Staff – Maureen Fraser School of Dance

Maureen Fraser – Director/Owner

Maureen has been teaching dance for over 33 years. She began taking lessons in early childhood and continues to the present day, attending seminars and workshops. Maureen has performed in local theatre productions, including “Music of the Night”(dancer and choreographer) and “Women of Antigonish”(dancer, actor and choreographer), the “Keppoch Wedding” (dancer and actor) and Save Our Keppoch School (dance, choreographer and actor).

In recent years she has studied tap privately with Josh Hilberman(tap teacher at the Boston Conservatory)and Heather Cornell(director of Manhattan Tap). As well as having a week long private tap residency in 2007 with Heather at her home in Nyack, Maureen traveled to New York again in 2010 for a two week Rhythmn Intensive Workshop taught by Heather. Maureen was selected as the only Canadian to participate in the group of 20 tap dancers from Brazil, England, Russian, Denmark, etc. Maureen has also taken private Swing dance lessons in NY from Margaret Batiuchok (founder of NYC Swing Dance Society) and Arthur Murray Ballroom dance school in Sherman Oaks, LA in 2017.

Maureen has step danced in various concerts throughout the Maritimes (Breakfast Television on the ASN television network), has adjudicated step festivals in PEI and was the director of the Antigonish Highland Games “Concert Under the Stars” from 2008-2013. Maureen step danced in Celtic Colors 2008 with well known dancers, Mary Janet MacDonald, Minnie MacMaster and Jean MacNeil in a concert called “Mary Janet’s Bunch”. She also danced Celtic Colours 2010 “Close to the Floor” show and again in 2018 as a solo step dancer.

Maureen had the privledge of taking private tap lessons from dance master, Brenda Buffalino, founder of the American Tap Dance Foundation. Maureen has earned her teaching diploma in Stage and Tap from BATD (British Association of Teachers of Dance). Currently, Maureen teaches step, tap and swing dance styles .

Audrey Cochrane – Artistic Director/Choreographer

Audrey Cochrane has been teaching dance for 10 yrs. Dance styles that she is trained in are ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, Cape Breton step, musical theatre, heels, contemporary, poms and acro.

She auditioned for and was accepted in the Broadway Triple Threat Summer Intensive in 2015 in NY. She competed with the StFX University Dance Team, coached and choreographed for the MFSD Competitive Teams with award winning solos and was a member of and choreographed a routine for the professional sports dance team – The Halifax Thunderbirds.

Audrey completed an intensive, certified dance program at the Broadway Dance Center in NY. She also completed Acrobatic Arts Module 1, Module 2, is a certified Acrobatic Arts adjudicator and Adapt teacher.

Alison Tedford – Administrative Assistant

Alison has been dancing for 16 years, training heavily in ballet and pointe, as well as jazz, modern and tap. She also has experience in theater, performing in Symphony Nova Scotia’s production of the Nutcracker and dancing in the T.V. show “Mr. D”.

She began training to teach students dance when she was 15, and has choreographed ballet and jazz pieces for them. She spent a summer training with the School of Alberta Ballet in the intensive training program. She has attended numerous summer intensive programs at Halifax Dance and Maritime Dance Academy. She has taken classes with Rex Harrington and Karen Kain, as well as classes with the New York City Ballet and at the Broadway Dance Center.

Alison is looking forward to teaching with us this year!

Ashley Howe

Ashley Howe is from St. John’s, Newfoundland and has been in dance for 15 years. She began her training at Dance Studio East in the styles of ballet, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, lyrical, heels, acro, pointe and Irish step. Her classes have been in recreational, competitive and PreProfessional (by audition only) programs. Ashley, also has extensive training in cheerleading, and has been a member of numerous all-star cheerleading teams. In 2019 she was awarded 3rd place at the World Championships with her High School team, the Holy Spirit Falcons. Ashley is also an aerialist, with training in aerial silks, hammock, hoop, trapeze and flying trapeze. She has trained with many artists and companies including 7 Fingers and Cirque Du Soleil, and taught aerial classes as well. She has been in numerous productions throughout her years of training, either dancing or performing aerial acts. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Forensic Psychology, as well as being a member of the performance and competitive cheerleading teams at StFX. Ashley is looking forward to teaching at MFSD!

