Our Team-Mellado Dance Elite

OUR TEAM

ASHLEIGH GEMMELL

TEACHING STAFF

Ashleigh has been teaching at Mellado Dance Elite for the past 6 years. Before this, she was a competitive dancer at Mellado for 14 years. She loves being part of this amazing family Mellado has created. Ashleigh has trained in various styles including Ballet, Acrobatics, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Stage, Lyrical and Contemporary. She has completed several Cecchetti exams her last one being her Intermediate Examination. She has performed in many community performances such as May Day and the PNE. During her time with Mellado, she has had the opportunity to travel to Seattle, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, and take master classes from professional choreographers and dancers. Ashleigh has recently completed her post-secondary schooling in the field of kinesiology. Ashleigh is excited to be part of the Mellado staff and continuing her love of dance.

CELINA BOOTH

TEACHING STAFF

Celina was born and raised in Vancouver, BC. She is 28 years old and has been dancing since the young age of 3 at various studios around the Greater Vancouver area. She is trained in a wide variety of styles such as hip hop, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, modern, ballet, musical theatre and tap.
She attended Langley Fine Arts School in her teenage years in which she found a passion for both choreography and teaching. She chose to pursue dance after high school and joined Kill The Lights Company, ran out of Harbour Dance Centre, under the direction of Ken Yung and Shauna Smith. It was in this program that she realized that teaching and educating a younger generation of dancers was a huge passion of hers that she wanted to pursue. Whilst choreographing and teaching is the main focus for Celina, she has also performed in many stage shows throughout Vancouver, including The Main Event, The 2010 Olympics, BC Lions Half Time Shows, Vancouver Pride and multiple shows with The Lovers Cabaret. Her most recent performance credit was in the Netflix film, Puppystar Christmas, where she is a featured dancer.
Celina has been teaching various dance styles for the last eighth years, providing award-winning choreography at numerous competitions in the Lower Mainland and is heading into her fifth year teaching at Mellado Dance Elite. She is excited to continue sharing her passion for dance with MDE dancers and hopes to continue educating and inspiring the next generation of dancers for years to come!

LORRAINE CHONG

TEACHING STAFF

Lorraine Chong began her ballet training at the Pacific Ballet Theatre School in Vancouver, under the direction of Maria Lewis. Wanting to expand her knowledge of teaching technique, she attended the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Professional Division’s Teacher Training Program. She currently holds her Licentiate qualification through Cecchetti USA, and her Associate Diploma qualification through Cecchetti Canada. Lorraine regularly pursues opportunities to challenge herself and expand upon her knowledge of the ballet art form, attending numerous ballet workshops and summer schools throughout Canada and the USA. She has recently become a certified teacher of Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT), a revolutionary program to enhance ballet technique. She has travelled to New York and participated in the American Ballet Theater’s teacher certification program. By completing this program, Lorraine is now an ABT® Certified Teacher who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level Three of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She also has held positions of Secretary and Treasurer as a former Executive member of Cecchetti Canada, B.C. branch. Lorraine brings over 20 years of teaching experience, and aspires to provide a stimulating and encouraging learning environment for students. She takes great pleasure in the enjoyment dance brings and the invaluable life lessons it affords.

MARY PETERSON

TEACHING STAFF

Mary Peterson takes great joy in sharing her love of dance through her teaching; and her fondness of children shines through to each student she teaches. Raised in the Tri-Cities, Mary is well trained in ballet, tap and jazz, and has been teaching for an outstanding 25 years! Her dance training includes RAD ballet & CDTA tap examinations, workshops in New York and Seattle, and she has received numerous awards from festivals and competitions for both performance and choreography. Mary’s experience as a mother of two enables her to run a dance class that is not only well organized, but very enjoyable! Her respectful and nurturing manner helps to instill confidence in her dancers, giving them a positive learning experience and helping them strive to be the best they can be. Mary returns for her 16th year at Mellado Dance Elite, and her skills and passion are great assets to our dancers!

NICOLE FABBI

TEACHING STAFF

Nicole Fabbi’s dancing and singing career began at the age of 3, when her mom enrolled her in a musical theatre and tap class at Diamonds in the Rough musical theatre studio in Port Coquitlam. She began singing in various competitions at the age of 6, including the PNE “reach for the stars” talent show and the Coquitlam Dance and Singing Honors Festival. Nicole has been a member of Mellado dance elite from the very beginning. She has enjoyed many years of competition in jazz, lyrical, ballet, modern, tap and stage. In September 2012, she began dancing with the Endangered Dance Company out of Harbour Dance Centre in Vancouver. Followed by the Onyx Dance Company, which she joined in 2013. She was also a member of the Felions, the BC lions dance team during their 2014 season. Nicole began teaching at Mellado Dance Elite in September 2009. She enjoys sharing her passion by teaching dance to students ages 3 to 16 in various genres such as musical theatre, ballet, tap, jazz and lyrical. In August 2011 Nicole completed her bachelor of arts in psychology and human counseling and development at SFU. In August 2012, she graduated with her bachelor of education from SFU and is now a teacher in the Coquitlam school district. Sharing her love of singing and dancing with young people is one of Nicole’s greatest passions and she is looking forward to doing that for many years to come at Mellado Dance Elite!

