Karen Michelle Pitkethly

It was a phone call from my kindergarten teacher to my parents which launched my dance career. There was concern from my teacher that i was too shy in class and that some form of extra curricular activity might be a good way to get me out of my shell. So the question of ballet, jazz or tap dance was offered - i chose ballet!

Ballet

I was then introduced to ballet under the guidance of Mrs Heather McBride of McBride School of Dancing . I studied the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus and annually passed RAD exams, competed in dance Festivals and performed in year end recitals. Every week i attended my ballet classes, putting my hair in a bun, wearing my colour coded leotard and tights - very good discipline training at such an early age. I enjoyed my ballet classes and all the friends i made, the excitement of year end shows and the stress of festivals and exams. Every year i was able to play a part on stage performing to a large audience. From a poppy on pointe, to Captain Hook en l'aire, and a mermaid couroing across the stage. - However i always knew that i wasn't meant to be a ballerina, I felt my calling was more suited towards ballet teaching. And so, having accomplished my goals in ballet classes i went on to study more about ballet teaching - I enrolled in the University of Waterloo in Ontario and studied the Royal Academy of Dancing (RAD) - teacher training courses which included - Child Phsycology, Kiniesiology, Dance History/Theory and RAD syllabus. I then accepted an RAD ballet teaching position in Singapore - where i worked for one year helping to implement an arts school for children called ACE Family Lifestyles Singapore . While in Singapore i also helped develop a ballet syllabus for the local ballet schools.

Contemporary

I attended the Contemporary Dance program at Simon Fraser University . Here i studied the Martha Graham technique with the guidance of Judith Garay, and contemporary ballet with Marla Eist. I also attended modern dance "Butoh" classes with Barbara Bourget of Kokoro dance . I taught and choreographed contemporary dance at McBride School of Dance . And also performed in a contemporary dance company (Sharmini Winslow) in Singapore .

Flamenco

My flamenco training began at Harbour Dance when i took a random summer workshop which included flamenco dance. I enrolled in Centro Flamenco and quickly began emerging myself full time, I then began teaching classes and performing in the dance company - Flamenco Rosario . I have also taken numerous dance workshops both in Vancouver and in Spain picking up different dance styles and choreographies from many well established flamenco artists: Rosario Ancer, Sabas Santos, Raul Salcedo, Sara de Luis, Marisol Mareno, La Tania , Mercedes Amaya, La Winy , Merche Esmeralda, Angeles Gabaldon, Felipe Mato, Belen Maya, Juana Amaya, Pastora Galvan, Rafaela Carrasco to name a few!!!

More recently I was awarded with a travel grant through the Canada Council for the Arts and stayed in Sevillle taking in dance performances and participating in workshops and daily classes to further my professional development.