Monica Tranter

Director

Bright, dynamic, charismatic and fun are just a few of the attributes that describe Mona. Since starting dance training at the age of three, nothing has stopped Mona from succeeding in her chosen field. She is a full member (Ballet-Cechetti) with the Canadian Dance Teachers Association, full member (jazz and tap) Dance Educators of America has trained with the National Ballet of Canada," Steps" on Broadway in New York City, Broadway Dance Center, she is a former graduate, student and performer of Canada's Randolph Dance Academy for the Performing Arts Private training institution as well she is Canada’s only certified Hayward Methodology for Pilates body conditioning.

Monica helped create and establish St. Lawrence College Music theatre program.  This program is one of the leading triple threat training programs.  Monica was the head of the Dance Department for this program for five years acting as head choreographer and directing some of the their musicals for their music theatre touring season.

Monica has owned and operated the MBS Performing Arts Institute and Ten Talent Management for 15 years training and managing some of Canada ’s leading singers, dancers and actors.  Monica has worked on feature films such as Take the Lead, Honey, Chicago, Steppin' Up and more.  She has personally worked with Janet Jackson, Shakira, Gwen Stefani, Showtime, Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Dan Ackroyd, The Tragically Hip, Canadian idols Gary Beals and Ryan Malcolm just to name a few

As a professional dancer, entertainer and trainer Monica has worked world wide offering workshops, choreography, instruction, injury rehabilitation to dancers, gymnasts, skaters, tri-athletes, football players, hockey players and athletes at all levels but specializing  at a professional or Olympic level.  Monica has now branched out into her Tranter Institute and I wake up with Mona personality dance and fitness training, coaching, choreography, event planning and is one of Canada ’s leading health and fitness guru’s.  Monica offers numerous workshops, seminars and retreats in both Canada and the United States , and works with professionals from around the world.   She is excited to bring her knowledge and expertise to you!

Nikki Russell

Dance/Drama Instructor & Choreographer

Lineen Doung

Hip Hop Instructor & Choreographer

Lineen Doung's stage name is BLaZe. He began dancing during high school after entering Grade 12. He did a variety of styles such as ballroom, modern, ballet, jazz and hip hop. Lineen began to break into hip hop completely summer of 2004. he has danced with many companies, such as VyBE, OIP, and DLM. Lineen has trained in Hip Hop with Lenny Dela Pena, Mark Samuels, Mariano Abarka, Miles Faber (SYTYCD Top 4), Luther Brown (SYTYCD Judge), Tre Armstrong (SYTYCD Judge), and many more. Lineen is so excited to bring Barrie's Hip Hop Company to he next level!!!

Dance Teacher & Choreographer

Jeannine received most of her formal dance training from Darlene Ceglia and the faculty at the University of Buffalo, where she graduated with honours, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Arts in History. Recently moving to Barrie, Jeannine has spent the last seven years dancing professionally in Chicago, Illinois. 

Performing with Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, the Willingham Project and Thodos Dance Chicago, Jeannine has worked with renowned choreographers such as Randy Duncan, Lar Lubovitch and Ann Reinking.  She has also had the honour of dancing for Maurice Hines, and perform works by both Mia Michaels and Gus Giordano.

Jeannine travels extensively throughout the United States and Canada, teaching master classes, setting choreographic works, and adjudicating for various dance conventions and festivals.  She has choreographed in the Young Choreographer’s Showcase, New Dances, and has recently set new works on several Youth Companies.  Her latest work, entitled “Enchanted,” is currently in the repertoire of Thodos Dance Chicago.

Jeannine has been a teacher of all forms of dance for the last thirteen years—her sheer determination, energetic enthusiasm, and pure passion for this art form shows in all that she does.  Jeannine truly enjoys sharing her knowledge of dance with all age groups and abilities, and with all who share her same passion and love for the art of dance!

Jamie Holmes

Dance Teacher & Choreographer

Jamie Holmes hails from the small northern town of Smithers, British Columbia.  After being accepted into the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, Jamie moved across country to Toronto, Ontario.  Since graduating from the triple threat school Jamie has gone on to dance in recent films such as "Get Over It", featuring Kirsten Dunst, and "Honey" featuring Jessica Alba. 

She toured Europe aboard Celebrity Cruise lines as one of their featured dancers as well as being a magician's assistant to Michael "The Ladder Man" James. Jamie was also featured in Toronto's United Way Celebrity Gala as a dancer/singer in their "Chicago" Tribute Gala as well has been in numerous industrials and commercials.  Jamie has performed many times in the US for such events as “Artrageous” in Nashville and just returned from Las Vegas where she performed at Harrahs, Hard Rock Café and the Stratosphere Casino.  Recently focusing her attention on acting she has taken principal roles in "Harvard Man" featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar, "New Jersey Turnpikes" featuring Kelsey Grammer, played “Margie” in the new series “ReGenesis”, and hosted the outdoor extreme television show "ENVY TV".

Alejandra Valiente Sanchez

Dance Teacher & Choreographer

Professional dancer, teacher, and choreographer specializing in teaching ballet, floor barre,  modern and performing  Latin dance forms like salsa, danzon at many types of special events in various countries like Canada, USA, Mexico, Costa Rica and Grenada Island. Alejandra is currently a professor of dance at St. Lawrence College (Brockville, ON) and won teacher of the year in 2007. 

