Jessalyn has had a lifelong passion for dance. She holds a B.A. in Contemporary Dance with distinction from the University of Calgary and danced with Decidedly Jazz Danceworks Professional Training Program for three seasons. Upon graduation, Jessalyn danced professionally with dance theatre company kloetzel&co. for several seasons where she performed in Professional Series, Toronto’s Dusk Dances, and in the full length work "The Alice Odyssey.” Jessalyn was also a Corps Bara company member as well as company manager. Independently, she has had the opportunity to perform and choreograph in dance events throughout Alberta and B.C, has self-produced three full length shows CrossCurrents, and co-created the dance company ESIRA.  Jessalyn is currently co-Artistic Director and General manager of Alberta Dance Theatre and teaches in YYC studios and schools. 

Born and raised in Peace River, Alberta, Emily Ireland (she/her) has trained in various styles:

Ballet, Contemporary/Modern, Jazz, Tap, and Afro Cuban. Emily holds her Bachelor of Fine

Arts in Dance from the University of Calgary with a concentration in choreography and performance. While completing her university education this past year, Emily also studied at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in their professional training program. Additionally, Emily has engaged in various projects during her time as a member of En Corps Dance Collective from 2020-2022. Emily has performed in Dance Montage, Dance@Noon, Dance@Night, Mainstage, Lot C, and at TELUS Sparks Center: Spark After Dark. Emily is thrilled to join a new contemporary company, Affirmation Dance Creative, for its first season and perform in, Three Broad Strokes. As an emerging artist in the Calgary community, Emily is invested in performance, choreography and instructing dance. Emily is very excited to start work with Alberta Dance Theatre this season.

Born and raised in Calgary, Jocelyn is a graduate of The School of Toronto Dance Theatre and holds her Master of Arts in Contemporary Dance Performance from The London Contemporary Dance School (London, UK). Jocelyn has performed for numerous independent artists and companies based in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and London, UK. Jocelyn was honoured to be the recipient of the inaugural Winchester Prize for Choreographic Distinction. Her lively choreography has been presented across Canada as well as in the UK and Europe, at The SummerWorks Performance Festival, Dance Ontario’s Dance Weekend, Springboard’s Fluid Fest and containR Fest, EDge on Tour, and Kaeja’s Winddown Dance, among others. 

Jocelyn's practice also includes music study and composition, arts curation, puppetry and mask performance. She is an alumna of Alberta Dance Theatre. 

Kaja is a Winnipeg born dancer, choreographer, and dance educator. After deciding to pursue a career in dance after completing her B.A. in Political Science, Irwin studied in the Professional Training Program offered at DJD,

developing her love of both jazz and the Calgary dance community. Kaja has been fortunate to share her choreography across Canada as well as Amsterdam. Irwin loves to explore movement and collaborations across art forms. Recently she collaborated with jewellery designer Corey Moranis in a short art film

released in Spring 2020 and is developing work incorporating both mask and jazz art forms as well as entering her seventh season performing with Decidedly Jazz Danceworks. Kaja is really looking forward to working with Alberta Dance Theatre again and is extremely excited to see what this next season will bring!

Alicia Ward is an enthusiastic human being who loves performing, teaching and promoting a passion for performance art. Throughout the year Alicia finds herself instructing drama and dance to all ages at various studios throughout the city. She also loves large amounts of organizational tasks! Alicia works administratively for a number of education and arts focused companies including co-founding Triple Bill Weekends and the Young Adventurer Society, and working with the International tap dance festival Rhythm, Body, and Soul. Alicia is passionate about growing the artist community in Calgary and fostering opportunities for dancers of all ages to develop a love for movement. Alicia can be found performing throughout Alberta with her new storytelling series for young audiences, Colour Me Sad. She performs mainly for littles and those who are young at heart. Recent Credits:  Itty Bitty Arts Day (Arts Commons), Go Go Peek-a-Boo and Nutcracker in a Nutshell (Bach Tots). 

