Nice to meet you!

At Ballet Etobicoke, we pride ourselves on having a team of highly qualified and dedicated teachers who are passionate about nurturing each student’s potential. Their friendly and approachable nature creates a welcoming environment where every learner feels valued and supported. With a blend of expertise and kindness, our educators inspire curiosity and a love for learning that lasts a lifetime.


  • Co Owner // Artistic Director & Teacher

    Rowen is a BFA Honors graduate from York University and a certified RAD ballet teacher from The National Ballet School of Canada. Originally from Guelph, Ontario Rowen has trained in modern forms including Graham and Limon, contemporary, and various ballet technique forms including RAD, Cecchetti, and Vaganova. Rowen has had the opportunity to perform with Janet Johnson’s Portal Dance Company in the 2021 Guelph Dance Festival, Antonin Rioche at the 2023 b12 festival in Berlin, Germany, and FLOCK’s work at Orsolina 28 in Italy 2024. Rowen has recently taken over as Artistic Director at Ballet Etobicoke and works to instil a welcoming and encouraging love of ballet in each of her students. She is also a teacher at Swansea School of Dance in Toronto where she teaches ballet, lyrical, modern and contemporary as well as choreographs for competition. Now, Rowen calls Toronto home and works as a teacher, performer, and choreographer. 


  • Teacher & Social Media Coordinator

    Born and raised in Bolivia, Sara started her dance training in various styles at the age of 4 at CAP Escuela de Danza located in her hometown. Throughout her training, she attended multiple workshops and master classes, including the American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive in Texas. After moving to Toronto, she completed three years of the Dance program at York University, and then joined the Teacher Training Program at the National Ballet School of Canada. As a recent graduate, she now has her Registered Teaching Status with the Royal Academy of Dance, and has completed multiple exams, including Cecchetti, National dances with the ISTD, and RAD. Her skills in performing, choreographing, and teaching have given her opportunities to teach a wide range of ages and levels at NBS, from 5 year olds to adults. Sara hopes to create a safe learning space where students can explore their own identity and abilities through movement, technique, and artistry.


  • Teacher & Administrative Team


  • Teacher

    Chantal Drolet is a graduate of the National Ballet School’s Teacher Training Program and holds Associate levels from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) in the Cecchetti method and in National Dance (Honours) and a Full Membership in Ballet of Performing Arts Educators of Canada (PAEC).

    Beginning her dance training in Quebec City, her passion for dance took her through successful performances and examinations. Leveraging 30 years of training and experience, an enthusiastic and detailed approach to teaching, she focuses on creating a positive and rewarding learning environment for her students. With her passionate love of dance, she inspires numerous students to continuously grow as dancers. Chantal also believes that dance, as a fitness activity for adults, provides increased health and an ability to cope with the stresses of everyday life.


  • Teacher

    Shelby Nilsen is a multidisciplinary, movement artist, and performer, raised on Vancouver Island BC, and based in Tkaronto/Toronto. She earned her BFA from the Performance Dance Program, with distinction, from Toronto Metropolitan University. Shelby has had the opportunity to experience creation processes with Hanna Kiel and Ryan Lee, David Norsworthy, Francesca Chudnoff, Raoule Wilke, Colleen Snell, Esie Mensah, Susie Burpee, and many more. Notable performance credits include The Mayor's Evening for the Arts, NIGHT/SHIFT at the Citadel Compagnie, Dance Ontario: Dance Weekend, and Ripe Fruit Dance Fest. Shelby’s practice centers movement as a tool for curiosity, catharsis, connection, collaboration, community, and storytelling.


  • Co-Owner & Teacher

    Michelle De Brouwer is a dance educator, choreographer, and performer with over 30 years of experience in dance. Originally from Ridgetown, Ontario, she began her training at age three and went on to perform internationally with the Windsor City Ballet Company. She holds an Honours Degree in Dance from the University of Waterloo and continued her professional training at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre.

    Michelle has worked with a range of choreographers throughout her performing career and founded the independent dance company, Company Blonde Dance Projects in 1999, primarily focusing on comedic work. Her teaching experience includes eight years with the National Ballet of Canada’s outreach program, a faculty position at George Brown College, and guest teaching at studios throughout Ontario.

