Our instructors bring together decades of training, real competition experience, and a genuine love for teaching. Every one of them is here to help your dancer grow — not just in skill, but in confidence, kindness, and joy for the art form.
meet the team
the dancers behind element
Sara is the proud Owner and Studio Director of Element Dance Inc. Having started her dance journey at just two years old, Sara has spent a lifetime immersed in the world of dance, developing a deep passion for both performance and dance education. Sara teaches a wide range of dance styles including ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, modern, street jazz, hip hop, and acro.
Her diverse training and experience allow her to provide dancers with a strong technical foundation while encouraging creativity, confidence, and artistic expression.Achievements and Training: I.S.T.D Associate Modern Theatre; successfully completed her Jazz exams as well; Module 1 Acrobatic Arts Certified; Progressions and Spotting for Aerials; Dance the Magic – Florida; Nuvo Dance Convention – New Brunswick and Toronto; Press Play Dance Convention – Toronto; Dance Teacher Summit – New York City; Diploma of Health and Human Sciences in Massage Therapy – RMT for seven years.
As a teacher and mentor, Sara believes that every child deserves a positive and encouraging environment where they can grow, challenge themselves, and discover their unique potential. She is dedicated to creating a studio culture that values hard work, kindness, teamwork, and a genuine love of dance. Her greatest joy is watching students develop not only as dancers, but also as confident, resilient individuals both inside and outside the studio. Sara will be teaching, choreographing, and running Element Dance — she’s very excited for season one!
Owner, Studio Director & choreographer
Sara follett, AISTD modern
Sarah has been dancing since she was 2 years old and has been teaching since 2022. She has trained in many styles of dance including Jazz, Ballet, Modern, Tap, Acro, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Latin, Musical Theatre, and Lyrical. She also holds a certification with the Pre-School Acrobatic Arts program and has been teaching acro for the past 5 years. She will be working on her Module One certification this season!
Sarah has taken part in many competitions and conventions including View Dance Convention and iDance Convention, and traveled to Toronto in December of 2023 to attend the Nuvo Dance Convention. Sarah is ecstatic to be joining the Element team and can’t wait to share her knowledge and love of dance with her students this season!
instructor & Choreographer
Sarah Halfyard
Abby began dancing at the age of two and has loved it ever since! She has completed her Jazz Awards and has completed up to her intermediate examination with ISTD. Abby has trained in many different styles of dance including Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Jazz Funk, Modern, Musical Theatre, Lyrical, Latin, Hip Hop, and Contemporary. When not at the studio, Abby attends Memorial University where she is completing a psychology degree. She will begin her honours thesis in social psychology in the fall.
Abby has been a recreational teacher since 2022, and began doing competitive choreography this past year. She teaches Jazz and Hip Hop. Abby has travelled to many places in Canada and to attend dance conventions. Abby is beyond excited to be working with the wonderful staff at Element this year and can’t wait to dance with her students and see what this year will bring!
instructor & Choreographer
Abby O’Brien
Lauryn discovered her love for dance at just two years old and has since trained in a wide variety of styles, including Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Pointe, Latin, and Hip Hop. She has successfully completed her ISTD Advanced Two Tap examination, along with additional examinations in Ballet, Jazz, and Modern.
As a dedicated competitive dancer since 2015, Lauryn has earned numerous top awards and scholarships throughout her training. Highlights include being named Elite Senior Dancer 2025, View Dance Challenge Class Standout Award, and Senior Interpretive Challenge Winner, as well as receiving invitations to SDF Dance Tours, View Dance Challenge Greece Intensive, View Dance Challenge Insight Experience, Dance World Cup, and World Performers.
She has attended numerous competitions, conventions, and intensives both nationally and internationally, including NUVO, IDANCE, View Dance Convention, Disney Performing Arts Program, School of Alberta Ballet Intensive Program, and most recently a dance intensive in Greece with View Dance Challenge.
