About

ADE aims to inspire a young dancer’s development through a lifelong love of dance!

Through ADE’s teacher education we provide the building blocks for developing successful dancers.

A little bit about what we do:

  • ADE was founded though years of experience training successful dancers and dance teachers.

  • ADE gives you the skills to train your own in-house faculty with consistent and clear step by step goals and guidelines.

  • ADE at the roots is based in the techniques needed to properly execute individual styles of dance including Jazz, Tap and Acro while promoting a dancer’s personal creativity and growth.

  • ADE uses skill stacking at every level to support strong foundations and understanding for dancers.

  • ADE offers student teacher and teacher training.

  • ADE offers yearly “Excellence” Examinations and Assessments for beginner to advanced level students trained by ADE qualified teachers.

About the Creators

ADE was founded by Joanne Chapman and her daughters Dana and Jessie.

The syllabus has been developed through years of experience training Dancers and Dance Teachers with an endless love of dance and education.

  • Joanne has owned and operated the Joanne Chapman School of Dance since 1974 in Ontario, Canada. Joanne's outstanding reputation, dedication to her students, and high standards are well known in the dance community. Joanne has been a member of multiple dance organizations, as well as taught Master Classes to dance teachers throughout Canada and the United States for many years. She taught for T.T.S. Dance Masters of America’s Teacher Training School and was an ambassador for the Dance Teacher Summit. She was an “Ask the Expert” columnist for the Dance Teacher Magazine and their recipient of the 2016 “Independent Studio Owner of the Year” award. Joanne is extremely proud not only of her students (who have danced on Broadway, television and in the concert world) but of the wonderful dance teachers she has trained and educated within her school and beyond. These wonderful teachers have gone on to educate young dancers all over the world, and many own their own dance schools today. Joanne feels strongly that all roads in her life have led her here, and that creating this syllabus was a chance for her to share all she has learned with you.

  • Dana is an extremely passionate dance teacher and choreographer. She has been dancing since she could walk, and teaching at the Joanne Chapman School of dance since the age of 15. She also teaches for other dance schools throughout Canada and the United States where she has providing Master Classes and award-winning choreography to their staff and students. Dana currently teaches dancers as young as two through to their graduating years in both recreational and competitive programs. The importance of training well rounded dancers from the very beginning is a fundamental part of Danas teaching strategy and she is very successful at doing so. Moreover, many of her students have gone on to work professionally in both film and television, as well as gained acceptance to some of the world’s most prestigious arts colleges and companies. Dana holds teacher certifications with multiple dance organizations and has trained under some of the dance industry’s most well-known educators.

  • Jessie started dancing at the age of two, and has trained in various styles of dance including Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Acrobatics. She grew up as a competitive dancer at the Joanne Chapman School of Dance, and performed on some of the world’s biggest stages with pieces by the dance industry’s leading choreographers. As a fully certified teacher holding qualifications with multiple dance organizations for over 15 years. Jessie teaches dancers of all ages and levels, at both the competitive and recreational levels. Jessie prides herself on finding new ways to inspire dancers, while simultainiously instilling an endless love of dance into each of her students. Jessie and her students have received numerous awards in addition to being recognized for her choreography and creativity. Many of her students have gone on to pursue dance professionally throughout Canada and the United States, with an additional number being welcomed to join dance programs at universities and colleges. Jessie graduated from college with a social science degree and uses many of the tools learned to help forward her teaching.

Our highly qualified examiners:

In addition to Joanne Chapman, Dana Chapman-Carroll and Jessie Chapman-Carroll, we also have the following examiners:

Linda Garneau

Choreographer, educator, movement coach and PhD candidate in Dance Studies at York U. Linda is the artistic director of the Helix Dance Project, whose works include The Waiting Room, Rain, Unearth, and Integration. Theatre credits include five seasons with The Shaw Festival, as well as productions for Mirvish, Canadian Stage, Charlottetown Festival, Citadel Theatre, National Theatre Centre, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, and Sheridan Theatre.

Other credits include choreography for Stars on Ice, skating exhibition programs, and music videos. Linda continues to enjoy freelance choreography, teaching both at home and abroad, and discovering new facets of this wonderfully moving craft.

