Meet the Founders
Quinn
Taina
Janet has spent her lifetime as a professional dance artist, performing, choreographing, presenting, and teaching dance to a wide variety of folks. She is new to Denman Island having recently moved from Ontario & she is thrilled to be part of the IIDC & share her passion for contemporary dance.
Taina has been dancing since childhood, exploring a wide variety of styles simply for the joy of movement. During her university years, she performed with several salsa teams, traveling internationally. She has also taught beginner salsa. Taina believes in the transformative power of dance and wishes someone had guided her in connecting the mind, body, and spirit through movement at a younger age. She hopes IIDC classes will offer this meaningful connection to the children in our island community.
Quinn took her first tap class at six, and dance has been a constant source of stability and health in her life ever since. She has performed for Canadian peacekeepers in Afghanistan and Bosnia, danced on cruise ships, and even awkwardly joined the BC Lions dance team—go Lions! She has choreographed for stage and film and taught everyone from toddlers to adults in their seventies. Now training in Jungian analysis and dance movement therapy, she is grateful to teach dance on Denman Island.
Carly
Tahiti
Tahiti’s dance journey began at six years old in her native islands of Hawaii. Her passion for movement grew as she trained in jazz, ballet, hip-hop, lyrical, and contemporary styles. A lover of music, singing, and performing, Tahiti also danced & sang in musical theater and community productions. With her dance-loving family, she grew up learning ballroom styles like salsa, swing, and bachata, and even studied the traditional art of hula . For Tahiti, dance is more than an art—it’s a source of healing, joy, self-expression, and storytelling.
Carly grew up as a competitive gymnast and transitioned into dance as a young teenager. She loves all dance styles and has a background in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, hip-hop, partner and swing dance to name a few! She has choreographed and performed in community theatre productions, music videos and performance art and continues to study dance any chance she gets.
Janet
Who we are
Inner Island Dance Collective (IIDC) is a creative community for dancers of all ages to reconnect with their wild selves through the transformative power of dance.
Vision
At Inner Island Dance Collective (IIDC), we envision a world where movement serves as both a personal and communal catalyst for healing, growth, and transformation. Our collective nurtures the wild, untamed essence in every dancer, creating a space where individuals can explore their deepest selves, and in doing so, contribute to a more interconnected, empowered community.
Inspired by the wisdom of the body and the creative potential found in play, we aspire to foster a vibrant, inclusive community where each person’s unique rhythm becomes part of a shared, evolving dance. Through movement, we honor the cycles of life, the wilderness within, and the collective power we build together—transforming not just ourselves, but the world around us.
Values
Inner Wild: We embrace and celebrate each dancer’s unique, untamed spirit, encouraging exploration and authentic self-expression through movement.
Inclusivity: We welcome individuals of all ages, abilities, and economic backgrounds, ensuring that dance is accessible to all.
Democratization of Dance: We believe that dance is for everyone, regardless of experience or skill. By breaking down barriers, we make dance a shared, empowering experience for all.
Community: We honor the traditional lands we dance upon, respecting the Indigenous heritage and nurturing a community rooted in connection, inclusivity, and respect for the island’s past and present.
Play: We celebrate the transformative power of play, fostering a joyful environment where dancers can have fun, explore freely, and experience self-discovery.
Inner Strength and Discipline: We encourage dancers to explore their inner worlds and build the discipline needed to meet challenges. Through dedicated practice, they can experience the empowerment and fulfillment that come from hard work and personal growth.
