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General Program Faculty
Who We Are
Kim Hildebrand
She/Her
Interim General Program Coordinator
Teacher
Kim is a dancer, educator, and choreographer in her home city of Winnipeg, MB. She has been teaching and choreographing in dance schools since 2007 and was a studio director for many years before having her 2 children. For the past 10 years she has been a company member with NAfro Dance Productions where she has worked with a multitude of choreographers and artists from around the world under the direction of Casimiro Nhussi. Kim has performed nationally in Toronto, and Ottawa, and internationally in Maputo, Mozambique. She is a graduate of The School of Contemporary Dancers and received a BA Honours from the University of Winnipeg. Kim is a strong believer that movement is for everyone, and that dance is the language that connects us all and tells our stories.
Amanda Giannella Figueiredo
She/Her
General Program Administrator
Teacher
From Sao Paulo, Brazil, Amanda has been dancing for over 15 years, and moved to Canada in 2021 to pursue her dance career.
She was awarded a scholarship to a ballet conservatory in Portugal in 2019 and was a finalist at the Dance World Cup in the same year.
In 2021 she got accepted into the Senior Professional Program at SCD where she is currently training.
She is one of the founders of Wind Flower Dance Company where she performed all across Canada with the Company.
Amanda believes that dance is a way of sharing life experiences, when she teaches she loves sharing and learning with her students.
Sontje Bohn
She/Her
Teacher
Sontje Bohn is a German dancer currently located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she is entering
her third year of the Professional Program of the School of Contemporary Dancers. Her dance
training over the last 15 years included various styles in schools located in Germany,
Switzerland, France and Canada. Next to being a dancer she is happy to choreograph, teach and be a studio manager in Winnipeg.
Julious Gambalan
He/Him
Teacher
Julious Gambalan is a professional dance artist here in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He works for both NAfro Dance Productions and Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers. He holds both a Bachelor in Arts and Science at the University of Winnipeg. He started his dance training in grade 9 at Sisler High School, leading to The School of Contemporary Dancers. From there he trained in the Junior Professional Program and then the Senior Professional Program. He has performed nationally in Toronto and Regina and internationally in Vienna, Austria and Maputo, Mozambique. He choreographs in the General and Junior Professional Program where he stylizes his choreography in NAfro Technique, contemporary and hip hop.
Ellice Kynman
She/Her
Teacher
Ellice Kynman Is an independent contemporary dance artist who has worked and performed nationally and internationally. Ellice has been attending the School of contemporary dancers since she was three years old. She went through the General Program and Junior Program, where she also obtained her RAD Advanced One through the Royal Academy of Dance Ballet Examinations. Ellice graduated from The School of Contemporary Dancers Professional Program in affiliation with The University of Winnipeg, receiving her BA Honours in Dance. She is looking forward to another year of teaching and choreographing.
Thomas Oberlin
He/Him
Teacher
Thomas Oberlin is a teacher and choreographer from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Thomas has trained in many styles of dance with a heavy focus on Tap, Jazz, Contemporary and Modern.
Thomas has been teaching children and adults of all skill levels. Currently in his final year of SCD's Senior Professional Program, Thomas is excited for future dance projects in both a dancer and choreographer role.
Kelsey Thomas
She/Her
Teacher
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Kelsey Thomas has been dancing and choreographing for much of her life. She studied ballet extensively growing up and completed her Royal Academy of Dance graded exams. She began teaching ballet as an adult and found that she had a knack for explaining difficult technical concepts in a simple and hands-on manner. Her ballet training laid the foundation for becoming a versatile dancer and choreographer. Kelsey is experienced in creating tap, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, and jazz pieces for the stage.Having studied instruments and singing in choirs growing up, her teaching and choreographic style reflects her keen understanding of musicality. This musicality has resulted in Kelsey becoming a skilled tap dancer. She has honed her craft by attending classes and workshops throughout Canada and the US, and has taken classes from esteemed dancers such as Sarah Reich, Bril Barrett, Evan Ruggiero, and Jim Hibbard. Learning from such talented and diverse individuals has helped shape her own individual teaching style: high-energy, friendly, and fundamentally inspired by music. Kelsey is also a passionate writer and copyeditor, and works as a Communications Specialist by day.