Tara Pickford (Miss Tara) is the CEO of APA. She began dancing at the age of four and hasn’t sat still since! These days Miss Tara loves being in the classroom coaching her staff and students on how to discover their passion for the arts.

Miss Tara is a fully certified teacher in Acrobatic Arts, ADAPT, and Al Gilbert, and has also earned her qualifications in Alixa Flexibility and Perfect Form Physio. She is YPAD certified and a member of the Wild Rose Dance Arts Association. She earned her Bachelor degree in Kinesiology with a major in Mind Sciences at the University of Calgary.

A dance mom herself, Miss Tara has a deep understanding of what families look for in a studio. She knows what it takes for dancers, teachers, and parents to have an exciting and fulfilling experience from the classroom to the stage!

Miss Tara is proud that the people of APA have become like family to so many staff and students. She wants everyone who walks in the door to feel respected, inspired, and encouraged—like they have stepped in to their second home.

Andie Frederick (Miss Andie) is our Community Coordinator and a Dance Instructor at APA. She began dancing at the age of four, joined APA as a student when she was 12-years-old, and began her teaching career at 16. Having “grown up” at APA, Miss Andie feels like training here has been one of her best life decisions!

Miss Andie is a certified Acrobatic Arts instructor and has completed her ADAPT Pre-Advanced Jazz Exam, as well as her ADAPT Pre-Intermediate 3 Tap Exam, RAD Intermediate Exam, and Al Gilbert Grade 5 Tap Exam. She is also YPAD and RhythmWorks certified. She is also a member of the Wild Rose Dance Arts Association.

For Miss Andie, APA is so much more than a business; it is a family! She loves coming to work each day because she has the opportunity to help build a fun and safe community for APA’s students.

Adrianne Jorgensen (Miss Adrianne) is APA’s Director of Operations as well as a Dance Instructor. Growing up, she studied a variety of dance styles, participated in competitions, and completed her Al Gilbert Tap exams, Intermediate 3 ADAPT Jazz exam, and Grade 8 RAD Ballet exam.

Miss Adrianne earned her Bachelor of Business and Entrepreneurship degree for Sport and Recreation from Mount Royal University and is a graduate of the ADAPT Teacher Training School. She is certified in Acrobatic Arts, YPAD, Alixa Flexibility, and Perfect Form Physio, and is a member of the Wild Rose Dance Arts Association.

As Miss Adrianne enters her seventh year of teaching with APA, she looks forward to giving back to her students, who have inspired her so much over the years. She loves that APA feels like a second home, and she can’t wait to see her students achieve their goals in class!

Rachel Viner (Miss Rachel) is our Academy Director. She has extensive training in nearly every dance style and grew up competing and performing. Miss Rachel began teaching at APA at the age of 16 and has since obtained certifications in Acrobatic Arts, ADAPT, YPAD, Alixa Flexibility, and RhythmWorks Integrative Dance. She enjoys continuing her education at workshops and seminars throughout Canada and the United States.

Miss Rachel considers APA her second home and loves sharing her knowledge and passion for dance with APA students! She highly values APA’s ideology of “we don’t teach dance to make great dancers, we teach dance to make great kids”. She firmly believes that dreams and dedication are a powerful combination and teaches her students that if they can believe it, they can achieve it.

Rae-Lee Brower (Miss Rae-Lee) is APA’s Ballet Director and a Dance Instructor. She began her ballet and contemporary training in Alberta at Crossings Dance Studio and later performed with the Corps Bara Dance Youth Company. Miss Rae-Lee earned her BFA and Teacher Training Diploma from Simon Fraser University.

During her University experience, she was also privileged to attend the National Ballet School’s renowned Teacher Training Program and obtain her qualifications with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and the Royal Academy of Dance.

Miss Rae-Lee’s goal as a teacher is to develop healthy and enthusiastic dancers who love art and will positively influence the world of dance. She loves encouraging her APA students to love themselves for who they are and to never give up on their passions in life!

Taylor Thompson (Miss Taylor) is a Music Instructor and Drama Instructor at APA. She is a proud graduate of Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary, where she earned a specialization in Drama. She is excited to bring her passion for the arts to APA’s students!

Miss Taylor is looking forward to putting her creativity to the test this year so that she can offer her students unique experiences in the classroom. She can’t wait to work alongside the wonderful staff at APA as well!

Julie Pearson (Miss Julie) is a Music Instructor at APA. With 18 years of teaching experience, she has taught a variety of musical styles and specializes in Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM), including musical theatre, rock, pop, folk, and gospel.

Miss Julie completed her Grade 10 Piano and Grade 8 Voice with Royal Conservatory of Music, and earned her Master of Music Studies in Vocal Pedagogy from Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia. She is also certified with Somatic Voicework™, a teaching method that incorporates physical awareness, aural acuity, kinesthetic development, and vocal freedom. Miss Julie enjoys incorporating ear training, sight reading, and music theory in her lessons in order to help each student become well-rounded.

Teaching students to become independent and creative musicians is Miss Julie’s personal mission. She loves supporting her students’ growth through performance opportunities, building their confidence and encouraging them to discover their full potential. Miss Julie is honored to be inspiring students to excellence as part of the APA team!

Tiffany Powell (Miss Tiffany) is a Dance Instructor at APA. She began dancing at the age of four and never stopped! Her pre-professional training included training in all dance styles and participating in competitions and conventions, such as Triple Threat and Groove Street Dance.

Miss Tiffany obtained her Junior 3, Pre-Intermediate 2, Pre-Intermediate 3, and Intermediate 1 ADAPT exams in Jazz. She is an Acrobatic Arts and YPAD certified instructor, and is working towards her RhythmWorks Integrative Dance certification. Miss Tiffany is currently a student in Exercise and Health Physiology at the University of Calgary.

Miss Tiffany loves working at APA because of the friendly atmosphere created by all the staff, parents, and students. She loves seeing all of the smiles on young dancers’ faces when they come into the studio and enjoys being a part of their learning experience.

Hannah Frank (Miss Hannah) is a Dance Instructor at APA. Prior to becoming an instructor, Miss Hannah participated in APA’s Teacher Assistant program and taught during APA’s summer camps. A student of all dance styles, Miss Hannah has completed her RAD, ADAPT, and Al Gilbert exams and attended a variety of dance conventions and competitions. She is also YPAD certified.

Miss Hannah loves working at APA because of the positive atmosphere and the strong friendships she has made. She believes that dance has given her strength and self-confidence she wouldn’t otherwise have, and she’s excited to pass along those same qualities to her own students!

Michelle Dupont (Miss Michelle) is an Office Administrator at APA. Before working at APA, Miss Michelle helped manage the office at a medical office, where she was recognized for her outstanding work and communications. Miss Michelle enjoys working on detail-oriented projects and creating strategies for problem-solving.

Miss Michelle prides herself on having developed a positive, professional attitude and enjoys learning about dance and serving APA parents and students with a smile. She strongly believes in APA’s “Family First” mission and looks forward to personally getting to know each dance family!