Program Instructors

Sportball has been teaching children the fundamental skills behind sports since 1995. They are one of the first companies to offer developmentally appropriate, non-competitive sports training to children 12 and under.

As a proud Training Partner of the Canadian Red Cross, Community Care First-Aid is committed to increase the survival rate of anyone within our community that is experiencing a life threatening medical emergency. We believe that the only way to achieve this goal is to go out there and teach as many people as we can the important skills of first-aid and CPR. And this is exactly what we do best! Our courses are given by Canadian Red Cross instructors who hold extensive experience in training medical personal and the general public. Courses are given all throughout the year. Register to a course today and learn how to save lives. www.communitycarefirstaid.com

Orff music is an exciting, innovative and hands on approach to music education. Your child will sing, dance and play a large variety of percussion instruments. We will also do rhythm and pitch training, movement, puppets, scarves etc. Tonia Allen has been teaching all ages for many years and has recently moved her very popular Orff program from the Vancouver Academy of music to the Point Grey community centre. Tonia also teaches at Creative Kids Montessori school and several other community centres. Tonia also teaches guitar flute and recorder classes. In each age level we will do age appropriate fun songs that will get your toddlers grooving to the beat. Come and join the fun.

Master Watercolour Artist Mohammad Reza Atashzad, a well-recognized international watercolourist, is also an esteemed Vancouver art instructor that teaches in different communities and art institutes. He has over 35 years of experience in teaching drawing, painting and architectural design. He is the founder and director of the Atashzad Art Gallery and Art Academy in Tehran.

He has held more than 150 solo and group exhibitions in Esfahan, Tehran, Rome, Florence, Paris, London, Moscow, Vancouver and other major cities around the world. His uniquely-styled creations has a different vision and feeling in their subjects of nature: the beauty of flowers, landscapes and monumental buildings with a pleasing blend of reality and the poetic imagination that bring us peace, love and happiness.

He has published more than 700 paintings such as greeting cards, posters, albums and books.

Find him at:

www.atashzad.com

www.facebook.com/mohammad.atashzad

www.instagram.com/atashzad

Alesya, Ph.D., is an ACE certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, Can-Fit-Pro member and a Registered Yoga Teacher. Her academic research focuses on public policy on population aging and active aging which helps her to develop a unique scientific approach to personal training and group exercise. Alesya incorporates her knowledge of social psychology, sociology, human kinetics, and anatomy into fitness training and education.

Mike has been teaching fitness classes of all types for about 25 years for Vancouver community centres and fitness clubs. He has taught beginner, intermediate and advanced classes as well as the Circuit training class at West Point Grey. He teaches that as an interval class that trains the cardio-vascular system to handle more. When not doing jumping jacks, he composes résumés for people for a fee, works as a vocational rehabilitation therapist for Fraser Health Authority in the Tri-Cities, and is a fitness humourist for Alive Magazine.

Peter is a graduate of Lord Byng Secondary School (2017), and studied at the University of British Columbia. He played point guard for the Lord Byng basketball team and helped the team qualify for the BC Provincial Championships three times. As a co-captain, he led his team to quarter-finals in 2016 and 2017, and was selected as a 2nd-Team BC Provincial Championship All-Star in his senior season.

Peter has experience coaching at RBL Basketball camps and a local youth basketball program. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach for the grade 8 boys basketball team at Lord Byng. He hopes to continue his coaching journey by helping young players improve and find their passion for basketball.

Niina draws from a wide range of sources for her paintings. She has traveled – collecting inspiration from Asia, Europe and South America. Niina studied art at the University of Alberta and received her Bachelor of Education in 1986. Her work is included in public and private collections in Canada, United States, Europe and Japan. In 2000, her paintings were selected for exhibitions in Tokyo at both the Canadian Embassy and the Ueno Royal Museum of Art.

Maggi started teaching fitness classes at West Point Grey Community Centre in 1983. She is BRPA certified as a Trainer of fitness leaders: 3rd Age, Adapted fitness, Supervisor of Fitness Leaders: 3rd Age, Adapted fitness & Weight Training, and Basic Leader: Fitness to Music & Fitness Yoga. Maggi has a Community Recreation Diploma from Langara College and a BA (Hons) in Anthropology from UBC.

The British Columbia Cycling Coalition is your voice for safer cycling in BC. We have championed all ages and abilities cycling for 21 years. Our mission is to enable everyone to ride bicycles everywhere for transportation, recreation and vacation. We work with cycling groups, governments, businesses and organizations across the province to:
• secure more funding for cycling paths, protected bike lanes and better cycling facilities on highways
• ensure that new and existing road and bridge projects include great cycling facilities
• encourage the implementation of provincial cycling education initiatives
• build support for an updated Motor Vehicle Act
• support provincial initiatives that support cycle tourism
The BC Cycling Coalition and our 26 member organizations represent 67,684 supporters in communities across the Province. We are convinced that more cycling leads directly to happier, healthier, and more sustainable communities. There is strength in numbers! Please become an individual, organizational or business member.

