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Step Above Dance Academy Staff

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Owner/Director 

Lily Guignard

Certified in D.M.A (Dance Masters of America) & Acrobatic Arts ​

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Classes Taught

Ballet, Acrobatics & Competitive Instructor 

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Meet our Lovely Teaching Staff

Our team is made by a group of kind, dedicated and knowledgable teachers who have spent their lives developing their passion for dance.

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Competitive & Recreational Teacher

Jessica Crook

Classes Taught

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Jazz, Lyrical, Free Movement, Ballet, Tap & Competitive 

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Competitive & Recreational Teacher

Lily Fusco

Classes Taught

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Hip Hop, Tap, Musical Theatre, Jazz, Lyrical & Competitive 

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Competitive & Recreational Teacher

Ella Caplan

Classes Taught

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Acro & Competitive 

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Recreational Teacher

Erin Morningstar

Classes Taught

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​Free Movement & Jazz

Meet Our Lovely Assistant Teaching Staff

Our Assistant Teachers are chosen through an application process and have been selected as reliable, responsible and hardworking students that have a true love for dance. These students are always trying to improve themselves while striving to help their students grow!

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Sr. Assistant Teacher

Miss Emily

Emily brings 7 years of dance training and 5 years of competitive experience to our studio's leadership team.

Emily has achieved many overall awards in competition and has place 6th overall 12 and Under Soloist at Nationals this past season. She has taken 4 Acrobatics Arts Exams recieving the highest score of Distiction on all 4 of her exams. 

Emily is incredibly excited to work with our younger dancers this season. She loves nothing more than helping little ones discover the joy of movement, helping them build confidence, and cheering them on every single step of the way!

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Sr. Assistant Teacher

Miss Mia

Mia is stepping into her third year of competitive dance and her second year of assisting, she is ready to inspire our youngest dancers with her energy and passion for dance.

Mia has won many awards including 3rd overall for her acro solo and continues to strive for perfection in her technique.

As an experienced big sister and class assistant, she is an expert at bringing joy, patients, and fun to the studio.

She has a great sense of humor and loves sharing unique facts about herself to make people smile!

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Sr. Assistant Teacher

Miss Emily

Emily is thrilled to be returning for her second year as an assistant!

Emily is a dedicated dancer; she has been training in dance for 9 years and has spent the last 4 years competing on the Step Above Competitive Team. To further her dance education Emily will be participating in her Acrobatic Arts Level 2 Acro Exam this December.

Emily loves spending every moment at the studio and wants to help her students discover their own love for dance. Her natural leadership shines through her experience taking care of her little sister, making her a patient, responsible, and caring mentor. Emily is very excited to inspire young dancers to love dance as much as she does. ​

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Jr. Assistant Teacher

Miss Raya

​Raya joined our team with 5 years of dance experience, including 2 years of competitive dancing and she will be participating in her Acrobatic Arts Level 2 Acro Exam in December. Her deep love for dance drives her passion for assisting, and she is incredibly excited to share that same joy and enthusiasm with all students. Raya brings a wonderful blend of experience and leadership to the studio. She has one year of assistant teaching experience working with younger children and frequently helps care for her little brother at home. Known for being highly organized, responsible, and tidy, Raya ensures a structured and positive environment for everyone. She is also fully bilingual in French!

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Jr. Assistant Teacher

Miss Faith 

Faith is entering her third year of dance and her second year as a competitive dancer winning many awards for her outstanding performances.

She brings fantastic energy to our studio and loves balancing her time between the dance floor and the soccer field.

Faith has a natural passion for leadership and mentorship.

She has hands-on experience assisting with our Acro and Hip-Hop classes, and she takes great pride in helping at home with her younger siblings.

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Jr. Assistant Teacher

Miss Milena

Milena brings four years of dance experience and a genuine passion for community to our studio family. Known for her welcoming personality, she loves trying new things and thrives when helping others succeed. At school, Milena has built a strong reputation for being highly responsible and trustworthy, frequently stepping up to support younger students whenever they need a helping hand. As an assistant, she is excited to channel that natural care into the studio, creating a warm, encouraging environment where our youngest dancers feel safe, confident, and ready to learn.