CAITLIN WRIGHT

TEACHING STAFF

Caitlin has been dancing since the age of four and has received extensive training in a variety of styles, including jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, hip-hop, and musical theatre. Her credentials include RAD Ballet Grades 1–7, as well as Bronze, Silver, and Gold Tap Examinations. With over 20 years of teaching experience, Caitlin brings a wealth of knowledge, passion, and fun to every room she is in.

Born and trained in Maple Ridge, Caitlin has participated in numerous competitions, conventions, and workshops throughout Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Her dance team has received numerous awards and had the opportunity to take workshops alongside renowned choreographers, including Mandy Moore and NappyTabs.

Caitlin discovered her passion for teaching at the age of 13, when one of her dance instructors gave her the opportunity to assist with classes. That experience sparked a love for teaching that has continued to grow throughout her career in and outside the studio.

As a performer, Caitlin has had the opportunity to dance in a variety of exciting and memorable events. Her accomplishments include performing for Her Majesty the Queen during her Royal Visit, being a member of the Junior Dance Team for the Vancouver Grizzlies basketball team, and performing in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Paralympic Games. She also spent eight years performing in both daytime and evening shows at the PNE, in addition to numerous community performances and Grey Cup events.

Outside of dance, Caitlin holds two degrees in English and Arts and currently works with lululemon, where she manages a high-profile downtown location.

This will be Caitlin’s 13th year teaching at MDE, and she is so excited for another incredible season! She looks forward to sharing her passion for dance, creating lasting memories, and helping her students grow confidence both in and out of the studio.

TIAM BARDESTANI

TEACHING STAFF

Tiam is a hip-hop and jazz instructor with a BA in Psychology. She began dancing at age 13 and trained in contemporary, lyrical, jazz, and hip hop. She was also part of the studio’s hip-hop group, Sweet Tarts. Hip hop has always been especially close to her heart, and she loves bringing its energy and personality into the studio. Tiam looks forward to sharing her passion for dance and working with the students at MDE!

Chelsea Henderson

TEACHING STAFF

From a very young age, Chelsea has always found great joy in dancing and performing. She joined Mellado Dance Elite in 2011, and quickly became very serious about pursuing dance as a career, training in styles such as ballet, pointe, contemporary, acrobatics, hip hop, stage, jazz, and lyrical. She has received recognition at many local competitions and examinations for excellence in technique and performance quality. She has participated in a number of community performances, such as the May Day and Teddy Bear Picnic parades, PNE Showcase, and Royal City Youth Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. Chelsea will continue her dance training as a member of The Dance Initiative’s pre-professional program, under the direction of Geneen Georgiev. She looks forward to taking her training to the next level in hopes of pursuing a professional career in dance. As a member of Mellado’s Mentorship Program for the past two years, Chelsea has been able to learn so much from assisting alongside the studio’s wonderful staff members. Being one of Mellado’s student teachers has really allowed her to discover her passion for teaching, and understand and develop the skills required to be a great teacher. She is is looking forward to all the new experiences this year will bring!

CARLA MELLADO-ROBERTSON

Owner & Director

For the past 27 years, Carla Mellado has proudly provided a safe, positive dance home at Mellado Dance Elite—a place where dancers feel supported, build confidence, and develop a lasting love of dance.

Originally from Coquitlam, Carla’s passion for dance began at a young age. Her training has taken her across Canada and the United States, and she has completed examinations through the Cecchetti Ballet Syllabus, Canadian Dance Teachers Association, and International Dance Teachers Association. Her choreography has been featured in music videos and movies and has earned numerous awards at regional and national competitions.

Carla opened Mellado Dance Elite at just 19 years old as the studio’s sole teacher. Since then, she has grown MDE into a thriving dance community, bringing together a dedicated team of teachers who share her commitment to quality dance education and each student’s success.

At the heart of Carla’s work is a belief that every dancer deserves to feel seen, encouraged, and valued. She takes pride in creating an inclusive environment where students of all ages and abilities can explore their potential, celebrate their progress, and form meaningful friendships. Watching her students grow as dancers and as people remains the most rewarding part of her role.

As a teacher, choreographer, and studio owner, Carla continues to learn and evolve. She has completed the invitation-only Dance Studio Owners Inner Circle training program and enjoys bringing her interest in marketing, design, and program development to the studio. Her vision continues to centre on giving MDE families a positive, inspiring dance experience.

Outside the studio, Carla loves spending time with her husband, Jamie, her daughter, Hayden, and her fur baby, Mayzee.

Owning Mellado Dance Elite has been Carla’s lifelong dream. After 27 years, she remains grateful to the families who have made MDE part of their lives and excited to inspire the next generation of dancers.