Umran Sumen
Artistic Director
Umran graduated in 1966 from the State Conservatory in the Faculty of Fine Arts in Ankara, Turkey, after nine years of study. Subsequently, she received her Master’s degree from Hecettepe University in Ankara. For the next sixteen years she danced with The National Ballet Company of Turkey as a leading soloist.
At the invitation of Dame Ninette de Valois, she studied at the Royal Ballet School of London and was later sent by the Turkish National Ballet to study choreography and teaching with the Ballet der Wiener Staatsoper Austria, for one year.
Umran worked with world famous choreographers and teachers, among them Anton Dolin, Dame Ninette de Valois, Molly Lake, Travis Kemp, Beatrice Appleyard, Todd Bolender, John Gilpin, Alfred Rodrigues, Richard Glasstone, Sulamif Messerer, Valery Panov and Yuri Grigorovich. Her repertoire includes thirty classical and modern productions.
In 1986, she was appointed Artistic Director of the Calgary City Ballet. In 1993, Umran was awarded the commemorative medal for the 125th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. This medal was given to Umran for her outstanding contribution to the arts and culture of Canada through her work as a dancer and teacher.
In 2004, she was given the Immigrants of Distinction Award. Umran was the recipient of the 2008 Calgary Award for Community Achievement in the Arts. She was recognized for her outstanding achievement, significant contributions and for improving the quality of life in Calgary.
She is a member of the Turkish National Ballet Company (TNBC), the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and the Canadian Dance Teachers’ Association (CDTA).
MIMI HAESEKER, BFA
Mimi is proud to have been with the International School of Ballet for its history of 35 years. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Calgary. Mimi specializes in training the youngest dancers in the Early Childhood program to Grade One level in classical ballet.
To engage, motivate and nurture a love of the art while providing technical and artistic growth continues to inspire her as a teacher.
Mimi is also a visual artist and designs and creates headpieces and props for class and stage.
Nicole hails from Saskatoon where she trained under Yvonne Jaspar, ARAD. Upon achieving her RAD Advanced 1 and Advanced 2 exams with Distinction, Nicole danced professionally with the Saskatchewan Contemporary Ballet Company, and began teaching ballet whilst completing her Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Saskatchewan. After successful completion of the Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies program with the Royal Academy of Dance, Nicole became a registered teacher with the RAD. Nicole’s love of movement has led her to also attain additional certification and training in Vinyasa Flow yoga, Barre Body method, Progressing Ballet Technique and Silver Swans.
Nicole has been teaching at the International School of Ballet since 2010 where she is now Head of RAD Training. Under her guidance, students have achieved the top RAD exam scores and multiple students have been offered a variety of career opportunities due to their excellent training at ISB. It is Nicole’s aim to ensure ISB remains one of the elite RAD classical ballet training institutions in Alberta.
Nicole feels very privileged to be part of the ISB family, and is honored to pass on her knowledge from her lifetime of RAD training and experience to help guide young dancers to develop their own talents and love of dance.
Nicole’s family at home has been growing the past few years; she and her husband are the proud parents of two young daughters.
BRIELLE MITCHELL, BSc,
RAD Advanced 2 - Distinction
Brielle began her ballet training at the age of 4 and started training at the International School of Ballet in 2009. With ISB Brielle has completed RAD levels Grade 3 through Advanced 2, achieving distinctions on her exams. Brielle has attended numerous summer intensives including programs at Alberta Ballet, Canada’s National Ballet School and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School.
Brielle has been a member of Jeunesse Classique Ballet for 12 years. She has performed roles including Clara, Sugarplum, and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker and Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty.
Brielle is a graduate of the University of Calgary, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with Distinction.
