Toronto is a beautiful and big city and it’s the home for many talented dancers. We are committed to provide a safe space where not only will the dancer find the best training classes but also a sense of community.

Our Vision

To provide a safe and drama-free environment where we are all inspired by each other. We want to be a part of your dance journey and celebrate all your achievements with you. Our vision is to become one large community of talented individuals and a place you can call home

Our Mission

To offer high-quality classes that will keep your body in shape for all your dance career endeavors

The Studio

366 Adelaide St East | Unit 120 |
Parking lot entrance - door 110 (door code will appear in confirmation email)

Co-founders

Sarahi Cardenas | Saltillo, México

Originally from Saltillo, México. Sarahí started her dance training at the age of eleven. She learned the foundations of ballet at Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey. She also completed a year at The Rock School of Dance Education in Philadelphia, PA (USA) before graduating from high school. Since 2007, both the Ballet Metropolitano de Monterrey and Ballet de Monterrey included Sarahí in their corps de ballet. She gained professional experience dancing in many classical ballets like Swan Lake, Giselle, La Bayadere, Don Quixote and The Nutcracker, to name a few. Neoclassical works like Diving into the Lilacs by Yuri Possokhov, Bruch Violin Concerto by Clark Tippet and Symphony in C and Western Symphony by George Balanchine. Modern dance works include Desdemona in José Limon’s The Moors Pavane. She was fortunate to train with renowned teachers and perform both as a soloist and principal dancer. Sarahí joined Canada’s Ballet Jörgen for the 2015-2016 season where she further enriched her artistic repertoire and learned firsthand the importance of outreach and accessibility in dance. In September 2019, Sarahi had the opportunity to join The Canadian Opera Company’s ensemble as a dancer in their production of Rusalka, La Traviata in 2022 and Don Giovanni in 2024. Sarahi completed her 200hr yoga teacher training in 2020 and Progressing Ballet Technique Certificate in 2021. Sarahí is currently a part of the Faculty at George Brown College, York University and InStudio. Sarahí co-founded The Fifth Dance, a drop-in dance studio in Toronto in 2019. After founding The Fifth, she took on the responsibility of organizing and producing the summer intensive and its respective showings for the last 3 years. Notably, she orchestrated and managed all logistics for TISI, a summer intensive program that brings together over 30 youth dancers from Monterrey, Mexico, fostering cross-cultural exchange and artistic growth.
**Sarahi’s current schedule at The Fifth**

Saturdays - Absolute Beginner Ballet & Absolute Beginner Pointe

BOOK A CLASS WITH SARAHI

Minami Suzuki | Tokyo, Japan

Minami was born and raised in Japan. She started dancing ballet when she was 3 years old and since then, her life was all about ballet. After receiving numerous awards at domestic and international competitions such as a Silver Medal at Le Chausson D’or International Competition In Paris and 1st prize at the National Ballet Competition of Tokyo in Japan. She became a professional ballet dancer when she was 15 and made her principal role debut when she was only 20 years old. She has worked with Star Dancers Ballet in Tokyo, Ballet Jorgen in Canada and various international projects with famous dancers and choreographers. She has been dancing various repertories such as Sir. Peter Wright's Coppelia/Nutcracker, Nacho Duato and William Forsythe amongst others. Minami is currently performing as a freelancer with a few Toronto local companies.

Weekly Faculty

Järvi Raudsepp |
Toronto, ON

Järvi Raudsepp is a professional ballet dancer and teacher trained by Nadia Veselova Tencer. She began her career at the age of 17, and was a company member with several international companies through the years (Estonian National Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Ontario Ballet Theatre, and Ballet Rhode Island). Most recently, Järvi was a corps de ballet dancer with the World Tour of Phantom of the Opera (Broadway staging) for its two-year run across South-East Asia. Her current performing career involves dancing with Moonlight Ballet and Who Creations in Toronto.
Järvi has taught classical ballet since 2010 (Vaganova method), and has been a faculty member and guest teacher across multiple studios within the GTA. She has won awards for her choreography, and is a rehearsal coach for pre-professional dancers entering Youth America Grand Prix. Many of her students have gone on to professional dance careers, and have graduated from the dance programs at Toronto Metropolitan University and York University.
Järvi is passionate about moving classical ballet towards becoming a more accessible and inclusive art form. She also loves taking students of all ages through the intricacies of ballet training with joy, excitement, and understanding. Järvi has had the honour of teaching at The Fifth since 2022!

