Chelsea is a new edition to crazyleg dancers since moving up to Yellowknife this past year. She started dancing at the age of 3 years in Lethbridge, Alberta, at Joy's Dance Factory and has been involved in several types of dance including tap, jazz, lyrical, and classical ballet. She continued with this competitively till high school before swapping in all her dance shoes for cleats to play university sports. Since then, Chelsea has been working as a registered nurse and now has returned to her roots after 10 years, realizing her love for dance and expression. Her new challenge is modern dance, which she is involved in the 1692 production for the Expanse Modern Dance Festival in March.

Darha’s passion for creative expression led her to dance at an early age and she has been developing her craft for over 25 years as a dancer, dance instructor and choreographer. Raised in Yellowknife, Darha began her training at the Tate Dance Studio in the 1980’s. She was awarded a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Simon Fraser University’s School for Contemporary Arts (1996) and has continued her training in Vancouver, Edmonton and Victoria.

In 2004 Darha Phillpot and Karen Johnson founded Crazy Legs Contemporary Dance, Yellowknife’s first modern dance company. They received NWT Arts Council funding for their first show at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre in May 2005.

Darha’s choreography has appeared at the Abbotsford Festival of Dance (1995), 12 Minutes Max (Vancouver, 1996), Treeline to Tundra Environmental Arts Festival (Yellowknife, 1997), Folk on the Rocks (Yellowknife, 1997), YWCA’s Landscape to Dreamscape (Yellowknife, 1997) NWT Aurora Awards Gala (Yellowknife, 1997), Caribou Capers (Yellowknife, 1997), Carousel (Yellowknife, 1997), First Living Colors (Yellowknife, 1999), Ingilraat Pitquhivut Tammanagit (Kugluktuk, 2000), and Upstairs Dances (Victoria, 2002), 24 hour Creation Project (Yellowknife, NT). Last summer she had the pleasure and privilege to collaborate on a multi-disciplinary performance at Folk on the Rocks with Vancouver musician Veda Hille, Yellowknife musicians Pat Braden and Leela Gilday, and visual artists Terry Pamplin and Diane Boudreau.

Darha teaches modern dance, classical ballet, choreography, dance improvisation and creative movement for young children. She strives to offer a class that is physically challenging, creatively stimulating and a safe environment for children and adults alike to explore the excitement of physical expression.

Erin Suliak has been dancing since the age of three, and has fond childhood memories of learning dance in Yellowknife with the Tate Dance Studio and the Aurora Ukrainian Dancers. Highlights of her dance career include attending the Royal Winnipeg Ballet summer school, touring with the Tryzub Ukrainian Dance Ensemble across North America, and rediscovering her passion for modern dance through classes with Lynda Raino at the University of Victoria. Back in her hometown working as an archivist, Erin looks forward to performing again.

Heather Scott is trained in modern and highland dance, and attended a school for the arts as a younging. She took a loooong hiatus until Crazy Legs had their first auditions in 2004. Heather does triathlons, teaches spinning classes at the Racquet Club, and spends most of her days working as a water / wastewater treatment consultant with Dillon Consulting Limited.

Isabel has studied dance since a very young age starting with ballet and jazz, and later studied more extensively modern dance. She learned Graham and Limon techniques at the Toronto School of Dance and at York University. Isabel then oriented her studies in Leadership and Cultural Research. She has worked as a community organizer in various grass roots organizations. She currently works at the NWT Human Rights Commission. She continues to express her love of dance by exploring various forms of movements during her spare time : Contact dance, flamenco, NIA, tai-chi, yoga, climbing and many outdoor activities.

Jane studied at the DancEast Dance Centre in Moncton, N.B. in ballet, jazz, and modern. As part of the DancEast Young Company she performed across Canada and abroad, including les Jeux de la Francophonie (France), Abano Danza Festival Internationale (Italy), and as a dancer in DancEast & Friends' The Nutcracker. She spent a summer at the National Ballet School and was accepted into the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. Since university she's been scouting out dance classes wherever she can and when she made the great trip north to work in Yellowknife as an occupational therapist in 2003, she was excited to discover dance classes with Karen, which led to her involvement with Crazy Legs.

