Meet Our Arts Instructors

Emma is a dedicated dance instructor and choreographer with over two decades of experience in the art form. She began her training at Boswell Dance Academy in New Westminster; training and performing for 15 years as a competitive and pre-professional dancer in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical and modern/contemporary. At Boswell she completed her RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) ballet examinations from Pre-Primary through Advanced 1 and she currently holds a Bachelor of Arts as well as a Master of Arts in Contemporary Arts from Simon Fraser University. Having taught students of all ages since 2017, in the dance room, Emma aims to create a positive, welcoming and inclusive learning environment. Her long-held passion for teaching dance is apparent and can be seen in her creativity, strong sense of leadership and the amount of fun she has teaching her students. Believing that dance combines discipline with joy, Emma is committed to helping her students develop skills, build confidence and express themselves creatively. Emma is honoured to be working for the City of Burnaby and is always excited to share her love of dance with her students.

After training in ballet, contemporary, lyrical and jazz for 15 years, Piper joined Edmonds as an instructor in 2024. She is classically trained in ballet and has completed Pre-Primary to Advanced One exams with the RAD (Royal Academy of Dance). She also spent 8+ years in the Company program at Dance Collective in Burnaby, where she competed at local competitions winning numerous awards and titles. Piper is passionate about teaching technique and skills, while having fun and creating a safe space for participants to learn. Piper holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Legal Studies from Simon Fraser University and is currently completing a Paralegal Diploma from Capilano University. 

Danielle has a strong passion for the arts; especially dance. She's trained in all styles, including hip-hop, tap, jazz, stage and acrobatics. The opportunity to teach students has taken Danielle's creativity to new heights. Ten years ago she brought her versatility and energy to teaching Acro Dance and Jazz Dance at Bonsor, and continues to be an integral part of the team.

Aleni is a dynamic dancer who discovered her passion for movement at the age of three. She began her training in Ballet and expanded her repertoire to include Contemporary, Classical Indian (Bharathnathyam), Bollywood, Modern and various other styles. Aleni is currently pursuing her degree in Dance at SFU’s School for Contemporary Arts, further deepening her understanding of choreography and performance. Throughout her career, Aleni has choreographed and performed with a number of companies and has appeared on major stages such as at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Recently, she took her talents to the international stage, performing in Dubai for an audience of over 25,000 people, with the event broadcasted to thousands more worldwide. In addition to performing, Aleni is passionate about teaching. She has taught students of all ages and currently works with Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Culture as a substitute dance instructor. She has also served as a guest teacher and choreographer for the Burnaby School District. Having done much of her training through Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Culture, Aleni is excited to return to the community that laid the foundation for her career and inspire the next generation of dancers.

Kevin Mand is a professional choreographer and teacher with 8 years of experience. He has lived and worked all over North America in places such as Portland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Edmonton. Outside of teaching, he has worked within the TV and film industry, contributing to music videos, TV shows and short films.

Kevin’s classes are high-energy, focusing on cultivating an environment that builds self-confidence while expanding students' knowledge of hip-hop fundamentals, history and choreography. Students who participate in Kevin’s dance class learn and strengthen their ability to focus and listen, as well as their body awareness and their ability to learn faster and more accurately! Kevin always prioritizes having fun, honesty and maintaining a respectful atmosphere where everyone can be their best selves.

Jenny has been teaching for the City of Burnaby since 2017 and takes great pride in sharing her passion for the arts with the community. A graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts, she has performed professionally in various local productions and had the opportunity to represent Canada abroad during a cultural youth exchange in Guangzhou. Jenny also completed a two-week intensive training program with the Joffrey Ballet in New York, further enhancing her skills and knowledge as an educator. She continues to audition for shows whenever possible, staying active and engaged in the performing arts scene.

Heather Parlongo was born and raised in British Columbia and graduated in 1997 from the National Ballet School of Canada’s Teachers Training program in Toronto. She received her Cecchetti Associates in 1997 making her member of the Cecchetti Society of Canada and in 2000 achieved her Cecchetti Associates Diploma. Heather also received her contemporary dance and choreography certificate from the London Contemporary Dance School in London, England in 1992.

