Miss Courtney Smith
Creator & Director, Instructor/Choreographer
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Miss Courtney Smith grew up in Unity, Saskatchewan and began dancing at the age of four. Miss Courtney received her dance training at Unity School of Dance and Revolution Dance. Miss Courtney has had several years of training in Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, and Contemporary under the instruction of many professional teachers. Miss Courtney began teaching at the age of sixteen and has taught at Biggar School of Dance (Biggar, SK), Alison Lamont School of Dance (Lloydminster, AB) and Revolution Dance (Unity, SK).
Miss Courtney grew up training under the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and Canadian Dance Teachers Association (CDTA) syllabi and successfully completed the Advanced 1 Ballet exam (RAD) and Advanced Tap exam (CDTA) during her time as a student. Miss Courtney enjoyed her time as a dancer attending competitions each year and performing for her home town at annual Showcases and year-end Recitals. Miss Courtney recognizes the bigger picture when it comes to dance training. Dance class is not a place to just learn steps, it is a place to learn how to value teamwork, respect, determination, perseverance, and become a life-long learner. Miss Courtney is also an award-winning choreographer and is incredibly excited to continue teaching in her hometown and provide local dancers with an amazing studio experience at STAND OUT Dance Collective.
Current Qualifications of Teaching
~ CDTA Tap Licentiate
~ Acro Dance Teachers Association (ADTA) Junior, Intermediate, & Advanced Certifications
~ Acro Dance Adjudicator Certification
~ Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT) Certification
~ Alixa Flexibility - Module One
~ Pointe Safe Certification
Courses and Professional Qualifications
~ IAP Career College - Dance Studio Owner Certificate Online Course
~ Dance PossAbilities Modules (Promoting an inclusive dance environment to students with disabilities)
~ CDTA Summer Syllabus Intensive
~ Anatomy, Music, Dance History, & Pedagogy
~ Considering Gender Diversity and Inclusion in Dance Spaces (Hosted by CDTA)
~ Acro Dance Teacher's Association Teacher Summer Workshops
Future Aspirations
~ RAD Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies
Mr. Boyd Thunberg
Instructor & Choreographer
Mr. Boyd Thunberg grew up in Provost, AB, where he began dancing at the age of seven. Boyd received dance training from an abundance of instructors across Alberta and Saskatchewan. Most notably, he trained under Revolution Dance and Wilkie School of Dance in his ladder years of competitive dance. Boyd has had several years of experience in Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Contemporary, Ballet, Acro, and Pom, under the direction of many professional teachers. Boyd has teaching experience, as he co-coached the Evan Hardy Collegiate (Saskatoon, SK) Pom Team in their inaugural year.
While training, Boyd advanced his skills under certified training such as the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and Canadian Dance Teachers Association (CDTA) syllabi, allowing him to thrive under professional education. Boyd loved growing up competing, as he found ways to express himself in forms words cannot. Alongside learning more about the art, Boyd found dance as a way of enhancing intrapersonal skills such as confidence, respect, humility, and perseverance.
Boyd attends the University of Saskatchewan, with efforts to obtain a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance. During his University career, he has been on the University of Saskatchewan Dance Team, dancing on both the Jazz and Pom teams. This team has allowed him, as well as other university students, to compete across Canada.
Boyd is extremely excited to teach at Stand Out Dance Collective, as he plans to inspire younger dancers and continue to grow his appreciation for the art. He strives to foster an inclusive atmosphere, where dancers are able to discover their passions and potentials.
Miss Eila Miller
Instructor/Choreographer
Eila Miller is from Paradise Hill and growing up studied dance under Alison Lamont in Lloydminster.
Eila has more than 25 years teaching experience, teaching for many years at the Alion Lamond School of Dance as well as teaching dance and gymnastics various places in Saskatchewan and Alberta plus a season in Melbourn Australia. She has prepared many students for dance exams in both the CDTA and the RAD syllabus and has won many awards for her dance choreography.
Teaching certifications and courses:
-CDTA Licentiate tap
-CDTA Associate ballet
-Acrobatic Arts certification
-Progressing Ballet Technique certification
-RAD PrePrim/Prim syllabus course
-CDTA syllabus intensives (ballet, tap, acro, modern)
-CDTA Teacher Development course
-NCCP Gymnastics certified Level 2 WAG
-NCCP Active Start (preschool) course
-NCCP -Making Ethical Decisions
-Respect in Sport
-Safe Sport Training
-Making Headway in Sport
Miss Emma Danino
Instructor/Choreographer
Emma (ARAD, ADAPT TTS and Acrobatic Arts Certified) is extremely excited to be a part of the SODC family this upcoming season! Emma has trained in all genres of dance, completing her RAD Advanced 2 Ballet exam and her Intermediate 3 ADAPT Jazz exam. She is a fully certified teacher in ADAPT Jazz and Tap and is certified in Acrobatic Arts instruction.
