Faculty
Go to: Dance | Acting | Music | Vocals | Visual Arts | FitnessDance
Kathryn Hofer
Dance Program Coordinator kathryn.hofer@bydesignarts.caKathryn Hofer is a graduate of Hillsong International Leadership College with a Diploma of Ministry & Dance. Dancing since the age of 5, she has been teaching and choreographing ballet, modern, jazz and hip-hop for over 9 years, both privately and at Hillsong Performing Arts Academy in Sydney, Australia.
Kathryn holds her intermediate ballet with RAD and has extensive training in vocals which she has been teaching for several years. She is currently on staff at Koinonia Christian Fellowship as the Worship and Creative Arts Director.
Kelly Fleming
Jazz Instructor kelly.fleming@bydesignarts.ca
Born and raised in Kitchener. A proud Conestoga College Graduate of the Graphic Design and Marketing program. She is an accomplished choreographer and teacher in KW with over 12 years of teaching experience in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Contemporary and Acro arts. Kelly has C.D.T.A. and R.A.D. exam training as well as some experience in competitive dance judging. Kelly has grown up dancing competitively and loves to watch students explore all forms of artistic expression.
She attends yearly workshops around North America to improve her teaching and dance skills.
Kelly looks forward to teaching Jazz at byDesign!
Lindsey Anderson
Ballet & Jazz Instructor lindsey.anderson@bydesignarts.caLindsey is currently in her last year of high school at Bluevale. She has been dancing for over 10 years and is on the FULL FORCE dance team at Koinonia. Her passions in dance are comtemporary, lyrical, hip-hop and jazz.
Alanna Bauman
Dance Instructor alanna.bauman@bydesignarts.caAlanna is thrilled to be joining the byDesign faculty. She is currently attending the University of Waterloo, working towards achieving her Bachelors of Science degree. Along side attending post-secondary education, she continues to pursue her passion and love for dance.
She has over 8 years of competitive training, as well as R.A.D. ballet exam preparation, and has traveled across Ontario and the United States including Walt Disney World, receiving multiple awards of recognition. For the past 5 years, her passion has grown to include training and educating others in this creative art form.
Alanna teaches a variety of dance styles and attends numerous workshops to continue furthering her own dance knowledge and technique to share and explore with her students.
Acting
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Alana Kuwabara
Acting Program Coordinator alana.kuwabara@bydesignarts.caAlana Kuwabara is an Alumnus of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City where she studied Musical Theatre. She has also studied acting in Ireland, Pennsylvania and Toronto, Canada. Alana has appeared on stage and television in the US as an actress and model. She has also worked as a Director, Assistant Stage Manager, Lighting Technician, Costumer and Choreographer and has written many skits, short plays and film scripts for several churches in the US and Canada.
She has written curriculum for and run summer drama camps through churches and professional community arts organizations.
Music
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Steve Warner
Music Program Coordinator steve.warner@bydesignarts.caSteve is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University, where he received an Honours Music Degree in Composition, and also holds an A.R.C.T. in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
He has been involved with music for more than thirty years, and on staff at Koinonia Christian Fellowship as Music Director for over 17 years. He also is the head of the Music Department for Koinonia Christian Academy.
Dorothea Hill
Piano Instructor dorothea.hill@bydesignarts.caDorothea has been teaching piano for over 20 years. She has her A.R.C.T. Teacher’s Diploma from The Royal Conservatory of Music and has been a member of the Ontario Registered Music Teachers’ Association since 1999. In the past, Dorothea has managed junior and senior choirs, small orchestras and soloists. She also plays clarinet, guitar and sings.
Christine Snethlage
Piano Instructor christine.snethlage@bydesignarts.caChristine, a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University, has been playing the piano since the age of 6 and holds grade 8 Piano Certificate with the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has been teaching piano for nine years and has many years of experience playing with several church music teams.
