meet our team
amanda Rizza
Owner, Director & Choreographer
Amanda started dancing at the age of six and instantly found her love for dance and performing. Over the years Amanda has completed examinations in Ballet/Pointe, Jazz, and Tap with the Royal Academy of Dance and the British Association of Teachers of Dancing, gaining extensive technical training. She completed her final Jazz B.A.T.D Associate Two level with a high of Honors. Amanda has experience in dance competitions, competing in various styles such as Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre, Jazz, Open, and Contemporary.
Graduating from the role of a dance student, she turned her passion into work and started teaching and choreographing recreational and competitive classes for various studios. Her students have achieved scholarship and National awards at dance competitions across Ontario. She gives her students a fun and exciting dance experience with valuable technical training, and pushes the importance of self-confidence. Amanda graduated from the University of Toronto Scarborough with Honours Bachelor of Arts, completing a double major in Media Studies and Gender Studies.
Amanda is the founder of the University of Toronto Scarborough’s competitive dance team, Rise Dance Company. She held the lead role as President and choreographed competitive routines in Jazz, Lyrical, and Contemporary, taking the team to university level competitions across Ontario, and achieved high standing awards. Amanda is proud that the team continues to grow and thrive today.
Amanda founded Amanda’s Dance Company because she wanted to create a modern space for the next generation of dancers to accomplish their goals with the guidance of qualified professionals, artistic choreography, and an education of mastering performance skills. Amanda strongly believes in the importance of determination, confidence, and passion to be the leading factors of a successful dance experience. She acts as a role model for all her students and will always be a positive light of motivation for them to grow and achieve.
Nicole Tsetsos
Instructor and Choreographer
Nicole first discovered her passion for dance at the age of three. She continued her studio training for another fifteen years, at both the recreational and competitive level. Over the years Nicole has trained in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Acrobatics, Lyrical, Contemporary and Modern dance. She has attended various competitions in Ontario, and has had the opportunity to perform at Walt Disney World with her dance team in 2015.
In 2019, Nicole graduated from York University with her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Education. While studying at York University, she had the privilege of working with well-known dance professionals, which has helped further develop her skills. Nicole has studied and practiced Limón and Graham Technique styles of Modern dance, throughout her undergraduate studies. Nicole has experience in performing competitive acrobatic routines, and training her students to achieve new acrobatic goals through careful spotting of tricks and paying attention to detail. Nicole has certification with Acrobatic Arts Module One and plans to continue her instructors training through this program and gain all three module levels. In 2021, Nicole completed her Bachelor of Education program at Ontario Tech University and is certified by the Ontario College of Teachers at the Primary/Junior level.
She has had experience as an assistant dance teacher in both recreational and competitive classes, from 2009-2015. As a university student, Nicole has worked in multiple public schools across the GTA teaching both dance programs and workshops on a weekly basis. Throughout the summers of 2018-2019, she had the pleasure of teaching dance classes at summer camps to children of all ages. Over the years, she has acquired a wide range of skills teaching dance to students of various ages, levels, and abilities.
Nicole continues to promote the importance of qualities developed through the art form of dance. As a dance instructor, she desires to create confident and dedicated dancers who are just as passionate about their work as she is.
Christina Tsetsos
Instructor and Choreographer
Christina Tsetsos found her passion of dance at the young age of three and grew up dancing competitively through studio training for over thirteen years. Christina has technique and performance training in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Lyrical, and Acrobatics. She was also enrolled in the dance program at her high school and became recognized for her work receiving the “Power Award” and “Creative Choreography Award.”
Christina graduated in 2022 with an Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto Scarborough, completing a double major in Health Studies and Psychology. She continued dancing while obtaining her degree as she joined the University of Toronto Scarborough’s competitive dance team, Rise Dance Company. Christina competed at university level dance competitions, receiving multiple awards. During the 2021-2022 competitive dance season, Christina became the President of Rise Dance Company, where she led her team to success and competed in recognized competitions across Ontario.
Christina has many years of experience teaching students of all ages and all levels. She is very excited to continue to share her knowledge and passion for dance with her students.
CHRISSA TSAGARIS
Instructor and Choreographer
Chrissa discovered her love of dance at the age of five and has been a passionate dancer ever since. She has studied multiple disciplines over the years including, Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Acrobatics, Lyrical and more. Chrissa’s background as a competitive team dancer has brought her to win multiple high achieving awards and a strong experience in the world of dance competitions. She has successfully completed her Advanced Two Ballet and Pointe Royal Academy of Dance examination, making her an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance. She has also completed the Associate Level Two examinations with the British Association of Teachers of Dancing in Jazz and Tap. Acrobatics is another form of dance Chrissa is passionate about, achieving examinations in Acrobatic Arts and B.A.T.D Acrobatics.
Chrissa has teaching experience to students of all ages, levels and abilities giving her a wide range of knowledge and skills. Her dedication and enthusiasm to dance is contagious and she strives to be a role model figure helping all dancers develop their skills and achieve their goals. Using inclusive creative ideas and choreography, Chrissa fills her dance classes with energy and excitement, making each of her classes a place where students love to learn and grow.
