JOIN THE BOARD
JOIN THE BOARD
Dance Manitoba is looking to expand its board! As we continue to navigate the current performing arts landscape, we are looking for strong voices to guide us into the future. Dance Manitoba is a registered charity run by a volunteer Board of Directors. We are hoping to expand our board representation across the province to better serve our Manitoba community as a whole. Applications of those based outside of Winnipeg will be prioritized, but applications of all kinds are welcome.
Please email: dancembboard@gmail.com
Dance Manitoba Board of Directors
Laura Elliot - Chair
Laura Elliott is a dancer, teacher, adjudicator, costumer, producer, activist, and advocate in Winnipeg. She is a graduate of the Senior Professional Program at the School of Contemporary Dancers, and holds an international standard teaching certification with the Royal Academy of Dance. Laura currently works full time with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in their wardrobe department. She is also the co-producer of the Skylines Dance and Film Series, director of the Fat Babes Dance Collective, and is acting board president of Dance Manitoba. She is a fierce advocate for the dismantling of fatphobia in the performing arts. Laura is a deep Virgo who craves control (but rarely has it), and hates pickles.
IG: @fatbabesdance
Maria Rawluk is an accomplished performer, dance educator, and studio director with over two decades of experience in the industry. Based in Winnipeg, MB, she is the founder and director of Drop In Dance Winnipeg, a studio known for its inclusive, community-focused approach to dance education. Maria has trained extensively in multiple dance styles and also holds acting training from Vancouver Film School, which influences her dynamic approach to performance and choreography. She is especially recognized for her progressive heels technique programs and choreography that emphasizes authenticity and the joy of expression through movement. With a strong background in both performance and pedagogy, Maria is dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible dance experiences that foster technical growth, artistic expression, and personal development.
Maria Rawluk - Vice Chair
Jonel Fabro - Treasurer
Bio coming soon
Jessica Jamieson has been part of the Winnipeg dance community for many years. Growing up she searched out new challenges in her training, which lead her to train with different city studios, a degree from the University of Winnipeg in conjunction with the School of Contemporary Dancers, and the Professional Training Program of Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in Calgary. She is an A.D.A.P.T certified teacher of jazz and tap and has been teaching dance for many years to two year olds up to adults throughout Winnipeg and Calgary. Jessica currently teaches in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Recreational Division where she also holds the position of School Office Manager. She joined the Board of Dance Manitoba in 2022.
Jessica Jamieson - Secretary
Paula Blair - Board Member
Bio coming soon
Briar Boyko - Board Member
Briar is a visual artist, arts administrator, CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive), and mover based in Treaty 1 Territory / Winnipeg, Manitoba. She has her MFA in Creative Practice from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance (London, England) and has been working in dance-based organizations for over a decade coordinating, managing, fundraising, event planning, and learning.
She began dancing at the age of four and currently performs with Paula Blair's Prairie Dancers and Laura Elliott's Fat Babes Dance Collective. During her studies, her creative practice evolved from movement-based work to encompass performance and installation art, which has been presented both in Canada and the UK. In 2017, Briar worked with Dance Manitoba’s volunteers and in 2021, was honoured to join the Board of Directors.
Hilary James is a dance performer, choreographer, producer, and teacher living in her hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Hilary received her Bachelor in Fine Arts, Major in Dance from the University of Calgary in 2017 where she trained in contemporary, jazz, composition and more, then spend 2 years studying with the Professional Training Program at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks. Hilary has created and performed shows under her own company “hiljames movement” in the Winnipeg and Regina Fringe Festivals, including dance theatre trio “Pull Yourself Together” (2019, 2023, 2024) and contemporary solo show “Life, Love, and Lack Thereof” (2025). In 2024 she produced, choreographed, and danced in a full length dance show “SWIFT: In Motion” bringing together 26 Winnipeg based artists. In June 2025, Hilary was honoured to perform in a remount of Paula Blair’s full length work ‘Run For It’. Other performance credits include Alberta Dance Festival, Skylines Dance & Film Festival, Fluid Festival, Rainbow Trout Music Festival, Nuit Blanche, Botany in Motion, Ruah Dance Collective, and M Funk Dance. Hilary loves to share her love of jazz dance and more through teaching at Genesis School of Dance and guest teaching. When she is not busy pursuing her passions, you can find her as General Manager of Across the Board!
