Shannon Widdis

Shannon has been dancing for 18 years and competing for 12. She grew up dancing in commercial

spaces and has since continued her practice outside the studio setting. She likes all styles of dancing, but her favourites are Contemporary, Acro, Jazz and Ballet.

 

Shannon was inspired by her high school dance teachers. She felt they really encouraged her to dance for herself, explore her own style and find the intention behind every step. They also provided her with many strong life lessons that she continues to carry with her today.

 

Shannon had the opportunity to perform multiple times as a youth dancer with the touring cast of Canada’s Ballet Jörgen’s Nutcracker. She also participated in many pantomime productions and performed in various charity events across Ontario. She has done guest choreography and she co-directs a non-profit organization called Equity In Dance which provides dance education worldwide. Due to her dance background, she has had the opportunity to act and dance in many blockbuster films and television shows including IT Chapter Two, Hardy Boys, Women Talking and others.

 

Shannon became an assistant dance teacher at the age of 12 and was always interested in leading classes for the younger dancers. For just over 4 years, she has been teaching independently and loves every minute of it. She hopes to provide her young dancers with an outlet though which they can authentically express themselves, get exercise and learn useful life skills.

 

After growing up in the dance world, Shannon recognizes how easily the dance world can become a negative experience or affect one's self-worth, so she strives to provide a space where every dancer feels safe, valued and special. She feels that the best part of teaching is watching dancers get excited to learn a new skill or perform a piece and to watch how the things they learn inside the studio translate into their everyday lives.

 

Shannon loves to introduce dance to the tiniest dancers through jazz and ballet and to help them develop a love for dance. She also enjoys teaching contemporary to the older dancers, believing it provides them with a great outlet for exploring their own ways to move and learn more about themselves. Additionally, she enjoys ballet and jazz because they provide a solid technical base that allows for so much artistry.

 

Her favourite memory as a dance teacher was receiving a handmade bracelet from a younger

student after she had been away for two weeks. The student said she had made it especially for Shannon and she was so excited that Shannon had returned.

 

Shannon expects her dancers to come into the studio space ready to explore and have fun together. She asks that they be prepared to participate in whatever way they can that day. In her classes, Shannon values her dancers’ unique personalities, and she encourages them to channel their energy into the tasks she assigns. She recognizes the need to modify the way she teaches each day to accommodate her dancers’ needs.

 

Shannon describes her classes as very organized, but she also makes sure to leave time for creativity. She tries to get a lot accomplished in each session, so she designs her classes to be fast-paced and engaging for all dancers.

 

Shannon enjoys teaching all age groups, although she admits to having a special connection to the oldest and youngest groups.  The littles are fun because of their boundless energy and excitement to learn. She finds it rewarding to teach the older teens, because they can start to incorporate their individual artistry in their dances.

 

Shannon identifies one or her greatest teaching challenges as curating good playlists. Music is such a big part of studio dance and it can be tricky to choose the right songs for each age group because they can vary so greatly. In terms of her own professional development, Shannon is always working to improve her ability to gradually introduce more complex skills by breaking them down into simpler steps.

 

Shannon is excited to be teaching with Just Dance; she looks forward to meeting new dancers every time she walks into the studio.