Based in Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Diana Rutherford is a passionate teacher, invested arts administrator and advocate for the arts sector. Originally from Owen Sound, Ontario, Diana began her dancing career in both ballet and highland dance. As a highland competitor, she represented Canada across North America and Scotland. She is a scholarship recipient and award winner in both ballet and highland dance. After a short preforming career, Diana aligned her performing and pedagogical interests together focusing her studies on dance education and cultivating future generations of art advocators. As a graduate of the Teacher Training Program at Canada’s National Ballet School as well as a graduate from York University, Honours BFA in Dance, Diana built the foundations of her teaching career. She holds an esteemed teaching qualification at the Licentiate level within Cecchetti Canada and has been certified at the highest level with both Cecchetti Canada and the Royal Academy of Dance for dance examinations. Diana currently sits on the Board of Governors for Cecchetti Canada. 



Diana’s lengthy career as a dance educator brought her from Toronto, Ontario to Halifax, Nova Scotia. She has had the opportunity to deliver dance education to students and instructors across Atlantic Canada and southern Ontario, as a guest artist, choreographer and private coach. In recent years, Diana has expanded her experience and knowledge to arts administration as Dean of Dance for a not-for-profit organization, located in Halifax, NS. While in this role, Diana produced two full length ballets, implemented an accredited Dance Teacher Training program at the diploma level, as well as further developed a pre-professional ballet program, encouraging continued education for dance instructors and emerging artists. She has had the opportunity to work with many not-forprofit arts organizations including the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra, Votive Dance, Mocean Dance, Nova Scotia Talent Trust, Canada’s Ballet Jorgen - Atlantic Council and Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal.

A graduate of Canada’s National Ballet School, Jane performed with the National Ballet of Canada from 1972-78, dancing Romantic, Classical and Contemporary repertoire. During this time, she was privileged to work with exceptional mentors Celia Franca, Erik Bruhn, Rudolf Nureyev, Karen Kain, and Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Ms. Wooding is a Fellow and Examiner for Cecchetti Canada and has taught at Canada’s National Ballet School, York University, and George Brown Dance / Ballet Jorgen. Jane now lives in Nova Scotia, where she teaches at Halifax Dance, the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts School of Dance and The Dance Institute. Her teaching style is lyrical and inclusive.

Lydia Zimmer (BFA ’11, Boston Conservatory) is a Halifax based dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She has received support from the Canada Council for the Arts and Arts Nova Scotia and attended residencies in Iceland, Bulgaria, Banff Centre, and more recently Ireland’s Síolta Residency. Her company, ZIMMERDANS, premiered The Devil’s Intervals to sold-out audiences in Live Art Dance’s 23/24 season. Recent works include Mercurials for Mocean Dance and Xenofauna for Atlantic Ballet Theatre’s ImpactFest. Recognized with the Emerging Artist Recognition Award from Creative Nova Scotia, Lydia recently performed the solos if you forget me and Night Crawler at Festival of Dance Annapolis Royal, and Extremophile at Dance: Made in Canada’s WYSIWYG program. Lydia primarily teaches contemporary techniques, improvisational structures, and conditioning for pre professional and professional students. She absolutely adores The Dance Institute.

A native of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Hannah Mae began her dance training at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts School of Dance and the Leica Hardy School of Dance before joining Canada’s National Ballet School. While training, she was fortunate to receive various awards and scholarships, many of which were through the Nova Scotia Talent Trust. Hannah Mae is currently in her 11th season with Ballet Jörgen and has danced in many of Jörgen’s works including Anastasia and Coppélia (in the title roles), Romeo and Juliet (Juliet, Lady Capulet), Swan Lake (Pas de Trois), Cinderella (Lead Fairy), and had the opportunity to create the role of the Lilac Fairy in Jörgen’s Sleeping Beauty. In 2019, the title role of Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet® was created for Hannah Mae by Bengt Jörgen, C.M.. Hannah Mae has taught for Ballet Jörgen, Mocean Dance Company, DAREarts, and numerous dance schools across North and South America. She also acts as an ambassador of community engagement for Ballet Jörgen, running outreach programs for the Art Gallery of Ontario, Sick Kids, St. Michael’s Hospital, and more. For the past decade, she has toured with Ballet Jörgen, bringing dance to all corners of North America through outreach, masterclasses, and performances.