For more infomration visit the Kids on Wheels website at www.bccc.bc.ca/kids_on_wheels as well as the BCCC website at www.bcc.bc.ca

Ginnie is a dedicated yoga practitioner and longtime instructor certified by esteemed teachers Dona Holleman, Orit Sen-Gupta and Gioia Irwin and is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapy and a certified Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Instructor.  Ginnie is also a Registered Clinical Counsellor in private practice in Vancouver. Ginnie aims to offer  Vijnana yoga classes from a place of compassion and understanding and appeal to students to connect to their own inner wisdom and compassion for themselves whenever they come to the mat.  Her goal is to offer a comprehensive range of safe traditional yoga practices  in each class and to present these practices in  ways that are  playful, interesting, rooted in yogic spirituality, and, at times, physically challenging.  In order to provide the best experience for students, Ginnie expands her knowledge and understanding of yoga through personal practice, literature, workshops and teacher trainings.

Gayl has taught 22 years at West Point Grey Community Centre and the classes are a mix of jazz, aerobics, ballet, Latin and pop. Her background is ballet, modern, and jazz.

Desirée is a renowned dancer with a MFA in Choreography and has performed in many works by acclaimed Canadian choreographers. She has dedicated over twenty-five years to studying and teaching dance to all ages and abilities. Desirée has produced many dance series promoting the work of recreational, emerging and seasoned dance artists in the city. Desirée’s influences include Martha Graham, Pema Chodren, Frida Khalo, Tina Turner, Madonna and Beyoncé. Desirée has recently originated the program Dezza Dance http://www.dezzadance.com/

Musical Expressions values the potential of every individual to engage their musical abilities. Musical Expressions aims to use the power and benefits of music and personalize it with the experiences and knowledge of each individual to achieve the following goals: Enjoyment, health & wellness and relationship/community building. Regardless of age or ability level, music is a gift that is acquired through time, yet lasts a lifetime.

Danielle has a passion for exploration through the arts. Her clay adventures began over 20 years ago while taking a class with her 5 year-old son and she now enjoys teaching new potters a strong foundation in basic skills so they can explore their own creativity. Danielle studied dance and film at SFU and has a degree in Fine and Performing Arts. She continues to be a dancer and singer and facilitates digital storytelling classes.

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Victoria has been teaching at WPG for over 10 years and her passion is to inspire and instil the love of music in students of all ages. Victoria started at a very young age in the Special School for Gifted in Tashkeut, Uzbekistan and studied with Michael Oike at the Manitoba Conservatory of Music and Arts in Winnipeg. She has also had the opportunity to study with other greats, which include Mark Zeltzer, Angela Cheng and Jahina Fialkowska. Victoria has won numerous awards and prices including the prestigious scholarship to the Summer program at Oxford Arts Centre. Most recently, Victoria has performed at a live television broadcast in New York, a performance at Carnegie Hall, at the Zeist International Music Days in the Netherlands and a Valdres International Music Festival in Norway.

Hiroko has 15 years’ experience teaching kindergarten and elementary school in Japan and has been teaching native and non-native speakers in Canada for many years. Her popular classes emphasize the importance of creativity and social development in the acquisition of language skills.

Bricks 4 Kidz specializes in after school enrichment programs, summer camps, and birthday parties. Our hands-on, project-based curriculum introduces elementary aged children to concepts of engineering, architecture and mechanics using LEGO® bricks. Our program provides quality STEM (STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) in a positive and collaborative learning environment.

June is a piano instructor and performer. Her work focuses on Piano Pedagogy, Western classical music, Balinese music and dance, Korean drumming, and Chinese classical music. June has performed and conducted research in Indonesia, Korea, and Canada. She holds degrees in Music and Japanese, and has worked as a research assistant and teaching assistant at the University of British Columbia. Her teaching is driven by an interest in cultivating and developing musicality in young children. In addition to offering piano lessons at the West Point Grey Community Centre, June has guest taught at Choice Elementary School. She was recently invited to lead a piano pedagogy workshop for music teachers in Ghana in the summer of 2014.

Janice has danced, choreographed and performed extensively for over 30 years, taught at venues across North America. A former competitive gymnast and Anna Wyman dancer, Janice eventually formed Pacific Motion Dance Company. She has toured nationally and internationally and performed at renowned venues including Expo 86 Opening Ceremonies for Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Queens College New York with Muna Tseng, the National Arts Centre, Ottawa and the Queen Elizabeth Playhouse

Elisa Lee, MA, has been a passionate teacher, facilitator and youth wilderness guide for 15 years. She is the founder of Fire & Flower which offers mentorship and rite of passage programs for girls to transition into young womanhood with confidence and pride. Elisa holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Education specializing in women’s coming-of-age rites of passage, as well as degrees in Education, Biology and English Literature. She loves helping women and girls find authentic, meaningful direction in their lives through community learning, self-care and nature connection. Elisa is a lifelong student of conscious communication and uses Nonviolent Communication (NVC) as well as the Haven Communication Model. She holds regular community grief rituals in Vancouver.