Kim Falconi

Kim is an accomplished award-winning teacher and choreographer.  She has shared her love and knowledge of dance with students across North America, through workshops and adjudicating.  She has passed on her knowledge of acrobatics by giving her input into various acrobatic workshops and master syllabuses and is currently working on the faculty of Northern Movement.

 Kim is proud to be a former Miss Dance of Canada as well as a member of the singing, dancing group “She Said” based in Cleveland Ohio.  Her choreography has won many awards and has been recognized nationally.  She is fortunate to be working with World Performers Canada this year as a choreographer for Team Canada.

 Kim is a certified DMA teacher in the acro, jazz and tap syllabuses.  She has been given the opportunity to adjudicate for many well-known organizations across Canada and the United States.  Kim’s love of teaching has allowed many of her students to go onto professional careers across the world.  She has students performing now on Broadway, television and as well as world-wide Ballet Companies.

 It is with great pleasure that Kim is sharing her love of dance and knowledge with younger students.

Lorri McKay

Lorri McKay was the Owner and Artistic Director of Lorri’s Dance Place providing a positive and creative atmosphere in dance education in the Toronto area. Lorri’s Dance Place had a reputation for a high standard of excellence in the art of dance.

Lorri is a past member and Past President of Maple Leaf Dance Masters of America.

Lorri was honored to be awarded as a Lifetime Member of the British Association of Teachers of Dance.

Lorri danced professionally across Canada before starting her teaching career. She has taught workshops, choreographed for and adjudicated for many National Dance Competitions across Canada and the United States. Lorri’s dedication and love for dance has won her many prestigious awards. Lorri’s students have held many National Titles and Honors.

Lorri is very proud of her students who have been inspired to launch successful dance careers such as Teachers, Choreographers, Professional Dancers in Musicals, Movies, Television, Ballet Companies in Canada, the United States and Overseas, as well as on Cruise Ships in North America and Overseas.

Lorri is excited to be part of your continuing dance education. Wishing you the best of luck and a positive experience on your dance examination.

Julie Gabriele

Julie has been teaching competitive dance for over 20 years. She has been in high demand as a guest choreographer and workshop teacher at studios throughout the region and her choreography has won her much acclaim by competitions across Canada and the US. Her students have gone on to work in the dance industry as dance teachers, performers and choreographers. Apart from teaching dance, Julie Gabriele is the founder and producer of Be Dance Competition in Ontario Canada for the last 15 years.

Although owning and operating a dance competition is a full-time job and primary focus for Julie, she has never strayed away from her love of teaching. Julie has spent the last ten years with the Joanne Chapman School of Dance as a faculty member and tap teacher for both the Part Time and Full Time competitive programs. Julie teaches with great passion and enthusiasm to dancers of all levels, and is very excited to be a part of the ADE examinations, where she can continue to share her knowledge with young dancers.

Q&A’s

  • ADE is founded through many years of experience training successful dancers and dance teachers. Through the ADE syllabus its founders have shared their step-by-step process used by them to train not only the youngest of dancers but their most advanced student and qualified teachers. The guidelines found within the ADE syllabus have been practiced and evolved year after year to continues to provide dance at the highest standard and level for their students. The goal of the ADE syllabus is to share all we have learned with you!

    • Consistent and clear levels and guidelines from beginner to advanced dancers and teachers in Jazz, Tap, and Acrobatics.

    • A syllabus that not only covers the necessary foundations of dance but continues to evolve with each year and level.

    • A program that allows students and teachers personal creativity to grow and mature within it.

    • The ability to train your own teachers.

    • Consistency from one teacher to another within your studio, allowing your students to grow confidently and securely.

    • Support from ADE mentors.

    • Examinations and assessments that are examined by highly qualified professionals in the dance industry.

    • And so much more…

  • Attend one of our three-day syllabus teacher training programs in Jazz, Tap or Acrobatics. Once you have completed the training program you can become a member, teach the ADE syllabus and enter students into “Excellence” Exams and Assessments.

  • Experienced dance teachers and studio owners who have completed the syllabus teacher training program.