Tanya Vadurova
Tanya Vadurova, founder of Mission Dance Centre in Kelowna, has an international career as a dancer, teacher and choreographer, with training at Canada’s National Ballet School in Toronto and experience across Europe and Canada.
Her students have gone on to prestigious schools like the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, while her own performances have featured collaborations with renowned musicians and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Vadurova’s work fosters not only technical excellence and artistry, but also the value of community and personal growth, earning her two Okanagan Arts Awards.
Tanya Vadurova, as a young girl, received a bursary to train at the National Ballet School in Toronto. After her University studies, she returned to the same prestigious ballet school to train as a teacher and post graduate dance student. Tanya continued her studies in Spain and other European countries to further her training and knowledge in ballet, flamenco and modern dance. She has taught dance in Germany, the Czech Republic, and in major Canadian cities such as Toronto and Vancouver. As a professional dancer and soloist in Europe, Tanya danced a variety of styles, ranging from classical to musical theatre. In 1997, while living back in Toronto, she was featured in the documentary film Fringe Bound that aired on the CBC & CHUM TV/BRAVO!
Now residing in Kelowna, Tanya successfully coaches young and mature dancers at Mission Dance Centre & Company, in hopes of assisting the next generations of dancers to achieve their goals. Since she founded the school in 2003, Tanya has produced a myriad of events, performances and full length productions for the Okanagan and its residents.
Passionate about the magic that dancing to live music can inspire, in 2005 and 2006 Tanya Vadurova was featured as a solo dance artist with internationally renowned performing artists, jazz pianist and Hollywood composer, Stu Goldberg along with violinist and concertmaster Denis Letourneau. The trio toured the Okanagan with performances in Vernon, Penticton and Kelowna. In 2007, Tanya’s dancers joined the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Rosemary Thomson in a concert entitled “Carnival’. Later that year, in the Symphony’s ”Fairytales and Fables”, Tanya danced a solo role of “Scheherazade” in a world premiere of her new choreography to the music of Rimsky-Korsakov. Before coming to Kelowna, Tanya’s choreographic works have been seen at the Montreal Fringe Festival, the Music Hall in Toronto, the Vancouver Kiss Project, the Hamilton Place with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, McMaster University, and at the Mayor’s Gala ’97 at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ontario.
In February of 2008, Tanya received the Okanagan Arts Award for dance and also her company was asked to perform the finale. In 2010, Tanya was once again honoured with the Okanagan Arts Award.
It is because of Tanya Vadurova’s own professional training and experiences that she can teach and encourage others to follow their dream. Her years of hard work and too often, struggling to make a living with becoming a professional dancer has taught her how to lead and help others to overcome their own hurdles on their journey. Tanya Vadurova provides leadership, understanding, compassion, and inspiration to students and professionals alike who seek her out.
