Instructor: Jazz
Kelsey Chace Nilsson is known for the energy and positivity she brings to her performance and dance instruction. Her passion for teaching, choreographing and performing has taken her all over the world. She has lived, trained and worked in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and Vancouver, where she currently resides. Some of her television and film credits include feature film Chicago, Another Cinderella Story, Fantastic Four 2, Dudley Do-Right, Just Deal, The L Word, Disney’s musical remake of Freaky Friday, NBC’s new series The In-between and most recently Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. Some of her live stage credits include theatre productions of Cabaret, Chicago, and Oliver, live performances with Fefe Dobson, the Gemini Awards, and two Canadian Forces show tours in Africa and the Middle East with Lisa Brokop and Farmers Daughters.
Some of her most rewarding contracts include two seasons with Linda Garneau’s contemporary company Helix Dance Project in Toronto, and the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Kelsey is currently building her expertise in choreography and production with Patrick Roberge Productions and choreographer Jocelyn Peden in events such as the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Paralympics, the 2017 and 2018 Canada Games, as well as Pre-Game and Halftime shows for The Grey Cup in Ottawa 2017 and in Edmonton 2018. She is so excited to be choreographing jazz for Team Canada for the 2019 season in Poland.
Kelsey has been adjudicating across Canada for the past 20 years and is constantly inspired by all the talented dancers she sees. When Kelsey isn’t performing she loves sharing her passion for dance through teaching. She is also a faculty member for Groove Street Productions Dance Convention, as well as at Affinity Dance and Peggy Peats School of Dance. She feels very blessed to be able to do what she loves.
Instructor: Ballet/Tap/Jazz/Lyrical/Hip Hop/Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Lyrical & Acrobatic Arts
Matthew Cluff started his dance training at Judy Russell’s Enchaînement Dance Centre in Prince George, BC, where he studied ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, musical theatre, modern, acro, and lyrical jazz. After completing his training there, Matthew moved to San Francisco to further his dance studies at the San Francisco Ballet School before graduating in December 2012. In January 2013, Matthew received his first contract from Ballet Victoria, where he quickly rose through the ranks and performed many lead roles in both classical and contemporary repertoire, including title roles in "Romeo and Juliet", "Amadeus", "Dracula", "Frankenstein", "The Nutcracker", and main roles in excerpts from "Don Quixote" and "Le Corsaire". In April 2016, Matthew performed the role of Older Billy in the Vancouver Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of “Billy Elliot”, an opportunity that combined his love of dance (ballet and tap) with singing and acting. In July 2016, Matthew joined Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal as a Corps de Ballets member, and has since danced roles numerous ballets there, including “Romeo and Juliet”, “The Nutcracker”, “Minus One”, "7th Symphony", "The Rite of Spring", and “La Jeune Fille et La Mort”, which the company toured to Paris. In 2017, while still continuing to dance with Les Grands Ballets, Matthew started teaching tap classes for Les Studios, the leisure division of the company.
Matthew has taught workshops and dance classes at studios in Prince George, Kamloops, Kelowna, Victoria, Nanaimo, Courtenay, and Montreal. He has also won the Choreography Award for the 2009 Prince George Dance Festival for his small modern group, “The Moment I Said It". Additional accolades include being named Senior Canadian Performer of the Year at the Prince Rupert Annual Dance Competition in 2009, and being runner-up for BC Provincials for 3 consecutive years between 2008 and 2010.
Instructor: Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Ballet & Musical Theatre
Colleen is a passionate and versatile performer who adores any chance to facilitate the growth and development of emerging creatives at all phases of their training. As a veteran of BC’s competition and festival circuit, she has performed on stages across the province, including on six occasions at the BC Performing Arts Provincials where she twice placed as a Top Three competitor.
Colleen grew up in Kamloops BC, training intensively in all dance styles, and began training as a teacher and choreographer under the guidance of her own local mentors at the age of thirteen. She has been fortunate to work with children ages 2-19 in a variety of styles including tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, and musical theatre amongst others for over a decade in Kamloops,Vancouver, and Winnipeg.
Colleen holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Contemporary Dance from The University of Winnipeg and The School of Contemporary Dancers. She also graduated from the UBC Master of Physical Therapy program in 2023 and is currently working in Vancouver as a paediatric physical therapist with a special interest in developmental disabilities, life-limiting illnesses, dancers and youth athletes.
As a performer, Colleen has had the privilege of working with Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers, MascallDance (Vancouver), Theatre Skam (Victoria), New Blue Festival (Toronto), and was a featured performer Bits and Pieces|Transfer/form presented by the Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität in Vienna, Austria. On camera, Colleen has been featured in Raksha, a digital series proof of concept, and was recently featured in Loveland, a music video for LA-based vocal artist, Lola Colette.
Colleen strives to provide a collaborative learning environment, which empowers young artists to take ownership of their training and creative process. She enjoys integrating her physical therapy knowledge into her teaching and mentorship, and advocates for safe and effective training, an anatomically aware approach to technique, training that encourages balance and longevity, and preservation of physically and psychologically healthy young dancers. Colleen is also known for her creativity, passion, and purpose-focused approach and the creation of compelling and meaningful stories.
Colleen is currently training in acting and dance for film, motion capture, voiceover, and stunting. She is constantly pursuing learning opportunities as a performer, teacher, and adjudicator and believes that the best teachers and mentors are the ones who never stop pursuing their own growth