Maritime Dance Perforamnce Group ● c/o Artistic Director Kelly Horne ● kelly_horne@yahoo.ca ● 519.476.0211

Photo: Sam Hajar

FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR of the Maritime Dance Performance Group, KELLY HORNE, is a graduate of the Intensive Training Program at Maritime Dance Academy, where she obtained her CDTA Associate Teacher’s License and taught ballet, jazz, and tap.  She also trained at Halifax Dance where she successfully completed the advanced ballet exam in the Russian (Vaganova) syllabus.  Kelly has always loved to perform, and has danced and choreographed in many showcases throughout Atlantic Canada including Dance Nova Scotia’s Open Studio Series (now KiNETiC STUDiO), The Atlantic Fringe Festival, Halifax Dance’s Black Tie Gala, Jazz Bliss, and also with the Halifax Dance Young Company, thirtySomething Dance, & with Blackmore Dance.  She was the recipient of the prestigious Pat Richard’s Choreographic Award for 2000 and is a past member of the board for KiNETiC STUDiO.  Kelly has kept Performance Group in motion even though she has been living in other Canadian provinces since March 2005.  Kelly currently resides in London, Ontario, misses the ocean, but still gets her butt into ballet class twice a week.

2007-2008 SEASON COMPANY MEMBERS

 

Assistants to the Director

Jacqueline MacIntyre

Kathleen Vessey

 

Full Members

Adrienne Kenny

Alicia Paton

Alyssa Flemming

Caroline George

Elizabeth Webster

Jacqueline MacIntyre

Kathleen Vessey

Lauren MacEachern

Michele Slattery

Sarah Kilford

Veronika Fitzgerald

 

Apprentice Members

Emma Bartlett

Giselle Yeung

Jenny Roy

Judith Webster

Kim Munro

Melanie Toner

Monique Gamache

Tessa Baccardax

Photo: Cory Bowles

Jacinte Armstrong trained at Halifax Dance, and went on to study at the New World School of the Arts in Miami , FL. In 2002 she co-founded Verve Mwendo Dance Company, currently in-residence at Halifax Dance. She has worked with Veronique MacKenzie, Ruth-Ellen Kroll Jackson, Barbara Mavro Thalassitis (Belgium), and works regularly with Cory Bowles (of Verve Mwendo), and SINS (Sometimes In Nova Scotia) dance collective. With SINS, Jacinte will perform Individia by Susanne Chui in Halifax, and  How Much is TOO Much?  by Sara Coffin in Vancouver, in April and May 2008. She has also studied choreography with Susie Burpee, and voice with Fides Krucker.  Jacinte is a member of the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists.

Rhonda Baker began her training at Maritime Dance Academy in 1992, starting in her hometown of Lower Sackville.  She was a full company member of the Maritime Dance Performance Group since it’s founding year in 1999 until June 2006.  Through Performance Group she worked with many accomplished choreographers including, Jacinte Armstrong, Cory Bowles, Kym Butler, Ruth-Ellen Kroll Jackson and Veronique MacKenzie.  In 2004 Rhonda was the recipient of the highly regarded Pat Richards Choreographic award, received a scholarship from the N.S. Talent Trust, and performed with Verve Mwendo in their annual showcase (No.3).  Rhonda has most recently packed up and moved to Toronto to pursue a career in dance & choreography.  She studies full time in The School of Toronto Dance Theatres’ Professional Training Program, and also received a second scholarship from the N.S. Talent Trust in September 2006.

Cory Bowles has an identity crisis.  It's nothing to be ashamed or afraid of.  He likes to make dance.  He likes to have people take something he's proud of and tear it apart so he can do it better next  time.  He has a dance company called Verve Mwendo.  Jacinte took it over because Cory's bad knee has revoked his self proclaimed authority and artistic final word.  He makes music and acts on really cool TV shows and tells people on the radio to buy their food at superstore.  He likes the Performance Group so much he has done things with them for five years in a row.  Wow, that is really something.  He is thinking of starting an animal shelter for large dangerous creatures that shouldn't mingle with mankind at all, then he wants to be president of the whole world, or at least a figurehead, and he will name his new single country Artsland,  and artists will live for free, unlike him.