Tom Vint
Trumpet Instructor tom.vint@bydesignarts.caTom is a graduate from Laurier University. He has been involved in playing trumpet for close to 15 years. His passion with the trumpet includes the following outlets; KCF Orchestra, Waterloo Concert Community Band and the Regional Worship Team (WRW). Tom is a business owner and family man which can keep him very busy. Oh and by the way, he also makes time for playing in a light jazz band. When the opportunity arises, he rarely says no. Always learning and expanding his talent, Tom desires to impart his skills and passion to the next generation.
Bob Wilhelm
Guitar and Bass Instructor bob.wilhelm@bydesignarts.caBob Wilhelm comes to us with a wide and varied background in music, both secular and sacred. He has performed in professional show bands, churches and weddings. Bob has also organized and directed the bi-monthly community music and variety show, Solid Rock Cafe.
In his early years he studied under Jazz Musician Doug Murch, classical Guitar at Conestoga College with John Becker and Classical and Jazz with Larry Mcquarrie. He continues to hone his craft through master classes and personal studies. Previously Bob has taught at the Drayton School of Music and for the last seven years in his own studio.
Chris Woroch
Drum Instructor chris.woroch@bydesignarts.caChris comes to us with over 30 years of teaching experience! He has played at worship conferences with gospel writer and worship leader, Bob Fitts. He has studied with world class instructors including Paul Delong, Jim Blackley, Ric Gratton and Graham Lear and has recorded with international children’s artist, Ronno. Chris has published articles in Modern Drummer Magazine.
Currently, he plays with Kitchener-based The Bare-foot Boogie Band.
Lindsey Minaker
Vocal and Piano Instructor lindsey.minaker@bydesignarts.caLindsey Minaker is a singer/song-writer from Waterloo, Ontario. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Honours Music from the University of Waterloo in 2009 and, soon after, began teaching vocal lessons to both children and adults. Lindsey includes theory, vocal technique, and performance training in her lessons. Her involvement as a vocalist in numerous bands and choirs over the years have challenged and inspired her to excel in music.
Her passion is to see her vocal students experience the same kind of inspiration and excitement for singing with useful tools that will help them use their voices to the fullest potential. Lindsey plays the guitar and the piano and has been writing songs since she was 12 years old. She completed her first EP of original songs in 2004, her second in July 2010, and is presently working on a full-length album. Her songs have been featured on local radio station 94.3 Faith FM.
Caroline Bordignon
Piano and Visual Arts Instructor caroline.bordignon@bydesignarts.caCaroline has loved the arts for as long as she can remember.
A graduate of the Koinonia Christian Academy high school, she is currently an intern of Koinonia’s Servant Leadership Institute. Throughout high school, her interest in both visual arts and music deepened as she discovered her passion and worked towards developing artistic skill. During this time she won numerous artistic awards, including a second place in the National Remembrance Day Poster Contest through the Royal Canadian Legion. She is a recipient of her gr. 8 piano certificate and is currently working towards her gr. 10 while studying at the St. Jacobs Conservatory of Music. She has won musical awards through Kiwanis Festival competitions and enjoys composition.
A former student of the Bydesign Visual Arts department herself, she seeks to help others discover and develop their own gifting and be surprised at what they can accomplish. Her interest in the arts encompasses a wide range of mediums, including everything from pencil, paints, to photoshop and music. She is also interested in the influence of art in culture, and plans to further her artistic education in the future.
Vocals
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Alesha Webster
Vocal Instructor alesha.webster@bydesignarts.caAlesha is passionate about singing and has been involved in many vocal opportunities. Including touring with JAMM: Jesus and Me Ministries performing throughout Ontario and the Philippines and singing the National Anthem at the Nokia Cup! Her unique style of teaching makes every lesson fun and entertaining. Alesha is a graduate of Saskatoon Christian Centre’s “REJOICE School of Music and Praise. She has 3 great kids and loves that already she can see they are all passionate about music!
“teaching people to develop their gift is something that I consider a privilage to do!"
Lindsey Minaker
Vocal and Piano Instructor lindsey.minaker@bydesignarts.caLindsey Minaker is a singer/song-writer from Waterloo, Ontario. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Honours Music from the University of Waterloo in 2009 and, soon after, began teaching vocal lessons to both children and adults. Lindsey includes theory, vocal technique, and performance training in her lessons. Her involvement as a vocalist in numerous bands and choirs over the years have challenged and inspired her to excel in music.