Thiago Dos Santos |
Sao Paulo, Brazil

Originally from Brazil, Thiago Dos Santos moved to Canada in 2007 after receiving a full scholarship to train at Pacific Dance Arts in Vancouver, BC. In 2008, Thiago started his professional dance career at Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, where he toured across North America, Europe, China, and Israel. Highlights have been working with Twyla Tharp, James Kudelka and Evelyn Hart as well as performing in The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Giselle, Romeo & Juliet, and Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude.⁠⁠After a decade with Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Thiago transitioned his talents to TV and Film. He has worked on Channel Zero: Butcher's Block as the Meat Servant, and Burden Of Truth (Season 2). Most recently he has worked with choreographer Roberto Campanella, directors Andy Muschietti in IT: Chapter 2, and Taika Waititi in What We Do In The Shadows (TV series).⁠

Steph Harkness | Toronto, ON

Steph (they/them) is a performer, teacher, and choreographer originally from Mississauga, ON. In 2018 Steph graduated from Etobicoke School of the Arts dance program and trained with the company at Canadian Dance Theatre. During which they had the opportunity to perform works by Alyssa Martin, Carol Anderson, Deborah Lundmark, Kevin Wynn, Roderick George, and Santee Smith.
Steph continued their education and dance training at Purchase College, SUNY where they performed works by Jose Limón and Norbert De La Cruz III with the Purchase Dance Company. In the spring of 2022 Steph graduated with distinction, receiving a BFA in Dance and a BA in Anthropology.
Since, Steph has frequently performed with Rock Bottom Movement, including works such as 'DINO', 'Sex Dalmatian', 'Kid Sister', and 'BIG TIME MISS'. Additionally, Steph has performed works by Claire Whitaker, Colleen Snell, Eilish Shin-Culhane, and Rakeem Hardy.
Using their interest in anthropology, Steph’s choreography explores the potential of dance as a means for cultivating cathartic experiences, community, and healing. Steph first premiered their choreography in 2022 at Purchase College, SUNY and most recently, premiered a new work at the 2024 Toronto Fringe Festival.

Riho Dantow | Kyoto, Japan

Born in Kyoto, Japan, Riho discovered her love for ballet at the age of three. Throughout her training at a ballet school in Kyoto, she flourished and had the privilege of performing as the main character in iconic ballets like Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and more.
In 2015, she achieved a significant milestone by winning the prestigious Uiro Prize at the National Ballet Competition held in Nagoya, Japan. Seeking further growth, she embarked on an enriching experience in New York City, training alongside renowned ballet dancers and teachers from 2016 to 2017.
After relocating to Toronto in 2018, she continued to shine on stage, captivating audiences as the lead in the Nutcracker and other notable productions with the esteemed Toronto International Ballet Theatre. She also delighted audiences with guest appearances on various ballet school stages.
In 2023, she realized her dream of founding her own ballet school, the Ogata Ballet School. Through this endeavor, she passionately shares her love for ballet and aims to inspire young children and adults, passing on the essence of this timeless art form.

Eric Hall | Woodstock, ON.

Eric Hall has danced professionally with performance companies across Canada, including Ballet Victoria, Ballet Kelowna, and Suddenly Dance Theatre in British Columbia, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal in Quebec, and Canada’s Ballet Jorgen as well as Opera Atelier here in Toronto. His favourite character that he’s performed (also his alter ego) is Dr. Frankenstein! Imparting knowledge he has gained from his professional experience as well as from his training at institutions such as the Quinte Ballet School of Canada, George Brown Dance and the School of Alberta Ballet, Eric creates movement inspired by a large variety of instructors including Mrs. Nancy Kilgour, Mr. Murray Kilgour, Mr. Owen Montague, Mr. Chi Chun, Ms. Svea Eklof, Ms. Kathleen Rea, and Ms. Christine Wright. Since beginning teaching, Eric has had the pleasure of teaching at various schools such as InStudio, Metro Movement, Extension Method, Sean Boutilier Academy of Dance, Ballet Victoria Conservatory, Victoria Academy of Ballet, and now excitingly at The Fifth! Eric incorporates his knowledge from his Massage Therapy studies, approaching ballet from an anatomical perspective, yet is known for creating very dancey, movement-oriented classes.

Natasha Poon Woo | Toronto, ON

Natasha Poon Woo is a freelance dancer, rehearsal director, and dance teacher. She began training and performing at Claude Watson School for the Arts and with Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (CCDT) in her hometown of Toronto, Ontario. Since graduating summa cum laude from SUNY Purchase’s Conservatory of Dance, Natasha has danced with Rock Bottom Movement, Côté Danse, Compagnie de la Citadelle, The Dietrich Group, Roderick George, The Platform, Hit & Run Dance Productions, and Conny Janssen Danst, among others. She has received multiple Dora Awards for Outstanding Ensemble Performance in productions by both Rock Bottom Movement and Compagnie de la Citadelle.
Natasha spent over ten years as the Rehearsal Director of CCDT in addition to serving as the company’s Associate Artistic Director for three seasons. She has also assisted with the creation and rehearsal process for works by Hanna Kiel/Human Body Expression, Transcen|Dance Project, Rodney Diverlus, Apolonia Velasquez, and Roderick George. Natasha is also a member of Healthy Dancer Canada, a certified instructor of The Extension MethodTM and a sought-after dance educator specializing in Limón-based modern technique and C-I TrainingTM (certified and mentored by Donna Krasnow). She has recently taught for companies and institutions including the Limón Dance Company, Toronto Dance Theatre, ProArteDanza’s Summer Intensive Program, The Fifth, and many performing arts schools across the GTA.

