Our faculty

Denise Vitali

Owner, Instructor

Denise began her training with Sudbury School of Ballet and completed her dance education with Tini Pel at the Arts Guild Dance Studio in Sudbury, graduating from the three year apprenticeship program for professionals.  She furthered her studies in dance with courses in Halifax, Toronto and Copenhagen.

Denise has been teaching in Sudbury for 45 years, opening her own studio in 1984.  She performed liturgical dance as part of a Huntington University lecture series and went on to perform and choreograph liturgical dance for many churches in the Sudbury area.  Starting in 1984, Denise choreographed numerous musical theatre productions for Jamie Bourget at Theatre Cambrian, including Hair, West Side Story and My Fair Lady.  In 2005 Denise received Northern Life's Community Builder's Award for the Arts and in 2009 she was awarded the Champions for Children award by Our Children, Our Future.  In 2012 Denise received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee award from the Sudbury Multicultural Society, and in 2017 she was honoured by the Sudbury Theatre Centre with the STC Honours award for her lifetime contribution to the arts in Sudbury.  Denise holds an Advanced Teacher's certificate from The Society of Russian Ballet (now the Society of Classical Ballet - Vaganova Method) and is currently an executive member and examiner for the Society.

Lauren Foy

Instructor, modern

Lauren Foy is a Sudbury-based choreographer, dancer and instructor. She majored in dance during high school and continued her training at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, graduating as a bursary student from the Professional Training Program in 2002. In 2009, Lauren formed elleQ dance factory, to support her choreographic work, and since then created two full-length shows - including The Imagination Project, which was supported by the Ontario Arts Council. Lauren is often a choreographer and guest performer for the earthdancers, having worked with the company for over 10 years. Her work has been featured in local music videos, for bands such as Pistol George Warren and Night Terrors, and in Greenboot’s award winning short film Dancing is Meaningless. Lauren also worked on the play Rearview as a movement consultant at Le Théatre du Nouvel Ontario for their 45th anniversary season. Lauren has been a dance instructor in Sudbury for 12 years.

sandy lanz

Instructor, ballet

Sandy started dancing at 5 years old and continued right through high school.  She then attended Ryerson University in the Dance program.  There she received her Royal Academy of Dance certificate at the Advanced level.

Sandy returned to Sudbury and taught for 3 years at the Arts Guild with Mrs. Tini Pel.  Then, after an absence of 20 years, she rediscovered her LOVE OF DANCE.  She has been taking classes and teaching in the Russian style since 2006.  Although she has studied in many different disciplines (jazz, modern and national dances), her first love has always been ballet!

Sandy's hobbies include gardening, spending time with her large dog and reading.

april-marie machum

Instructor, ballet and jazz

April began dancing at a young age and has grown to love all aspects of the art... classwork, performance and teaching.  She is currently teaching and dancing at Sudbury School of Dance as well as completing her Bachelor of Architectural Studies at the McEwen School of Architecture at Laurentian University.  April has been training at the Sudbury School of Dance for many years.  She has trained with Denise Vitali, Lauren Perl, Sarah Kallio and Sandy Lanz in ballet, modern and jazz.

April is also passionate about performing with the earthdancers where she has been a strong presence for many years as a dancer, production coordinator (2012-2014) and now choreographer (since 2013).

April is currently assisting and teaching ballet and jazz classes at Sudbury School of Dance.  She has completed the Student Teacher exam and continues working towards her teaching certificate in ballet through the Society of Russian Ballet as well as her jazz teaching certification through the ADAPT syllabus teacher training program.