Hilary James - Board Member
Tyler Leighton is a professional Dancer, Singer, Actor, Choreographer and Instructor based in Winnipeg, Canada with 20 years of experience in the live Theatre and dance industry. He has trained extensively in many disciplines, including Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Tap, Acro and Musical Theatre and has been performing professionally on stages since the age of 8. Tyler is an IDO World Tap Dance Champion, having competed in Germany on three different occasions and was awarded the Gold Medal and 1st Place, Children’s Soloist representing Team Canada West. Growing up in the competitive dance world, Tyler was the recipient of many other prestigious awards, scholarships and recognitions throughout his time as a competitive dancer.
Beyond Dance, music and Theatre, Tyler has worked in the non-profit sector for 5 years. First as a volunteer staff member, then Builds lead, and finally Coordinator of International Programs with the Canadian Charity, LiveDifferent. Working in Baja, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and with students across Canada. He is passionate about helping others, giving back to his community and empowering people to live lives of compassion for themselves and others.
Tyler Leighton - Board Member
Nicole Kepp is a teacher, choreographer, and arts administrator living in Winnipeg, Manitoba. As Principal of the Recreational Division for Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Nicole is passionate about dance education and providing meaningful experiences for her students, in the studio and on the stage. A graduate of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program, she currently holds her Licentiate qualifications through Cecchetti Canada and is certified through Associate Dance Arts for Professional Teachers and Artistic Dance Educators. Nicole has created for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and Skylines Dance & Film Festival. From 2016-2019, she worked with Dance Manitoba as a member of their Festival Committee and is now honoured to join their Board of Directors in 2025.
Nicole Kepp - Board Member
Mickaela Maxwell - Board Member
Coming soon
Carolin Schroeder - Board Member
Lindsay is a passionate and experienced dance educator. Growing up, Lindsay was heavily involved in the dance world, taking classes in multiple styles and completing her Royal Academy of Dance ballet exams. After gaining experience as a dance teacher at a studio, she went on to further her education by earning a degree in Education from the University of Winnipeg. For 13 years, Lindsay taught at the middle years level, where she not only directed the dance program but also coached two high-level dance teams who performed annually at the MPDF. Currently, Lindsay is sharing her love of dance and musical theatre as a teacher at St. James Collegiate. In her spare time, she enjoys trying new restaurants, travelling, and spending time with loved ones.
Lindsay Swereda
Dance Manitoba Staff
Claire Marshall - Executive Director
Claire Marshall has been on the Board of Dance Manitoba for 20 years and has enjoyed every minute of every event with her Dance Manitoba family. Claire is a passionate Dance Artist and Educator with over 25 years of professional experience working locally, nationally, and internationally. She believes that dance is a collective and transformative experience that can positively impact all who dare to move. Nothing inspires Claire more than watching dancers on stage and their generosity of sharing their love of dance. When not in her happy place, the dance studio, you can find Claire enjoying bike rides with her family, cooking in the kitchen, or watching for birds.
Hailing originally from Brandon, Willow grew up with a dance focus; competing, assisting, workshops, camps, choreographing, terrible costumes, exams—the whole shebang. Quickly she started to love singing, playing music, and creating through other mediums that helped develop her skills as a multi-faceted artist. Since moving to Winnipeg in 2017, she has taught at Drop in Dance as well as a rural performing arts summer camp, and even tried dancing on a hip-hop team. Last June she graduated from the Honours Acting Program at the University of Winnipeg, and has since been a part of a variety of film, theatre, and artistic projects. Dance and movement have always informed not only Willow’s practice as an artist, but herself as a human, existing in space.
Willow is thrilled to be joining the Dance Manitoba team in order to to reconnect with dance and support its place in the greater Manitoba arts community!
