Teacher and Program Supervisor

Melanie Stewart

Now in her second season teaching at the School of Contemporary Dancers and serving as General Program Administrator, Melanie brings a wealth of experience and passion to everything she does.

A graduate of the Senior Professional Program at the School of Contemporary Dancers, Melanie has also completed her Royal Academy of Dance examinations from Intermediate Foundation through Advanced One, achieving Merit and Distinction throughout.

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Melanie has trained and performed both nationally and internationally, with experience in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and São Paulo, Brazil. She is currently working professionally with NAfro Dance Productions, where she continues to expand and deepen her movement vocabulary. Melanie draws on her background in contemporary, contemporary African, and ballet to bring a holistic approach to movement, one that is applicable across any style or discipline.

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At the heart of Melanie's teaching is a deep commitment to kindness and generosity. She is passionate about using dance as a vehicle to uplift community and is dedicated to passing that value on to the next generation of dancers.

Teacher

Thomas Oberlin

Thomas Oberlin is a contemporary dancer, choreographer and consultant from Treaty One territory in Winnipeg Manitoba. 

Thomas holds a BA Honours in Dance from the University of Winnipeg and is a graduate of The School of Contemporary Dancers' Senior Professional Program.

Through SCD, Thomas has had the opportunity to perform in Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers' Emerging Artist Initiative for the past three seasons (2022, 2023 & 2024), perform in New Dance Horizon’s Stream of Dance Festival & Secret Garden Tour in Regina, and train professionally at the Summer Arts Blast Off intensive in Toronto (2023, 2024 & 2025).

Before training at The School of Contemporary Dancers, Thomas trained at LA Dance Academy for over 10 years. Thomas' training focuses heavily on Modern, Contemporary, Improvisation, Partnering, Ballet and Tap. Thomas has also had the opportunity to train with artists from across Canada as well as with choreographers from France and Austria. Thomas continues to train as both a dance artist and a teacher, taking classes whenever he can.

Thomas is the Co-Founder of Aggregate Dance Co alongside Nat Sluis, a professional Contemporary Dance company with goals of connecting artists of the Canadian Prairies with each other and beyond. Thomas is passionate about sharing Contemporary Dance with people of all ages and skill levels, whether it’s through classes, workshops or performances. 

Teacher

Sontje Skabo

Sontje Skabo is a contemporary dance artist based in Winnipeg with a truly international background. Originally from Europe, she trained extensively across Germany, France, Switzerland, and Italy before completing her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Dance through the Senior Professional Program at the School of Contemporary Dancers in partnership with the University of Winnipeg.

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Sontje has performed at prestigious events and venues around the world, including the Multipla Dança Festival in São Paulo, Brazil, Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers' Emerging Artist Initiative, and internationally with ORIANTHEATRE. Her choreography has toured Canadian Fringe Festivals from Vancouver to Kingston, bringing her creative voice to stages across the country.

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With years of experience teaching dancers of all ages and levels, Sontje brings a dynamic, globally informed perspective to every class. This summer she will be teaching Hip Hop and Lyrical, bringing her versatility and energy to the Teen Dance Intensive.

Guest Teacher

Adrienne Ramos

Adrienne Ramos is a trained dancer, teacher, and choreographer with over 15 years of experience in a variety of styles, including Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet and Modern Contemporary dance. She began her dance journey training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and later continued her studies in the Senior Professional Program at the School of Contemporary Dancers.

In 2015, Adrienne was awarded the Assistant Teaching Scholarship from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and in 2018, she completed the Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teachers (ADAPT) Training Program in Toronto, further deepening her expertise in dance pedagogy.

Since 2016, Adrienne has been on faculty at the School of Contemporary Dancers, where she teaches in both the General and Junior Professional Programs. Her classes combine dynamic technical training with creative exploration, helping students build confidence and artistry in their movement.

Outside the studio, Adrienne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Nutritional Sciences from the University of Manitoba and works as a licensed Registered Dietitian. Her combined expertise in health and movement informs her holistic approach to teaching and supports dancers’ long-term wellness.

Guest Teacher

Jayde Lytle

Jayde Lytle is a dancer/choreographer from Winnipeg, Manitoba who has been dancing for over 17 years. Competing for 10 years and gaining knowledge from various dance schools around Winnipeg. She has trained and competed in multiple different styles being most profound in lyrical, contemporary, jazz and hip hop.

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Teaching all ages of dancers is a passion Jayde has and is determined to teach the next generation of dancers self confidence, perseverance and teamwork.

Most importantly Jayde wants to provide a space for dancers of all levels a healthy environment to learn creative expression through movement. She can’t wait to dance with you and is thrilled to teach lyrical for the Teen Intensive this year at the School of Contemporary Dancers.