Kara Robinson | Ballet |

A graduate from York University and Canada’s National Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program, Kara grew up dancing in Ladner, B.C. She took her first dance class at the age of four and after high school graduation, Kara decided to follow her passion for dance to Toronto, Ontario. This is where she pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours Degree in Dance at York University. From there she continued her education in the transfer program with Canada’s National Ballet School to earn her Registered Teachers Status with the Royal Academy of Dancing and Diploma from the NBS. Kara also earned her National Associate with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. Over the course of her five years of education, Kara had the honour of training under direction of many excellent instructors including Anuschka Roes, Evelina Ganina, Teresa Randall, Glenn Gilmour, Roselie Brake, Jennifer Bolt, Jane Wooding and Carol Anderson.

While at the NBS Miss Kara completed her Intermediate and Advanced 1 dance exams in the RAD Syllabus, the Cecchetti method and I.S.T.D National. In her final year of being in Toronto Miss Kara also taught at PSB Dance Academy in Pickering, Ontario.

Kara returned to the West Coast after graduating from both York University and the NBS, and joined The Arts Connection faculty in 2008. Miss Kara cannot imagine her life without dance and loves passing on her passion for dance to her students at the Arts Connection.

Morri-Lynn | Jazz and Tap |

Morri-Lynn has been an active instructor in Richmond for the past 24 years. She holds a Dance Diploma, Dance Teacher Training diploma, RAD Dance certification as well as a RAD Dance Teachers Diploma. She is a member of RAD and UKA (United Kingdom Alliance). Morri-Lynn has choreographed for All ages and stages. The Alberta Ballet Company, Dreggs of Society (musical about street people) Seycove Musical Extravaganza’s for 6 years running, Missing Pieces (a dance about autism Awareness, which received medals and awards and is still being performed around Richmond as well as Recital and Competition dances in all forms of dance. Her education encompasses psycology, dance history, anatomy and pedagogy to name a few. Morri-Lynn began as a figure skater in Edmonton Alberta and found her way into the ballet studios where her she discovered that Dance was her Soul. She hopes that her 35 years of teaching will extend another 35 years! “I am so excited to be on staff at the Arts Connection. I hope to bring experience , my love for dance and creative abilities to the Dance Floor and look forward to joining an amazing Faculty of Dance Instructors at the ARts Connection.”
To email Morri-Lynn, click here

Maiko Miyauchi | Jazz, Lyrical and Hip Hop |

At just 4 years old, Maiko began her dance career. Starting at the Ecole de Ballet Classic and Tokyo Junior Ballet company. The intense training and lifestyle of Ballet training taught her much about focus, dedication and making the most out of her training experiences. She carried on with Ballet through high school, but longed to experience the dance in another country. After much searching she was accepted into the Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver B.C. This experience taught her a lot about doing things outside of a comfort zone and breaking barriers of language.

After training at Goh for a little over 2 years and touring B.C. for Ballet, Maiko made the decision to explore other dance forms. She immersed herself in the Jazz and Hip-Hop dance community and worked and trained at Source Dance Co. and Harbour Dance Centre. She began to meet people and acquire all the necessary skill to take these dance forms to the professional level.

Maiko was working with artists like Young MC, Elise Estrada, Cory Lee, Econoline Crush, and dancing for the Canadian Football League. These experiences only strengthened Maiko’s dancing and social skills.

In the years to come Maiko began to explore dance jobs for film, and found herself successful in her audition process. She has worked in many films, and continues to do this today. Some of the movies are: Sucker Punch (coming in 2011), John Tucker Must Die, The Sorority Wars, Caprica, Impulse, and Black Sash.