Iain has been teaching students of all ages at the West Point Grey Community Centre for 10 years.  Iain shares his passion for creating music with his students.  He allows them to learn the music that they listen to and assists them in writing, recording and performing their favourite and original songs. Iain teaches students from a wide repetoire of music from rock, jazz, classical, folk, and reggae, to punk, rap, pop, and musicals.  He has composed music for films, TV, theatre, video games, stop motion, animation and music videos.  Iain is an accomplished musician on the guitar, piano, keyboard, drums, bass, xylophone, melodeon, trombone and kazoo.   And best of all, Iain really does believe that kids need to create music.  He believes that it provides them with the tools to they need express themselves as individuals and as members of the community.

Davide moved to Vancouver at the end of 1986 where he enrolled at Emily Carr College of Art and Design with the major in painting (1986-1988). After his graduation, he began to exhibit at Threshold Gallery (1988). There, he showed his work every year after, until 1994 when the gallery was closed. In the last ten years, he has been part of a group exhibition representing Mexico in Canada at various galleries, universities and colleges. davidemerino.com

Alissa has been a preschool teacher with Miranda Tagliafierro at Aberthau since Fall 2015, has her ECE diploma and will continue her studies part-time pursuing her Bachelor Degree in ECE. Children’s curiosity, energy, and complex ideas have always intrigued Alissa as an educator. With experience and extra pedagogical focus on inclusive early education, children’s opportunities for diverse learning through indoor and outdoor play at Aberthau is an important part of our preschool. Alissa enjoys getting to know each student individually, and their families, throughout the school year and witnessing their learning and holistic development.

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Maureen Stout, Ph.D. is a licensed Realtor® with Sutton Group – West Coast Realty, an author, and former university professor. Paul Richard, MBA, trained as an engineer, was the CEO of a technology company and is a former business coach.

Glyn has taken the passion for football he developed as a youth growing up in Manchester, England, and found several avenues to inspire soccer enthusiasts locally. The 52-year-old former Manchester youth player coaches Vancouver Metro Soccer League
Men’s DIV 1 squad – Gastown FC, Burnaby and Richmond
Community Soccer clubs and preschool and children’s programs at several community centres including West Point Grey Community Centre. Glyn is also a Soccer Coach and Coordinator for UBC Soccer schools where he is responsible for 900 + age 3-14 yrs. players and 50 coaching staff and receiving a grant from Sports Canada for this program. “I have a very strong commitment to soccer, children and parent coaches … and would like to see more invested in soccer and coaching as I feel soccer can be a great teacher and can help in the overall development of our children.” Roberts says. “Soccer Programs like mentioned above foster involvement, inspire teamwork, playing together, and help develop a child’s personality, confidence and ultimately their enjoyment of an active lifestyle.”

Eliana was born and raised in Cordoba, Argentina where she taught English as a second language to elementary school children and adults for nine years. Her passion for languages has enhanced her academic studies as a Technical Translator of English and Spanish. She has been teaching Spanish at West Point Grey Community Centre for 8 years.

Mad Science has franchises located around the world, who bring science education to millions of children each year. The innovative programs help kids learn about science through our fun after-school programs, preschool programs, in-class workshops, camps, birthday parties and special events. Mad Science encourages scientific literacy in children in an age when science is as vital as reading, writing and arithmetic and we don’t stop there.

For over 25 years, Mad Science has invested in research and development and continue to do so. They believe in the importance of being at the forefront of our industry and continue to create hands-on science programming for kids.
Children learn quicker when the subject is fun as well as educational! Please visit their website at Vancouver.madsciencebc.com.

Linda’s Dance experience consists of over 25 years of performing and teaching in a variety of dance forms throughout North America. She is a certified Ballroom Dance instructor and has been teaching at the West Point Grey Community Center for 10 years. She is a choreographer and teaches all levels from Beginner to Advanced. Dancing has been her life passion since the age of six.

Mary Lou is a certified Feldenkrais teacher who has been teaching the Feldenkrais Method for over 30 years. She studied directly with Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais completing the Feldenkrais Professional Training Program in 1983. Mary Lou is also a Registered Physical Therapist and holds a Masters in Physical Education (Motor Learning and Control) from the University of British Columbia. For further information please visit https://mlstanley.com/feldenkrais-classes/

https://www.performingstars.ca/

Miranda has been teaching early childhood education for 39 years, 13 of which have been at our West Point Grey Community Centre Preschool at Aberthau. Miranda has her ECE Diploma, current first aid, and takes courses to educate herself and keep her pedagogy current with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Children and Family Development. She believes you can never know too much about children’s development and the early years. Miranda loves teaching Preschoolers and watching them explore, learn and develop into confident young children, as well as getting to know their families.

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Since 2012, Summer Smash Tennis has provided high quality tennis programs and classes to community centres and schools across Vancouver. Our coaches are certified instructors and experienced athletes who have worked with hundreds of students to inspire a passion for tennis and sport. We share a common goal of creating safe, fun and challenging learning environments for all students. Through the use of the Progressive Tennis teaching method, students are given the foundation to excel as players for life.

Established in 1999, Into Yoga was the first mobile health and wellness studio within the Metro Vancouver and surrounding areas specializing in bringing classes to you. Offering on-site Yoga and Pilates programs you’ll find certified, knowledgeable instructors ready to help you on your journey of inner peace and outer strength.