Heather has been working as a ballet and creative dance instructor for the city of Burnaby since 2000. Heather currently teaches at Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, Shadbolt in your Community and Edmonds Community Centre. Heather works with a range of levels, from creative ballet and creative dance to teaching ballet to children, teens and adults. Heather strives to have a classroom that is inclusive for her students’ needs and learning styles and helps them to discover the joy of dancing. She has worked with many dance students with learning differences. Heather believes that dance is for everyone and that dance is a universal way of expressing our thoughts and ideas without needing words.
 

Sydney started her dance journey at the young age of 3 in baby ballet class. From there, she spent her elementary and high school years dancing at the competitive level in ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, contemporary and lyrical. Sydney has won numerous awards at local, provincial and national competitions and has completed her classical ballet training up to RAD advanced 2. Starting 5 years ago at her home studio in Victoria, Sydney has taught many styles including, ballet, acro, jazz, tap, contemporary and lyrical. Alongside teaching, she is continuing her own training in a pre-professional training program here in Vancouver.

Piano

Sarah holds piano pedagogy teaching certificates from the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) for elementary, intermediate and advanced levels. She has completed all RCM exams, including the required theory components. In addition to her music qualifications, Sarah holds a Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) in Education. Sarah has performed at various festivals throughout the Lower Mainland, as well as community events such as Hats Off Day. Alongside her piano teaching, she also leads group music classes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, as well as teaches dance classes. Sarah takes pride in making learning fun for all students. Her goal is for students to build a lifelong passion for music alongside building technical skills.

Piano

Leanna Bombarda is a classical pianist from Calgary, Alberta who has been studying the instrument for approximately 20 years, with 8 years of teaching experience. She also produces music, and plays several other instruments such as the guitar, bass and ukulele. At the young age of 15 years old, Leanna completed the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) Associate of the Royal Conservatory (ARCT) Diploma requirements for piano and all theoretical subjects: harmony, history and analysis. She has studied extensively in her post-secondary music education, attending Universities across Canada such as UBC, UofC (Calgary) and Capilano University, under the Bachelor of Music program.

Leanna has experience teaching piano and these subjects to students ranging from age 3 to 60 and her students have achieved first class honours with distinction in their music examinations. Additionally, she has served as a mentor, providing guidance and instruction to new music teachers to teach various theoretical subjects and as an adjudicator for private music competitions. Leanna has participated in several recitals, performances, and competitions receiving several rewards and recognition for her playing.

Guitar, drums, ukulele and piano

Multi instrumentalist Mark Campbell is a guitarist, bassist, drummer and keyboard player from Vancouver, BC. As a child he studied music at the Douglas Academy of Music under David Lund. He went on to study classical at Douglas College and jazz at both Capilano University and Vancouver Community College. He graduated the RCM classical guitar level 10 exam with first class honours. Mark toured and played across North America for over ten years with the musical groups Roots Roundup, Ngoma and Freeflow and currently fronts the Mark Campbell Quartet. His studies have taken him as far afield as India and South East Asia.

Mark has been a teacher since he was a teenager and has a deep passion for instructing others. Discovering each student’s unique gifts and process of learning is a continuous journey that he finds deeply motivating and inspiring.
 

Violin and viola

Pavel holds a Master of Music from the George Enesco University in Romania and has studied at the University of Victoria, taking Master’s level courses in violin and chamber music with members of the Lafayette String Quartet. He has a distinguished international career as a musician and a reputation as a first class instructor whose students have won awards at local and provincial festivals and enjoyed great success in concerts and Royal Conservatory exams. Pavel's teaching is based on more than 30 years of study and research that includes Classical German from Carl Fleisch: the modern French from Ysaye; the Eastern European from Enerco and Oistrach; the North American from Ivan Galamian; and application of the Suzuki methods. Pavel is a sought-after teacher because of his proven techniques to help students play with relaxed and effortless efficiency, his limitless patience and gentleness–especially with younger students, his ability to tailor his teaching to suit each student's needs and his vast store of musical knowledge. Pavel teaches at both Edmonds Community Centre and Bonsor Recreation Complex.

