Meet our Educators
Amanda Nuttall- Director
Amanda grew up as a competitive dancer in Winnipeg, Manitoba; and trained extensively on scholarship at the Edge Performing Arts Centre in Los Angeles. Over the past decade, Amanda has worked as a dancer, performer, and choreographer in Toronto’s performing arts industries. Most notably, Amanda has choreographed dance numbers for national commercial campaigns and several equity house musicals across Toronto and Eastern Canada.
Amanda brings to Groundwork Dance Studio 30+ years of dance training and 19 years of dance instruction in various styles such as Jazz, Acrobatics, Tap, Musical Theatre, Lyrical, Hip-hop Aerial Silks, and Ballet. She is a graduate of the Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto. Amanda is also a certified instructor with the Acro Dance Teacher’s Association of Canada, Rhythm Works Integrated Dance, Acrobatic Arts, as well as a founding member of and certified Acro Dance Adjudicator.
Finally, Amanda is a proud member of Youth Protection Advocates in Dance.
Shaye Firer- Ballet
Shaye Firer was born in Cape Town, South Africa and began ballet lessons at age three. At age twelve, Shaye auditioned for, and was accepted into, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Professional Division, where she trained for another six years. Upon completion of the ballet program at RWB, Shaye joined the trainee program with American Repertory Ballet in Princeton, New Jersey. After a year as a trainee, Shaye was offered a company position. As a company member with American Repertory Ballet, Shaye performed various principal, lead, and soloist roles by many diverse choreographers including Kirk Peterson, José Limón, Gerald Arpino, Paul Taylor, Douglas Martin, Mary Barton, and Septime Webre. Some of the roles she performed include the Sugar Plum Fairy, Snow Queen, and Dewdrop Fairy in The Nutcracker; Swanhilda in Coppélia; The Chosen One in Douglas Martin’s Rite of Spring and Titania in his A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Doe/Duchess in Kirk Peterson’s Beauty and the Beast. While working as a professional ballet dancer, Shaye also had the opportunity to spread her love of dance by teaching with American Repertory Ballet’s affiliate school, Princeton Ballet School. Here, she taught a variety of different ages and levels, from beginner to advanced, for over nine years. She loves sharing the joys of dance with her students and watching them learn, grow, and find ways they can express themselves through the wonderful art of dance.
Bboy Majo-
Break Dancing
Majo, aka Bboy Majo / DJ MaJuice, is a Winnipeg-based bboy and DJ with 15+ years of experience in the dance community. From battles in the Philippines to founding local training sessions in Manitoba, he’s dedicated to uplifting others through breaking and music. As a community leader, event organizer, and mentor, Majo continues to create spaces where dancers can grow, train, and thrive. A proud member of GAGO crew and MBA (Manitoba Breaking Alliance) organizer.
Emma Pfaff-Acro, Jazz, Ballet/Jazz, Lyrical
Emma is a dancer, reader and an avid baker. She has been dancing since she was 5 years old and has assistant taught in every moment she could. When she’s not working at a daycare, she’s experimenting recipes in the kitchen. Another one of her favourite pass times is spending time with family and friends at the cabin. Emma is so excited to see dance season is in full swing!
Stephanie Okabe-Hiphop, Pom, Jazz
A Message From Amanda
Thank you for visiting our site and for your interest in giving your child the gift of dance. It’s the gift that will nurture their creativity, give them confidence, and most importantly, happiness. That is exactly what I wish for my two girls, and that is why Groundwork was created. See you in the studio!
“Before you can think out of the box, you have to start with a box”
— Twyla Tharp