With 30 years of extensive experience in performing and teaching, Alejandra started her career as ballet teacher at the National Ballet School in Mexico City and has trained with The Emperial Society of teachers, Vaganova School, with Farhilda Sevilla and Sonia Castañeda, the Royal Academy of Dancing and The Harlem Ballet.

She has worked for professional training programs as The Academia del la Danza Mexicana, and Modulo Dancistica Company in Mexico.  In Canada Alejandra works for Ballet Creole Company, Sean Boutillier School of Dance as an instructor and company member. Also has collaborated as a dancer with Santee Smith, Alejandro Ronceria, Milton Meyerles, Gaby Camino, Patrick Parson, Donna Greenberg (Ballet Espressivo Company) among others.

Dance led Alejandra to music theater, film and production performing in Cats, Saturday Night Fever, Walt Disney Tour “Dream is a Wish”, and currently becoming Creative Director of Conexion en Movimiento (Mexico).  Ale is an explosion of talent just waiting to find new talent to train! 

Katherine lives in Barrie with her husband of 19 years and their two teenage children.  With over 25 years of experience in sales and customer service Katherine began her journey into the health and wellness industry over 2 years ago. 

Marcel is from a family of boxers from the time he was able to walk he was being put to work through boxing. Marcel started boxing as a Junior in 1990 under the guidance of George “Red” Mustado in Timmins Ontario. Mustado was the Canadian Army Champion in  world war two and is a member of the Canadian boxing hall of fame for his involvement with  the sport .Teaching over 30 000 people “Mustado “ was the biggest influence in Marcel’s life .

Currently Marcel following in the footsteps of his mentor’s, finds a passion in training young fighters, those who need to get in shape and reach their goals through his vigorous classes and one on one’s. Marcel is a proud member of the Uptown Boxing club here in Barrie Ontario where he is following his studies under the guidance of Jack Ireland and John Shaw a highly decorated fighter. Marcel in his boxing career remains undefeated! Marcel is dedicated to helping anyone at any level to get to the next level in fitness through his boxing techniques.

Qualifications

-   Level 2 manual therapy (joint mobilizations, t-spine, l-spine and peripheral manipulations)

-   acupuncture level 1a  

-   certified athletic trainer

-   Sahrman Level 1

-   Mckenzie Part A

Specialty areas

-   sports injuries, core/back/hip training and rehabilitation, peripheral joint injuries, balance training

-   strength and conditioning & flexibility training & exercise prescription

-   general orthopedic injuries & soft tissue release

-   biomechanical assessments and imbalance correction

-   active release (not certified) & strain/counterstrain

Education

-   BA Athletic Training from Graceland University IA /Masters of Physical Therapy UWO

Fariba

Persian Dance Instructor

Very passionate and emotional about dancing and teaching the profession. She is inspired by movement in Persian dancing and Persian Belly Dancing. At the age of five, Fariba was professionally schooled at the Termeh Private Dance Academy in her home land of Iran. At seventeen she was invited to teach at the Dance Academy and did so until I came to Canada. Her career there was rewarding and fulfilling.

In 2002 she came to Canada and took up residence in Barrie. She started teaching dance immediately throughout Ontario and to date Fariba work with seven dance troops on numerous fundraising events and is now very excited to be a choreographer, instructor and judge for Dancing with the Stars "Barrie".   

Ginny Kontosic

Ginny Kontosic was introduced to yoga in 1997 after losing a loved one to cancer.  A friend suggested yoga as a means of dealing with her grief.  Ginny soon found that yoga allowed her to view death in a different light and felt somehow connected to something higher through the practice.   Her passion for yoga led her to attain her Yoga Teacher Certification through the Lotus Centre in London, Ontario. 

Ginny’s teaching style is quite unique as she incorporates energy techniques which allow the student to release negative thoughts and energies trapped in the body.  Her hands on approach in the class provides students with immediate relief from stress and body tensions. 

Over the past 2 years Ginny has focused on Ashtanga and Hatha but continues to learn different styles of yoga in order to strengthen her teaching and to provide students with strategies which will benefit their daily lives.  She teaches the connection between the mind and body by guiding the student into the poses with soft touch and gentle massages.  Ginny is the Owner and Founder of Universal Energies Event Planning which hosts conferences and workshops on self empowerment and well being.  For the past 17 years, Ginny has worked with Geneva Centre for Autism in many capacities including organizing Geneva Centre’s International Symposium on Autism. 

Brooke Fitzgerald

Brooke Fitzgerald has been dancing since the age of two. Brooke grew up dancing in Perth Western Australia, training in Jazz, Tap, Acrobats, Contorsion and Ballet. Brooke excelled in competitions winning such awards as Junior Australian dancer of the year, WA State Champion and Jim Beam Australian Cheer Leader of the year. Brooke completed all CSTD examinations including her student teacher diploma.

Brian Alger

Brian has international experience in education as a curriculum and instructional designer. As a consultant, he has provided his expertise in Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. Brian has worked with the International Centre for Connected Intelligence (Portugal), KPMG Consulting, Apple Computer, The Canadian Film Centre, and The Learning Partnership. He has teaching experience at all levels of education including public school, high school, and university.