2024 Summer Dance Intensive

Originally from Edmonton, Laurie’s career in dance has taken her around the world as a performer, adjudicator, award-winning choreographer, convention teacher, and instructor. She has been adjudicating events across Canada and the USA for over 20 years. She has taught and trained in many genres of dance and is acrobatic arts certified.

Laurie holds her Advanced II certificate with the Royal Academy of Dance and performed professionally with Ballet North. Performances with Ballet North included a tour of Mainland China as a Principal dancer.  Laurie also worked at length as a lead singer and dancer in Japan at Tokyo Disneyland, playing such fun-loving characters as Belle, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty.  She has also enjoyed working in the Cruise-ship industry.

Industrial credits include Calvin Klein, Lancome, Tommy Hilfiger, the grand opening of Casino Niagara, and Club Firestone.  Live performances and TV credits include Berenstain Bears Christmas Show with Paramount Pictures, Legends Alive, Chiropractic Association of Alberta, and Cool FM radio.  Laurie has appeared as a guest singer on Day By Day and was co-choreographer of Dean Gunnarson’s Halloween Special.  She has enjoyed a range of artistic endeavors from voice over work, to singer, dancer, actor, and choreographer.  Recently she had the pleasure of being choreographer and dancer in a commercial and advertisement for the Physiotherapy Association of Alberta, called “Born to Move”  and “Laurie’s Story” by Joe Media.  A great honor was being invited to audition for Cirque du Soleil and be added to their bank of potential performers.

Laurie is currently teaching at the Edmonton School of Ballet in the daytime professional program and juggling being a mom of 3. Many of Laurie’s past students are enjoying careers in dance and she couldn’t be happier to see them share their love of the arts.  She truly enjoys meeting and teaching young artists who continue to inspire her with their determination.

Josh is a New York City based choreographer and creative director. His work has spanned across every area of the entertainment industry including Broadway, national tours, fashion, theme parks, film, and television. He has worked in major venues worldwide including United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe. He is also the co-founder of Creative Streak Entertainment (CSE), one of New York’s most prolific and sophisticated entertainment companies.

Choreographic credits include New York Fashion Week, the New York City Knicks, Hard Rock Hotel, Audi, Celebrity Cruise Lines, Modos Furniture, Cedar Fair, Old Forester Distilling, Soho House as well as regional productions of Mary Poppins, Cinderella, Newsies and the world premiere of Medicine the Musical, which ran Off-Broadway. Josh recently choreographed Cedar Point’s 150th Anniversary Spectacular as well as the TV series DJ Burnt Bannock produced by Eagle Vision. He was the associate choreographer for the Saturday Night Fever National Tour as well as the Canadian Premier of Newsies.

He has worked as a Creative Director on projects such as Kings Islands 50th Anniversary, NYE at Soho House, multiple events for the Hard Rock Hotel, fashion campaigns for Stacey Martin Lifestyle and recently directed and choreographed the launch campaign of the brand new Tin Building by world renowned chef Jean-Georges.

As a performer, selected credits include Neleus in Disney’s Mary Poppins on Broadway as well as the 1st National Tour, Disney’s Newsies 1st National Tour (asst. Dance Captain), Baby John in West Side Story at the Stratford Festival, Wizard Of Oz National Tour. He has appeared on NBC’s Saturday Night Live with Jimmy Fallon as well as ABC’s The Chew.

Josh has been featured in Dance Spirit Magazine, Dance Canada Quarterly, Industry Dance Magazine and Dance Plug Los Angeles. He has taught at Edge Performing Arts Center and is currently on faculty at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City where he has been a guest choreographer for many of their events.

Mindy Conto, a native of North Bay, Ontario, discovered her love of dance at the age of ten. She immersed herself in training and studying all dance disciplines with dedication and enthusiasm, and is devoted to encouraging the same energy and commitment in her students. She is an accomplished performer, instructor and choreographer who brings passion, creativity and inspiration to dancers across North America.

As a teacher, Mindy strives to unlock the potential in each dancer, and to provide them with the critical skills and practices to support their success. Her intensive workshops have included a summer programme on audition and show preparation for dancers, and a full week master workshop hosted in Greece.

