It was in September of 1995 that Marquis Dance Academy first opened its doors in the Island Lakes area. Prior to that, Angele Lavergne, the school's director, had been teaching ballet & creative dance to Francophone students in the Saint-Boniface area in a studio located in St-Philip's church. This first school was called Ecole de Danse Classique, and had already been in existence since 1976.
Ecole de Danse Classique was originally founded by Genevieve Montcombroux. After her involvement with the world-famous Opera de Paris in France, Genevieve Montcombroux very much wanted to continue her love of ballet when she moved to Canada. Angele Lavergne was one of her first students at Ecole de Danse Classique and she was to learn the art of ballet from Montcombroux for years to come. Eventually, she encouraged Angele to pursue professional training at a variety of schools, including the Royal Winnipeg Ballet teacher's program. When Angele had completed many years of study, Genevieve Montcombroux offered her a position as the school's director in 1990.
After five years and seeking to expand the school, Angele Lavergne decided it was time to move to a different location. With the help of Kim Salamandyk, Marquis Dance Academy made its humble beginnings. Since then, the school has grown steadily every year, and so have the school's programs. For pre-school and younger students, Marquis now offers classes in Tutus for Two, Mini-Steps and Creative Dance as well as combination classes such as Pre-Tap/Pre-Ballet, Ballet/Jazz, Tap/Jazz. The school's regular programs include: Ballet & Pointe, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Lyrical, Modern and Adult classes.
"Quality instruction done with care" has always been the school's philosophy in teaching dance to students. This means that we do our best to make sure that all students receive the best possible dance training. To do this, we have made it a priority to have a teaching faculty that is highly qualified in terms of teaching experience and training. We are happy to have qualified teachers in all dance disciplines. For more information on our teaching faculty, visit our teaching faculty page to read some of their biographies. We have a great faculty of caring, talented and friendly teachers. Whenever you have any questions about your child's progress in class, feel free to approach a teacher after class and talk to him or her, or call the school.
We also want to instill a love of dance in students. In addition to being a great exercise in physical activity, dance is also an art form. Through dance, students not only learn technique, they also develop an appreciation of the art of dancing. They develop a sense of musicality and learn the importance of refinement and attention to detail. Performing on stage also encourages poise and the self-confidence in front of an audience. In short, dance teaches many life lessons that extend way beyond the studio classroom.
Ages 2 to 7
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Ages 7 and up
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Newsletters are sent out regularly to keep you up to date with the happenings of the school. The latest newsletter will be posted in our News & Events page.
Each year at the end of May or early June, students have the opportunity to perform in costume, at the Centennial Concert Hall. Students who wish to participate in recital must purchase a costume (see Dress Code & Policies for details). For more information on the recital, please visit the Recital page.
Every year at recital students are required to purchase a costume, cost varies between 55 and 75$ depending on the size and style of the costume
Photographers will take individual and group photos of the students in costume approximately one month prior to recital. These photos are made available for pick-up during recital rehearsals at the recital hall. We ask that all students come for the group photos, because we look forward to displaying all our dancers' smiling faces on the walls of our lobby. Watch for a picture day schedule and other useful information as it appears in the spring newsletter.
For those students wanting to train more extensively, we also have a more intensive program. Students who express such an interest and who have the ability to pursue more intensive dance training are invited to audition for one of our intensive programs. These are the classes that are typically marked "by audition only" on the schedule. Annual open auditions will be held at the end of each dance season in June. (Visit the School Calendar page for audition dates and times). Students that are already involved in the I.P. program are also required to re-audition. The audition process allows teachers to reassess the progress and motivation of I.P. students every year, while providing an opportunity for other students to enter the I.P. program.
Because all dance forms are based fundamentally on ballet technique, students who pursue the complete intensive program must take I.P. ballet classes. Ballet will also help these students to progress more rapidly in other dance forms, while encouraging fluidity of movement and strengthening the dancer's overall abilities and presentation.