As a performer, Emma has had numerous opportunities, including dancing with the Moscow Ballet, Ballet Jorgen, and at halftime shows for both the Saskatchewan Rush and Harlem Globetrotters games.
Emma is also a student at the University of Saskatchewan, taking her Bachelor of Education with a major in Kinesiology. Emma has a passion for working with youth and mentoring them to bring out their best. Miss Emma is looking forward to meeting all her new students and having a fantastic dance season!
Miss Caprice Sherwood-Ganter
Instructor/Choreographer
Caprice Sherwood-Ganter started her dance career at age two dancing in her hometown, Unity Saskatchewan. Here, she completed majority of her training in dance. Throughout the years, she has trained in various genres including Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Modern, Contemporary, Hip Hop, and Pointe. Caprice attended competitions from age five, achieving many awards and acknowledgments. Miss Caprice has successfully completed her Advanced Tap Exam with honours through the Canadian Dance Teachers Association (CDTA) and her Intermediate Ballet Exam through The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD).
She started her teaching experience as a student in Unity and knew this was something she never wanted to stop doing. Since the 2017/2018 dance season, Miss Caprice has been a part of the teaching staff at Biggar School of Dance. In 2025/2026 Caprice joined Cutknife School of Dance as a choreographer and instructor as well. Over the years she has led students to success with multiple awards for choreography and student/group achievements. In the competition season of 2026, Miss Caprice was honoured to accept recognition for “The Most Innovative Choreography” being awarded a scholarship to further her education as a dance instructor.
Miss Caprice holds her Pre-Associates in both tap and ballet with the CDTA and hopes to further this training in future years. She also is a member of the CDTA’s Health & Wellness committee, and has held this position since 2023. In 2025, Caprice chose to expand her knowledge in contemporary. With more syllabus training, teacher classes, & overall inspiration in the genre.
Out of the studio, Caprice is also a Registered Nurse achieving her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2021. She currently works with Prairie Branches as the Nurse Consultant in four communities.
She has completed her Yoga Teacher Certificate as well. Then furthered her education obtaining extended training in restorative yoga, chair yoga, and meditation certifications. As well as becoming an Ayurveda Specialist.
However, Caprice’s biggest achievement was becoming a mom in 2022, and relocating back to Unity with her husband. Caprice has planted her roots in her hometown, & plans to always have dance apart of her life! Caprice can’t wait to officially be apart of Stand Out Dance Collective.
Miss Taylor Sernecky
Student Instructor/Choreographer
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Miss Taylor is sixteen years old and has been dancing since she was three years old. Miss Taylor trains competitively at STAND OUT Dance Collective in Ballet, Jazz, HipHop, Lyrical, and Contemporary. Miss Taylor has also trained extensively in Acro for many years and taken on the role of being a class assistant for the past three seasons.
Miss Taylor is a wonderful mentor to many of our younger dancers at SODC, dedicating numerous hours of her spare time on weekends to conducting extra lessons for students.
Miss Taylor is thrilled to be helping out Miss Emma this season, stepping into the world of class instruction and choreography.
We are so lucky to have Miss Taylor joining our teaching staff this season and to have her share her love for dance with all of her students!
Mrs. Chrystal Fawell
Musical Theatre Instructor
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Chrystal grew up in Unity, Saskatchewan and began taking music lessons at the age of 7. She continued piano and voice lessons throughout her life and has completed her Grade 8 voice, Grade 9 piano and is a Certified Teacher with the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Chrystal started teaching voice lessons in 2002/2003 while in High School, then started back when she moved home from Saskatoon in 2005. Chrystal’s students over the years have competed in Unity Music Festival, Saskatchewan Provincial Music Festival Finals and one student, Madison Gilbert, went on to continue Musical Theatre at Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto.
Musical Theatre has always been a big part of Chrystal’s life dating back to Elementary School when she was cast as Beauty Lou in “Beauty Lou and the Country Beast”, a musical put on by Missoula Children’s Theatre and Unity’s Arts Council. She currently teaches Musical Theatre to her private voice students and helped with UCHS’s “The Wizard of Oz” musical in 2018.
She looks forward to teaching Musical Theatre along side Miss Madison and Mrs. Gilbert this year.