Her passion is to see her vocal students experience the same kind of inspiration and excitement for singing with useful tools that will help them use their voices to the fullest potential. Lindsey plays the guitar and the piano and has been writing songs since she was 12 years old. She completed her first EP of original songs in 2004, her second in July 2010, and is presently working on a full-length album. Her songs have been featured on local radio station 94.3 Faith FM.
Visual Arts
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Nathan Turner
Visual Arts Program Coordinator nathan.turner@bydesignarts.caWhile completing his Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Art at the University of Waterloo, Nathan Turner received numerous awards and scholarships for his artistic and academic achievements. Since graduating he has enjoyed continued success in winning awards and prizes for his work. Among these are two Best Drawing Awards from the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition and the Leading Edge Award for outstanding achievement in the arts in Kitchener-Waterloo.
As a recipient of the Ontario Arts Council Artists in Education Grant, Nathan has taught several figure drawing courses at the high school level. He has also developed fine art curriculum and instructed drawing as a part-time professor at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario. To view Nathan’s work you can visit www.nathanturner.ca.
Caroline Bordignon
Piano and Visual Arts Instructor caroline.bordignon@bydesignarts.caCaroline has loved the arts for as long as she can remember.
A graduate of the Koinonia Christian Academy high school, she is currently an intern of Koinonia’s Servant Leadership Institute. Throughout high school, her interest in both visual arts and music deepened as she discovered her passion and worked towards developing artistic skill. During this time she won numerous artistic awards, including a second place in the National Remembrance Day Poster Contest through the Royal Canadian Legion. She is a recipient of her gr. 8 piano certificate and is currently working towards her gr. 10 while studying at the St. Jacobs Conservatory of Music. She has won musical awards through Kiwanis Festival competitions and enjoys composition.
A former student of the Bydesign Visual Arts department herself, she seeks to help others discover and develop their own gifting and be surprised at what they can accomplish. Her interest in the arts encompasses a wide range of mediums, including everything from pencil, paints, to photoshop and music. She is also interested in the influence of art in culture, and plans to further her artistic education in the future.
Fitness
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Hailey Hartwick
Zumba Instructor hailey.hartwick@bydesignarts.caHailey is currently attending Conestoga College for Recreation and Leisure Services and is a graduate of the Servant Leadership Institute. She has been dancing for most of her life and has performed in many musical theatre productions. Presently, she is pursuing Jazz and Latin-Dance.
Hailey instructs our Zumba classes. She also leads the Koinonia Twenty20 dance team, Compelled.
Kathy Chandler
Pilates Instructor kathy.chandler@bydesignarts.caA self-confessed ‘fitness freak’ for over 25 years, my athletic passions have been well explored – long distance running, high impact aerobics, step classes, weight training, yoga and pilates. While I continue to pursue these passions, it is my continuous amazement at the effects of a regular pilates practice that fuels my fire as an instructor. From my first pilates class I knew that I had found the perfect form of exercise for not only myself, but a number of my ‘baby boomer’ peers.
I obtained my teacher training in pilates in 2005 at Body Harmonics Pilates in Toronto in Complete Mat Work: Foundations and Intermediate and Advanced; and have continued to upgrade my skills through numerous CEC approved workshops both in Waterloo and Toronto, specifically in the areas of large and small ball props, therabands, and foam rollers. I have almost 2,000 hours teaching experience, including both group and private classes. I am currently enrolled in an upcoming 3 part workshop in Toronto given by Jonathan Urla to be certified for the practice of ‘Yogilates’, a CEC approved course, which combines aspects of both yoga and pilates. I am very excited about this course – I believe that my students and myself will enjoy this unique practice enormously.
My pilates classes are very well attended, and I believe that while they enjoy the workout, it is my personality that students respond to. I pride myself on being consistently upbeat – classes are hard work but non-threatening, full of laughter and encouragement for all levels.