Karen Gochnauer is a certified highland dance instructor and is currently teaching all ages of dancers through Bella Dance Academy. Karen has been studying modern, ballet, jazz, Pilates and Yoga for many years. She has performed at Caribou Capers, the Aurora Arts Festival, Treeline to Tundra and annually at the Robbie Burns night. She has performed in musicals for Ptarmigan Ptheatrics, the latest of which was South Pacific Karen first came to Yellowknife, over 10 years ago, as a geologist lured by work in the great northern wilderness.

Karen Wasicuna, dance artist and instructor, began her dance training in her hometown of Yellowknife, NT at the Tate Dance Studio in the 1980’s. Karen pursued her dance studies at Toronto Dance Theatre (1991-1992) and graduated in 1995 from York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with honors in dance. Karen’s original choreography has debuted in Toronto at York Dances (1994) and the Festival of New Choreography (1995) and she was a member of the York Dance Ensemble (1993-1994), which toured around Ontario.

Karen began teaching dance through York’s Artstart program (1993) and continued when she returned to Yellowknife in 1996. Karen has been teaching dance classes for all ages in Yellowknife for eleven years at various locations; Bella Dance Academy, The Centre of Dance, City of Yellowknife, YWCA and private classes. Karen has provided various movement workshops for the residents of Yellowknife , Crazy Legs summer schools (2005/06/07), Folk on the Rocks, Open Sky Festival (Fort Simpson), Women’s Centre Celebrations, The Racquet Club, Inukshuk Ventures, YK Figure Skating Club and the Get Your Groove On program. Karen has also provided choreography for many local productions; Bella Dance Academy (2005-08) When I Grow Up (2006), A Christmas Adventure (2002), How to Eat Like a Child (1998) and Landscape to Dreamscape (1997).

In 2004 Karen Wasicuna and Darha Phillpot founded the NWT’s first modern dance company Crazy Legs Contemporary Dance. Karen and Darha are both artistic directors, choreographers and dancers for Crazy Legs. Crazy Legs debut performance in May 2005 featured three pieces of Karen's original choreography Punk Rock 101, Summertime and 1692. Karen’s newest dance piece, Jeanne d'Arc, premiered in November 2006.

Karen continues to share her love of dance with others as a choreographer, instructor and performer.

Kate Johnson began dancing at the Tate Dance Studio in Yellowknife at the age of 3. She has studied jazz, ballet, modern and Japanese traditional dance. Kate joined Crazy Legs as an understudy in September 2005 and is very proud to be part of such a wonderful group of dancers.

Kate came to dance as a teen, after several years of theater with Regina Little Theater in Regina, SK. She studied at the DancEast Dance Centre in Moncton, NB, where she spent most of her time in ballet class, but also studied jazz and hip hop/funk. At university, Kate was an active member of the Dal Dance Collective, and energetic group of students who studied varied forms of dance and performed around the city. Kate has also studied yoga for several years, and loves the challenge and the meditation of physical movement. Kate is a midwifery student currently on hiatus, who keeps busy in Yellowknife doing various jobs.

Keri-lyn began dancing in Yellowknife when she was six years old. First with Highland dancing and after leaving Yellowknife, Ballet. Upon returning to Yellowknife as an adult, she started studying Ballet again and then moved onto learning modern techniques, specifically Graham and Limon. She has also dabbled in Jazz, Tap, NIA and Pilates. Keri-lyn joined Crazy Legs in 2004, not just as a dancer but also as our costume designer. In her spare time she enjoys many outdoor activities and spending time with her family.

