Our faculty.
Members of our faculty are exemplary mentors for our students. They are role models who can motivate and influence our youth to make good choices, have strong values and lead healthy lifestyles. Aside from being wonderful teachers, they are accomplished and sought-after choreographers and recipients of prestigious world-class awards. They impart the values of good work ethics and commitment, striving for excellence, working together, supporting and accepting one another.
Anita Perel-Panar, M.A.
Artistic Director & Co-Owner
Anita Perel-Panar has been educating children in music, dance and drama for over 35 years. Her fascination with creativity, imagination, expression, inherent motivation, human nature and actualizing human potential led to completing her Bachelor of Arts Degrees in English, Music and Drama. Her Masters of Arts Degree thesis was on “The Development of Artistic Awareness in Children.” She has trained extensively in ballet and other forms of dance.
Anita’s passion for the arts, coupled with her love for teaching, led to establishing A Star Studio, A Star Productions, A Star Society and Boogaloo Academy.
Her dream to create a space for students to develop their creative, expressive, and physical potential has become a reality. She is thrilled to be working with talented and dedicated teachers who share her vision and join her in providing an excellent education for all our students.
Jheric Hizon (B-Boy “Twist”).
Co-owner / Hip Hop and Breakin Teacher
Jheric Hizon specializes in Hip Hop and Breakin and is a pioneer in the Vancouver street dance scene, having taught many of Vancouver’s hip hop teachers. He now adds teacher to Olympic Gold Medalist Philip Kim aka Phil Wizard to his long list of achievements! Phil Wizard won Gold representing Canada in the inaugural Breakin event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He maintains a hectic schedule as an international dance instructor, choreographer, adjudicator and performer. Along with his performing career, Jheric has had the privilege of judging and teaching over 30,000 dancers across North America and Southeast Asia at dozens of dance studios, conventions and competitions.
Jheric is a member of the Now or Never Breakin Crew, who won the title of Canadian Breaking Champions in 2008 and represented Canada, competing with 20 other countries in front of an audience of 25,000 people; placing among the world’s best breakin crews at Battle of the Year International Germany (the world’s largest breakin’ battle).
Jheric was also chosen to choreograph and perform in the Vancouver Olympics 2010 Closing Ceremonies. Other performances include The Black Eyed Peas, Dance Delight, concert openings, Mercedes Benz, Nike Presto, Disney Radio and Ayumi Hamasaki (Japan’s Queen of Pop). Apart from dancing, he has appeared in several television shows, commercials, documentaries and a feature film.
Jayda Bhinder.
Hip Hop, Popping, Waacking
Jayda Bhinder is a passionate dancer and performer. She started dancing when she was 6 years old, training in many different genres such as Ballet, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Lyrical, Tap, and Hip Hop. At the age of 10 she began to specialize in Hip Hop. Since then Jayda has trained with the top Hip Hop teachers locally and across Canada and the US. Her many styles include waacking, popping, animation, old school and new school. She maintains a very strong presence in both the choreography and battles scene. In 2022 she came top 4 in the Red Bull battle in Vancouver which advanced her to the Red Bull nationals in Toronto. She has taken her unique style to battles across North America including World of Dance Arizona, Monsters Hip Hop, Versa Style LA, 36 Chambers New York and Vancouver street Dance Festival to name a few.
She is also a dynamic performer that has had immense success with her team Megabots and her duo DJC. DJC had the amazing opportunity to compete on season 2 of Canda’s got Talent. They wowed the judges with their skill and chemistry as a dynamic duo!
Jayda has also represented Team Canada Hip Hop in Denmark as a junior and and in 2023 return to Team Canada Hip Hop where her large group achieved 2nd place overall and she placed 10th in the world for popping and hip hop solo.
She enjoys working with younger dancers and choreographing. Jayda has a wide range of hip hop knowledge to share with her students. She is very excited and passionate about growing the next generation of Hip Hop dancers!
Jenna Escobido.
Hip Hop
Jenna Escobido has been trained in hip hop for 8 years. She has had the opportunity to perform all over the lower mainland, Disney Land, and has competed and won in many competitions all over North America. She has been teaching and coaching competitive groups for 4 years and teaches at her former high school and multiple elementary schools and preschools. She is very happy to be working with all the amazing dancers at Boogaloo Academy.
Mary Gavilan.
Operations Manager, Street and Classical Styles Teacher
Mary has felt a love and passion for dance since childhood. She has trained in a variety of styles including R.A.D. Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary Jazz, Hip Hop, Street Jazz, Musical Theatre, Tap, Polynesian and Heels.
Mary shares her years of experience with training groups such as “Honey” (2017-2022) and “Sultry Sessions” (2022-now) as a director and mentor to aspiring dancers of all ages. She has danced for the Olympics “Red Mitten Mob,” The Bay, Lise Watier, Taboo, Vancouver Sports Event, Dreams Take Flight, Air Canada, PraiseTEAM’s “On Air” and “Spectrum” “The Grinder” and “Uprooted.”
