Terri and her Assistant Instructors bring many years of expertise in their fields and provide dancers with a well-rounded learning experience. She is an active members of the following professional organisations:
Terri Heckmann, TCRG – Owner/Lead Choreographer
Terri started dancing at the ripe old age of 10 years old. She competed at the highest levels placing in the top five per cent of both major, local, and international competitions.She brings a wealth of knowledge and teaching experience to her school, and is known for instilling the love of Irish dance in her students. She danced competitively under Magdalene Stewart and Tony Comerford in her early years, later teaching with the Comerford School, then teaching workshops all over Europe when the Riverdance craze was at it’s peak. Terri had classes in both Austria and Mexico during this time, giving them up to concentrate on her local dancers.
She has trained Regional, North American, and World Championship competitors and placers, and has been proudly teaching Irish dancing in North Vancouver for 17 years.
Siobhan Heckmann, Assistant Instructor
Siobhan danced competitively for 10 years, and danced at both national and international competitions, including regional championships and North American Championships. Currently, Siobhan works at Beehaven Childcare Centres, were she has had much experience with not only teaching children, but was also support for 2 special needs children.
Siobhan has the following to say about her responsibility and feelings about working with children. “It’s amazing how much an adult impacts you when you are a child, either positively, or negatively. I want to be one of those people who someone remembers as a positive influence in their life, someone who they know believes in them and supports them.”
Responsible Adult Certificate, First Aid-certified, 7-hour early childhood conference and certificate.
Keara Heckmann, Assistant Instructor
Keara has been dancing since she was 4 years old and has been helping the little ones in class since she was a pre-teen. Keara has been dancing and placing locally and at National and International competitions. She has danced at the Western Canadian Regional Championships, North American Championships, the World Championships, and at the All Scotland Championships, and the Great Britain Championships.
Irish Dancing has been an important part of Keara’s life for 19 years, and she enjoys passing on what she has learned to the little ones in the class. Keara has also successfully completed her Progressive Ballet Technique Certificate.
Courtney O’Brien, Assistant Instructor
Courtney Sheane (O’Brien) started Irish dancing at the age of 9 during the Riverdance boom of the 90’s. She danced competitively under Tony Comerford in her early years and under O’Connor Irish Dancers since 2003.
She competed at a high level at the Nationals and Worlds on a number of occasions throughout her career and placed in the top 3, top 5, and top 10 at Oireachtas for many years.
Courtney is a creative choreographer and likes to see confidence, work ethic, clean technique and a signature style develop in dancers. Passionate about dance and fitness, she loves to coach and motivate. She also values education and she completed her Bachelor of Commerce in 2015 with Royal Roads University.
Noelle Naidoo, Assistant Instructor
Noelle graduated from Handsworth Secondary here in North Vancouver this past June, and has been dancing with O’Connor Irish Dancers since 2006. She brings the love of Irish dance to class and enjoys helping with the little ones.
After graduating Noelle wanted to take some time off to work full time, but also wanted to stay connected to Irish dancing through assisting with the class. At the 2010 Western Canadian Regional Championships (Oireachtas), she placed 10th over all out of 93 dancers qualifying for the North American championships. Noelle has placed in the top 3 in many local and international competitions.