographer and dance artist Tedd Robinson.

Elizabeth works closely with the ODCS’ Ballet Intensive Program, delivering Contemporary, Lyrical and Stretch and Strengthening classes.

Igor Chornovol

Classical Ballet Teacher

Igor trained in the professional program of the Ukrainian National Ballet Academy in Kharkiv, Ukraine. He was mentored by an elite generation of teachers and dancers and performed principal roles at the Kharkiv Opera Theatre and the Kiev National Ballet.

Igor emigrated to Canada joining the Alberta Ballet Company as soloist where he continued to perform a number of principal roles. Igor retired to Ottawa to study and to assume a teaching position with Dance Educators, under the direction of Merle Adam.

Following this, Igor joined the ODCS faculty and teaches classical ballet for student and adult dancers.

Eileen O’Boyle

Contemporary and Jazz Teacher

Having fallen in love with dance at a young age, Eileen danced at numerous studios across Toronto, completing extensive training in contemporary, jazz, modern, and ballet. Her dance teaching experience began as a student assistant at her dance studio and continued through her work with StageCoach Performing Arts Canada. During her time in Hamilton while completing her undergraduate degree at McMaster University, Eileen taught and choreographed dances for many university groups and continued to hone her craft as a dance instructor. She is currently completing her Bachelor of Education at University of Ottawa, while continuing her passion for teaching and life-long learning, teaching for Ottawa Dance Centre Schools.

Rosely Jimenez Laserra

Classical Ballet Teacher

Rosely, born in Cuba, trained at the Cuban National Ballet School from a young age. During her time training, she performed with a number of ballet companies, gaining experience in many classical ballets. Rosely received her Bachelor of Arts, with a major in Ballet & Historical Dances, from The National Ballet School. Rosely started dancing and teaching for America Musical Theatre (AMT) at age 18 and performed in Finland and Sweden. She was promoted to Principal Dancer and Program Chair of the AMT Training Program.

Rosely kept gaining experience and expanding her knowledge by going back and forth for consecutive years to Finland, Sweden, Belgium and China. In China, Rosely saw the opportunity for career development and lived there for 7 years. She was awarded certification by the Beijing Dance Academy and went on to create a training company. Rosely co-founded the Art and Entertainment Centre and stepped up as the Ballet & Artistic Director and Consultant.

Now in Canada, Rosely received certifications in Advertising, Marketing & Fashion Design, alongside an active dance teaching career at Elite Dance Studio, collaboration experience with Harvest Yoga, Lindsay Dance Studio as Ballet, Strength & Conditioning, Ballet Fitness, Barre Instructor and Latin Dance teacher. Rosely is excited to have joined the faculty of Ottawa Dance Centre Schools.

Miriam Benoy

Primary Ballet Teacher

Miriam Benoy is a dancer based in Ottawa, Ontario. She has trained extensively at The School of Dance, graduating from the Professional Ballet program in 2019 & the Contemporary Dance Diploma program in 2022. From 2022-2023 she taught ballet & Pilates classes at Brocadie Dance. She has also worked as a freelance dance artist & been a part of many local performance projects including works by Ottawa Dance Directive.

Miriam is very excited to be joining ODCS as the Primary Ballet Teacher.