News from the Special General Meeting

Dance SaskatchewanInc. wishes to announce that at the Special General Meeting held Sunday July 12, 2009, the DSI membership approved Bylaw Revisions as proposed and increasedthe size of the Board to 12 Directors. The following Directors were elected to various terms ranging from 1 to3 years in length. All subsequent appointments, commencing at the December 2009 AGM will be for a term of three years.

The seven new Directors join:

Karen McGuigan Term Expires 2009

Charmaine Poitras Term Expires 2009

Pat Holtkamp Term Expires 2009

Jackie Latendresse Term Expires 2011

Steve Maughan Term Expires 2011

Jenny Hoffman(Saskatoon, SK) Elected for a Three Year Term - Expires 2011

Jenny Hoffman is a lawyer at Cameco Corporation. Prior to working for Cameco, she workedfor Bioriginal Foods and Science Corporation and was an associate with McDougall, Gauley LLP. Jenny chairs the Saskatoon North Chapter of the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association, is an active member of the Canadian Bar Association and is amember of the Canadian Bar Association Law Day Committee.

In addition to her legal work, Jenny has served on anumber of non-profit boards. Sheis currently a director on the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute Board. From 2001 to 2008, Jenny was a directorfor the Saskatchewan Association for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured(SARBI), serving as the chair from 2006 - 2008. Jenny was also a director on the Dance Saskatchewan Inc. board from 1999 - 2005.

Jenny remains connected to the dance community throughher involvement in Irish Dance. Jenny was the founding owner of the Hoffman School of Irish Dance (nowthe River City School of Irish Dance) and ran the school from 1996 - 2002 before beginning her legal career. Jenny looks forward to an opportunity to once again serve on the Boardof Dance Saskatchewan.

Johanna Bundon(Regina, SK) Elected for a Three Year term - Expires 2011

Johanna is a graduate of Les Ateliers de Danse Moderne deMontreal Inc. and Regina Globe Theatre's 2008 Actor Conservatory. Her artistic practice includes contemporary dance performance and choreography and a physical approach to theatre creation. Johanna lives in Regina, Saskatchewan where the expansive prairies have spurred dance works: A Thirst Undone (2009), CLOSETS (2008), Scribe and Gretel (2007) and solo work, I used to like my poetry (2005).

Her choreography has been presented as part of New Dancehorizons House of Dance Series, the Globe Theatre's Shumiatcher Sandbox Series,the 2005 Performance Creation Conference (Regina) and with Winnipeg's Young Lungs Dance Exchange. Johanna frequently works in theatre as a movement director at Regina's GlobeTheatre. Past credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Christmas Carole and A Clean House. She is currently working with JoeyTremblay on the creation of his new work, The Alice Nocturne and alongside Jayden Pfeifer as a co-director of Fusion, the Globe Theatre's creation laboratory for young artists.

A diehard collaborator, Johanna's collaborations include dance film Striae (2008) with Nikko Snyder and "WhyRobotsMakeBetterLovers" (2005 - 2008) a photography/dance collaboration with visual artist Lee Henderson.

Johanna has taught with the Youth Ballet Company of Saskatchewan, the Canadian Improv Games and as a sessional instructor withinthe University of Regina's Theatre Department. Her teaching explores principles of ensemble building while relying strongly on improvisation and game creation.

As a Regina based dance artist creating professional contemporary dance and theatre works, she is uniquely situated within theartistic community. She believes she can contribute a young and fresh perspective and strong collaborative skills. She has a willingness to further dance as an art form and to foster development of the present and potential dance community within theprovince. She would be honored tobe involved with Dance Saskatchewan.

Pat Gabel-Yablonski(Clair, SK) Elected for a Two Year term - Expires 2010

Pat Gabel-Yablonski was born and raised in Moose Jaw,Saskatchewan where she studied dance under Doris Sitter. She also participated in piano, Ukranian dancing, gymnastics, baton twirling and school sports. After graduation she moved to Toronto to attend the Canadian College of Dance at Ryerson. She graduated with a Diploma in Theatre Dance Teaching. She then stayed in Ontario and studied Early Childhood Education while teaching fulltime dance and nursery school. After 5 years, she then decided to return to Saskatchewan and has taught for various commercial, private and non-profit dance organizations as well as being the Artistic Director and owner of her own school for many years.

Pat presently serves on the Executive Board of Directorsfor CDTA, SK Branch and has been on the Dance Saskatchewan Board as both Zone 4 and Zone 5 representative in the past. For 40 years she has been involved in the dance industry and this includes close to 30 years of teaching experience. She has completed the teaching exam in RAD (Royal Academy ofDance) ballet, receiving a diploma that includes history and anatomy. She has taken CDTA (Canadian DanceTeacher's Association - SK Branch) Tap and Jazz teaching exams, ADAPT(Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teachers) qualifications and certification for teaching tap and jazz, Stott Pilates Instructor's Certification, MYC (Music for Young Children) and Kindermusik Teacher's programs. She also teaches Musical Theatre, Song and Dance, Creative Movement, Lyrical and Hip Hop.