 

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Jr. Assistant Teacher

Miss Quinn

Quinn joins our stafff with five years of dance experience, including a year of competitive training where she won Most Poteintal Jr. Dancer at her first competition.

Outside of the studio, she is highly responsible and organized—she keeps a daily bullet journal, follows a strict morning routine, and takes care of horses during the busy horseshow season.

Quinn also brings hands-on experience from volunteering at her church kids' program and babysitting local toddlers.

Quinnis thrilled to share her passion for dance and help our youngest dancers grow!

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Jr. Assistant Teacher

Miss Sophia

Sophia brings 5 years of dance experience to our studio, including 3 years of dancing competitively where she has won many overall awards. 

Her deep love for dance has inspired her to step into the role of a studio assistant, where she is dedicated to helping younger kids build their dance skills and confidence.

Sophia is fantastic with our youngest dancers. She already has hands-on experience helping the "cutie kids" navigate backstage and get safely onto the stage at competitions. 

​Known for her reliability and organizational skills, she takes pride in being responsible both inside and outside the studio.

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Jr. Assistant Teacher

Miss Brianna

Brianna brings 5 years of dance experience to our studio and a massive love for the art form. If there is music playing, you can guarantee Brianna is moving—she is known for constantly bopping around, creating her own routines, and sharing her latest choreography with her family. Brianna is a natural teacher who already loves mentoring younger kids. At school, she steps up as a lunch monitor for the Junior Kindergarten classes, and at home, she is a dedicated big sister and babysitter. Her natural ability to lead with patience and responsibility makes her the perfect role model for our younger dancers. Brianna is so excited to bring her creative energy, responsibility, and passion for teaching into the studio to help our dancers grow, learn, and have fun!

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Jr. Assistant Teacher

Miss Aria

Aria brings five years of dance experience to our team and has a wonderful, natural way with younger dancers. She holds her babysitting certificate and has plenty of hands-on experience looking after children in her local neighborhood, making her incredibly responsible and reliable. When she isn't dancing, Aria loves being an active helper in her community, whether she's preparing lunch for the kids she watches or keeping them safe and having fun at the park.

She is incredibly excited to step into this role and support our studio family.

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Administrative Assistant

Nathaly Jones

Mrs. Jones has danced since she was 2 years old and continues to dance as a competitve tap dancer aswell as participating in heels dance. She shows her love of dance through Step Above Dance Academy by assisting with social media, administrative work and is our studios make-up and hair stylist. The summer of 2023 Mrs. Jones completed a course through Discover Dance as an interest course.

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What we are all about!

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Our Mission

Here at Step Above Dance Academy we help develop everyone’s inner dancer, from kids to adults. We strive to build confidence and skills through supporting one another inside and outside of the studio. We believe everyone deserves a chance to express themselves with movement and be a part of the creative and beautiful world of dance. We have worked hard to make this studio a place to grow and learn in a positive, encouraging environment within our staff, as well as our students. Being founded and run by someone who started as a young student and has built their skills and passion throughout their entire life gives Step Above Dance Academy the advantage of firsthand experience and knowledge of the personal and professional rewards that can be achieved. We are about development and expression of one’s creative side no matter our strengths or weaknesses,  we all deserve to SHINE!

Here at Step Above Dance Academy, we have a passion for the art of dance and for helping others discover their inner dancer. Are you ready to get up and move? Contact us today to learn more about our studio.

 

We offer programs in ballet, jazz, tap, acro, lyrical, musical theatre & hip hop. We have programs available for all ages, from 18 Months to adult (18+). 

 

Step Above Dance Academy staff teach proper technique and encourage fun and confidence in all programs. We offer many special events during the year, including, "Studio Movie Night", "Parent Viewing Weeks", various holiday classes for Halloween and Christmas and so much more. 

 

We are located at 11 - 3250 Schmon Parkway features a dance studio,  a reception area with a livestream TV of the studio, and a washroom. 

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Interested in one of our many dance classes?
Register Today!

8-3250 Schmon Parkway

Thorold, ON

L2V 4Y6

(St.Catharines/Thorold Region)

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905-682-1037

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©2018 by Step Above Dance Academy

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