We presently have four intensive programs: Junior I.P., Elementary I.P., Intermediate I.P. and Advanced I.P. Auditions are open to anyone interested in entering the program. Students can audition for the following intensive program classes: Ballet & Jazz (two classes per week for both), Tap, Lyrical and Hip Hop. I.P. students may also take part in extra choreographic work in formations such as: solos, duos, trios or other groups. Students interested in this type of work will be asked to make this known to the school through a form letter that will be distributed to all I.P. students. The teaching faculty can also invite individual students to do the same. Choreography and rehearsal fees are paid directly to the teacher.
Because I.P. students are expected to be committed to the program, they are required to be present at all competitions and recitals. These dates are posted on our School Calendar page at the beginning of the dance season. Intensive Program students should also make a point of attending all local dance conventions as they travel through Winnipeg. Moreover, they are also asked to be consistent about attendance in class in order to ensure individual improvement, as well as the progress of the entire group. After all, the word "dance" appears in "attendance"!
Students wishing to attend other out-of-town conventions or summer dance camps are welcomed to do so on their own. We would appreciate being informed about your participation in these conventions, especially if these are taking place during our regular dance season. Feel free to ask any of our faculty about any convention opportunities camps and workshops.
Intensive program students will also have the opportunity to compete in various festivals, exams and other competitions. Competitions are very important for dancers because they encourage the development of self-confidence and performance qualities. It also gives the dancer valuable stage experience. In addition, when competing, dancers are adjudicated officially by judges who will assess the performance and technique of individuals or groups, and provide constructive suggestions. Dancers also get to see what other dancers at a similar level are doing, and learn what they are capable of doing themselves.
Our school also offers students the opportunity to participate in various in and out of town workshops and/or conventions. It is a policy of the school that conventions and workshops be open to all students, be they recreational or intensive program students. Workshops are a great way to enrich a student's dance training and great for motivation. The teachers giving the classes during the two-day conventions have typically worked with and choreographed for many of the biggest names in the music industry as well as choreographed for popular commercials as seen on TV. Workshops and conventions are a fun way of trying out different types of dance forms that a student may not be currently studying at that moment. Some conventions even give classes on career development for dancers. Students have a great deal of fun socializing with fellow students and meeting other dancers who share the same enthusiasm and interests in dance.
We will keep you posted in your newsletters with respect to the dates and times of these conventions as well as their applicable fees. Examples of conventions and competitions we regularly attend are:
Each year ends with spring recitals at the Centennial Concert Hall. The recital is always an exciting part of a dancer's development as a performer. All classes, with the exception of Tutus for Two and Adult ballet, are included in the recital. There are typically two or three recital shows. All participating students must purchase a costume. (See Dress Code & Policies for costume details.)
Tickets are distributed by Ticketmaster.
These can be purchased by phone (780-3333), in person at all Ticketmaster locations and through the internet www.ticketmaster.ca. If unsure as to what show you want to purchase tickets, refer to your Newsletter and locate your the class(es) in the recital schedule.
We very much need and appreciate the help of parents during recital. In fact, it would be impossible to hold recitals without the support of parents. Because there are two shows or more, we suggest that parents volunteer for shows in which their children are not presenting. In this way, all parents will be able to see their children perform. We always make a call for parent volunteers in our spring newsletter. As of April, there will be volunteer sign-up sheets posted on the school's bulletin board. Your help is always very much appreciated.
During Marquis Dance Academy recitals, audience members are free to video-tape their children if they wish to do so. Though people may also take pictures of the performers, we strongly discourage the use of flash photography for the safety of our dancers. Keep in mind that professional individual & group photo packages are done earlier during the month of May by professional photographers during Picture Day. These are all made available for pick-up and purchase during recital rehearsal. In addition, all recital performances will be video-taped professionally and are available for pre-order during the rehearsals. The video-taping of recitals is done as a service by the school for audience members. Moreover, Marquis Dance Academy does not receive any commission for providing this service.
Dance camp is the perfect way to get back into shape, try out different forms of dance and make new friends! Take part in exciting classes, crafts, surprise guest teachers and much more... It is also a great way to get rid of those summer blahs. Dance camp is held during the latter half of the month of August. There are two sessions for dance camp. Each session runs all week from Monday to Friday.