Chloe Rogers

Chloe was raised in Quispamsis New Brunswick, and is currently attending Stfx University as well as being the co-captain of the Stfx competitive dance team. She has been dancing for 12 years at Kidsing Performance School. She has been trained in many styles such as hip hop, jazz, ballet, contemporary, acro, musical theatre, etc.

Chloe started competing at age 9. In 2018 she was award a scholarship at a competition to buy pass auditions for spot on the World Performers Canadian dance team. The summer of 2019 she traveled to Portugal to represent Canada on the acro, hip hop, and contemporary teams.

Chloe loves teaching dance. She has choreographed numbers for a various age range of recreational and competitive kids at her home studio. She looks forward to sharing her passion of dance with everyone at MFSD.

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Maggie Shortt

Maggie Shortt has been dancing from a very young age, with experience in Jazz, Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Musical Theatre, Hip Hop and Ballet (RAD). Maggie has also assisted in teaching ballet and jazz for many years.

She successfully completed intermediate ballet and pursued her advanced foundation exam work. She competed for over 10 years competitively in solos, duets, and groups at her studio in Ontario. She received many special awards for stage presence, performance ability, as well as technique.

Maggie is currently a student at St. FX University studying Health Science. This year, she is looking forward to continuing her dance career as an instructor, and working with our MFSD students.

Makayla Tomlin

Makayla Tomlin began dancing at the age of three at Stars of Tomorrow dance academy. She has training in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, modern, acro, hip hop and musical theatre. Throughout her years, Makayla has studied at various dance intensives and programs including the Paris, France dance tour and Canada’s Ballet Jörgen dance intensive in Toronto of 2018, The New York City Joffrey Intensive in 2019, and was part of the VIEW Dance Challenge Greece Intensive in 2022. Makayla is a very determined dancer and strives to always put her best foot forward. In doing this, Makayla has received many scholarships and awards; some being, ‘Senior Title Winner’ at Just Dance Competition, many ‘Be Discovered’ scholarships at various dance competitions, and ‘Most Potential’ at the VIEW Dance Challenge Intensive in 2021.

As well as dancing, Makayla also has a love for teaching. She has been teaching and choreographing for 3 years both recreational classes as well as competitive groups, solos and duos. She takes joy in watching students find their passion in dance and wants to help them achieve further goals! Makayla loves teaching all styles of dance and is a certified Module 1 acrobatic arts teacher. This summer, she is planning to achieve her module 2 acrobatic arts teacher certification.

Makayla is now at StFX University for a Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics as well as a member of the StFX competitive dance team! Makayla is very excited to share her love for dance with everyone at MFSD!

Sasha MacDonald

Sasha MacDonald is currently a 2nd year Bachelor of Science student at St. F.X., from Sydney, Nova Scotia. Sasha has been dancing since the age of 2, training under Angela Gratton at Dance Sync Studios.

Sasha has been competing successfully for twelve years. She has trained and competed in many styles including ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap, contemporary, modern, hip hop, acro, and musical theatre. She has won numerous awards from competitions all over the Maritimes for both solo and group dances.

She was also a level 6 cheerleader with lots of high-level tumbling experience. Sasha is well known for her stage presence and ability to bring characters to life on stage. She is looking forward to sharing her skills with our students at MFSD.

Jocelyn LeBlanc

Jocelyn is from Halifax Nova Scotia and has been dancing for 14 years. She has been trained in many dance styles including hip hop, contemporary, ballet, and jazz.

She has competed at many dance competitions and was the recipient of “Thunderstruck National Soloist” at Thunderstruck Canada. She was in a dance commercial for Scotia Square (Halifax), and was chosen as one of the faces for Fever (Dance Competition). She has traveled and trained professionally at The Royal Winnipeg Ballet school, National Ballet School, and the Professional Program at the Halifax Conservatory.

She is currently part of the STFX Dance Team, and loves to choreograph and share her creative ideas with students to allow them to have an open mind to dance.