Photo credits: Lois E the Photographer
Faridae Mody - Executive Director & Head Dance Educator
Acro, Contemporary, Jazz & Mini Movers
Faridae was born and raised in Peace River, Alberta. She spent ten years training in jazz, ballet, contemporary, musical theatre, lyrical, pointe, hip hop, and modern. Faridae earned awards at festivals for her self-choreographed solos and completed her Intermediate 2 ADAPT Jazz exam. After high school, Faridae studied Musical Theatre at St. Lawrence College in Ontario, where she was named Dance Captain of her year. Since moving to Edmonton, she has continued to educate herself as a dancer, dance educator and business owner. She is certified as a Jazz & Tap instructor (ADAPT) and Kids Yoga Instructor (Wee Wild Ones). Faridae continues her accreditation with the Acro Dance Teachers Association and takes classes from professional training studios for graduated dancers here in Edmonton. Faridae also earned a Bachelor of Commerce in Management at MacEwan University.
Faridae has over 15 years of teaching experience. As an educator, she is passionate about teaching dance but looks to teach dancers more than dance techniques; Faridae is passionate about showing her students what they're capable of and helping them to develop the mental skills to achieve it.
As Executive Director, Faridae believes every child should have the opportunity to dance and is working towards making dance accessible to all families through sponsorships and community involvement!
Mara Palahniuk - Dance Educator
Ballet & Ukrainian
Mara has been dancing since she was three years old. Beginning with Ballet and Ukrainian dance styles, she pursued her passion for dance into many other styles, including Ballroom, Latin, Character and Martha Graham Modern dance. Mara has travelled worldwide for dance, studying at the Alberta Ballet, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet in New York, and the Royal Academy of Dance in London, England. In these programs, many told Mara that she had a natural eye for teaching and a talent for creating choreography. She followed this passion and became a teacher and choreographer at 14 and continued to become Ballet Mistress and Stage Dance Department Head at Windermere Music Academy in 2018. Mara joined Elite Dance Studio to teach Ballet and her new ABC class (Abs, Ballet and Cardio) in 2020.
Mara has been a professional dancer since the age of 15, when she was accepted to the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers. Since then, she has continued to dance professionally with Shumka, touring throughout Canada and the United States with plans to tour Ukraine in 2022. Mara is currently studying at the University of Alberta as a major in English and minor in Creative Writing, Ukrainian Culture, Language and Literature and Women and Gender Studies, with aspirations to continue her education to become a teacher. Mara is excited to help jump-start the Ukrainian dance program with Freedom School of Dance!
Genenne Gilliard - Dance Educator
Hip Hop & Tap
Gen started her dance training at age 3, in Ballet and Tap in London, England. When her family migrated to Saskatchewan, her love for dance continued and added Jazz, later Hip hop as well as Figure Skating. Gen has taken dance exams in RAD Ballet, Jazz and Tap CDTA and Skate Canada and competed for many years.
Wanting to pursue her love for dance as a teacher and choreographer, Gen moved to Edmonton and Graduated from the Grant McEwan’s Dance Performance and Dance Teacher Training Programs. Her studies didn’t stop there and she continued to advance her training in Toronto, New York and L.A.
As an instructor, she continues to educate herself through Teacher Workshops in Canada and the U.S. She also holds Module 1 in Acrobatic Arts and Alixa Flexibility and is certified in Standard First Aid CPR C & AED
Gen brings 20+ years of teaching experience and currently teaches Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Broadway and Hip Hop to students. Gen shares her energy, passion and love for dance to her students and strongly believes dance is for EVERYONE. Committed to all her students, Gen provides a positive, encouraging and enjoyable atmosphere.
Gen is thrilled to be a part of the teaching staff at Freedom School of Dance!
Rebecca Bissonnette - Dance Educator
Musical Theatre
A dance studio kid from way back - like all the way back - Rebecca has always made it a point to have dance in her life. Trained in tap, jazz, ballet, highland, baton, musical theatre, lyrical, hip hop and contemporary (proudly Shelley Tookey trained for 15 years) Rebecca brings her fierce belief that every body is a dance body to every dance floor she has the pleasure of gracing.
Off the dance floor, Rebecca is a beautiful hybrid of educator and artist. You might have seen her passion as a board member with CO*LAB, an Artistic Director with her own company DEPTH Perception Productions, a teaching artist with Workshop West Theatre or telling stories as a part of Die-Nasty, the Live Improvised Soap Opera.
Rebecca is always looking for ways to use her voice and being an arts educator is an important piece of that. She has a unique way of addressing issues that we all deal with while being honest, sharing her experiences and letting people know they aren't alone. Students seem to gravitate towards her, and she's taught them all, from babies to young adults. If your voice is stuck, she'll support you in doing the work to find it.
Alia Walker-Janz - Happiness Hero & Dance Educator
Mini Dancers
Alia is a born and raised Edmontonian with several years of dance experience. Dancing in her community led her to the Victoria School of the Arts, where she trained in ballet, jazz, musical theatre, tap and contemporary. She also took advantage of all available master classes through her time at Victoria, learning the history behind traditional dances. While getting her bachelor's degree in Social Science, Alia continued to dance, taking on ballroom dancing and brushing up on her ballet technique.
Alia is committed to further pursuing her dance education and providing the same encouraging support extended to her by previous mentors.