Faculty

Hayley Nathan
Owner / Artistic Director

A seasoned dance professional, experienced teacher, and
mother of three, Hayley realized a childhood dream when she started Rhythm Dance Studio, Inc. in January, 2005. Core to her mission, was to create a dance studio offering attentive instruction from a highly qualified teaching staff and thereby instilling a love for dance and movement in her students. Her 18 years of teaching experience in both Canada and the U.S., have taught her the importance of small class sizes, as well as the benefits of employing teachers who can draw from both their professional dance experience and their experience in teaching young children. Students of all ages will thrive in the environment that Rhythm Dance Studio, under Hayley's supervision, has to offer.

Hayley's credits include: "The Radio City Christmas Spectacular" as a Radio City Rockette; Disney in their "Hercules" world premiere, as well as, the gala for the re-release of "The Little Mermaid" at Madison Square Gardens; Royal Carribean Cruise Lines as dance captain on board the Nordic Empress; and principal dancer for NBC's Fall Season Lineup at Radio City Music Hall. She has performed in television productions and commercials, industrials and theatre.

Hayley graduated from The Randolph School of the Performing Arts and was honoured as their inaugural recipient of the much coveted "Triple Threat" Award. She later taught dance in the Triple Threat Program at Randolph. Hayley is a member of Dance Masters of America and the British Association of Teachers of Dance.

Shana Shillow D.M.A.

Shana Shillow is an accomplished performer, choreographer and instructor who has been dancing since she was 3 years old. As a youngster, she trained with All That Dance and was a member of their award winning Senior Dance Company. Upon graduating from high school, Shana moved to New York City where she studied on scholarship at Marymount Manhattan College. While in New York, Shana had the opportunity to both study and perform with some of the biggest names in the performing arts industry (Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Chita Rivera, Liza Minelli, Finis Jhung etc.). Upon her return to Canada, Shana auditioned and was accepted into the triple-threat program at the Randolph Academy of Performing Arts, where she furthered her training in both voice and musical theatre. In 2000, Shana entered Ryerson University's prestigious dance program in advance standing. While pursuing her degree, Shana studied under the famous Nadia Potts and had the opportunity to perform pieces by Vicki St. Denys, OMO Dance Company, Robert Desrossier and the Toronto Dance Theatre. In April 2003, Shana graduated from Ryerson with honors and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance. A certified member of Dance Masters of America, Shana is on faculty at the Claude Watson School of the Arts and has taught at numerous dance studios throughout the Toronto area. Many of her students have won both awards and scholarships in competitions both in Canada and the United States and are current titleholders. Shana continues to train often at Metro Movement, National Dance of Canada, Broadway Dance Center (New York) and at The Edge (Los Angeles). Shana is very excited to be on faculty at Rhythm and looks forward to a great year!

Kat Osen

Kat has been with Rhythm Dance Studio since it began. She is thrilled to see the growing number of dancers that enjoy the variety of classes offered. Kat is a graduate of York University, where she received her B.Ed., and B.A. Honours in Psychology. She received her dance training at Performing Dance Arts in Woodbridge, where she competed nationwide for many years. Some of Kat’s credits include; Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Dance Captain-Isabel Bader Theatre 2007), Grease (Isabel Bader Theatre 2006), American Pie (Ptown productions 2006), Silent Hill (Silent Hill productions 2005), Bollywood Hollywood ( A Deepa Mehta Film 2004), International Hair Show (Prinicpal Dancer-Chicago 2003), Natalie Rivera (Assistant Choreographer-Groove Music Canada 2000), Middle East Tour for the Canadian Peace Keeping Troups (Diversified Talent), various Industrial shows, Commercials and quest teaching appearances. Kat is a teacher with the Toronto District School Board (since 2004), and currently works with Grade 4 Special Needs students. She is also in the process of writing children’s short stories in the memory of her father. Kat teaches tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, hip hop and musical theatre.

Bianca De Caria

Bianca has been dancing for most of her life. She attended Cardinal Carter Academy of the Arts specializing in both ballet and modern dance. Bianca has trained in many forms of dance including, Acro, Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Modern, Lyrical and Hip-Hop. She has competed at both local and international levels winning various awards. Bianca has just graduated from Medaille College with a Master’s in Education. Some of Bianca’s dance credits include: Tennis Canada Dance Team, Club Med: Bahamas, Huron Heat Dance Pack, and Canadian Dance Teacher Association Workshop. Bianca is thrilled to join the Rhythm Dance Team.

Kristi Frank

Bio coming soon.

Judy Rayman

Judy received her dance training at All That Dance, where she began at the age of ten. Under the direction of owner Susan Spring, Judy studied in the disciplines of Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Acrobatics and Musical Theatre. She has won many awards as a competitive dancer and choreographer, and has successfully completed R.A.D and B.A .T. D examinations, receiving the highest distinction on her Associate Members exam. Judy began teaching at the age of 16, and upon graduating York University with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in psychology, she began a full time career as a dance instructor. Along with teaching at several highly established dance schools, Judy has also choreographed numerous children’s theatre productions for Charactors Theatre troupe, including “Annie”, “Oliver”, and “Anything goes”, to name a few. Judy is also a certified gymnastics instructor and was director of Vaughan Gymnastics Camp for several years. For the past 6 years Judy held the position of Department Head at the Woodbridge School of Dance. Along with developing the dance syllabus for the school she was a principal instructor for students in the Intensive Training Program, and the Pre Professional Program. She continues to work with these students on a part time basis as she is now a dedicated mom of two. Judy stays educated in the world of dance by attending highly acclaimed workshops and master classes both local and abroad.