Pat travels extensively as a guest teacher at workshops and summer schools, adjudicates competitions across the prairies and has been aguest choreographer at various studios. She continually searches for new ways of teaching and choreographing as well as adding new teaching education exams and qualifications. Pat and her husband Ed live and operate a farm north of Clair, SK. She presently teaches dance in Rose Valley, Wynyard and Regina, play school in Quill Lake and is presently in theprocess of becoming a mentor for the RAD.

Pat is excited to see and assist with the new andpositive changes for dance in Saskatchewan and for this reason feels she will be an asset to the Board of Trustees for DSI.

Michael Bantjes(Saskatoon, SK) www.bantjes.com/michael Elected for a Two Year term - Expires 2010

Michael Bantjes was born in South Africa, grew up in Canada and has lived and worked in both Barcelona Spain and Canada since the 1990's. He studied Fine Arts atthe U. of S. specializing in sculpture. Michael has an extensive background in Theatre Consulting and ScenicDesign. He has taught at the Institute of Theatre in Barcelona as well as the Polytechnical University of Catalunya in Spain.

He began to design for theatre in 1983 designing sets, costumes and lighting for in both Canada and Spain. He has been involved in the creation of new plays as well as the translation of plays in several languages. In Saskatoon he worked often with Tom Bentley-Fisher andTibor Feheregyhazi commencing in the 1980's. He also worked as Theatre Consultant with Stantec Architecture for the renovations to the Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon. Michael has been employed since 2003 as Exhibits Assistant for the Western Development Museum Curatorial Centrein Saskatoon.

In recent years Michael performed as a movement and dance artist in Saskatoon at Back Alley Antics, OOOH and Movers and Shakers Festival. Michael began taking movement and dance classes as an adult 4 years ago and became committed to dance as a form of artistic expression, a means to physical health and aidto mental and spiritual development.

He has past board experience as a director of the Susipeyita Educational Exhibit Inc. and is presently serving as the actingchair. He is also a member of a collective dedicated to theatre in translation and cultural exchange on particular with Catalonia. Michael is eager to be involved on the Board of Directors of Dance Saskatchewan. With his diverse background in all aspects of the arts, Michael has much to contribute to the continued development of a strong dance community in Saskatchewan.

Tracey Marshall(Saskatoon, SK) Elected for a Two Year term - Expires 2010

As a long time member of DSI, I remain very committed to the advancement of dance in Saskatchewan.

As aregistered nurse with a full time position as a clinical nurse educator in emergency medicine, I am passionate about providing quality educational experiences to professionals. I have a global understanding of health and wellness as well as clinical expertise in emergency medicine. This is the same level of commitment I apply to my involvement in dance.

I am a former dancer, former teacher and parent of children involved with dance. My goal is to assist Dance Saskatchewan to provide support, ongoing awareness of dance and foster creative and unique opportunities to enhance development of all forms of dance in Saskatchewan. Dance Saskatchewan can support expression, creation, strong ethics, emotional fortitude, discipline and physical challenges.

Dance Saskatchewan has a role to build a strong networkthat supports emerging artists and professionals as well as to develop opportunities that promote retention of professionals in Saskatchewan.

Dance Saskatchewan is a provincial organization that is membership driven. The new initiatives over the past few months to seek membership input and feedback isnew, exciting and refreshing. The organization has new life and is developing a positive new direction. The DSI Centre has become a welcoming place over the past year and I am eager to be part of assisting with the developmentof a strong provincial organization supporting dance.

Kathy Bond(Saskatoon, SK) Elected for a Two Year term - Expires 2010

Kathy Bond helped to create and was on the first Board of Dance Saskatchewan Inc. She held various positions on the board and was president from 1996 - 2002. Kathy ran a successful dance studio for 25 years and is the present Director andowner of The Saskatoon Pilates Training Centre. Kathy believes strongly in the Dance Saskatchewan organization and in this facility and feels with her passion and experience, she will help move Dance Saskatchewan Inc. forward. Kathy believes that the history of Dance Saskatchewan needs to be maintained and that the board needs individuals committed to the organization who do not come with other agendas.

Carmen Gonza Mamani (Saskatoon, SK) Electedfor a One Year term - Expires 2009

Carmen holds a Bachelor of Arts from the U. of S. (2006) with a major in Language and Linguistics. She is presently completing post graduate studies to obtain an Advanced Certificate in International Studies. She is a Certified Professional Salsa Instructor, Los Angeles, California (2006) and completed credentials in the Professional Development in Dance Program, U. of R. (2005). She is currently the Director of Danza Morena Latin Dance Academy, Saskatoon (2000 - present).

Carmen has an extensive background working with boardsand committees including Executive Director, Latin American Visual and Performing Arts Assoc. of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Intercultural Association, volunteer entertainment coordinator with Peruvian Pavilion, Folkfest, volunteer/dancer, Hispanic Pavilion, Folkfest, and working as a translator at international events held in Saskatoon.

Carmen is committed to the advancement of dance for all residents of Saskatchewan. She actively promotes awareness of dance, culture and languages and is an active community volunteer working with children at risk, with immigrant families and volunteering at numerous grass roots community based cultural events.