DIRECTOR COASTAL DANCE

Micaela began her pre-professional training here in Nova Scotia under the direction of Mrs. Nora Oakey ARAD RAD T.Dip, she then continued her professional training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Banff Centre Dance Training Program and graduated from École Supérieure de Danse du Québec. A recipient of several Nova Scotia Talent Trust Awards, The Banff Centre Dance Scholarship, the 1991 MT&T New Choreographers award and Canada Council Emerging Artist grant as well as Nova Scotia Arts Council grants. Micaela has studied with master teachers Annette av Paul, Daniel Seillier, Vincent Warren, Lawrence Rhodes, Christopher House, Gary Masters, Robert McCollum, Suzette Sherman, Deborah Hess, Sally Bliss and Susan Toumine.

 Micaela performed professionally with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Les Jeune Ballets de Quebec, at Toronto=s1998 Fringe Festival of Independent Artists and with her own company Coastal Dance Theatre at the Atlantic Fringe Festival, Halifax=s Live Arts ALocal Currents@ and DANS Open Studio main stage series.  She has continued her studies in New York, Munich Germany (statts theatre am Gartnerplazt), National Ballet School teacher’s seminars and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet teacher’s seminar. She holds her Royal Academy of Dance and Russian Advanced 2 certificates, and was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance in 2000. In 2005, she attended the summer program at the Banff Centre as a pedagogical Apprentice.

 Owner / Director of Coastal Dance since 1994, a school which focuses on classical and contemporary dance and boasts many students at leading dance programs across North America such as the National Ballet School of Canada, Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, Alberta Ballet school, North Carolina School of the Arts, Boston Ballet School, Ecole Contemporaire de danse de Quebec, Juilliard to name only a few. Coastal Dance now boasts students dancing professionally in Toronto and with the Netherlands Dance Theatre 2 company.  Micaela has also worked with artistic gymnasts and figure skaters to help them enhance their artistic development. 

As Artistic Director of Coastal Dance Theatre Society, a not for profit organization dedicated to excellence in performance,  Micaela has produced the “Concerts for Children” series, designed to introduce school children to dance as an art form, producing full length ballets such as AStructure in Dance : An Architectural Exploration, ACeltic Mass for the Sea”, Cinderella, The Snow Queen,  A Christmas Carol , Alice in Winterland and The Nutcracker.  CDTS also produces a mixed repertoire “In Concert” spring season. As resident choreographer Micaela creates several original pieces every year as well as setting segments of Classical Repertoire such as Swan Lake, Giselle, Paquita and La Bayadere.