Dance camp registration forms are made available as of the month of May. This summer's dance camp information and registration form will be made available in the recital newsletter. You can also click on the printable Dance camp registration form below when current for the year.
The scholarship and awards program is meant to recognize particular students for outstanding achievements, for their dedication to dance, as well as for their effort and improvement during the year. These awards and scholarships are also designed to encourage students to keep up their exemplary work and to recognize their overall successes. The following awards are presented at the end of recital.
This scholarship goes to the student who excels in musical theatre, jazz and ballet or tap. The recipient will receive a full scholarship towards next year's Triple Threat Convention. The recipient of the award will also receive $100 of complementary dancewear courtesy of Harlequin Costumes.
Most recent recipientsThis scholarship goes to the student that best exemplifies the art of ballet, who showed excellent improvement during the season, and whose dedication, love of ballet and overall ability show much promise.
Most recent recipientsThis award is given to a student whose dedication to a variety of dance forms and to his or her classes is exemplary. The award is given to two students in order to not only recognize their own successes, but also to express our thanks for the enthusiasm the student brings daily to class.
Most recent recipientsTo recognize a student who has progressed tremendously throughout the year in class.
Most recent recipientsTo recognize a student who has progressed tremendously throughout the year in class, we also have the Most Improved Dancer Scholarship.
Most recent recipientsWe do our best to make sure that all students receive the best possible dance training. To do this, we have made it a priority to have a teaching faculty that is highly qualified in terms of teaching experience and training. We are happy to have qualified teachers in all dance disciplines.
Angele Lavergne, A.I.S.T.D. (dip.), is a certified teacher of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Among other professional teacher's certificates, Madame Angele holds a Cecchetti Associate Diploma from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, London, England where she is also fully registered as a teacher of dancing. She has also studied dance, drama and music at the Saskatchewan School of Performing Arts and studied at the Edmonton School of Ballet and the National Ballet School of Canada in Toronto. Madame Angele has also taught many different dance workshops throughout Manitoba, and has adjudicated for different competitions in and out of province. Many of Angele Lavergne's ballet students have won World Championship titles or have medaled at these events in groups or in solo performances. They have also been selected as scholarship recipients at numerous dance conventions and competitions.
Madame Angele is currently a member on the Board of Directors of Dance Manitoba and is a member of the International Dance Council. As the school's principal ballet & pointe teacher, she feels that it is important that all students receive quality dance training.
Kim Salamandyk (Assistant Director) has many years of teaching and performing experience. She has attended many teaching workshops and seminars including those of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the National Ballet School of Canada, the Ballet Arts in Minnesota as well as seminars in Los Angeles and in Florida. She has also assisted teaching classes with the Dance Educators of America. Miss Kim's students have brought back some of the highest awards achievable, at the provincial, national and international levels, including World championship titles. Many of Miss Kim Jazz students have been recipients of scholarships at conventions and workshops in Manitoba and in the United States. She has also received awards for her choreographies in various competitions. Miss Kim specializes in Jazz & Lyrical.
Wayne Santos has been dancing Hip Hop for over 15 years and has trained dancers of all ages. He is very excited to be sharing his passion for Hip Hop and to work with our students. Wayne's students and choreographies have won championships titles in: Chicago (World of Dance), Toronto (Beat Down Hip Hop Dance Competition), Edmonton (Artists Emerge), Winnipeg (In the Zone & Winnipeg's Best Dance Crew Competition), and in Vancouver (Move National Hip Hop Dance competition). Wayne Santos was selected to choreograph the Team Canada Junior & Senior Hip Hop teams that compete in Austria. Under Wayne's guidance, the Team Canada hip hop crew earned Canada's best ever finish at the I.D.O. World Hip Hop Championships. He is the founder / director and choreographer of the Sikat Dance Company, a competitive Hip Hop team. He is also presently teaching Hip Hop in high schools, such as Oak Park and Tec Voc. His dancers have opened for a show featuring America's Best Dance Crew season one winners: Jabba Wockeez. Wayne has a passion for teaching that is second to none, and is very much connected to the Hip Hop dance community at home and abroad.