Mary also enjoys the production side of the dance industry. She has stage managed local events such as The Main Event, Brotherhood’s 10-Year Anniversary Show, Style & Grace’s 10-Year Anniversary Show, Studio North’s Year-End Show, UDC’s Year-End Shows, Harbour Dance Centre’s Honey shows and directs the Sultry Sessions showcases. Mary is also a Certified Make-up Artist and Hairstylist but focuses most of her time sharing her passion for dance.
Ana Ximena Martinez Lima.
Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Preschool Specialist
Ana Ximena was born and raised in México. She began her classical ballet training at a very young age, and her passion for the art form only grew with time. For many years, she attended her local ballet studio under the direction of Alberto Terrero, a former principal dancer with the Cuban National Ballet. In 2016, Ana Ximena went on to complete her professional studies at the National Ballet School of Cuba “Fernando Alonso” in La Habana, where she graduated in 2019 as a dancer and teacher with a specialization in classical ballet. Following her studies, she completed an internship with the youth company of Barcelona City Ballet in Spain, and later began teaching lyrical, jazz, and ballet classes at a dance academy in her hometown. In order to continue her education, Ana Ximena moved to Vancouver, where she is currently studying Kinesiology at Capilano University to learn more about injuries and the dancer’s body.
Mario Matias.
Hip Hop, Afro, Waacking
Mario has trained in a wide array of styles such as Hip-Hop, Punking, Afro and Commercial Choreography. He started his formal dance journey in 2008 with PraiseTEAM Studio in Surrey, BC. With the desire to further his vocabulary within the dance world, he co-founded Epiphany Dance Crew and Epiphany Workshops just a year after starting his formal training. In 2012 Mario joined Studio 604 in Burnaby, BC and a year later he brought Epiphany to the studio where it became a competitive dance company. He led the company to compete at many local and national competitions; such as World of Dance Vancouver and The Canadian Hip-Hop Championships.
In 2015, Mario travelled and lived in Auckland, New Zealand, where he trained with various street dance companies and studios. Later moving to Auckland in 2017, he was mentored by Sunny Sun, a former member of The Royal Family Dance Crew. He also lived in Melbourne, Australia, where he trained under Gina Micheal, one of Australia’s leading choreographers. Mario has also travelled to Los Angeles, San Francisco (USA), Toronto (Ontario), and Calgary (Alberta) for training.
Mario graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and a Minor in Communications from Trinity Western University. In the 2018/2019 school year, he co-founded Agape; TWU’s first competitive dance team. He led the team to compete at The Academy collegiate dance competition in Toronto—Agape was the first collegiate-based street dance team from western Canada to compete in Ontario’s established university competition circuit. Later that year, Mario was hired by the university to lead the Spartans Dance Program. He was the director of the program from 2019 to 2020.
In 2021, Mario joined Afrobeats Van, under Isaac (Izo) Gasangwa where he trained heavily in Afro dance styles. In 2023, Mario returned to New Zealand to continue learning from notable choreographers and instructors from the Auckland dance community. That year he also travelled to New York City as a performer and choreographer for MODArts Dance Collective’s Move to Change Dance Festival. In 2024 he was nominated for “Dancer of the Year” at the BVAN Awards (Black Vancouver Artistry Night) and was a part of Mascall Dance’s Bloom Choreographic Residency.
Emma Misak.
Breakin
Emma Misak is a Bgirl born and raised in Surrey, BC. She has been dancing for over 9 years and has competed in various competitions both locally and internationally including battles in Japan, China, Europe and Argentina to name a few. Emma won a silver medal in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Argentina representing Team Canada.
Emma is currently very active in the breaking community, recently having won numerous break dance battles such as, “Red Bull BC One Canada cypher”, “Canada DanceSport 1v1 championship” and “Soul Culture, 1 on 1 bgirl battle.” Also, recently Emma was invited as a wildcard to compete in the biggest breaking competition in the world in New York – the Red Bull BC One World Finals.
She is passionate about passing on her love, drive and knowledge for the hip hop culture and dance to the next generation of dancers in her community. Emma enjoys working with people, inspiring others, and giving back to the hip hop community.
She has been teaching for 7 years and continues to inspire others and help build the new generation of b-girls and b-boys in the community. Emma’s long term goal is to continue dancing for as long as she can, and to continue teaching and inspiring the new generation, she also plans on traveling and competing internationally as much as possible.
Amanda Ryman.
Studio Manager and Competition Director
Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Acro, Preschool Specialist and Musical Theatre Teacher
Amanda Ryman is from Calgary, Alberta, and began her dance journey at the age of 3. With 20 years of dance experience and 10 years competing, Amanda is trained in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Modern, Musical Theatre, Acro, and Hip Hop. Her training includes Urban Dance Projects, Ambition Performing Arts, and Airborne Dance Centre in Calgary, along with summer training from Ballet Kelowna. She has had the privilege of learning from esteemed teachers and choreographers such as Michelle Dawley, Chaela Houston, Acacia Schachte, and Joanna Like.
