LLDS: Directors and Faculty

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	Directors and Faculty Lois Laxton Dance Studios is proud of its outstanding teaching faculty. Lois Laxton and her daughter, Elyse Hutchinson Hammond are both members of the Executive Board of the Performing Arts Educators of Canada ("PAEC"). Jasmina Salman is an award winning choreographer whose professional training and dedication to dance are recognized throughout the dance community. LLDS is a Certified Educational Institution by the Federal Government. Our faculty are all dedicated professionals whose creative love of dance enhances the experience of all our students. LLDS is proud to present:
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• Lois Laxton Hutchinson	• Beth Peck	• Amanda DeFreitas
• Elyse Hutchinson Hammond	• Shauneese Morrison	• Melissa Spagnoli
• Jasmina (Dimitrijevic) Salman	• Teresa Cirillo	• Cristina Marzilli
• Meaghan Ingleby	• Jaclyn Tarnoweckyj

Lois Laxton, the Founding Director of LLDS, first established her studio in 1946. Since that date she has taught three generations of aspiring dancers, and her teaching and artistic career has been honored by the City of Hamilton. Miss Laxton is Past President and a Life Member of the CDTA. She served on the Executive Board of the CDTA, as Ballet Chairman for Ontario, and is an Examiner of PAEC for Ballet, Tap and Jazz across Canada.

Lois Laxton's stage experience began in the early 40's when she was in the cast of the Victory Entertainers, who performed for the Armed Forces during World War II.

Miss Laxton has stated that her greatest reward is her daughter Elyse, who has followed in her dance steps.

Elyse Hutchinson Hammond combines a successful career as Director of LLDS as well as teacher, choreographer and adjudicator. She travels across Canada as Ballet, Tap and Jazz Examiner for the Performing Arts Educators of Canada. Elyse is also director of the Canadian Ambassadors of Song and Dance who since 1985 have traveled overseas with the LLDS senior dancers.

Jasmina Dimitrijevic Salman is a full member of the Performing Arts Educators of Canada where she serves as Jazz and Tap Examiner. "Miss D", as she is known, has over 20 years of teaching experience in all dance disciplines. Jasmina started her formal training with LLDS and continues her studies throughout Canada and the United states. Jasmina is the director of the LLDS Competitive Dancers.

Beth Peck has over ten years of dance and gymnastic teaching experience in which she will share with our students. Miss Beth has her NCCP Level One Technical Artistic Gymnastics certification. Her speciality - acro, gymnastics and tumbling. Beth’s love and creative flare of her choreography has been recognized throughout numerous competitions - we are excited and pleased to welcome Beth Peck to the LLDS faculty.

Shauneese Morrison has had extensive dance training in Acro, Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz, Lyrical and Tap. As a former competitive dancer she has obtained numerous overall standings and scholarships in national competitions and has also had various roles in films and music videos. Recently she represented the USA in Italy for the Prix de Italis. Shauneese is a member of the BATD and RAD. We welcome Miss Shauneese to LLDS and look forward to her energy and love of dance to be shared with our students.

Teresa Cirillo was trained by Female Opera Singer/Professor Elise Bedard and taught at The Conservatory for Musical Studies for 4 years. Teresa’s credentials are up do date including Certification in Vocal techniques and Theory of the Glen Gould Studio of the Arts and she has accomplished the Rudiments of Music and Theory Program by Barbara Warren. Teresa is also a recording artist, who has performed professionally both in Europe and North America winning The Naples festival of song, receiving the CRITICS CHOICE AWARD IN 1999. Teresa has been singing in a band Daybreak for 17 years. Teresa’s love for the art of Theatre and Dance has given her the opportunity to expand her teaching abilities to others that share the same love and ambition. Teresa will also be introducing the art of Belly Dancing at the studio this year.

Amanda DeFreitas received her childhood dance education with LLDS and we are so very pleased to welcome her back to the studio. Amanda will be teaching Adult Ballet and Latin classes on Sunday afternoons. We look forward to the future when Amanda has time in her extremely busy schedule to share more of her talents to our students. Amanda De Freitas has conducted master classes all over the USA, and Canada for such prestigious organizations as The Randolph School of the Arts , the Public Academy of Performing Arts in New Mexico, Florida Community College, Tennessee Performing Arts Centre, and Playhouse Square Center in Cleveland, Ohio, just to name a few. She has enjoyed a successful 9 year career in musical theatre - performing in such musicals as Disney’s The Lion King, and Hairspray in Toronto, and Broadway.

Meaghan Ingleby has been dancing at LLDS since the age of seven and completed her tenth year as an LLDS competitive dancer this year. She has worked as an assistant for three years and enjoyed her first year of teaching and is looking forward to many more. As a competitive dancer, Meaghan has had the opportunity to travel to New York City on a dance scholarship at Steps on Broadway and also traveled to Los Angeles, California to train with the pros. She has also had the opportunity to travel to both Spain and Greece with the LLDS Dancers. Meaghan is currently in her 2nd year at McMaster University.

Jaclyn Tarnoweckyj began her dance training at the age of three where she had the opportunity to study all forms of dance. At the age of 19, she was accepted into the dance program at Ryerson University and now holds her B.F.A. in dance. She has completed both her intermediate in Cecchetti and R.A.D. and is now in the process of completing her Advanced in Cecchetti. She had the chance to work with many well known dance artists in Toronto, while attending Ryerson. Her dance training at Ryerson consisted of Jazz, Modern, Ballet, Pointe, Modern Contact classes, as well as Acting and Singing. Jaclyn enjoys both teaching dance as well as performing on stage and her passion for dance exceeds limits and she continues sharing her passion with her students.

Cristina Marzilli has been dancing with LLDS since the age of four, she later joined the competitive team and has just completed her eighth year as a competitive dancer. Cristina has had the opportunity of traveling to Greece and performing on land and cruise ship with the LLDS dancers. She has been an assistant teacher for the past three years in jazz, tap, acro, and hip hop. Cristina is currently enrolled in the Business Administration Co-op Program at Brock University in St. Catharines and looks forward to continuing her love of dance, teaching at LLDS.

Melissa Spagnoli has studied dance since early childhood with LLDS. She has just completed her ninth year as a competitive dancer where she was successful both as dancer and choreographer. Melissa had the opportunity to travel with the LLDS Dancers and perform both on land and cruise ship in Greece. Melissa has been assistant teacher in training for the past three years and is now looking forward to joining the LLDS Teaching Staff. Melissa is currently in her 2nd year at McMaster University.