Ricky Beaulieu, Artistic Director - ADAPT certified, RAD certified

Office Phone: 613-547-5678

Ricky teaches Classical Ballet and Jazz from beginner to advanced levels.  He is a certified instructor with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teachers (ADAPT).

His dedication and commitment to student excellence has produced students who have gone on to study professional dance and theatre. Students have recently been accepted into the National Ballet School, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Ryerson University Dance Department, and Sheridan School of Performing Arts.
 

Ricky continues to bring his love of dance to his work and is pleased to be entering into 5678's 20th season!

Teaching Staff

Andrea Creary-Lalonde - Advanced ADAPT, Intermediate R.A.D., Cert. F.A. Ballet and Modern

Andrea donned her first pair of dance shoes at age 3.  Andrea trained at several prestigious schools in the Ottawa area studying jazz, tap, ballet, modern, musical theatre, contemporary, hip hop and baton twirling.  Andrea attended Canterbury High School in the Dance concentration where she attained her certificate of Fine Arts in both Ballet and Modern dance.  Andrea has also studied in Toronto and New York with dancers such as Tyce D’Orio, Marty Kudelka, Mike Minnery, and Tiffany MacLean.  She continues to attend workshops with top dancers and choreographers.

As a teacher Andrea has had great success.  Many of her students have achieved exemplary marks in ADAPT exams.  She also was awarded the Outstanding Teacher award at the American Dance Awards, Candance, and Rhythmdance competitions.  Her competitive choreography has won many high score awards and scholarships. She has also received praise for her incorporation of vocal technique into several of her choreographies. She has choreographed for the Central Canada Exhibition, Copacabana Productions and for the vocal group Elleusion. Recently, several of Andrea’s students were accepted into the Dance programme at Canterbury. 

Andrea is currently the coordinator of the Dance Programme at the Ottawa Conservatory of Music’s Vocal and Dance Performance Academy and looks forward to bringing her upbeat, motivating teaching style and her vast dance knowledge to 5678. 

Helen Driver - Ballet, Associate in ballet (AISTD)

Helen obtained her Associate in ballet (AISTD) through the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) Cecchetti Method (London). She has studied RAD  ballet, modern dance and tap. Her experience teaching ballet to all ages spans a period of over 10 years. She has also attended ballet classes with Kevin Pugh at DanceTeq at the National Ballet of Canada studios.

Helen joins us for her eighth year at 5678 Dance Studio.

Claude Marc Forest- Ballet and Contemporary

Claude Marc Forest start dancing at the early age of 7.   His love for dance was classical, however he also trained in Jazz, Tap, Ballroom and Latin dance.  He began his professional training at the École de danse Eddy Toussaint, primarily under Camilla Malashenko.

In 1981, he joined Mr. Toussaint’s troupe, Les Ballets de Montréal.  Under Mr. Toussaint’s artistic direction, Claude Marc toured in Europe, United States and South America. Dancing with memorable dancers, Anick Bissonnette, Louis Robitaille, Brigitte Valette, Egle Lopez, Frank Augustine and many more.

In 1990, he left Les Ballets de Montreal,  with a scholarship to dance in Paris, France, taking classes with the best teachers from the Opera de Paris. Claude Marc also attend workshops with specialized teachers such as Jacqueline Finahert.

Back in Canada, he taught at the Accademie des Moulin (in Montreal) where, in collaboration with France Dufresne, started his own contemporary company.

Jennifer Rees - Ballet R.A.D

Jennifer started her ballet training at age 5 in the first year of 5678's operation. She also studied Jazz, Hip Hop and Tap but always came back to the R.A.D. syllabus for its structure and consistency.  She started apprenticing at age 13, began teaching at age 15 and hasn't stopped since. After completing her R.A.D. Elementary exam she left Kingston to pursue her University degree in Chemistry only to return to her roots at 5678. She teaches ballet classes from Pre-Primary to Grade 4 and choreographs for the competitive team.

Chelsea Swain - Hip Hop, Musical Theatre   Chelsea Swain was born and raised in Kingston, Ontario. She has been dancing with 5-6-7-8 Dance Studio ever since she was 5 years old and has been both leads and supporting roles in the Kingston Theatre community from age 10. After graduating from Q.E.C.V.I’s Theatre Complete Program, she was accepted at Sheridan Institute where she studied both Performance Preparation and Musical Theatre Performance. Chelsea performed in shows all over the Muskoka’s during a 2006 resort tour of the show “VIBE 2006, ROCK ON!”  Where she was featured as both a singer and dancer. She has modeled for an online clothing company, and been in music video’s for Theory of a Deadman, and Darryl Riley Featuring Fito Blanca, and Beanie Man.  Chelsea is currently recording an album with her manager Giovanni Fraser. Chelsea also worked as a performer for "My Perfect Princess Party" In Toronto. She has now come to Kingston to open her own company “Once Upon A Princess” where she brings fairy tale Princesses to life by singing, playing games and signing autographs at Birthday Parties and other social occasions. For more information or to book a Princess for your party please call 613-484-1223 or visit www.onceuponaprincess.com.   Chelsea is excited to be back in her home town and looks forward to working with all the wonderful and smiling faces at 5-6-7-8!

Jenn Tomasone - Jazz, Lyrical, Acro

Jenn began dancing at the age of four at a little studio in her hometown Richmond Hill, Ontario. What started out as a love for ballet quickly developed into a passion for dance of all disciplines including jazz, tap, lyrical, acrobatics, ballroom, latin, and hip hop. By the age of 8, Jenn traveled to competitions across Canada and the United States. She began teaching dance in 1998 and has not stopped since!

Jenn completed her Bachelor of Physical and Health Education and her Bachelor of Life Sciences at Queen's University, bringing her to 5678. During this time, she was a member of the Queen's Competitive Dance Team, which danced at varsity basketball games, won Ontario's University Cup Championship in 2005 and 2006, and represented Canada at the U.S. National Dance and Cheer Competition in Daytona Beach, Florida in April 2007. She was also the Head Choreographer for the Vogue Charity Fashion Show in 2005/2006. She has been the Course Developer for the Queen’s Enrichment Studies Department dance courses for the past two years.

Jenn completed her M.Sc. in Anatomical Sciences in August 2008. She spent the last year running Revved Up, an exercise program for people with mobility impairments. She is currently working on a multi-million dollar research project in the Exercise Physiology lab at Queen’s University. When she is not at 5678 or at work, you can find her teaching workshops at lululemon Kingston as she is their dance ambassador.

This year Jenn is teaching jazz, lyrical and acro and is choreographing for the competitive team. She is looking forward to another exciting and successful year at 5678.

Philip Wong - Hip Hop Phil is a scientist by day, and a hip hop dancer by night!  He is originally from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and moved to Kingston to attend Queen’s University.  Phil completed his Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences in 2006, his Master of Science in Anatomical Sciences in 2007 and recently commenced a Ph.D in Cardiovascular Physiology.   During his undergraduate years he started dancing purely for recreation.  Not long after, Phil started teaching and choreographing for various Queen’s campus organizations and clubs including Queen’s Dance Club and Queen’s Vogue Charity Fashion Show.  Phil came to 5678 Dance Studio in September 2007, instructing beginner, intermediate, advanced and competitive hip hop.  He continues to be impressed by the enthusiasm and passion of his students, and looks forward to another exciting year at 5678!

Office Staff

5678 Dance Studio has great office staff.  Stop in and say hello!