Outside the studio, Lauryn is a Dean’s List student entering her third year of Kinesiology at MUN. Lauryn looks forward to sharing her knowledge, experience, and passion for dance with her students.
instructor & choreographer
Lauryn Collett
Chloe began dancing at the age of 4 and has been dancing competitively since the age of 12! She has completed her Jazz Awards with ISTD and is currently working towards her Advanced One Modern Exam with ISTD. Chloe has trained in various styles of dance including Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Tap, Modern, Lyrical, Contemporary, Street Jazz, Broadway, and Latin!
Chloe is beyond excited to be able to create a space full of love and support for each and every student in the studio and is so excited to be sharing her love of dance with her students — can’t wait to see what this year will bring!
instructor & choreographer
Chloe O’Keefe
Camryn is a dancer, choreographer, and ISTD Associate-certified tap teacher based in Newfoundland and Labrador. Trained competitively from a young age, she brings energy, passion, and creativity to both teaching and choreography with a strong focus on tap, modern, lyrical, and competitive dance. Her choreography has received recognition at competitions, including top overall placements and choreography awards.
Outside the studio, she is a Dean’s List Bachelor of Science in Nursing student at Memorial University, driven by leadership, care, and community impact. Camryn is beyond excited to be joining Element Dance and stepping into this next chapter!
instructor & choreographer
Camryn Collett, aistd tap
Sophie Bennett is a Dancer & Choreographer who values positivity and authenticity. She began her dance journey at 7 years old, where she trained in the competition community while taking up opportunities like The Dance World Cup Finals in Portugal.
After graduating high school, Sophie furthered her dance education at the CLI Conservatory in Massachusetts, where she trained with top names in the industry, building connections, experience, and knowledge.
She now produces choreography for film and on-camera opportunities. Sophie offers choreography in the styles Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, Street Jazz, and Ballet!
INSTRUCTOR & Choreographer
Sophie Bennett
Isabella has been dancing since age 2, focusing primarily in Lyrical, Contemporary, and Ballet. She has completed all of her RAD exams and recently completed Advanced 2. She attended the National Ballet School Summer Program in 2021.
She also has experience teaching all ages in styles Lyrical and Ballet. Isabella is very passionate about dance and learning about strengthening technique in a positive environment!
instructor & choreographer
Isabella Butler
Anna has been dancing since the age of 2, spending most of her time training in Broadway and Jazz Funk. A
longside her own dance journey, she loves teaching children of all ages, helping them grow, not only in their technique but also in their confidence and passion for dance.
instructor & choreographer
Anna Quann
Justine is from Waterloo, Ontario, where she began dancing at the age of two and competing by age five. Throughout her competitive career, she developed strong technical training in ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, tap, acro, and hip hop.
Throughout her competitive dance career, Justine had the opportunity to work with choreographers including Blake McGrath, Brodie Masse, Eryn Waltman, Linda Garneau, and Stephanie Rutherford.
While completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo, Justine was a member and later Co-Captain and choreographer for the Varsity Competitive Dance Team.
Justine brings over seven years of choreography experience in contemporary, lyrical, jazz, acro, and open styles and is so excited to join the Element team for competitive choreography!
instructor & choreographer
Justine Bissonnette
Brianna Halweg, NBS TTP (Dip) RAD RTS AISTD is a qualified and experienced dance educator specializing in ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, and acro. She holds a Diploma from Canada's National Ballet School's Teacher Training Program and maintains Registered Teaching Status with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD). She is also an Associate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) and certified in Module One of Acrobatic Arts.
With experience teaching ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, creative movement, and acro across all age groups and levels, Brianna has taught and choreographed across recreational, competitive, and examination settings at several established institutions, including Canada's National Ballet School. She has extensive experience preparing students for RAD ballet examinations from Pre-Primary to Advanced 1 and creating choreography for solos, small groups, and large ensembles.
Brianna is also experienced in adapting for diverse learner needs, teaching virtually and in person, and collaborating with musicians, parents, and fellow educators.
Her teaching approach is rooted in technical precision, age-appropriate progression, adaptability and building confidence within. Brianna is committed to maintaining a structured, inclusive, and goal-oriented learning environment for dancers of all levels.
Whether in a studio or on stage, Brianna creates a supportive and structured environment where dancers feel challenged, inspired, and empowered.