Val has been teaching dance in Winnipeg for over 15 years. Although tap is her forte, she also has trained in ballet, jazz and Irish Dance and has studied African dance in southern France. Mrs. Kowalski is an accomplished dancer, choreography and adjudicator. As a dancer, she has a number of awards to her credit such as, the First overall tap solo award at the C.N.D.C. national finals and the A.D.A.P.T. tap scholarship. Her excellence in tap was also recognized nationally when she was selected through national audition to perform Spirit of a Nation in B.C. Her choreographic credits include high school musicals, performances for Marquee Entertainment Inc., as well as local theatre productions. She has developed many great tappers over the years, and many of her students have excelled in competitions, earning the highest possible marks and scholarships. Ms. Kowalski currently has students performing in Tokyo, Boston, New York, Las Vegas, Toronto and Vancouver. She is also currently a member on the Board of Directors of Dance Manitoba. She has also adjudicated at dance competitions.
Carmelle Hearn is a fully certified A.D.A.P.T. teacher in Jazz and Tap. She has trained at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet while studying ballet in the R.W.B.'s Teacher's Course program. She's been a recipient of a Paris Dance Tour scholarship. She has also successfully completed her Cechetti Intermediate Teacher's certification. She has trained extensively in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical, Tap & Hip Hop at Marquis Dance Academy for years. She is an enthusiastic and dynamic teacher in the studio, and loves to see her students progress and develop their understanding of dance and their technique in various dance disciplines. She is currently teaching Hip Hop, Ballet & Jazz.
Lisa Tomsic is a fully certified A.D.A.P.T. teacher in Jazz and Tap, having successfully completed the A.D.A.P.T. teacher training program. In addition to teaching, Lisa Tomsic works as an administrative assistant at the school. She has studied Ballet, Jazz & Tap since she was very young and has always had a passion for dance. She has always loved working with younger children, and has worked in a day-care in the past. She teaches creative dance, mini-steps and tutu's for two and pre-tap/pre-ballet, as well as the beginner levels for Ballet, Tap and Jazz at Marquis.
She is a certified Associate Jazz Teacher since 1988 and a certified Associate Ballet Teacher since 1999. She is a continuous member of the British Association of Teachers of Dance (B.A.T.D.). She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours Degree in Dance from the York University in Toronto, where she studied Ballet, Modern, Technique, Dance history & theory, Theatre Production and Anatomy. She has a graduate certificate in Corporate Communications & Public Relations, and has been part of Mentoring Program at York University, which entailed mentoring and coaching first year dance students.
She has over 10 years of teaching experience in Jazz, Tap, Modern and Ballet. Laura has experience teaching all ages ranging from ages three to adult. She has taught at many dance schools throughout Ontario, including: Toronto Dance Vibe, Dance Umbrella of Ontario (Toronto), Allegro Dance School (Markham), the Dance Company (Etobicoke), and (I've Got Rhythm School of Dance (Kingston). She is happy to be part of our faculty in Winnipeg!
Liane Prenovault has a tremendous amount of dancing experience in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical and Hip Hop. Moreover, Liane has won Elite Gold or Gold with Honours in every of these disciplines at various dance competitions or conventions. She also was recognized with scholarships such as a Las Vegas Dance Scholarship and a Paris Tour Scholarship. She also attended the Edge Performing Arts Summer Program after being awarded another scholarship in recognition for her excellence in dance. She has attended World Championships in Vancouver, Toronto, Orlando (Florida) and Austria. She has spent many years training at Marquis Dance Academy and has also studied with Winnipeg's School of Contemporary Dancers. She loves to pass on her knowledge and passion for dance to aspiring students.
There are many ways to register for classes. Much of our registration is done in-person, that is, during registration times. There are two different registration sessions: pre-registration and fall registration. Mail-in registration is also possible. As method of payment, we accept post-dated checks of either quarterly or nine monthly instalments, Visa and Mastercard.
