Click through our gallery to explore the wide breadth of stories from different members of our Place des Arts community!
My name is Dianna Walkden (Coach Dee!). I am currently taking the full year Jazz/Lyrical and Tap classes at PdA.
I started taking the sessional hip hop classes once PdA reopened after COVID-19. After a few rounds in 2022 I joined the Jazz/Lyrical competitive class and have been doing it every year since. This year I started Tap and I’ve fallen in love with dance again! I grew up in Langley but have been living in the Tri-cities area for some time now. I grew up dancing as a kid but stopped in high school when I started prioritizing schoolwork. PdA has given me the opportunity to come back to dance. I’m currently a personal trainer specializing in pregnancy, postnatal fitness and pelvic health, and I love how dance reminds me to take care of my body and to keep movement fun and creative! My hobby is dance, but I also enjoy paddleboarding in the summer, getting out in nature, lifting weights, playing guitar and watching movies. My biggest goal is to improve my tap skills which are coming along nicely with PdA, and also to improve my overall strength. All the staff and teachers at PdA are so encouraging and kind, and it’s become a place of community and connection. I’ve been dancing with the same group of women for a few years now and it’s become a safe and fun space for all of us to let loose, challenge ourselves and lean on each other (especially when the pre-show jitters kick in hard!). It’s also been so rewarding to see my progress since I’ve returned to dance. Coming back to it after a 20-year break was pretty humbling, but I know I’ve improved a lot over the last few years. If you’d like to get in touch, my personal training business is called Coach Dee Fitness (@coachdee_fitness on IG) and I’m currently taking on new 1-1 clients.
My name is Rose Kapp and I sign my work as “Roszay”. My first artistic connection to PdA was when I participated in “Positively Petite” in 2013. I have presented in this group show ever since; additionally, I have also presented in another group exhibit and held my solo show “Character Building” in 2019. I attend as many art openings as possible and volunteer on the PdA Scholarship Committee.
I am originally from Edmonton and our family moved to the Tri-Cities in 1996, currently residing in Coquitlam. I am a professionally educated graphic designer/illustrator (ACA 1980). Which probably doesn’t mean too much now as the industry has changed drastically over the years. I did pick up skills in computer-aided design, but I still draw with a mouse(!) as I’m not fussed to invest in the time and money to learn a modern tablet and stylus. I like to create with hand media (take that AI!). I am known for my “Worry Bird” cartoons, wonky building paintings, illustrated maps, custom colouring pages as well as realistic portraits of animals and people. Recently, I have started a new series of works that I hope will be the start of another solo exhibit in the future.
I am a local arts advocate, founding an artists’ network/salon called “Creative People Talking” in 2014. The group meets in-person monthly for live discussions and on Facebook, sharing opportunities for creatives across genres. I am also a member of ArtsConnect, the Tri-City arts umbrella group; the Art Shuffle (Port Moody art walk); and a Tri-City professional arts group called “Everybody Start Something”. Building a vibrant artistic community is important to me and I do what I can to bring artists together.
I like that Place des Arts is a welcoming place for creatives and I love the friendly atmosphere. I have had wonderful interactions with fellow artists and the staff at PdA are supportive and helpful of the creative process.
My name is Brian, and I love nature and emotional expression in all its forms. I used to draw a lot when I was a kid and teenager but never really thought of taking art classes. After graduating University I worked as an ESL instructor for a while and I started looking at art classes since it was out of my comfort zone. Place des Arts stood out to me, so I decided to take a Charcoal class. It was an eye opener because once you begin learning drawing skills and techniques you see the world differently. My hobbies are volunteering, music, painting, acting and drawing. One of my goals is to be a professional artist and have my drawings or paintings at an art gallery. I really appreciate the guidance and kindness of my instructors, Cara and Stan. Drawing and painting classes at Place des Arts have been really meaningful for me since I learned how to express my emotions through art.
My name is Dmitri and I have a long and meaningful connection with Place des Arts. It all began in 2005 when my first son attended group piano lessons for young children. In 2007, I decided to start learning piano myself—for the first time in my life—at the age of 38, studying with Garth Preston. Since then, all three of my sons have taken piano lessons and attended summer camps at PdA, and my wife even explored weaving. I was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and moved to Canada in 2000. Professionally, I specialize in spatial data transformation, with a recent focus on Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence. Outside of work, my biggest passion is playing the piano, especially bossa nova and jazz standards. I also love hiking with my dogs and have explored all the trails above Port Moody on the North Shore. My only goal with music is simple—to enjoy playing what I love. What I appreciate most about PdA is the atmosphere—the sounds of musical instruments, excited kids running to their lessons, inspiring exhibits of both established and young artists, and the charming little store in the corner. Everything about the space fosters creativity and encourages me to explore new artistic endeavors. I even hope to one day discover a talent for watercolor painting! Image: From L to R: Dmitri Bagh, teacher Garth Preston, Dmitri’s son