Guitar and ukulele

Alex is a versatile guitarist, adept at rock, country, jazz, funk genres and fingerstyle technique. Alex has received accolades for his talent and he's won many awards, including a third place finish at the 2012 Canadian Fingerstyle Guitar Competition. He has extensive experience teaching both privately and at various studios and summer camps like the UBC Summer Music Institute. Alex teaches guitar, ukulele and banjo to all ages and all levels in a wide variety of contemporary styles at both Edmonds Community Centre and Bonsor Recreation Complex.

Piano

Candy is a patient and dedicated teacher that enjoys working with students of all ages. She graduated from SFU with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Contemporary Music, and also holds a RCM ARCT Diploma and Intermediate Pedagogy Diploma.

She has been teaching piano for over ten years, and aims to share her passion for music through a creative and encouraging environment. Candy tailors each lesson to the student's development, teaching skills and techniques needed to achieve their musical goals. She is thrilled to see her students' confidence grow as they improve their understanding of music. Many of her students regularly participate in annual recitals, music festivals and RCM piano and theory exams with successful results.

Piano

Angela holds a Royal Conservatory of Music Grade 10 Piano certification, an ABRSM Piano Diploma and she's currently studying for a Bachelor of Music degree at SFU. She's been playing the piano for over 20 years. Angela is a very involved teacher–she's always looking for new and unique ways to introduce music to her students. Watching them gain confidence as they improve their technique provides all the motivation she needs. Angela teaches piano at Bonsor Recreation Complex and Edmonds Community Centre.

Voice and preschool music

Growing up, Kevin performed with children entertainers Sherry Lewis and Dom DeLuis. He would eventually go on to study opera at UBC and UWO with Gwenlynn Little, the understudy for Beverly Sills. For over a decade, Kevin has performed on stages throughout Western Canada portraying Japanese Canadians, including veteran Zennosuke Inouye with the Surrey ReEnactors. Other notable roles include Dr. Gordon Hirabayash in Jeanne Sakata’s ‘Hold These Truths’ and Hideo Sakamoto in ‘Forgiveness’ by Mark Sakamato (play by Hiro Kanagawa).

Thanks is given to the BC Art Council, The Arts Club Theatre’s Bill Millerd Artist Fund, National Association of Japanese Canadians Endowment Fund and Japanese Canadian Legacy Society for supporting his endeavours to reclaiming his heritage. When not performing, Kevin can be found working for the City of Burnaby in music recreation as well as serving on the Powell Street Festival Board.
 

Piano and violin

Vivian has been teaching the piano and violin to students of all grades for over 10 years, from preparatory to post-ARCT. Her students have received RCM gold medals in the piano and violin, performed in gala concerts including the Kiwanis, and have been involved in chamber music and youth orchestras in the community. Vivian holds RCM ARCTs in piano and violin performance (2011, 2012), and graduated with her bachelors.

Vivian enjoys witnessing each student’s growth as they fulfill their goals. She believes the most important factor in the learning process is that students are engaged and look forward to lessons, having a lifelong appreciation for music.

Guitar and ukulele

Craig has been a professional musician, composer and educator, for over 30 years. He has played guitar, bass and drums in a multitude of Jazz, Rock, Folk and Country groups across Canada and has toured throughout the world. Craig has toured and recorded with Frazey Ford, the Washboard Union, Kent McAlister and the Iron Choir, Joel Kroeker, the Cape May, Ridley Bent, Camaro 67, Kingsway and the Great Outdoors.

