
Board of Directors
Dance Nova Scotia is governed by a Board of Directors made up of community members with a deep commitment to promoting dance in Nova Scotia.
Executive

Maeghan Taverner
President
Maeghan Taverner (she/they) is a disabled dancer, actor, choreographer, advocate, and teacher. They have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Sociology from Dalhousie University and currently teach inclusive dance classes online through Kate Stanforth Academy of Dance. Their goal is to create a more accessible dance industry by centreing disabled artists and educators and providing opportunities for disabled dancers to flourish in an often inaccessible industry. They are passionate about youth arts education and hope to share their love of dance with the next generation.

Hadear Marzooque
Vice President

Abbey Girard
Vice President
Abbey is a dedicated professional with a unique background spanning business development, arts, sports, and recreation, bringing a distinct perspective to
building inclusive programs and partnerships for
diverse communities.

Sara Corkum
Treasurer
Ever since she began dancing at age 3, dance has been an integral part of Sara’s life. She has studied and competed in a wide variety of styles including ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop and musical theatre. She completed her Associates level exam with the British Association of Teachers of Dance in 2008, her ADAPT Teacher Training in 2019, and is a Level 1 Certified Alixa Flexibility Instructor. Sara is also in the process of completing her Intellidance certification.
Sara attended Saint Mary’s University, where she received her Bachelor of Commerce, her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and her Certified Managerial Accounting (CMA) designation. She taught dance at many schools in the Maritimes throughout her studies, and was a member and choreographer of the award-winning Halifax based FUNKtion Dance Company, where Sara won her first choreographer’s award for her jazz piece.
Opening a dance school had been a dream of Sara’s for many years. After becoming a mom in 2014, she decided it was time to live out her dream so that she could one day show her daughter that if you work hard enough, you can make your dreams come true. Sara’s goal is to share the physical, mental and emotional benefits of dance, provide her students with a space to express themselves authentically and to inspire her students to never give up on their dream. At Motion Dance Centre, Sara and her staff believe that the soul of a dancer lives in bodies of all shapes, sizes, abilities and colours, and welcomes students of all ability levels and experience levels to use the lessons taught by the Motion staff to showcase their authentic movement.
In addition to being a studio director, Sara is the Director of Finance of Common Good Solutions and is the proud mama of one fierce little 6 year old. When not dancing, teaching, accounting or parenting, you can find Sara on a beach with a good book, dreaming up her next adventure.

Marcella Wilson
Secretary
Marcella is a dance parent and she has witnessed the profound impact dance has had on her daughter’s growth, confidence, and sense of belonging—culminating in her recent nomination as the 2025 Dance Nova Scotia Ambassador. Marcella’s daughters’ journey has inspired her to become more deeply involved in supporting and advocating for dance across the province.
Directors

Chenlu Shao
Director

Jen Cole
Treasurer

Chris Van Green
Director
Chris will bring over a decade of professional experience as a dancer, educator, and artistic director, along with a
background in arts administration and community engagement. His work spans performance, choreography, teaching, and program development.

Robin Levy
Director

Elaine Mailman
Secretary
Elaine started her first introduction to dance class when she was four and danced full throttle until she was eighteen. She was trained using the British Association of Teachers of Dancing syllabus at Joseph Wallin School of Dance and enjoyed the competitive side of the dance world with Footnotes Dance Troupe for multiple years. In high school, Elaine took her dancing shoes to the other side of the harbour to Jackie Vacca’s Just Dancin’ and was a member of the group FreeZone. After a crisp 14-year hiatus from dancing, she returned to the competitive dance world as a member of the Strut Dance Collective reinvigorating her love for dance. Elaine has danced three seasons with Thirty Something Dance Cooperative and continues to enjoy learning choreography in all forms. Elaine takes every adult dance class she can (especially in Tap- her favorite discipline)!
After growing up in Dartmouth, Elaine lived the majority of her 20’s away from Nova Scotia (in Newfoundland for her Undergrad, in Thailand teaching English, and in Ontario (for multiple years) working after completing her Master’s degree). She was happy to move back to her hometown in 2016 to peruse a career as an Occupational Health and Safety Officer.

Taylor Rumscheidt
Director
Taylor has extensive dance experience, both in competitive and recreational environments, growing up dancing at a competitive
studio. Taylor is currently volunteering with Halifax Dance Inclusive movement program and taking classes and programs at House of Eights dance studio.