Mindy’s talent and professionalism has taken her all over the globe, and she has had the opportunity to dance with some of the world’s most popular artists. Mindy has danced back up at the MMVAs with Hedley, PSY, Kardinal Offishall Featuring Akon, Hilary Duff and Bow Wow. Her extensive list of touring and stage performances include Destiny’s Child, Aaron Carter, Shawn Desman, Carly Rae Jepsen, Fefe Dobson, Aleesia, Shiloh, Eva Avila, Suzie McNeil, Dave Armstrong & Redroche featuring H boogie, Kreesha Turner, and Neil Young.  Mindy performed in Massari’s World Tour, travelling across the Mediterranean Sea and the west of India. She also trained for many years in the USA, focusing on her technique and style landing herself a limited spot and stage credit in LA’s Choreographer’s Ball (Carnival 2006).

In addition to performing in several commercials for Esquire & Movado Watches, Mindy appeared in the feature film “Honey”, starring Jessica Alba, in the ESPN drama television series “Playmakers” with Omar Gooding, and as a featured dancer in Hedley’s Lose Control music video.

Mindy has won numerous awards for her innovative choreography in many national competitions, and as former dance captain of the Toronto Raptors Dance Pak, she has crafted several routines for the NBA and for other major sporting teams across Canada. Recently, she had the chance to offer her incredible talents in support of an important cause by contributing choreography to a spectacular fundraising Gala event for the ChildLife Department at the Toronto SickKids Hospital.

Mindy was selected for an elite team of adjudicators that toured Australia, providing valuable critiques and judging several hundreds of dancers during their competitive dance season down under, and was interviewed about her adjudication expertise and accomplishments in dancetrain magazine.

Mindy knows that perseverance, dedication and hard work are key to achieving one’s dance dream.

Next Up co-founder and lead coach, Alexandra Herzog, is a certified Life Coach and Performer Mindset coach. With a background as a professional dancer, actor and choreographer, Alexandra founded the Dancer Mindset program to provide performers with the mindset tools necessary to perform at their best. Next Up has helped many competitive and professional dancers who previously crumbled under pressure and lacked belief in themselves, to emerge as empowered and confident artists, ready to own their training, performances and potential! After working together, dancers are equipped with the mindset tools necessary to coach themselves through high pressure situations! Dancer Mindset coaching helps competitive dancers of all ages reach their full potential with calm, clarity and confidence! www.nextupcoach.com

Caitlyn is one of Toronto’s top up and coming dancers and choreographers.  A previous National award winning competitive dancer, Caitlyn is now with DaCosta Talent and continues to work throughout Canada.  

Caitlyn presented her first piece in Toronto’s Choreoball Summer Edition at the age of 17, and since has also shown work in Elevate Toronto, Fever After Dark, March for HER, Unite Dance Showcase, Choreoball Winter Edition and more.  A previous 3 time division winner of Young Creators Challenge (2019, 2020, 2021) Caitlyn has also worked on their Workshop faculty.  

Caitlyn’s most recent work as a choreographer is featured on the television series The Next Step (BBC, Season 8) and as the lead choreographer for the “Together Right” music video for Finger 11.  Currently on faculty at Studio North Toronto, Caitlyn has a weekly professional drop-in class. She is a teacher at several of Ontario’s top studios as well a faculty member at Canadian Dance Expo, MOVE Dance Convention, and The Intensive.

As a dancer Caitlyn was a member of Proper Etiquette Company and the Rasasvada Dance Company.  Her successes as a competitive dancer lead her to being chosen as an Assistant for Intrigue Dance Convention in 2018-19 and she travelled across North America with them.  She has been a professional assistant to choreographer Chad McCall, as well as a back up dancer for several Toronto musical artists, including Töme and Nadia Stone.  Caitlyn has been featured in many music videos, such as “Sol”, “Top Love”, “Exhausted” and work for JDX Creative.  

You can currently catch Caitlyn in the “Power Your Holidays” Ocean Spray campaign on television and other social media outlets.  You’ll be able to see her on the upcoming Amazon Prime “Gen V” a spin-off series of “The Boys.”  Her other recent performance credits include “Chucky – The Series” (USA Network), “As Within, So Without”, New Blue Dance Festival, “the F word” Fringe Festival, Next Stage Festival, “Revolt”, Laurchaud Dance Project and the Parapan American Games.

Caitlyn is excited to continue to share her love of dance with many students and stages alike!