A graduate of Mount Royal University Calgary, he obtained his Music Diploma in 1993. Since 1991 he has been teaching guitar, bass and drums to all ages, both privately and through various music schools in western Canada. He currently teaches through the City of Burnaby at Edmonds Community Centre, and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

Voice, guitar and ukulele

A guitarist, singer, and educator, Marc holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Guelph and a Diploma in Jazz Studies from Capilano University. Marc has performed professionally across Canada since 2013 for clients such as VIA Rail, Calgary Transit and, most recently, Trout Point Lodge in Nova Scotia. His guitar skills have led to sponsorship deals with Godin guitars and the Kyser Capo guitar series. As a performer, Marc plays frequently in the Vancouver area. He just released his first professional single, now available on streaming platforms under the name "ReeVay". For more information on Marc's music, please visit reevaymusic.com. As an instructor, Marc focuses on technique and repertoire development, taking care to position music as an enjoyable part of a child's overall development. Marc currently teaches at Edmonds Community Centre and Bonsor Recreation Complex.

Guitar

Chris is a creative and enthusiastic musician and educator committed to inclusiveness, equity, and diversity. He holds a BFA from California Institute of the Arts where he studied with the likes of Charlie Haden, Larry Koonse, Joe LaBarbara and Wadada Leo Smith and subsequently played professionally in the Los Angeles area for ten years. In addition to teaching his main instrument of guitar, Chris also teaches ukulele, bass guitar, theory, and song writing/composition.

Piano

Pearl has been playing the piano since she was 6 and performed for school concerts, choirs and special occasions since she was 11. With a background in Royal Conservatory of Music and 30 years of experience teaching children, adults and seniors, Pearl blends artistic and technical expertise to bring music to life as students enjoy fun and creative lessons while applying technique to practice in all genres of music. Pearl also enjoys working with students towards RCM exams through the development of musicality through practice, as well as listening and sight reading skills. Her students achieve 1st class exam results and are able to apply the discipline that is developed through practice to all aspects of life. From beginners to advanced musicians, Pearl tailors piano lessons to help students of all ages and levels achieve their musical goals.

Piano

Robert Wu began piano lessons at the age of 11. He completed his RCM Performer’s Diploma after high school with distinction and was awarded the Velma Cannon Trophy and Scholarship. He currently holds a Bachelor of Music degree from UBC and a Master of Music in piano performance and pedagogy from Memorial University of Newfoundland. As a member of the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations, he has taught piano and music theory to students of all ages, from beginner to advanced, for over a decade and has successfully prepared many of them for exams and recitals. Robert enjoys sharing his knowledge and passion for music through his lessons, with a focus on effective techniques that promote good habits and independent learning.

Violin

Hazel has performed across Asia, Europe and North America. As an orchestral musician, she has performed with members of the Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. She has worked under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, Maestro Christoph Eschenbach, Robert Spano, Vasily Petrenko and Hugh Wolff. In addition, she also collaborated with renowned soloists such as Stefan Jackiw, Alisa Weilerstein, Yefim Bronfman, Daniil Trifonov, Gil Shaham, Zlatomir Fung, James Ehnes and Augustin Hadelich.

In 2021 she was invited to attend the Aspen Music Festival as a fellowship recipient and has worked closely with world renowned violin pedagogue Paul Kantor, faculty of The Royal Conservatory of Music and Rice University. In 2020, she also received honorable mentions in the Young Artist Audition of Musicus Society.

She graduated from Manhattan School of Music where studied with Peter Winograd, the first violinist of the American String Quartet and Sheryl Staples, Principal Associate Concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic. In addition, she studied jazz violin with Grammy award winner Regina Carter. She was a recipient of the Kraeuter Violin Scholarship, Janey Fund Charitable Trust Scholarship, MSM Scholarship and the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme.
 

Visual arts

Karen Bagayawa is a professional mixed media artist who has a passion and enthusiasm for art and loves sharing this with children. Her studio is located at Parker Street Studios and her artistic practice includes creating tactile surfaces. Karen believes in building a child’s creative confidence and exploring different materials and techniques. Her classes focus on mixed media and every week Karen experiments with various art materials such as watercolour, oil pastels, tempera paints, sculpture, collage, printmaking and even creating hats!

