Meet Our Team

Jennifer Thorogood-McLeod

Director / Owner

She discovered a love of dance at age 11 after she finished her journey as a competitive gymnast. Jennifer enjoyed 8 years in the Professional Division at Alberta Ballet and trained in many other dance disciplines such as jazz, lyrical, contemporary and hip-hop all over the world. 

As co-founder of the group "Dance Attack", she traveled to the United Arab Emirates and Greece with country singer Lisa Brokop and other professional artists in 2002.

Jennifer has been teaching dance for over 20 years. She has her certification in the Acrobatic Arts Syllabus, Progressing Ballet Technique and has won many awards for her choreography over the years. She has also had the opportunity to adjudicate, examine as well as sit on the selection panel for Vancouver’s Harbour Dance Centre ITP program. 

Jennifer enjoys teaching and connecting with the beautiful Alive community and is thrilled to be in year 20 sharing her love of dance with children of every age.

Brittany Welgan

Office Manager / Teacher

Miss Brittany trained and competed in gymnastics starting at the age of 3 and transitioned into dance later where she trained and competed in all styles with a special love for acro. Along with competing, Brittany has trained with The Young Canadians of the Calgary Stampede where she performed for over 20,000 people in the Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show. Some of Brittany’s other performance highlights include The ONE LOVE Hip-Hop Music Festival Headlining A$AP Ferg, Tyler the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt, The Young Canadians Christmas Spectacular, Disneyland California Adventure Park and being a member of the Calgary Roughnecks Drill Crew for 3 years.

Academically, Miss Brittany graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Health and Physical Education with a major in Physical Literacy, as well as a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer Diploma from Mount Royal University. She is currently certified in Acrobatic Arts, Alixa Flexibility, and International Dance Teaching Standards. She is passionate about teaching safe dance practice and continuing to learn and educate herself as a teacher. She strives to instil a strong technical foundation in her students as well as responsibility, confidence, perseverance and teamwork skills. Miss Brittany is extremely excited to be apart of the Alive Danceworks teaching team and share her knowledge and passion for dance with her students!

Kristine Toews

Administrative Specialist / Teacher

Kristine first started dancing at age four in Calgary, Alberta. She trained at the Alberta Ballet School of Dance in the professional division. She also trained at the RWB professional division summer programs and Banff Dance Centre for the Arts.  Kristine has also trained with the Young Canadians, performing in the Grandstand show. She is a graduated from the Canadian College of Performing Arts Year 2 Enriched Studies program. From there she has worked for The Spirit of a Nation Company, under the Direction of Jacques Lemay, Jesters Corner, Gotta Getta Gimmick, Abracadabra Productions, and many more. She has also had the opportunity to work with the Story Theatre Company, where she toured all over North America and was invited to Singapore to perform at the Act One International Children's Festival. Kristine is certified in Acrobatic Arts syllabus and Progressive Ballet technique. Kristine has been a teacher all over Canada and is happy to call Alive her second home!

Christa Sorenson

Administrative Specialist / Teacher

Ontario-born, Christa Sorensen began dancing at the young age of 3 and found a love for ballet and acro that grew into a passion for teaching. Christa is the co-creator of the Alive Danceworks ballet syllabus and she created the curriculum that is currently used in our acro program. Christa shares her outgoing personality combined with her desire to teach proper and safe technique to inspire passion in her dancers allowing them to excel and grow. Christa has completed her I.S.T.D. (Cecchetti) Advanced One ballet certificate, is fully certified with Progressing Ballet Techniques (PBT), and has received her Early Childhood Education certificate from Capilano University in Vancouver, BC. Along with her level one gymnastic coaching certificate, she is Acrobatic Arts certified in both level one & level two and has achieved her Module 1 certificate with Alixa Sutton flexibility. One of Christa’s teaching highlights includes being asked to choreograph an acro/contortion number for the International Olympic Committee for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, BC. Many of Christa’s dancers have gone on to have very successful careers in the industry as both ballet and acro professionals. Christa is very excited to be a part of the Alive Danceworks team. With her upbeat personality, technical background, and genuine love for dance, she hopes to help all the students become the best dancers they can be.

Megan McManus

Receptionist / Teacher

Megan began her dance journey at 4 years old in Calgary, Alberta. She competitively trained in all styles for 13 years right here at Alive Danceworks! Specifically, Megan has a strong passion for Jazz. She loves the fun music and the technique that comes along with it. Megan has traveled to New York and Disney Land and has won many awards and achievements with her Alive family. After graduating in 2020, Megan moved to Vancouver to continue her dance career at Harbour Dance Centre in their ITP program. In ITP Megan worked closely with choreographers such as Moe Brody, Carlo Atienza, and Julio Fuentes. While in Vancouver she trained in gymnastics, acting, and began choreographing.

Academically, Megan is in her second year of post-secondary studying at Mount Royal University. She is majoring in Elementary Education with a double minor in General Science and Marketing. Megan loves to dance and perform and is so excited to share her love with everyone at Alive.

Ashley Pehar

Receptionist / Teacher

Ashley is a competitively trained mover in all-styles. She is Alive alumni and graduated from the studio in 2021 after completing 10 years with the amazing Alive team. With a special love for Hip Hop and Contemporary, she is always looking for new ways to explore movement and visualize sound. Ashley has been awarded many achievements with the Alive team and now wishes to bring her passion to instruction in the community.

