Our Team
Lisa Rootsaert
Artistic Director, Instructor, Choreographer
Miss Lisa has been with Camrose Academy of Dance for the past 26 seasons. She is a well-known choreographer/instructor across Western Canada. Disciplined in tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, musical theater, acro, contemporary and modern, Lisa has traveled extensively across Canada and the United States with her dance career. She has taken on roles of performer, teacher, choreographer, adjudicator and now festival director as the owner of Dance Roots Inc.
​
As an amateur dancer, Lisa trained at the renowned Allan Cozzubbo Academy of Dance in Calgary, AB and extended her learning at various dance training facilities in Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and across Western Canada. As a choreographer, Lisa has won numerous choreography awards and championships, such as Divisional Champion at Danceworks/CADF and is a two time Showtime Crystal Challenge winner, to name a few.
​
Miss Lisa has qualifications and training in Al Gilbert, RAD, ISTD, BATD, and Acrobatic Arts. She continues to take classes with various dance masters around the world each season in order to provide new technique and create innovative and evolving choreography for her students here in Camrose. Lisa
is also a member of the Professional Adjudicators Association.
​
Our students are so blessed to have Miss Lisa leading them through their time here at CAD!
Vasyl Kanevets
Ballet Technique Instructor
Mr. Vasyl, born in Kyiv, Ukraine, began his dancing career at the age of 5 with the children's folk dance group at the Kyiv Central Palace of Pioneers. His extensive dance experience comes from performing with the State Ballet Academy of Kyiv, Nadzbruchanka Ukrainian Folk Dance Ensemble of Ternopil, Ukraine and the Military Song and Dance Ensemble of Kyiv. Mr. Kanevets holds a Ballet Masters Degree with Honours from the Kyiv State Institute of Culture. From there he went on to instruct at the Kyiv Children's Choreographic School where his students received the second and third diplomas in the National Ballet Competition of Ukraine.
In 1995, Mr. Kanevets moved to Canada where he continued to work as a professional dance instructor and choreographer. During his almost thirty years in Canada, he has instructed students with the Yatran Dance Academy of Edmonton, Koperoush School of Ukrainian Dance in Sherwood Park, St. Paul and District Ukrainian Dance Club, Tryzub Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and School of Ukrainian Dance of Calgary. During Her Majesty Queen Elizabth II visit to Calgary in 2005, Tryzub performed Mr. Vasyl's choreography "Kozachyi" for the Queen. He was also a guest choreographer for the 2006 folk ballet "The Legend of the Rusalka," a joint production between the Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. His choreography was featured in several collaborations between the Tryzub dancers and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. During his time in Canada, Mr. Kanevets has been an adjudicator at many different Ukrainian Dance Festivals and competitions. He also serves as an instructor at several summer intensive Ukrainian dance camps and workshops.
Our students are very fortunate to have Mr. Vasyl guide them through their ballet education.
Trudy Lewis
Instructor, Choreographer
Miss Trudy has been involved in the dance industry for over 30 years as a successful dancer, professional instructor, award winning choreographer and adjudicator. She attended the Dance Teacher Program at MacEwan University and has dance certification with the Al Gilbert Jazz and Tap Syllabus, Royal Academy of Dance, British Association Teachers of Dancing, RAD Dance Educators Syllabus, Cecchetti Dance Syllabus and Acrobatic Arts Canada and is a qualified adjudicator with the Professional Adjudicators Alliance. Trudy has competed and studied in various cities throughout Canada and the United States including Oregon, Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York.
​
Over the years, Trudy's students have entered examinations and competed in competitions in all genres with great success, having won countless awards and scholarships. Many of her students have gone on to further their careers in the performing arts through teaching and performing professionally. Trudy has received numerous choreography awards and accolades and continues to set high technical and artistic standards for both herself and her students.
​
Her passion is sharing her experience and love of dance with others. We are so lucky to have Miss Trudy as our resident "tap guru" here at CAD!
Hailey Rootsaert
Instructor, Choreographer
Miss Hailey is highly trained and versatile dancer. She has trained with various studios in Alberta including Sherwood Park School of Dance, Edmonton Dance Center, Dance Soul and right here at Camrose Academy of Dance. She has trained in Jazz, Tap, Ballet (RAD syllabus and Vaganova), Pointe, Modern, Lyrical and Hip Hop. Competing has allowed Hailey to receive scholarships to GSP Dance Convention, Harbour Dance Center, The Edge Performing Arts Center, Broadway Dance Center, Nuvo Dance Convention, Rocky Mountain Dance Project and many other high mark and cash awards. Dance has allowed Miss Hailey to travel throughout Canada and the United States including training and performing in Vancouver, Los Angeles, Calgary, Portland, Seattle, New York, Kelowna and Las Vegas.
Hailey has been teaching for 9 years and her love and passion shows through her students and their accomplishments. Some of these include multiple choreography, most outstanding, 1st place, Choreo of the Day and Overall High Mark awards. She has also had various routines win grand championships at Sizzle and Inferno Dance Festivals, CADF, Standing Ovation and Showtime Dance Promotions. She has also completed her Acrobatic Arts Module 1 and is currently working on her ADTA certifications as well.
​
We always look forward to what Miss Hailey is going to bring to the stage each year!
Payton Rootsaert
Instructor, Choreographer
Miss Payton trained with the Camrose Academy of Dance for over 15 years. She is a highly accomplished dancer and assistant instructor. Payton began teaching her own classes at CAD 3 years ago. Her energetic, fun-loving personality resonates with her young dancers at our academy. She is a versatile dancer trained in Jazz, Tap, Ballet (RAD syllabus and Vaganova), Pointe, Modern, Lyrical and Contemporary.
Payton has studied with various organizations including GSP, Harbour Dance Center, the Edge Performing Arts Center, Broadway Dance Center, Tremaine Dance Convention and New York City Dance Alliance to name a few. She has travelled throughout Canada and the United States, performing in locations such as Los Angeles, New York, Kelowna and Las Vegas.
In her short time teaching, Miss Payton has already produced many routines that have received high accolades such as High Mark Overall, Most Outstanding and Choreography awards.
​
Thanks for sharing your love of dance and keeping class fun and exciting for our young dancers Miss Payton!
Jaydn Johnson
Instructor, Choreographer
Miss. Jaydn began dance classes at the age of three with CAD and has performed, competed, attended workshops, travelled, and student-taught ever since. Training extensively in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical/Contemporary, Modern, Musical Theatre/Variety, and Hip-hop. Her positive personality is noticed and shows in her ability to share her love of dance with all the students she assists in the classroom. Jaydn is excited to take on a teaching role at CAD this season and can’t wait to meet all the new students and the potential they bring.
Debbie Mokry
Office Manager
Debbie has been a part of CAD since her daughter joined the studio in 2009. A couple of years later she joined the board. In 2014 she took over bookkeeping and data entry. Four years later she started a job share position with the Office Manager. When the position became available, she applied for the full-time role and has been helping hold CAD together ever since.
​
Affectionately referred to as Miss Debbie, she loves her job working with the staff, dancers and family. To quote her exact words, "It is a highlight in my life. I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world. I like to refer to it as my happy place. I love my CAD family!"​​