Meet the Teachers

Meet the passionate and talented team behind Sol Dance! With their unwavering commitment to nurturing creativity and fostering a love for dance, our instructors inspire students of all ages to discover their rhythm and express themselves through the art of movement.

Jacklin Buckley RAD-RTS

Ballet, Modern, Musical Theatre

Mrs. Buckley has called the Okanagan home since moving from Calgary at the age of 10. Training in many styles of dance while attending a local Penticton dance school, she decided by age 12 that teaching dance was exactly what she wanted to do for a living. After completing high school she spent 3 years in Toronto attending the Teacher’s Training Program at Canada’s National Ballet School. Upon graduating from the TTP program where she trained in both the RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) and Cecchetti styles of classical ballet. She promptly moved back to Penticton and is living her dream, passionately sharing her love of dance with the students at Sol Dance Studio!

Jaicee Payette

Tap, Contemporary, Tech

Jaicee grew-up dancing in nearby Westbank, training in a number of genres including tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical and modern. During her training years, Jaicee completed numerous levels of RAD ballet exams, ADAPT jazz and tap exams, and was afforded the opportunity to perform in the States and Mexico with a touring dance group. Following the end of her training years, Jaicee taught and choreographed for high-level competitive students in Lake Country for nearly 8 years, with her choreography receiving recognition and associated awards in the competitive circuit. Teaching dance has been something Jaicee has always loved to do, and she genuinely enjoys imparting her dance knowledge to the younger generations. Jaicee can't wait to welcome you to her class!

Lucie Landriault

Jazz, Hip Hop

Lucie Landriault grew up in Ottawa where she trained at a provincial
level in gymnastics followed by years of dance in a private studio.
During that time, she competed in several dance competitions in
Toronto and once in New York. She also ran a full-time dance
program at Fleetwood Park Secondary in the Surrey School District
for over 20 years. She has been adjudicating the dance festival for the
district for the last 3 years. Her areas of expertise include ballet, jazz,
tap and street styles. However, during her time in the Surrey School
District, she also acquired more knowledge of cultural dances such as
Bhangra and Bollywood.

Kailyn Beaudoin

Early Childhood Dance

Hi! I am Kailyn Beaudoin, better known as Miss Kailyn. I have been around this dance studio since before I was born. As soon as I was 3 years old I started dancing and never looked back. I started teaching in 2017 and it turned into my passion. I love teaching all the young little dancers and seeing them have fun and develop many skills. My pre-school classes will always hold a special place in my heart. I cannot wait to continue to teach this year and to welcome back all my little dancers and to meet many new smiling faces. When I’m not dancing I can be found playing slopitch, volleyball, or curling with my mom and my sister. Outside of always being moving I am in Nursing School at UBC Okanagan.

Sophia Ferlizza

Acro, Jazz, Musical Theatre

Sophia Ferlizza, or just Miss Sophie, is a lifelong resident of Summerland, British Columbia. She has embraced the art of dance with unwavering dedication and since her earliest memories, dance has been an integral part of her life. At the age of 10, she began her journey as a competitive dancer. Sophia's ardent love for dance has shone brightly through her performances, resulting in multiple awards and recognition, including an esteemed Bronze Medal Certificate from the Canadian Dance Teachers Association Acrobatic Exams. Dance has consistently been Sophia's true passion, serving as a constant source of joy and fulfillment. With enthusiasm, she eagerly looks forward to imparting her dance expertise to her students, aspiring to inspire them to pursue their own passions with the same level of commitment and enthusiasm that she embodies for dance.

Fun fact: Her last name rhymes with pizza. (yum!)

Maurie Giella

Jazz, Musical Theatre, Tech, Hip Hop

Miss Maurie is thrilled to be sharing her 30 years of dance experience including 10 years of teaching to the studio, with a focus on musical theatre and jazz. Throughout her competitive dance career, she earned numerous awards and scholarships, recognized for both her technical ability and expressive performance. Her love for dance, singing, and acting shines through in her teaching, where she’s known for creating a positive, inspiring environment that encourages students to grow as both performers and individuals.