Pre-registration is held at the school during the month of June: from Monday to Thursday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (excluding recital days), as well as Monday and Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Students are encouraged to register early because by doing so, they guarantee themselves a spot on the class roster for the time slot and class of their choice. Classes do tend to fill quickly. In addition, all students who pre-register before June 30 receive a $20.00 per family rebate towards their tuition fees.
Fall registration begins as of the third week of August. In-person registration is held Monday - Thursday from 10:00-2:00 pm (usually as of second week of August: see School Calendar), Mondays & Wednesday evenings 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. If unsure about which classes to register for or if you care to look at the facilities, in-person registration is always convenient.
Registration forms & schedules are available at the front desk in the spring and fall, or printable from this website. Simply consult these, fill in the registration form and send the completed registration with post-dated checks (or credit card number) to the school. (Marquis Dance Academy, 3-20 Island Shore Blvd., Wpg, MB. (R3X 1N6).
Classes usually starts on the first Tuesday following the Labor Day long week-end and finish at the end of May. Please see class schedule below
Students that are registered for two hours or more of classes receive an additional rebate of 10% to 20% or more toward total tuition, depending on the number of classes. This also applies to siblings of the same immediate family. These rebates have already been applied to the fee schedule listed below. There are no additional administration or registration fees when registering.
Classes |
4 post-dated checks |
9 post-dated checks |
30 min class |
$79 |
$35 |
45 min class |
$95 |
$42.22 |
60 min class |
$110 |
$48.88 |
2 hour class |
$198 |
$88 |
3 classes or more |
Call studio |
Call studio |
Withdrawals prior to February 1 will have the remaining post-dated cheques returned to them or a refund for the balance of the year will be issued if tuition had already been paid in full.
Regular attendance is important for progress because each class builds from the last. Missed classes are non-refundable. Please be punctual.
Withdrawals prior to February 1 will have the remaining post-dated cheques returned or a refund for the balance will be issued if tuition had already been paid in full.
Students who wish to participate in the recital will need to purchase a dance costume. Prices generally range from $50 for younger students to up to $75 for older students. A deposit for each costume is required before costume orders can be placed. Costume fees and order forms must be received by the school prior to the deadline which will be set later during the year in your newsletter. Otherwise, a costume order will not be placed for the student.
Newsletters are sent out monthly to keep you up to date with the happenings of the school. Please select your newsletter below.
Marquis Dance Academy attends various competitions and conventions in and out of the province. To see results please click the competition below respectively.
Newsletters are sent out monthly to keep you up to date with the happenings of the school. Please select your newsletter below.
Marquis Dance Academy attends various competitions and conventions in and out of the province. To see results please click the competition below respectively.
Date |
Event |
January 7th |
Classes resume |
January 21st |
Costume order forms are due |
February 2-3rd |
idance Convention |
February 18th |
Louis Riel holiday (no classes) |
March 8-10th |
Thunderstruck Competition |
March 15-17th |
5-6-7-8 Showtime Dance Convention & Competitions |
March 25st |
Spring break. No classes |
April 1st |
First day back. Classes resume |
TBA |
Tickets go on sale at 12:00 pm @ all Ticketmaster locations |
TBA |
Picture day |
April 23-28th |
Canadian Regional Dance Championships |
May 6th |
Picture day |
May 7-25th |
Manitoba Dance Festival & Festival workshops |
May 18-20st |
May Long Weekend. No classes |
TBA |
Picture day |
May 28-30th |
Dress Rehearsal (am) |
May 28-30th |
Recital (pm) |
June 1-30th |
Pre-registration: Mon-Thu 10am-2pm & Mondays and Tuesdays 5:30pm-8:30pm |
TBA |
Jun. IP @ 6-7:30pm, Elem. IP @ 7-9pm |
TBA |
Inter. IP @ 5-7pm, Adv. IP @ 7-9pm |
July |
School is closed |
August 1 - 31st |
Fall Registration: Mondays & Wednesdays 6-8:30pm |
August 13-17th |
Summer Dance Camp 4-5 yrs & 6-7 yrs |
August 20-24th |
IP Summer Dance Camp |
September 4th |
First day of classes |
Telephone:1 (204) 255-8486
E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter:@marquisdance
Facebook:Marquis Facebook Page
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