Sam Grist | Winnipeg, MB

Originally from Winnipeg Manitoba, Sam Grist is a Toronto based contemporary dancer, teacher, and fitness instructor. She has been a dancer and collaborator for Toronto based absurdist dance-theatre company Rock Bottom Movement since 2012, winning the 2020 Dora Mavor Moore Awards for both Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble and Outstanding Production for the company's work, hollow mountain. In addition to her work with Rock Bottom, Sam has collaborated and performed with choreographers including Hanna Kiel, David Earle, Susie Burpee, Shannon Litzenberger, Julia Aplin, Jennifer Nichols, Anisa Tejpar, and Clare Preuss.
When she is not performing, Sam is a passionate teacher for students of all ages. She has shared her love and knowledge of dance, movement, and fitness through workshops and master classes across Canada. Sam has been a guest teacher with Rock Bottom Movement, VIEW Dance Convention, Toronto Metropolitan University, Cawthra Park Secondary School, Etobicoke School of the Arts, Unionville High School, and Kalos Collectives. In 2020, the pandemic inspired Sam pursued her Mat Pilates teacher training through the Mindful Movement Centre, under the tutelage of Leslie Parker. Sam earned her BFA in Performance Dance from the Toronto Metropolitan University in 2013, and is also a certified Extension Method™ teacher. Sam loves blending dance and fitness to create a fun and challenging workout experience, and is thrilled to be a part of the Fifth family!

Katherine Semchuk | Toronto, ON

Katherine is a contemporary dance artist currently based in Tkaronto. Originally from Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton), she is an alumni of Victoria School of the Arts and The School of Toronto Dance Theatre. Since 2016 she has been engaging in artistic communities across the country, collaborating and performing with a multitude of artists across disciplines. She has worked with Good Women Dance Collective (Edmonton), Kaeja d'Dance (Toronto), Mile Zero Dance (Edmonton), Project InTandem (Calgary), Nostos Collectives (Toronto), Tapestry Opera (Toronto), The Platform TO, Peggy Baker Dance Projects (Toronto), Mateo Galindo Torres (Toronto), and Naishi Wang (Toronto). Currently, she is a company member with Shay Kuebler/RSA (Vancouver) and Cote Danse ( Toronto) and recently toured her work ‘Maybe we Land’ nationally with her collaborator Meghann Michalsky.
Katherine is an intuitive and powerful mover who feels liberated when she is able to act as a physical portal for her own and collaborator's creative impulses. Community and connection are vital to her practice; being part of the energetic momentum that is created with multiple bodies in motion is sustenance to her. Within her physical and creative practice, she is drawn to the use of spirals and circularity, momentum, opposition or conflict, and the balance of both stability and change.
Katherine’s choreographic work has been presented by Expanse Festival (Edmonton), Fluid Fest (Calgary), FODAR - Market Dances (Annaopolis Royal, NS), Mile Zero Dance, and New Dance Horizons (Regina). She has created choreography with and for the musical projects of Julian Anderson-Bowes, Black Fish Project, Charsu Quartet, Jordan Hart, Younggun Kim and Mear. She i s currently investigating choreographic practice through a project called “Inner Works: A Solo Study'' which includes collaborative making and mentorship with Tia Kushniruk, Sasha Ivanochko and Peggy Baker. Her work has been supported by GWDC’s New Work Award, Edmonton Arts Council, Alberta Foundation for the Arts and Canada Council for the Arts.
Katherine is passionate about cultivating community and fostering an ongoing dialogue about practice, form and physical interpretation. She coordinates a training platform called westside movement sessions in Tkaronto and is part of the faculty at Dance Arts Institute (formerly the School of TDT) a rehearsal director and Contemporary technique instructor. Additionally, she has been a rehearsal assistant for William Yong/Zata Omm (National Ballet of Canada). Within the last couple of years, she has also taught at Canada's National Ballet School, Ballet Edmonton, The University of Alberta, YYC Contemporary Training and public schools across Edmonton and Toronto.

Marina Robinson | Vancouver, BC

Marina Robinson is a Vancouver born movement artist, choreographer and teacher who finds joy, spaciousness and depth through the world of dance. Marina began her professional training at the Source Dance Company in 2018, and continued on to learn from artists and companies such as Emmalena Fredrickson, Radical System Art and RUBBERBANDance. Robinson specialises in contemporary floorwork and is currently expanding her foundational knowledge of breakdance. In 2023, Robinson produced and choreographed her own new work titled, Unfurl, which was presented at the Toronto Fringe Festival. Most recently, she performed in Liminal Bodies, an AR generated dance piece by Sarah U as part of Common Ground Dance Festival. Marina continues to immerse herself in the Toronto arts community as is excited to be joining the faculty at The Fifth Dance.