LAUREN SAUNDERS,
RAD Advanced 2 - Distinction,
Cecchetti Intermediate
Lauren began her ballet training in Rhythmic with Miss Mimi in 2007 and trained through to RAD Advanced 1 & 2 (with Distinction) with Miss Nicole in 2019 where Lauren graduated top of her class. All of Lauren’s formative training was with the International School of Ballet under the guidance of Umran Sumen. By achieving Distinction on her Advanced I and Advanced II exams she was able to compete in the prestigious Royal Academy of Dance’s Genée International Ballet Competition in 2019. Lauren diversified her training by completing her Intermediate Cecchetti Exam through the Alberta Ballet School.
This Canadian-made ballerina advanced her training by attending the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Post-Secondary Aspirant Program. Coupled with this program, she was able to gain professional dance experience performing in RWB’s The Nutcracker as a Snowflake and Waltz of the Flowers as well as their Spring production of Swan Lake as a member of the Swan Corps.
Locally, Lauren has danced with Jeunesse Classique Ballet through the ranks where she began as a Seraphim to Clara to Snow Queen, then all the way to Sugarplum in The Nutcracker. She has also enjoyed performing in their Spring productions such as The Sleeping Beauty where she danced as Bluebird, Lilac Fairy, and Aurora and most recently excited the audience as Swanilda in their Coppelia production.
Lauren’s passion for carving ballet’s next generation has lead her to be a rehearsal assistant with Jeunesse, a teaching assistant and lead instructor with ISB, and now she is embarking on a new educational pursuit at the University of Calgary where she is majoring in Kinesiology with a minor in Dance.
GISELLE FERGUSON, RAD Advanced 2 - Distinction
Giselle began dancing at age 3 and spent most of her formative years training at The International School of Ballet. She has completed her RAD exams from Grade 2 and up, achieving distinction in the Advanced 2 examination. Giselle has also performed many roles with Jeunesse Classique Ballet, starting with miniature dolls and Clara in The Nutcracker then going on to perform Sugarplum Fairy and Princess Florine in The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty respectively. She has also taken on the role of Rehearsal Mistress, getting dancers to the stage in 2022 for the JCBS production of The Nutcracker.
After completing all the RAD exams, Giselle was accepted into the Post-Secondary Program for classical ballet and contemporary dance at the Victoria Academy of Ballet where she experienced different styles of dance with a variety of talented teachers. She was given the chance to perform excerpts from Don Quixote and The Four Seasons.
Giselle is enjoying teaching a variety of levels at ISB and is excited to guide her students to success in their RAD examinations.
BROOKE FORGRAVE,
RAD Advanced 2
Brooke Started her ballet training when she was three, and started dancing with ISB in 2015. She has completed RAD exams from Grade 3 all the way to completing her Advanced 2 exam in 2022. She has also been a part of Jeunesse Classique Ballet since 2014 where she has danced in roles from Mouse to Snow Queen and Cake Princess in The Nutcracker. As well as participating in their spring show of Coppelia last year.
Brooke assists Miss Mimi with the younger students in Pre-Ballet, Pre-Primary and Primary levels. She loves being a role model for her younger dancers and finds so much joy watching them grow, learn and receive happiness and purpose from ballet. She also teaches RAD to the Grade 1 dancers.
Brooke is graduating high school this year and plans on pursuing a degree in Science. She hopes to continue dancing and teaching while attending university, as continuing to grow as a dancer is very important to her.
DIANA DOYLE, Office Manager
Diana is the Office Manager for the International School of Ballet. She coordinates student registrations, is the main point of communication between parents and ballet teachers, and manages the day-to-day operations of the school and our website.
Diana is a former Board Member of the Jeunesse Classique Ballet Society and has enjoyed taking on many roles where she has been able to flex her love of volunteering from administration to designing tutus.
GUEST TEACHERS
Jaciel Gomez - Artistic Director of Jeunesse Classique Ballet, Former Principal Dancer with Alberta Ballet as well as Former Principal Dancer with Cuban National Ballet
Keiichi Hirano - Former First Soloist with National Ballet of Canada