Elena, the driving force behind Atlantic Acro, (daughter of co-founder, Sheena), loves all dance genres but finds her true passion in Acrobatic Dance .

Dancing & flipping before she could walk, Elena began her training at Taiso Gymnastics at just 18 months old and at 3 years old she began dancing at Maritime Dance for tap, jazz & ballet, where she practiced until she was 14.

Elena started to hone her acro training with the Acrobtic Arts syllabus under Jayde MacDougall at Stars of Tomorrow Dance Academy. She also carved out time to personally train with Coach Derek Wist, Coach Dakota and Coach Melissa Connick, taking in all they had to offer in tumbling and acro dance techniques.

To further perfect the art of acro dance, she moved her full-time training to Elle Dance Academy and with their support launched Atlantic Acro workshops to bring all of her coaches and fellow tumbling/acro enthusiasts together. It has been upward and onward ever since!!

She helps Jayde teach all levels of Acro at Elle Dance Academy in addition to the Coaching she offers at Atlantic Acro.

Elena most recently passed her level 7 examinations with Acrobatic Arts as she continues to work on her acro and teaching credentials.

You can also follow her jouney as she represents Nova Scotia on Team Canada in Portugal June 2023 with World Performers Canada!

Follow @acroelena on Insta!!

Kelly has always had a passion for dance and movement. She studied dance at Cawthra Park Secondary School and kinesiology at York University to fully understand the art of dance. Her passion has guided her to work in the fitness and health industry for over 20 years as a certified personal trainer, yoga instructor and holistic lifestyle coach and now Acrobatic Arts Certified. Her holistic approach to movement allows her to adjust and cater her teaching style to individuals. Kelly’s strong roots in anatomy assists her in teaching students to work within safe physical limits, and encourages them to explore while having fun in their movement journey. Kelly incorporates yoga breathing techniques into her teaching, which helps students focus and prepare for competition. Kelly strongly believes there is a connection between eating habits, stress, sleep, hydration and performance. 

Dakota was born to compete on stage and started dancing at the early age of three. Dakota has been competing in dance for the past six years with numerous acro solos, achieving top marks and winning many judges special awards. Dakota has a passion for acro and has taken many opportunities to sharpen her skills, including completing two years of tumbling training at Alta Gymnastics, acro training at Stars of Tomorrow Dance Academy, and attending a variety of workshops and private lessons. Through her love of dancing and tumbling, Dakota has developed a passion for teaching acro. Over the past three years she’s led multiple weekly acro classes, trained a number of future acro stars, and continues to pass on her knowledge in both public and private settings.

Derek Wist is known as our safety guru! Derek attends every workshop ensuring correct form and consistency in technique. With over 30 years experience, Derek works with coaches, yogis and teachers to help build our team and morale. Derek has a background in gymnastics, competitive trampoline, martial arts and power tumbling, making him a jack of all trades in the industry. He started coaching at the young age of 14. With Derek’s dedication, experience and knowledge, he has truly helped students master their skills. 

Maya started dance and gymnastics at the age of two and fell in love with them both! A natural performer, she began dancing competitively at age 6 and immediately loved being in front of an audience. Her biggest stage to date was at the Rogers Centre as a member of the Toronto Argonaut Junior Cheerleading Squad, where she cheered on her Dad and his teammates along with 30,000+ Fans!! Maya has competed in both dance and acro and along with Coach Elena has had the opportunity to work with Shay Zuby, performing at the Dalhousie Black and Gold show. Maya is currently dances at Elle Dance Academy. She has extensive experience teaching acro and dance to young aspiring dancers and tumblers. She is working on her Acrobatic Arts Teacher Certification.

Rachel has been coaching gymnastics for over 20 years.  She coached in New Brunswick and at three clubs in Halifax. She has experience coaching teams, specifically cheerleading, but is very excited to bring the tumble and acrobatic components to our dancers. Rachel and her daughter Ellie joined our workshop in October 2020 and became very excited to work with Derek, Chase, Kelly, Rose and Melissa. Together they offer powerful and fun workshops for everyone! 

Rose started her dance education at the young age of three in Dorchester, England where she trained in ballet, tap and modern dance. Once she moved to Market Deeping, England, she continued her dance training at the Ministry of Dance. At the age of 13 she started her student teacher training and by 15 she was teaching her own classes for ages three and up in various styles. In 2012, Rose and her family relocated to Canada. She joined Melissa Connick's studio dancing in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and contemporary. Along with her regular dance education, Rose was on the competitive team and while still continuing her teaching training. Rose is now a full time dance teacher and continues to inspire her students with her exuberant personality and teaching style. Rose has her certification in the progressive ballet technique, and continues her training through workshops and learning from other dance educators. 

Melissa began her love of dance at the young age of two in Hamilton, Ontario. By the age of eight she was competing throughout Ontario and the United States, as well as performing with artists on Much Music and at Canada's Wonderland. Melissa studied anatomy, pedagogy, and dance kinesiology through the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts. She’s been teaching for over 20 years and continues her training by taking workshops at local conventions and attending seminars. She’s also had the honour of taking classes with legend Frank Hatchett at Broadway Dance Centre in New York City.  Melissa is an associate member of the Canadian Dance Teachers Association in ballet, tap, jazz and acro. She served on the Canadian Dance Teachers’ Association National Syllabus Committee from 2017 to 2020 where she helped develop its National Acrobatic Dance Syllabus. Melissa is also a module one acrobatic arts and progressing ballet technique certified instructor. Founder and director of Melissa Connick School of Dance, her goal is to inspire dancers to reach their full potential in a happy, safe and positive environment.