Summer Camps: Senior

Dawn developed a love for teaching many years ago and specializes in numerous styles including Tap, HipHop, Afro Styles, African Dance, Musical Theatre, Caribbean Movement, Lyrical and Contemporary. She trained with the Bahamas Dance Theatre and The Allegro School of Music where she developed her love for the stage. She’s an alumnus of both the Theatre Performance and Dance Performance programs at Holland College, and studied Theatre Production, English Literature and Sociology at Acadia University. Dawn has also completed levels 1-8 with The Royal Conservatory of Music. She has obtained certification in African Dance and Education, Stage and Drag Makeup Artistry, and Acrobatics. Dawn has shared the stage with many artists such as Popcaan, Destra Garcia, Cardi B, and has featured in multiple stage productions in the last decade such as Oliver Twist, Dreamgirls, & Hairspray. In 2014, she founded the Hurricanes Dance Team at Holland College, where she coached for 7 years. After moving permanently to PEI in 2018 with her husband, Joe Dames, and daughter, Dior Dames, the dynamic pair have cemented themselves as key figures in the Charlottetown arts landscape. They remain dedicated to elevating and diversifying the styles taught, practiced, and performed on Prince Edward Island. Dawn has directed and performed in shows on the Island such as Kings and Queens with The Island Fringe Festival and Street Fusion, Munschables & Island Vibe with The Confederation Centre of the Arts, where she was recently appointed the new Associate Artistic Director for the Charlottetown Festival. She is also one of the Artistic Directors and Choreographers for black owned dance company, Xclusiv Crew; a diverse dance company ran by her and her partner. They recently had the opportunity to perform for the 2023 Canada Games Opening Ceremony. Dawn is currently preparing for her role as “Annie” in The Play That Goes Wrong, I’m Every Woman as one of the writers, & Munschables as co-director and choreographer for the 2023 Charlottetown Festival.

Pronouns- She/Her Reequal Smith is the Founder and Artistic Director of Oshun Dance Studios. A dance artist originally from the Bahamas, now based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; currently continuing her dancing career as an independent artist, choreographer and educator in Charlottetown. Further taking part in Festivals, events, collaborations, and Recreational Arts in the Schools locally and regionally such as; Arts Smarts Project, Diversecity Festival, River Clyde Pageant, Kings Playhouse, Stratford Fall Festival, Social Distancing Festival and projects based in Halifax. In addition, Reequal loves to be a part of the community and arts industry where she is currently on the board of The Fringe Festival in PEI and Fusion of Charlottetown. She continues to express her art by workshopping and training with artists fusing cultural patterns together as one.

I am a dedicated personal trainer who brings my passion for dance into the gym. With a strong background in fitness and a lifelong love for dance, my goal is to create a dynamic and engaging training experience, combining the best of both worlds. As a personal trainer, I have earned certifications in strength and conditioning, and functional training. I have a deep understanding of exercise physiology, and proper technique, allowing me to design effective and personalized fitness programs that cater to each person's goals and abilities. My unique twist as a personal trainer is my love for dance. With years of training in various dance styles, including jazz, contemporary, and hip hop, I infuse my workouts with rhythmic movements and choreography. By incorporating dance-inspired exercises, I aim to make fitness sessions not only physically challenging but also fun and enjoyable. I strongly believe in the power of music and dance to ignite motivation and elevate the workout experience. My goal is not only to help people achieve their fitness objectives but also to instill a sense of joy and self-expression through movement. I believe that dance can enhance coordination, grace, and body awareness, creating a more well-rounded and confident individual. With me, you can expect a challenging yet enjoyable workout experience. My fusion of dance and fitness will inspire you to push your limits, improve your physical fitness, and tap into your artistic side. Get ready to experience a transformative journey, where fitness meets dance.

Sam is a dancer from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. She began her dance career with training in ballet, and later began to train in jazz, lyrical, contemporary, acro, tap, musical theatre. She danced competitively for over 9 years, and has been teaching for over 6! During Sam’s competitive career she was awarded top overall results at several of Canada’s best dance competitions, as well as being invited to the SDF Dance Tours, and other incredible dance opportunities. Sam co-directed her own competitive team, Studio 7, from 2019-2021, which was awarded many special awards, top marks, and choreography awards at over 7 Canadian Dance competitions. She believes in creating a safe space for dancers to be creative and fostering a love for dance and performing! She is so excited to teach and to share the joy of dance!

Allegra Wright (she/her) is an actor, singer, musician, and teaching artist from Vancouver, British Columbia with theatre training from Douglas College in New Westminster, BC and Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City. She has taken professional development workshops with David Smukler, Scott Swan, David MacMurray Smith, the Gateway Conservatory (Richmond, BC), and Bard Studio (Vancouver, BC). Teaching private voice lessons and acting/music classes with multiple theatre programs, Allegra is excited to join the team at The Confederation Centre this summer. Allegra is currently attending Holland College's SoPA - Berklee College of Music transfer program and can be found this summer in Anne and Gilbert the Musical at the Florence Simmons Performance Hall.

Callista Gilks developed a passion for dance and performing arts at a young age, training in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, and Tap styles. She is a graduate of Holland College Dance Performance Program, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Management. Callista is a certified Yoga Fitness and Barre instructor through Fitness NB. Callista continued her exploration of contemporary dance with the training initiative, Modus Operandi. While in Vancouver, BC she performed on various stages including choreographies by Emmalena Frederikson, Tiffany Tregarthen, David Raymond, and Harold Rhéaume. Callista continues her dance career in PEI as a member of Oshun Dance Studio, and Charlottetown Contemporary Dancers performing island-wide in various festivals and events including Diversity and Fringe. Callista is grateful to share a part in fostering arts education in island youth through her role as Education and Outreach Coordinator at the Confederation Centre..