Blog
Hello there! I’m Devon Stone, the proud owner and director of Collingwood School of Dance – the largest and most dynamic dance studio in Collingwood, serving hundreds of aspiring dancers every year.
I established Collingwood School of Dance in 2007 with the mission to offer a new and innovative type of dance education, one that focuses on inspiring students to discover their passion for dance, boosting their confidence and self-esteem, and empowering them to achieve success through specialized one-of-a-kind dance programs and curriculum available exclusively at Collingwood School of Dance.
As a graduate of the School of Alberta Ballet Teacher Training Program and a certified member of Cecchetti Canada, Cecchetti International – Classical Ballet, and Acrobatic Arts, I bring over 20 years of dance teaching experience to the area.
My passion for dance started at a young age, and at just 13 years old, I was accepted into a prestigious professional ballet school, the Quinte Ballet School, where I honed my skills further. I also had the opportunity to attend the National Ballet School in Toronto and graduate from The School of Dance in Ottawa, which further molded me into the dancer and teacher I am today.
With a deep-rooted love for ballet, I was honored to receive top marks on all my Cecchetti Ballet exams and receive the prestigious Celia Franca Scholarship Award in 1998.
At Collingwood School of Dance, I’ve created an environment and unique dance training education system that sets us apart from other studios in the area, combining my experience as a mother and my professional dance training to provide a nurturing and inspiring dance studio for children and adults to learn and grow.
Our team of dance educators are dedicated to fostering growth and development in every student, teaching exquisite technique and building your child’s confidence with every class. Our classes are specifically designed to be intentional and developmentally appropriate, ensuring that your child thrives both as a dancer and as an individual.
With a focus on providing the absolute best dance education in the area, we offer a welcoming and encouraging atmosphere that sets us apart from other studios.
Join us and experience the exceptional difference at Collingwood School of Dance.
Start Today and Love Your Dance Journey.
Tammi attained her full C.D.T.A. membership and taught in Ottawa for ten years at the Greta Leeming Studio of Dance. While there she became an accredited teacher with the Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teachers (ADAPT), a CFL Cheerleader and spent time performing for various concerts and benefits.
Tammi is a diverse and talented teacher and choreographer, having been invited to be a guest teacher at many studios across Ontario and now calls Simcoe County home. She has had the privilege to adjudicate for Dancezone, Kiwanis and Dance Masters of America, teaching classes for their solo title scholarship competition.
Many of her students have won dancer of the year titles and her choreography has received numerous overall awards. Her students have had great success dancing with various companies, in music videos, on cruise lines, television and on Broadway in New York City. Others have gone on to further their career at the university level and continued their love of dance through teaching.
Tammi believes learning and teaching go hand in hand and continues to further her own training, always pursuing a higher education in dance.
She is looking forward to dancing with the students of Collingwood School of Dance!
Olivia Slat started dancing at the age of 4, and she quickly fell in love.
Ms. Olivia trained as a competitive dancer in jazz, ballet, hip hop, acro and lyrical, and eventually started teaching hip hop, jazz and acro classes.
Ms. Olivia regularly attends dance intensives including The Pulse and VIP dance events to keep her skills and teaching style fresh and up-to-date.
Ms. Olivia has performed as a background dancer on the hit Family television show, The Next Step.
Ms. Olivia’s passion for dance has continued to grow and she brings that joy and passion with her to the studio every day, and she is excited to share her love of dance with the students of Collingwood School of Dance.
Tara Pickford started dancing at the age of 4 and hasn’t sat still since. She is committed to teaching young people how to find a passion for theatre and dance at her studio.
Tara received a Bachelor Degree in Kinesiology, with a major in Mind Sciences, at the University of Calgary. She is a fully certified ADAPT Teacher, Al Gilbert Teacher, and Acrobatic Arts Teacher, and a member of the Wild Rose Dance Arts Association.
Tara has created award-winning choreography for competitions and exciting recitals for all ages and abilities. Still in the classroom, teaching all types of dance and all ages from age 1 to pre-professional, she has a strong understanding of the hard work and the process dancers, teachers, and parents take on to get to the stage and have a great experience.
When she is not with her studio family, she is at home with her two energetic children – both dancers! She loves living for the day and inspiring her children. Now that both have started their own journeys in the dance world, Tara has a deeper understanding of what families are looking for in a studio.
Rae-Lee is devoted to helping aspiring young dance artists. Her goal is to create healthy and enthusiastic dancers who love art and will positively influence the world of dance. She began her ballet and contemporary training in Alberta at Crossings Dance Studio. Later, she danced for six years in Corps Bara Dance Youth Company traveling around Alberta, Toronto and New York City.
In 2012, she began her training in contemporary dance at Simon Fraser University where she studied modern dance and choreographic composition. Rae-Lee moved to Toronto in 2014 to learn from renowned faculty at Canada’s National Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program. During her training at NBS she obtained her teaching qualifications with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and the Royal Academy of Dance.
In 2017, she graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in Contemporary dance from Simon Fraser and her Teacher Training Diploma. She is excited to be returning to Calgary to begin spreading her the knowledge she has gained while learning from the teachers and students at APA and around the province.
She encourages all dancers to love themselves for who they are and to never give up on their passions in life.