In 2024, Amanda received her certification in Acrobatics Arts, becoming a certified Acro teacher. She also holds a certification from IDTS (International Dance Teaching Standards). She has completed university courses in Modern Technique, Kinesiology, Dancer’s Health and Nutrition, Choreography, and various psychology courses, including Adolescent Development, Child Development, Health and Wellness, Neuroscience, Psychopathology, and Brain and Behaviour. She also trained in techniques from Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, Merce Cunningham, Lester Horton, and José Limón during her university studies. Additionally, she has completed up to her Advanced 1 Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Examinations.
While much of Amanda’s dance career has been dedicated to competing at dance competitions, she has also danced in promotional videos for Ausha Productions Dance Company and Monica Model Management. Additionally, she has performed in large theater productions such as The Sound of Music and Oliver Twist.
With 6 years of experience in various aspects of dance studio management, Amanda is proficient in team management, stage and performance management, and overall studio operations. She has played key roles in coordinating and managing productions, performances, recitals, showcases, events, and competitions. Her comprehensive experience ensures the smooth execution of all studio activities.
Amanda has taught a wide range of classes, from early childhood to adult, tailoring her teaching approach to suit the developmental stages and skill levels of her students. Her students consistently perform well at competitions, earning special awards and scholarships. Amanda herself has been recognized with choreography awards, reflecting her dedication and love of dance.
Amanda is also trained vocally and occasionally performs in Calgary and Vancouver. Her teaching style combines fun with technical precision, inspiring students to achieve their goals and instilling a love for dance, music, and technique.
She is excited to contribute to the Boogaloo community, spreading positivity and a deep appreciation for the arts.
Nyah Walker.
Hip Hop, Popping, Contemporary
Nyah Walker [they/them] grew up in Grande Prairie, Alberta, training in many styles such as ballet, contemporary, tap, jazz, lyrical, and acro; and then moved to Vancouver to continue training in all street styles such as hip hop, popping, breaking, house and waacking.
Nyah is a passionate artist who is dedicated to creating a safe learning environment for kids, and making sure they get the correct foundations, knowledge and history of street styles. Nyah makes sure their classes are all about peace, love, unity, and having fun!
Shea Wonacott.
Contemporary, Jazz, Acro, Ballet, Musical Theatre
Shea is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer from Salmon Arm, BC who grew up training in a wide array of dance styles at Shuswap Dance Center. She has completed her modern and ballet ISTD examinations and started teaching and choreographing for students at the age of 15. She moved to Texas and attended the jazz and contemporary trainee program at Joffrey Ballet School while teaching at Legacy Dance Center. After her training, Shea landed a job dancing on Disney Cruise Lines traveling all around the Caribbean and performing a wide variety of shows. After the cruise, she danced at the Edge Academy in Los Angeles and taught dance at KYDS, Texas, LA and Shuswap. She now lives in Vancouver and danced for The Source Dance Company.
Throughout all of this, Shea has continued to teach dance and choreograph a plethora of numbers for all styles and levels alike. Shea loves to share the love of dance with her students while watching her creative vision and art come alive on the stage.
Sarah Po Ting Yeung.
Ballet, Contemporary, Lyrical, Modern, Character
Born in Hong Kong, Sarah started her ballet training at the Jean M. Wong School of Ballet at the age of 3, while she trained there, in 2005 Sarah received the Dame Margot Fonteyn Award from the Tsinforn C. Wong Memorial Scholarship to attend the Hamburg Ballet School in Germany. After she graduated, she danced with Dreseden Semper Oper Ballet, Germany and Dutch National Ballet, Holland and returned to Hong Kong in 2010 to complete further study at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. She joined The Hong Kong Ballet in 2010 and in 2015 she joined the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Canada.
Over her 10-year professional experience, she performed in many national theaters, including China , England , Germany, Holland, Spain, Italy, France, US and Canada and she was featured in major roles in classical productions like Big Swan in Swan Lake, Mercedes in Don Quixote, Sugar Plum Fairy in Nutcracker, Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Paquita, and Balachine’s Rubies, Serenade, Theme and Variation, Suite en Blanc. Sarah worked with many world famous contemporary choreographers including some who created parts on her John Neumeier, Jorma Elo, David Dawson, James Kudelka, Krzysztof Pastor, Terence Koehler, Mark Gordon, Peter Quanz, Kinsun Chan, Li Jun and Yuri Ng.
Sarah has been sharing her passion for dance and movement with students since 2010 and has experience in teaching a wide variety of styles to students of all ages. She is recently studying Progressive Ballet Technique from US and Vaganova Teacher Training Course in Riga. Sarah believes dance is for everyone and looks forward to sharing her knowledge and experience with everyone at Boogaloo Academy.
Qualification highlights:
Vaganova Teaching Training
Royal Academy of Dance Advance 2
Pilates for Dancers (Mat & Reformer)
Commonwealth Society of Teacher’s Dancing Modern Jazz G2
Achievements:
South China Morning Post Dancer’s of the Year – Honorable Mention
Shen Zhen International Dance Competition – Silver Medal
Hong Kong Ballet Starts Award – Gold Medals