She strongly believes that possessing a nurturing, patient and encouraging attitude are key assets when teaching art—especially to young children. She is currently the Fine Arts Instructor for preschoolers, ages 18 months-4 years at Edmonds Community Centre and The Burnaby Art Gallery. She has been teaching at Edmonds since 2015. Her classes include A is for Art, F is for Family, Parent and Tot: Adventures in Art, Art and Phonics and Imagination Station.  

Visual arts

As an illustrator creating multiple projects, including the fantasy adventure "Atlas of Materia", you can find Devan doodling, developing comics and designing characters. After studying 2D animation at Capilano University, Devan balanced his time building his artistic skill while working in childcare education and training with Vancouver's Crisis Centre. Ever since Devan was little, his greatest joy came from drawing and creating. Now, he's happy to teach and inspire future generations! Please find Devan on all platforms at Devan Dirocco Draws.

Theatre

Julia is an enthusiastic and experienced actor who has taught all things drama since 2014. Born and raised in Burnaby, Julia has been teaching with the city since 2020. Julia specializes in short-form improv, musical theatre and ensemble work grounded in play for kids, teens and adults. Julia takes pride in creating welcoming and fun learning environments, with a focus on inclusion and goofiness.

Select credits (as of 2025) include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Theatre Under the Stars), The Perfect Bite Vancouver - A Dinner Experience Inspired by Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Secret City Adventures in collaboration with NETFLIX), World Enders Workshop, Sigma Acapella (Rushed Productions), The Marvelous Wonderettes (Vagabond Players), and various plays with Brave New Playwrites.

Julia has studied improv and theatre with various organizations including The Improv Centre, Tightrope Theatre, Instant Theatre, Improvcamp (The Canadian Improv Games) and Simon Fraser University. When she isn't on stage, Julia also works as a recreation leader and freelance writer.

Visual arts

Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School for the Contemporary Arts at SFU. She has enjoyed teaching for over 5 years. Her continuing studies include visual culture studies, philosophy, sociology, pedagogy and publishing. Vanessa has experience with a variety of cartooning and art techniques, including Manga and Eastern storytelling. Vanessa teaches our after-school Drawing and Cartooning Programs at a variety of Burnaby elementary schools and at Edmonds Community Centre and Shadbolt Centre for The Arts Outreach Programs.

Visual arts

Tami Murray, a fine arts graduate from Emily Carr in 2002, has been a working artist in Burnaby for over two decades. She focuses on artistic process and exploration in her work and instructional style. Passionate about working with children, she enjoys teaching artistic thinking and visual literacy with outside-the-box techniques and imagination-sparking themes in her classes. Tami has participated in numerous art festivals and events, including Burnaby’s Stride Festival, the Vines Art Festival and Canvas of Light and Sound.

Visual arts

Irina Samarukava is a multidisciplinary artist with a passion for sharing the process of creating hand-crafted projects with others. Irina loves exploring new mediums and art forms and experimenting with projects both big and small.  She is versatile in teaching different arts and crafts such as drawing, watercolor and acrylic painting, knitting,  felting, batique and origami folding. Irina was born in Belarus, East Europe  where she obtained her bachelor degree in Fine Arts. Irina has been teaching art at an elementary school for over 12 years, and since moving to Canada in 2003, she has been teaching students of different ages in her private studio. Recently Irina has joined the Art team  at Edmonds community Centre and at Shadbolt Centre for the Art in Burnaby.

Creative writing

MacKenzie Sewell is a writer and creative writing teacher living in Surrey, BC. She has a total of 13 years of teaching & coaching experience, including experience supporting individuals with autism & other diverse needs. MacKenzie joined City of Burnaby's team of Fine Arts Instructors in 2022.

MacKenzie has a Masters degree in creative writing from the University of British Columbia, where she specialized in children’s literature, novel writing and poetry. When she's not working on her next project, MacKenzie teaches creative writing to children & adults at Burnaby community centers, watches Doctor Who reruns with her wife Hannah (and their cat, Wallie) and waters her ever-growing collection of plants.