Maliyah Azam

Hip Hop, Musical Theatre

Hi, I am Maliyah Azam! I have been dancing at Even Dance since I can remember. I know that I have always been drawn to HipHop since the day I realized what it was and what genre of music comes along with it. I hope that all students can find the type or types of dances that make them their happiest version of themselves, just as I did with HipHop. Dance has been an outlet for me throughout the years and it has taught me what it means to have fun as well as work hard if you want to be better at the things you love. I love to dance but I also love living in Summerland! In Summerland I enjoy hiking, running and spending time with my loved ones (especially my dog). You can also find me eating sushi, watching marvel movies, playing video games or studying psychology at Okanagan College. Sometimes it may be hard to find me in the crowd of students at Even Dance. This is because most of them are taller than me! I am proud to say that I love each and every student even if they slightly tower over me! I enjoy watching my students grow as people and as dancers, throughout each season, it is always so special to see the progress made within just one year of dancing. Speaking of each season, I can’t wait for this season to start and to share new memories and experiences with everyone at what is now Sol Dance! See you soon!

Dana Chapman

Tap, Jazz, Ballet

Miss Dana grew up in Saskatchewan and started dancing at the age of 4. She took classes and exams in ADAPT tap and jazz, RAD Ballet, CDTA tap, jazz, and ballet as well as SDTA for highland. After moving to Alberta she started a dance studio at a young age and owned and taught at a competitive studio for 14 years. Miss Dana loves the performance and artistic side of dance but also appreciates that through dance children can learn to work as a team, build their confidence and self-esteem and learn a challenging skill through their own dedication and hard work.

When she’s not at the studio Dana, is a busy mom to 2 awesome children and is the Family Navigator for the Southern Interior YMCA working with young families.
She looks forward what this year brings and hopes to create a safe and positive space for students to learn and grow through dance.

Justine Fraser RAD-RTS, AAB, PBT

Ballet, Contemporary, Musical Theatre

Miss Justine's Fab Bio Coming Soon!

Palak Aulakh

Bhangra

Check back for more on Palak!

Autumn Lafferty

Ballet

My name is Autumn. I have been dancing at this studio since I was 3! I started teaching in 2024 and I love it. My big love is ballet, however I have danced jazz. musical theater, lyrical, and contemporary. In high school I starred as Sophie in mamma mia, I'm a bit of a theater nerd. I love teaching any and all styles... as long as I can dance it. Outside of the studio you might see me lifeguarding or teaching at the pool. Teaching is definitely one of my passions, I love seeing my students grow throughout the year. I am currently enrolled in my 3rd year of my bachelor of nsyilxcn language fluency degree with the end goal of teaching the language to youth. My language and culture are a big part of who I am and so is dance. Dance has been and always will be a part of my life and I am so grateful to be able to teach it!

Casey-Lee Mitchell

Student Teacher

A dedicated student teacher at Sol, Miss Casey brings kindness, creativity, and a love of dance into every class she supports and teaches. Her bright energy and thoughtful leadership make her a role model for younger dancers—and a joy to learn from!

Jeneille Larson

Student Teacher

Jeneille is a new face to our Sol Dance staff. Her dancing experience began at the age of 4, starting her journey in Calgary, Alberta. She grew up around many genres of ballet, jazz, and even a side of acro! After moving to Penticton, her journey here at Sol Dance Studios started. Jeneille explored many new styles and has set her love towards lyrical and contemporary as she feels these styles make the meaning of music visible. Through her journey of becoming a student teacher, she has explored teaching many age groups and helping out with our studios day camps. As her journey continues at our studio, she looks forward to recognizing more faces and new teaching opportunities!

Sofia Ramos

Student Teacher

Sofia Ramos is our new member to the Sol Dance teachers and staff. Sofia started dancing at the age of three and never stopped because of her strong passion for dance. Sofia started dancing in Prince George, British Columbia. She came to us in 2023 with a positive attitude towards her dancing, her strengths in dance is break dancing, hip hop, arco, and just having fun. Her teaching experience comes from helping out in camps and finding a passion in teaching the younger dancers.