Academically, Ashley is in her second year of Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary as a full-time student. She has been awarded with many scholarships including President’s Admission to the University of Calgary, showcasing her dedication to her passions.

She is thrilled to be on the teaching side of the Alive team and can’t wait for an incredible season!

Hayna Gutierrez Vergara

Teacher

Hayna Gutierrez was born in Havana/Cuba and trained at the Cuban National ballet school (ENA). In 1998 she joined the Ballet Nacional de Cuba from the school and was promoted to Principal in 2004. Hayna dance as a Principal dancer with the Alberta Ballet from 2010-2019. Hayna’s major roles include Giselle and Myrtha (Giselle), Kitri (DonQuixote), Aurora and Bluebird pas (Sleeping Beauty), Odette/Odile (Swan Lake), Swanilda (Coppélia), Lisette (La Fille Mal Garde), Cio Cio San (Madame Butterfly), Juliet (Romeo and Juliet), Constance (The Three Musketeers).

Hayna Gutierrez created roles in Jean’s Grand Maitre BalletLujat! (She), Yukichi’s Hattori Carmen (Carmen) Christopher’s Anderson Cinderella (Cinderella/Fairy God Mother), Wen Wei Wang’s (Futureland). Hayna has danced featured or principal roles in Balanchine’s Serenade (Waltz), Ballo della Regina, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Divertimento No .15 (Ballerina/Easy girl), Twyla’s Tarp In the Upper Room , Jiri’s Kylian Forgotten Land (Black couple). In 2013, she won the Miami Life Award for Best Hispanic Female Dancer. Hayna has been teaching ballet for over 20 years around the world, and, In 2019 she joined the H/W school of ballet team as a ballet educator.

Emma Lund

Teacher

Emma is a dance artist, choreographer, and teacher, currently based in Calgary, Alberta. She grew up training extensively and competing in ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, tap and hip hop, winning multiple titles across North America. Emma has completed all her ADAPT syllabus Jazz and Tap exams, as well as completing her Advanced 1 RAD ballet exam with Distinction. Early in her professional career, Emma worked closely with Sarah Dolan as a company member of the O2 Dance Company in Calgary, developing a deeper appreciation for contemporary dance. Emma furthered her professional contemporary dance training in Toronto, receiving her post-secondary diploma at The Conteur Academy under the direction of Eryn Waltman. After graduating from The Conteur Academy in 2018, she has had the opportunity to work with and perform under renowned dance artists and choreographers, such as Ryan Lee, Kelly Shaw, Eryn Waltman, Roberto Campanella (ProArteDanza), and Robert Glumbek. Other credits include The Capezio A.C.E. Awards (Los Angeles), The JUNO Awards (Alessia Cara), Locke and Key (Netflix), Legends of Horror (Casa Loma - Toronto). Aside from performing, Emma has developed a passion as a dance educator, and loves to inspire and challenge the minds of the upcoming generation of young artists. She currently choreographs and teaches for multiple dance studios in Alberta, and thrives off the opportunity to create with a variety of gifted young artists. Emma is thrilled to be joining the Alive family for a full season, and cannot wait to share her knowledge with all the students!

Paul Otterbein

Teacher

Paul is an international Hip Hop Choreographer from Calgary, Alberta. (Originally raised in Vancouver, BC and Edmonton, Alberta). Working with, teaching and developing youth is Paul’s passion and gift. Every dancer is different and unique. Paul will forever be a student and never stop striving for excellence and development.

Alive Danceworks is a second home for Paul and this will be year number 8 with this incredible studio. Paul’s students from Alive Danceworks are passionate, driven and have proven themselves to be among the best of the best.

As a choreographer, Paul is a 6-time Hip Hip international Canadian national Champion/Gold medalist (Fresh Groove, Praise Team, DTA) and 4-time World Championship HHI/IDO medalist (Italy 2015, Denmark 2017, Arizona 2017) Canadian National Hip Hop team. 

Paul’s Credits include:
*2010 Winter Olympics celebration stage choreographer with “Kelly Konno - Lead dancer for Janet Jackson”
*Featured / Performed on TV show “Entertainment tonight” 2006 
* 5678 Showtime judge/Choreographer 
*Choreographer/lead dancer for music video “Tribe, The Heist” 2007
*Canada’s got talent Season 1 - TV show 2011 (CNC Praise Team studio)
*VIEW Dance Challenge Convention Choreographer
* 2-time choreographer of the year “Artists Emerge” 2015 (Tigers DTA) / 2019 (Venom MKD)
* Featured on front cover of 2016 Artist Emerge Magazine 
*Choreographer of the year Candance Competition 2019
*Choreographer of the year Crystal dance Challenge 2019
* 4-time Canadian National team I.D.O. Choreographer (Germany 2014, Italy 2015, Austria 2016, Denmark 2017)
* 4-time REP 780 Grand Champion (DTA Tigers, T-BOYZ, Bisons Varsity MKD)
* 7-time Artists Emerge Finals Grand Champions ( MKD Venom, DTA Tigers)