    Michelle holds a teaching diploma from the Royal Academy of Dance, an Associate certificate from the Society of Classical Ballet – Vaganova Method, and certification in the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum. She has also completed Level A with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and additional training in a range of dance and movement disciplines. She is PBT certified and taught Pilates for several years before founding Swansea School of Dance. She continues to pursue professional development through workshops across North America in ballet, modern contemporary dance, and conditioning.

    For the past 26 years, Michelle has been the Founder and Director of Swansea School of Dance, where she continues to teach and mentor the next generation of dancers. She is honoured to enter her third season as co-owner of Ballet Etobicoke with Rowen, bringing her experience in dance education, performance, choreography, and studio leadership to the program.


  • Administrator

    Elle Warr-Addae is a creative and professional writer with over 16 years of child-care experience. She loves organization, storytelling, and dance.


  • Teacher

    PhD ABD York University, TTP (Dip) – NBS, Licentiate CC-CICB.

    Nicole has been involved in the dance community for more than forty years. She trained in ballet, jazz, and tap at dance schools in Toronto before her acceptance into the professional training program at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. She completed the joint teachers training program with the National Ballet School of Canada and York University. Nicole has had the pleasure of being mentored by many acclaimed teachers including Glenn Gilmour, Donna Krasnow, Sheona Bell and Brian and Faye Foley. She currently holds the Enrico Cecchetti Diploma (part A) and her Licentiate with the Cecchetti Society of Canada, as well as her jazz and tap certification with the Associate Dance Arts for Professional Teachers (ADPAT).

    Nicole has taught at various dance schools throughout the Greater Toronto Area as well as summer classes with the American Academy of Ballet. Her students continually receive top marks on their ballet exams and gain high honors at dance competitions. She has had students go on to train with the National Ballet School, Quinte Ballet School, and the School of Alberta Ballet, as well as gain acceptance into post-secondary dance programs at York University, Toronto Metropolitan University and George Brown College.

    Nicole believes that dance is a lifelong endeavor and that one should never stop learning. She continues to do professional upgrading and has completed the Progressing Ballet Technique seminar, Alixa Flexibility modules 1 and 2 and is working towards the completion of Acrobatic Arts module 2.


  • Teacher

    Amelia Ehrhardt is a dancer, choreographer, artist, astrologer, and teacher rooted in Toronto. Their work has been presented across Canada and internationally. With nearly two decades of experience as a dancer, Amelia has appeared in works by Carol Anderson, Susie Burpee, Willi Dorner, Suzy Lake, and Julia Sasso among others. Their training in Ballet has always supported their work in contemporary dance, through pre-professional training at George Brown Dance, independent training including with Janet Panetta in New York City, and as a recipient of the danceWEB scholarship at ImPulsTanz Vienna. 

    Amelia was the Curator of Dancemakers from 2015-2019, and holds a Masters in Visual Studies from the University of Toronto (2024). Their class focuses on anatomical knowledge, biomechanical efficiency, movement quality, and deep dives into Ballet history. They strive to offer a fun and inclusive class that doesn’t back down on technical rigour.


  • Pilates Instructor

    Sam is a Body Harmonics certified pilates instructor and professional dancer. She found her way to pilates while looking for a form of movement that could support her journey with chronic pain. Sam’s goal as an instructor is to guide students through feel-good movement that supports functional strength, mobility, and a reconnection with their body.

    Expect a class with intentional progressive movement, personalized 1-1 feedback, and modifications offered to ensure students of all fitness levels feel comfortably challenged.

  • Pianist

    Zane Shihadeh is a ballet accompanist, performing pianist, and composer studying at the renowned Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto. As an accompanist, his career has brought him from studying with Craig Wingrove at the Musicians Mentorship program at Canada’s National Ballet School to playing regularly at several ballet studios including Ballet Etobicoke and In Studio at the National Ballet of Canada. While having a wide range of repertoire at his disposal, he is always happy to improvise and collaborate with ballet teachers and dancers.