Kira Hall is a self-proclaimed fine arts junkie. She's been dancing since she was five; acting since she was seven in roles ranging from Scout Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird) to Shprintze (Fiddler on the Roof) to Amaryllis (Music Man) to just plain ol' chorus; and playing instruments and singing since she can't remember when. After nine years of dancing with the Aurora Ukranian Dancers, she joined Crazy Legs for its first year after taking ballet and modern classes with Karen. She's currently enrolled at Sir John Franklin High School, and is actively involved with the drama and music programs.

Kristin Vician is a dance fanatic! She has been dancing for as long as she can remember. She performed with the Aurora Ukrainian Dancers for nine years and then decided to pursue other dance opportunities in Yellowknife. She has studied ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, highland and modern dance. Kristin is also a dance instructor at Bella Dance Academy. This is her second year performing with Crazy Legs. She is currently in grade 12 at Sir John Franklin High School.

Lina Ball was born and raised in Nanaimo, BC, where she began dancing at the age of three. She studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Musical Theatre at Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts and Tempo Dance Academy in Nanaimo. She now shares her love for dance with her many students, as founder and artistic director of Bella Dance Academy in Yellowknife. When not at the studio, or rehearsing with Crazy Legs, Lina is working on her Bachelor of Science through the University of Waterloo. Lina and her husband Jeromy are proud to announce that this will be the debut performance of "Baby Ball".

Lorraine has studied jazz, ballet, and modern dance, and can also be found on dance floors outside the studio. She is an enthusiastic theatre, dance, and music audience member and (so far) occasional performer. Some of her other interests include skiing, hockey, hiking, sailing, picking berries, and travel. Lorraine is currently working for the federal government in environmental management.

Patty is one of the newest members to join Crazy Legs. Although not a formally trained dancer, Patty is fascinated by all forms of body movement. Her most recent physical pursuit is that of Voltige – gymnastics on horseback. Patty also enjoys the energy of community theatre and has performed in the Vagina Monologues, Macbeth, Improvisational Theatre and musicals.

Tomiko Robson did most of her dance training at McMaster University. She trained under the directionof David Wilson and with a variety of independentdance artists from the greater Toronto area. Tomikohas performed several times with the Parahumans DanceTheater in Toronto including at the Dance OntarioDance Weekend and on an UK teaching and performingtour. Her own choreography has been presented at McMaster University, with Parahumans Dance Theatre,and at the American Colleges Dance Festival (2002).Tomiko is currently teaching dance at Bella Dance Academy and enjoying her newest job as a mom.

I'm a grade 6 student at William MacDonald School. I have been enrolled in dance since I was 5 years old starting with Ballet and for the past two years I have been taking Jazz. Last year I accepted the lead role in the Bella Dance Academy show as Peter Pan. I have been a member of Crazy Legs Contemporary Dance Company for 3 years and I hope to perform in upcoming productions with the group.

Jessica Guigon is 11 years old and has been dancing for approximately four years, the last two of which have included apprenticing with Crazy Legs. She has participated in Ballet, Modern, and African dance classes, and would really like to learn Jazz and Tap. Her favourite pastimes are swimming, dancing and acting. Jessica’s favourite dance performance was Jeanne d’Arc with Crazy legs. Her favourite part of Crazy Legs is the performances and she’s really excited for this coming year with them.

Morgan Johnson is in Grade 7 and loves to perform - singing or dancing. She has been an apprentice with Crazy Legs Dance Company for 2 years and has been taking modern dance lessons for year just began jazz and tap. Morgan can be seen around town in one of her many whacky hats.

Nancy Guardado is an avid performer and has been studying modern dance for three years and has been an apprentice with Crazy Legs for the last two years in which she’s had the opportunity to perform at different events around the community; she also enjoys Tap and is now in her second year of tap at Bella Dance Academy. Nancy is also interested in music and acting; one of her biggest dreams is to perform in a musical.

Shayna started dancing with the Bella Dance Academy since its opening in September 2004. She has been studying Jazz from the beginning and decided to also integrate Tap during this 2005-06 year. She is extremely excited to be chosen as one of the Crazy Legs Contemporary Dance Company's newest apprentices.