Sophie Pelton holds a BA in Dance from the University of Calgary and a Postgraduate Certificate in Community Dance from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London, England. She has shared her love of dance with the community through her work at Wildflower Arts Centre and as an elementary and dance teacher with the Calgary Board of Education. Her contemporary dance choreography was part of Footprints Dance Project’s summer dance intensive in 2013 and 2014.

Alison Stone is originally from Victoria, BC where she grew up dancing and performing with Stages Performing Arts School.  To further her studies Alison moved to Toronto to attend Ryerson University’s dance program. She graduated with a BFA and a passion for choreography. In Ontario, Alison’s choreography was seen at fFIDA International Dance Festival and the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival.  In Alberta, her choreography has been performed in Alberta Dance Festival, Ember Dance Company, Variety Pack Cabaret, Shoes Off Cabaret, Physical Therapy Cabaret, Alberta Dance Theatre for Young People, Ignite Festival, AIR, Prairie Dance Circuit, Freak Show, Alberta Dance Explosions and Emerge. During her career she has had the pleasure of performing original works choreographed by Kimberly Cooper, Sarisa Figuera de Toledo, Catherine Hayward, Meagan O’Shea, Heidi Strauss and Julia Sasso. Alison has been the co-artist director of Alberta Dance Theatre for Young People from 2010 to 2012. She has been a teacher with the Calgary Board of Education since 2014 teaching dance for the Performing and Visual Arts Program at Central Memorial High School. Alison is dedicated to immersing herself in the Calgary dance community as a dancer, choreographer and teacher.

Lauren is a scenographer living and working in Mohkinstsis, also known as Calgary. This is their third show with ADT and they are so happy to be back, hopefully in a real theatre this year! Other credits include: set and lighting design, Bright Lights (Theatre BSMT) - set and costume design, Love and Information (Calgary Young People's Theatre) - set and lighting design, Tape (Ignition Theatre) - associate production design, Premium Content (Major Matt Mason Collective/High Performance Rodeo). Lauren holds a diploma in Theatre and Entertainment Production from Red Deer College and a certificate in Set and Costume Design from The National Theatre School of Canada. You can check out some of their design work at laurenacheson.com

Britanny is a professional dance educator and choreographer in Calgary, AB with over 20 years of experience. Originally from Saskatchewan, she moved to Calgary to attend the University of Calgary where she graduated from the dance program with a Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Dance and Kinesiology. During her university years she performed and toured with local dance projects across Western Canada. To further her training and education, Britanny has traveled across Canada and the USA where she has had the opportunity to take class and learn from dance artists and dance masters from around the world. 

Britanny currently resides in Calgary where she teaches and  choreographs for studios and local projects. She has received numerous accolades for her work. Britanny loves to move and inspires others to do the same. She encourages creative movement and engages her students with an innovative and energetic approach to movement and dance. She is thrilled to join ADT for a second season!

Stephanie Jurkova-Abaco is an emerging performer and choreographer in the final year of her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance degree at the University of Calgary. Having originated from rhythmic gymnastics, her passion for movement was later challenged by the rigid structures of ballroom dance before flourishing through contemporary and vernacular jazz forms. In parallel to her undergraduate education, Stephanie is immersed in Decidedly Jazz Dancework’s Professional Training Program. Creatively, Stephanie is intrigued by unconventional connections, seeking different ways of partnering and negotiating personal space. Her choreographic work has been showcased as part of the IGNITE! Festival for Emerging Artists. 

Dean Lauderdale is a Calgary-born musician and has an immense passion for teaching, performing and writing music. With over 10 years of experience, Dean has been teaching privately, ranging in all skill levels at his home studio as well as at Long & McQuade and Forte Music. He is also very involved with the Youth Singers of Calgary and is currently Director with ONCUE, an a cappella ensemble, and Assistant Director for the JUNIOR HI division. Dean holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at Humber College as well as a Music Diploma in Classical Vocal Performance from Mount Royal University. This is Dean’s second year with Alberta Dance Theatre having been brought on as musical composer. He greatly enjoys the creative and collaborative nature of the role and hopes to do more projects like this in the future.