Vanessa Sotiropoulos
Instructor and Choreographer
Vanessa began her dance journey at the age of five, training extensively in multiple disciplines, including, Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Acrobatics, Hip-Hop, Contemporary and more. Vanessa loves the energetic spirit of Tap, Hip-Hop, and Acrobatics while also appreciating the grace and beauty of Ballet, Lyrical and Contemporary. She has immense experience in the world of dance competitions, having won various high-achieving awards while competing in solos, duets, and group performances.
She has successfully completed the Associate Level Two examinations with the British Association of Teachers of Dancing in Jazz and Tap and achieved examinations in Acrobatic Arts and B.A.T.D Acrobatics. She has also completed Advanced Foundations examinations in Ballet and Pointe with the Royal Academy of Dance.
Vanessa is currently studying in the concurrent education program at York University, where she is working toward fulfilling her passion for teaching children.
Vanessa is thrilled to share her technical and performance training with others. As a dance instructor, she feels it is essential for her students to feel confident, motivated, and inspired. Vanessa wants to see her students succeed, be proud of their accomplishments and enjoy all of the hard work and dedication they put into dance.
ROSA RANA
Instructor and Choreographer
Dancing since the age of 3, Rosa has found her passion for dance through exploring a wide variety of dance styles. Rosa has completed her full Ballet training through the Royal Academy of Dance, consistently achieving distinction. She has also achieved honors in her ‘British Association of Teachers of Dance’ certifications giving her extensive teaching qualifications. In 2019, Rosa placed 5th nationally in Jazz and Tap at the North American Trixie Hardy Theatre Dance Scholarships from the BATD.
The foundation of Rosa’s technical training led her to explore the world of competitive dance, with styles including Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre, Song & Dance and more. In recent years, through winning competitive dance scholarships, she has also had the opportunity to travel to Hollywood to work with some of the industry’s leading choreographers, such as Liana Blackburn, Will Thomas and Chantal Robson. This experience opened up opportunities to perform at Disneyland in parades and stage shows.
Rosa is currently pursuing a Major in Arts Management with a Minor in Philosophy at University of Toronto Scarborough. She has continued her own dance training through choreographing and competing at University Dance Competitions with Rise Dance Company.
Beyond all, Rosa is committed to creating a healthy environment where her students feel comfortable to express themselves and push their limits.
MANDY Suravanichsiri
Instructor and Choreographer
Mandy found her passion for dance, rhythmic gymnastics and cheerleading at the young age of 5. Mandy has strong technical training in a variety of dance styles such as Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, Acrobatics, Lyrical and more, and completed the Royal Academy of Dance Ballet examination syllabus Intermediate Foundation receiving distinction awards.
Mandy has experience teaching children of all ages and especially loves teaching new Acrobatic tricks and skills. Mandy has experience in dance competitions from a young age, competing in both group and solo routines. She is currently a member of the University of Toronto’s competitive dance team, Rise Dance Company. On this university level competitive team, Mandy has achieved high standing awards in both solo and group routines and in a variety of dance styles. Mandy also enjoys dance classes with the National Ballet of Canada to further her training and flourish her love for dance, while completing her studies at the University of Toronto with a double degree in Bachelors of Finance and Statistics. Mandy is thrilled to work in a positive environment like Amanda’s Dance Company to help build strong dancers and ignite her passion for teaching dance!
ALEXIA FOROVICH
Instructor and Choreographer
Alexia Forovich was first enrolled at Canada’s National Ballet School in the Associates Program at the age of 4 alongside training in gymnastics, which is where she first fell in love with dance. She has extensive pre-professional ballet training from attending the National Ballet School, which granted her with her most treasured performance experience being part of the National Ballet of Canada’s production of The Nutcracker from 2015-2019. Alexia is a well-rounded dancer with experience in lyrical, modern, hip-hop, contemporary and more. She spent her high school years at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts as a dance major. Alexia continues to train as a competitive dancer on the University of Toronto’s competitive dance team, Rise Dance Company. Through this team, Alexia has attended competitions hosting universities across Ontario, achieving multiple awards from each competition she has participated in.
Since joining the university competitive dance team, Alexia gained choreographic and extended teaching experience choreographing competition routines, as well as leading select classes and technique sessions for the team. In the 2021-2022 competitive dance season, Alexia was elected to be Vice-President of Rise Dance Company, which is a role she proudly holds today. Alexia is honoured to be able to help manage Rise Dance Company, to continue choreographing original routines, and most importantly to help provide an outlet to talented dancers attending UofT in which they can continue dancing competitively.
Additionally, Alexia gained teaching experience at the Toronto Dance Theatre working in the youth dance program. As Alexia completes her undergraduate degrees in Mental Health Studies and Studio Art, she will continue to compete in university level dance competitions, and is immensely grateful to continue teaching at Amanda’s Dance Company. Alexia is looking forward to sharing and demonstrating her knowledge and love for dance to the next generation of dancers.
Phone
(416)-884-5258
location
7725 Birchmount Road, Unit 6
Markham, Ontario
L3R 9X3
Canada
Phone
(416)-884-5258
location
7725 Birchmount Road, Unit 6
Markham, Ontario
L3R 9X3
Canada