Exhale Dance Studio

Dance is a gift that will last forever

Faculty

Shannon (Mahussier) Putter - Creative Director

Preschool – Jazz- Tap - Company

Shannon's journey of dance began at the age of 3 in Winnipeg,MB. Her very first class was at a local community centre through the Karen Clark School of Dance. She participated in the combination tap and jazz classes until the age of ten and loved every minute of it. By this time Shannon knew that dance was a part of her. She began to expand her repertoire by adding ballet and musical theatre, as well as more hours of class each week. While dancing with the Jansen School of Dance, she was entered in numerous dances each year at the Manitoba Dance Festival and received many gold and gold honour awards. At 14, the next step was to broaden her musical theatre skills to become a true triple threat. This led Shannon to the Winnipeg School of Performing Arts where she performed in the annual productions of Why Don't You Get a Real Job, and The Upside of Down. She was also given the opportunity to be part of a childrens music video for Fred Penner's Happy Feet. After two years in the Triple Threat program, she decided to move forward to the pre professional program at Starcast Dance Academy. Getting right back into competitive dancing, Shannon was a part of groups that took home numerous first place awards at National competitions in the United States, and Canada. She began to further her training by attending dance conventions in Minneapolis and Vancouver such as LA Dance Force, LA Underground, Tremaine, and New York Dance Alliance. In recent years she has added the Triple Threat Dance Convention in Winnipeg. She has been honoured to be in classes taught by the likes of Mia Micheals, Bart Doerfler, Bill Robertson, Lisa La Touche, Tyce Diorio, and so many more amazing talents. In her years of training, she had studied the Brian Foley jazz and tap syllabus, the CDTA tap syllabus, the Al Gilbert tap syllabus, the Cecchetti ballet syllabus, as well as the RAD ballet syllabus.

Shannon has been teaching ballet, jazz and tap for over 15 years to students ages 3 to adult, competitive and non-competitive. Her choreography credits include Vincent Massey Collegiates production of "The Boyfriend", Lord Selkirk production of "Oliver", and Springfield Collegiates productions of "Mamma Mia/ Chicago Review" and "Dracula". She has choreographed numbers that have made it to the IDO World Tap Dance Competition, and led a number of students to the Canadian National Tap Team that competes in Germany annually. Shannon has won awards for choreography at National conventions in the United States, and has had students finish first overall in the U.S.

To her performance credits, Shannon was a part of the Rainbow Stage production of "Good News" in 2005. She was cast as a can can dancer in the Bravo series "Murdoch Mysteries", as well as a dancer in the Mirimax Pictures "Shall We Dance". Shannon is passionate about performing, and will continue to perform any chance she has.

Though dance is truly a part of everything in Shannon's life, her greatest accomplishment ever will always be her two amazing children. She cannot wait to introduce them into the world of dance and share the joys of it with them.

Shannon is excited to begin a new journey as the Creative Director of Exhale Dance Studio. And she sincerely hopes that you will join us to experience what dance is truly about.

Devon Barker

Ballet – Hip Hop – Jazz - Tap

Devon has been dancing for 16 years and is technically trained in jazz, tap, ballet and hip hop. At the age of 8 she received the Brain Foley award for Tap. She has completed her Cecchetti and Brian Foley syllabus exams with high standings. Throughout her dance career she has won three Manitoba Provincial Dance Festival scholarships and numerous first place awards at the Canadian National Dance Championships. Devon was asked to represent Canada with the Canadian National Tap team for the IDO World Tap Dance Competition in Germany. She has also attended various workshops throughout her dance career.

She is currently in her third year at the University of Winnipeg working towards a degree in education, majoring in theatre. She is very excited to begin her fourth year teaching to share her love of dance with the students at Exhale!

Andrea Chaput

Preschool – Jazz- Tap

Andrea began dancing at the age of four at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She has trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip hop. She has completed examinations in the Al Gilbert tap syllabus and well as the Cecchetti ballet syllabus. In 2006 Andrea became part of the Canadian National Tap team and won gold in the IDO World Tap Dance Competition in Germany. She has attended various workshops throughout her dance training such as Triple Threat and Dance Olympus, as well as numerous competitions locally and internationally. Andrea has been teaching for 4 years, and in 2008 she completed her Royal Winnipeg Ballet Teacher Intensive training.

Recently back from a year of travels in Australia, Andrea is looking forward to meeting all of her students at Exhale Dance Studio and showing them where the love of dance begins.

Jade Bain

Preschool – Jazz – Tap ( Assistant)

Jade's love for dance began at the age of five with classes in tap and jazz. When Jade was ten she began dancing under the direction of Shannon (Mahussier) Putter and her dedication to dance grew to include ballet in her repertoire. After joining a competitive class in 2002 Jade received numerous awards through the Manitoba Dance Festival as well as Canadian National Dance Championships. Jade also participated in the Triple Threat Dance Conventions held annually in Winnipeg. She is also vocally trained and has competed in the Winnipeg Music Festival since 1998.

Despite being busy working towards her degree in Education at the University of Winnipeg Jade also finds time to do respite work for a private family in her spare time.

Jade is excited to incorporate her love for working with children and passion for dance by joining the Exhale Dance Studio faculty!