Kristine Stefansson

Bio coming soon.

Heather Schiller

Bio coming soon.

Lindsay Kramer

Lindsay Kramer is originally from Edmonton, Alberta. She is a musical theatre performer all throughout the country. Lindsay spent the spring in Halifax working on Disney’s High School Musical at the Neptune Theatre. She has worked in Drayton and Grandbend playing Gymnasia in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. She was an ensemble member in Beauty and the Beast for Citadel/Theatre Calgary. She is a graduate of the Randolph Academy of Performing Arts in Toronto. Other credits include The Holiday Dream, Tales of Ti-Jean (Really Little Theatre) Val (A Chorus Line), YTV, Much Music, Toronto Fringe Festival, Celebrity Cruise Lines and music videos. She has a love for tap and received the honor of dancing at the late Gregory Hines’s memorial service. She was a proud member of Funk Factory under the direction of Shawn Byfield. She is a faculty member of the Randolph Academy. Lindsay has been the assistant choreographer for High School Musical, Joseph and the… and West Side Story for the Randolph Young Company in Toronto.

Johanna Neuman

Bio coming soon.

Anthony Guerra (Prime)

Anthony brings 15+ years of experience as a professional dancer, actor, and choreographer. Anthony is originally from Trinidad and Tobago where he learned and studied dances of his culture. He also studied theatre and music at the University of the West Indies.

Anthony has performed with a number of well-known dance troupes in Trinidad including Malick Folk (traditional dance), Noble Douglas, Carol La Chappele, Nrityanjali Dance Theatre (Indian dance) and Astor Johnson Dance Company (fusion modern and traditional). Anthony has been in Toronto since 1996 and has performed with Ballet Creole, C.O.B.A. (Collective of Black Artists), Canbouley, Dance Caribe, Caribbean Folk Performers, Hummingbird Dance, Janak Khendry Dance Company (Indian dance) and OMO Dance Company (modern dance).

He has worked with many independent Toronto artists and choreographers as a performer or actor or/and choreographer. To name a few; such as, Jeffery Chan, Rhoma Spencer, Esmeralda Emerita, Muhtadi, Leeliana and is currently still performing with OMO and Janak Khendry dance companies, and he has also pursued dance theatre via his association with Sur Theatre (Tango) and Swizzle Stick Theatre (stilt walking dance). Click Here for Complete Bio

Georgiy Kastulin

As a ballroom dance instructor and wedding dance choreographer, George brings many years of ballroom dance experience, training and teaching to your lessons.

George began dancing at the age of fourteen in Odessa, Ukraine because of a strong desire to learn to lead a partner on the dance floor with confidence, ease, grace and control. George continued his training in Canada upon immigrating in the year 2000. He was coached by world acclaimed teachers and judges including Ann Harding-Traffor, Pierre Allaire, Elaine Doucet, Pat Traymore and Brian Torner. George has trained in both International and American styles of Ballroom Dance and continues to attend workshops and dance congresses as well as study with guest coaches.

George has participated in competitions in the Ukraine and in Canada. He placed first and second in American Smooth in both Rising Star and Professional categories and currently dances Pro-Am for students interested in learning choreographed routines for competitions. He also encourages amateur couples to participate in competitions and live out dance dreams and goals.

George’s dance abilities and skills are deeply influenced by and connected to his professional background in music. As a professional Oboe player, he earned a Master Degree with honors in Arts and Music from Odessa State A.V. Nezhdanova Musical Academy as well as a post-graduate diploma in Arts from Freiburg School of Arts in Germany. George has performed in concerts, played in orchestras and chamber music events. In addition to performing, he has taught the Oboe to other enthusiastic students.

George’s accomplished career in music influences his approach to teaching and positively impacts his students. George emphasizes musicality, timing, framing and rhythm while teaching Ballroom and, as a result, students gain a greater appreciation of music while learning different dances and styles.

Ultimately George loves teaching ballroom dance because every student is different; each student desires to dance for their own reasons and requires unique approaches to learn. George embraces this individuality, by encouraging students to dance naturally, from the heart, while emphasizing ballroom basics and technique. George provides opportunities for students interested in performing to participate in monthly showcases and spotlight events at the studio.

For more information on the classes offered by George at Rhythm Dance Studio, please click here.

Diane Pinsky Rothman

Diane is the Director of Rock the House Children’s Drama Studio, a creative drama program for children designed to encourage self expression and an appreciation of the performing arts. She has been involved with the performing arts from an early age, having trained with The Modern Dance Centre, Les Ballets Jazz and Dawson College's Professional Theatre Program in Montreal, The Banff School of Performing Arts and Belvoir Terrace (a performing arts camp in Lenox, Massachusetts). Some of Diane's credits include: Chicago (The Isabel Bader Theatre, Toronto), A Chorus Line, Grease and Oklahoma (Stowe Repertory Theatre), The World of Entertainment (The former Saidye Bronfman Centre), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Me Nobody Knows (Lenox, Massachusetts). She has Master of Arts Degree in Television, Radio and Film from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Communications and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Concordia University. A native Montrealer, Diane lived and worked in New York City before moving to Toronto in 1996 to be with her husband. After moving to Toronto, Diane worked as the Marketing Manager for Portfolio Entertainment, a television production and distribution company. She then went on to manage the Canadian marketing and licensing programs for several children's television series including the Teletubbies. Diane is thrilled to share her passion for theatre with a new generation and to join the fantastic group of professionals working under The Rhythm umbrella.

For more info click on the Rock the House Logo below: