Tradition. Creativity. Grace.
About Rothesay Ballet School
Rothesay Ballet School takes pride in providing a strong and safe foundation in the classical dance training of it's young students. Our staff is focused on creating an atmosphere of inclusion and acceptance and meeting each student at their own place in their dance journey. Classes are structured to provide solid technical training in the Royal Academy of Dance method, which encourages musicality and expression and fosters a sense of community for all students. We find that our dancers find not only a love of dance, but create long and lasting friendships with their fellow classmates.
Offering a full slate of dance styles and levels, Rothesay Ballet School has a program for every individual, regardless of age.
"Dance is the hidden language of the soul" ~ Martha Graham
Joining RBS in August 2024!
FRANK AUGUSTYN
&
CAROLYN ZETTEL-AUGUSTYN
We are honoured to welcome Mr. Frank Augustyn, Officer of the Order of Canada, and world-renowned former Principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada, to our RBS faculty. His exceptional artistic talent and many years of teaching experience will be invaluable to our students and school. We are excited to see the impact he will have on our community as a whole.
We are also honoured to welcome Ms. Carolyn Zettel-Augustyn to our faculty.
She brings with her many years of training, teaching, and examining in the American Ballet Theatre® Curriculum. Her expertise as founder and director of ballet schools such as the Classical School of Ballet Long Island will help RBS continue its legacy of quality and caring dance education.
(See their full bios below!)
Frank
Augustyn
Frank Augustyn trained at the prestigious National Ballet School of Canada and was invited to join the National Ballet Company of Canada in 1970. He became Canada’s most renowned male ballet dancer of the 20th century. In 1973, he and Karen Kain won a special award for the best pas de deux at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow. Augustyn has performed as a principal dancer globally, including Boston Ballet, Berlin Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Shanghai Ballet, Beijing Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Talin Ballet and Dutch National Ballet among others. He has toured globally with the National Ballet Company of Canada dancing on nearly every major stage around the world including The Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Covent Garden, England and Caracalla Teatro, Italy to name a few. He has been decorated with three honorary degrees and in 1979 was bestowed the most distinguished title of Canada, Officer, Order of Canada (O.C.). He co-produced and hosted the television series, "Footnotes, The Classics of Ballet", first aired on Bravo Television and authored the accompanying book, "Footnotes, The World's Best Loved Ballets". From 2000 to 2024 Frank Augustyn was a tenured Associate Professor at Adelphi University, NY where he led the Department of Dance from 2000 to 2019.
Carolyn
Zettel-Augustyn
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Carolyn Zettel-Augustyn has been a ballet educator, director, examiner, adjudicator, and consultant for nearly 4 decades. She began her illustrious teaching career in 1982 when she founded and directed the Academy of Dance in Waterloo, Ontario. For the next 25 years her Academy became renowned for its incomparable dance training. She is an ABT® Affiliate Teacher Pre-Primary through Level 7 and Partnering of the ABT® National Training Curriculum and is an ABT® National Training Curriculum Examiner. She has received numerous awards for her choreography and holds an ABT Fellowship, and she has been frequently invited to guest teach for numerous schools in the USA and Canada. Carolyn Zettel-Augustyn is a certified teacher with Canadian Dance Teachers’ Association (CDTA) and has been awarded Life-Time Membership status. During her tenure with CDTA she was appointed Chair of the Ballet Division and was a member of the Examiner Syllabus Committee. In addition to her ballet certifications, she is a Certified Yoga® Teacher and Music Together Teacher. In 2011, she founded Classical School of Ballet LI, NY, retiring from her position in 2024.
Our Teaching Staff
Corissa Arseneau
Corissa began dancing at the young age of three at Rothesay Ballet School. Focusing on ballet, contemporary and jazz, she has done many styles such as hip hop, flamenco and Broadway. Corissa has participated in company shows such as Alberta Ballet, Ballet Jorgen and Motus O.
Wanting to continue her dance career in Saint John at Rothesay Ballet School, Corissa attained the Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies through the Royal Academy of Dance and maintains a registered teaching status with the RAD. Corissa has been a member of the Rothesay Ballet School staff for the past 14 years. Using her previous personal training and dance experience, she now teaches body conditioning classes as well as the RAD ballet exam program.
Lorna Pond
Lorna has been involved with Rothesay Ballet School for over 45 years, beginning first as a student of Sylvia Logan in the inaugural class, and later, being involved as a performer and instructor.
As a girl, Lorna attended the National Ballet School’s summer program in Toronto and studied in the professional program of the Royal Academy of Dance through which she achieved her Intermediate Level I (Advanced) certificate. Currently she is working towards her International Ballet Barre Fitness Association certificate and enjoys incorporating various ballet barre techniques into her adult pilates and ballet classes. She has enjoyed many and varied roles in productions such as The Nutcracker, La Filles Mal Gardee, and Sleeping Beauty with Rothesay Ballet School and Gala Ballet Company.
Lorna holds a B.Comm degree from Mount Allison University, is a Certified Landscape Professional and owns and runs Urban Landscaping Ltd. with her husband Neil.
Linda Yang Poirier
As one of the very first students at RBS, Linda trained under Mrs. Sylvia Logan and obtained her certificate in the Elementary Executant Examination at the age of 16. Her most cherished memories were dancing the “Sugarplum Fairy” in The Nutcracker with the Saint John Symphony Orchestra, “Giselle” in the spring recital, and choreographing both her own senior solo as well as a multi-disciplinary project based on Romeo and Juliet. She was chosen to dance at the Jeux Canada Games, as well as in various KV Players productions.
A former French classroom teacher at public school and college levels with a B.A., M.A. & B.Ed., she returned to RBS as an adult with her own children and volunteered with Gala Ballet Productions. Inspired and mentored by Mrs. Logan, she returned to the studio. Linda completed the Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies (CBTS), is a Registered Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and member of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS). She is also a certified instructor in Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT), Silver Swans®, Holistic Yoga Flow. and a Wellness Advocate with DōTERRA. She enjoys teaching at all levels, from babies & preschoolers to those in their golden years, or as we say in ballet, all Silver Swans! Linda is pleased to be working together with the other teachers and families to help continue Mrs. Logan's important work and the legacy of RBS in our community.
Emma McEvoy
Emma McEvoy began her dance training at Rothesay Ballet School in 2001, studying ballet, jazz, contemporary, and tap. Starting as a teaching assistant in the junior ballet program, she was promoted to teacher in 2012. Emma also trained as a contemporary assistant.
In 2015, Emma completed the Certificate of Ballet Teaching Studies with the Royal Academy of Dance, officially becoming a registered teacher with the RAD. As well, Emma is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Communication Studies, and Duke University, completing the Digital Media and Marketing certificate program.
Emma is also a graduate of the Enriched Performing Arts Diploma program at the Canadian College of Performing Arts. The two-year intensive program focused on dance technique, creation, and performance. While at CCPA, Emma had the opportunity to choreograph new works, act as a dance captain and rehearsal assistant and perform as both a dancer and actor in productions.
Since moving back to Rothesay, Emma has worked with Saint John Theatre Company and worked with Rothesay Netherwood School’s productions of The King and I and Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
James Smith
James Smith is a performer from Hamilton, Ontario who recently moved to the Saint John area. James started taking basic gymnastics at a young age, and then he eventually fell in-love with Musical Theatre.
During his high school years, his school offered classes that specialized in Performing Arts. He really honed his dancing career, training extensively on Musical Theatre Jazz. He is now trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern and Hip-Hop.
In 2018 he graduated from St. Clair College’s Music Theatre Performance Program. Throughout his studies he was trained by industry professionals. James gained many skills in acting, singing and dancing, which now make him a triple threat performer.
He is super excited to start his dance teaching career at the Rothesay Ballet School. He hopes to inspire all the Adults in his Tap classes.
Coming Soon!
Alyssa Long
Marlee Holland
Courtney Keating
Sylvia Logan
Founder & Ballet Mistress Emerita
Sylvia Logan received her ballet training in England in Royal Academy and Vaganova styles and emigrated to Canada in 1962. Upon opening Rothesay Ballet School in 1975, students were introduced to a professional style of ballet training and Mrs. Logan continued her association with the Royal Academy of Dance. She become a Registered Teacher in the first year that registration became mandatory in Canada.
The school quickly gained a reputation for performance and academic success. Gala Ballet Company was founded in 1982 and became the performing arm of the school. A highlight of these performances was when they danced for their Royal Highnesses Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
Mrs. Logan is pleased to be sharing her love of ballet with a new generation of students as she has been for the last 48 years.