Miss Cori Udell
Choreographer
Miss Cori Udell is a dancer of over 15 years, with training in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Lyrical, Heels, and more. Her competitive training includes Envisions Dance Club in Colonsay, Impact Dance Company in Humboldt, Pure Energy Dance Company in Saskatoon, and Dance Ink in Saskatoon. Cori has completed dance examinations in CDTA Tap and Jazz, RAD Ballet, and ADAPT Jazz. Cori was sure of her passion and love for dance at a young age and emanated this dedication inside and outside of the studio. She started teaching at just 14 years old and has received numerous awards, scholarships, and acknowledgements for her achievements as both a dancer and choreographer.
Cori still trains in a variety of classes today, and continues to further develop her skills as both a professional dancer and choreographer. A few of many notable career highlights are; Saskatchewan Rush Original 16 Electric Crew, opening for world-renowned drag queen Aja LaBeija, Guns N Roses tribute The Nightrain, Summer Of Sound music festival, and OUTSaskatoon’s Glitter Gala.
Cori loves sharing her passion of dance with her students. She teaches high level dance technique, motivating each student to perform their best, while honouring their body, mind, and spirit. Cori recognizes dance and movement as a therapeutic vessel for self-expression and healing, and she creates a safe space for those to exist in her classes.
Miss Madison Gilbert
Choreographer
Madison Gilbert grew up in Unity, Saskatchewan, and has been lucky enough to train under both the staff at Revolution Dance and Dance Connection. Madison has been dancing since the age of four, training throughout the years in genres such as tap, ballet, hip hop, lyrical, jazz, musical theatre, open/acrobatique, jazz-funk, and contemporary/modern. She has had the pleasure of partaking in dance events such as Groove street, Street Groove, and Triple Threat, as well as a number of dance camps and competitions over the years. Madison has completed up to and including her CDTA Advanced Tap Exam, as well as up to and including her RAD Intermediate Ballet Exam. During her time as a competitive dancer, Madison received the title of ‘Top Performer Runner-Up’ at “The Performer” dance competition. She also had the honour of receiving scholarships such as “Be Discovered.” This allowed her to perform and train in New York City for a week with industry professionals, where she was lucky enough to fulfill a lifelong dream of performing on a Broadway stage. Madison also trained at “The Edge” in Los Angeles, California for a week.
Madison was a member of the 2016/2017 company production of ‘Abiding Lines Dance Company's show, “The Girl With Kaleidoscope Eyes”. Abiding Lines also travelled to Vancouver that season, and put on a show in coordination with ‘The Source Dance Company’, as well as performed in that year's “WE Day” event. After graduation, Madison went on to attend Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Ontario where she received her specialized diploma this past December upon graduating. Madison has had the honour of teaching at Revolution Dance in 2020 and continued to provide choreography in the following years. Madison has loved watching her students grow and hone their skills this past season, and can’t wait to continue to watch them evolve in the upcoming dance season!
Miss Emily Smith
Choreographer
Emily Smith is originally from Unity Saskatchewan and is a graduate of STAND OUT Dance Collective. Miss Emily has been trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Pointe. Miss Emily has experience assisting in CDTA tap exam classes as well as Acro classes under the ADTA syllabus. Miss Emily also took on a larger role at SODC in her graduating season teaching some of our junior level classes. Miss Emily completed the Associate Teacher Training Program under the Acro Dance Teachers Association (ADTA) in the summer of 2022. Miss Emily has also received her Respect in Sport, as she believes creating a safe space and promoting inclusion is very important in dance classes. Miss Emily has completed, up to and including, her Royal Academy of Dance Advanced One Ballet Exam and she has also taken, up to and including her Advanced CDTA Tap exam. Miss Emily is currently attending the University of Regina to obtain a bachelor's degree in secondary education and is extremely happy to continue to be part of our choreography team for this season.
Miss Brittaney Herbertson
Yoga Instructor
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Brittaney was first introduced to studio yoga in her mid teens; she formally began studying in 2004. Dedicating time to daily practice at home and in a studio, she sought out workshops, conferences and esteemed teachers to broaden her understanding of varying philosophies and practice methods. She became a certified asana and meditation teacher in 2014 and started to grow what would eventually become a yoga studio community of 5000+ students and a teaching team of 10+ in a suburb of Greater Vancouver. Brittaney has participated in many unique teaching opportunities including leading school events, workplace wellness talks, international yoga retreats and private practices. Practicing yoga with Brittaney can be both relaxing and challenging, with alone time and togetherness. People can expect brief conversing, verbally guided movement, optional adjustments and guided rest/meditation in a scheduled class.
Our Assistant Team
