DANCE-MOVEMENT AND STRETCHING
Reena Almoneda-Chang
Reena is a Dance and Movement Educator, who in addition to teaching, also creates social and politically engaged art projects with marginalized communities. She holds an MA in Dance from UQAM and completed her dance movement therapy training at the National Centre for Dance Therapy in 2015. She works with groups and individuals with various issues, including cognitive disorders, intellectual disabilities and trauma.
Emma Bryans
Emma is an Adapted Dance Practitioner with degrees in Health Science and Education. From Ottawa and Trent universities in Ontario. She has participated in dance movement therapy training in Montreal with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. Emma has also completed adapted dance training with inclusive dance companies: Propeller, in Ottawa and two UK companies, Stopgap and Candoco. She is a registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance. She aims to make her sessions inclusive and adapted to all participants to foster a love of movement in a range of dance styles.
Christine Daniel
Christine taught dance, mostly to children, as a first career. She then became an Occupational Therapist, working in psychiatry. Combining two of her preferred fields, dance and care, she now works as a Dance Movement Therapist and is certified by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA).
Paula Duffy
Paula is a Creative Arts Therapist and registered Dance Movement Therapist based in Tiohtià:ke / Montréal. She holds a master’s in Drama Therapy from Concordia University and completed her Alternate Route dance therapy training at the National Centre for Dance Therapy in 2018. Paula currently works as a creative arts therapist in the public health system, in youth mental health. She began teaching with PEM in 2022 and is now a Board member.
Sarah Kroetsch
Sarah who joined PEM in 2022, is a Dance Movement Therapist trainee. She is also a Registered Social Worker (RSW) and Certified Group Fitness Instructor Specialist (FIS). Sarah is a Social Worker at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). She has facilitated movement and dance workshops for children, caregivers, healthcare workers in hospital, hospice and community settings. Sarah is on staff at the National Centre for Dance Therapy, bringing dance experiences to remote northern communities. Sarah is honoured to be part of the Parkinson’s community in Montreal.
Tetiana Lazuk
Tetiana « Tania » is a Board-Certified Dance/Movement Therapist with over a decade of experience as a Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist in Ukraine. She holds a doctorate degree in Psychiatry and completed Alternate Route DMT training. Tania provides education, training and supervision in dance therapy, and offers DMT sessions for diverse populations, collaborating with various organizations. A former Scholar-in-Residence (2019-2021), she teaches part-time in the Department of Creative Arts Therapies at Concordia University.
Natalia Lewandowski
Natalia earned her BSc from McGill University and is working towards her MD at Western University. A former competitive dancer, she completed her Parkinson en mouvement certification in 2018. She now leads PEM dance movement classes for people with PD. Natalia integrates her passion for dance with her knowledge of anatomy and physiology, promoting both physical and mental wellbeing.
Amanda Ruggles
Amanda is a Dance Movement Therapist, who has worked in Montreal and Vancouver. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from Concordia University and has trained in Dance Movement Therapy through the American Dance Therapy Association. Currently, Amanda works as a Dance Movement Therapist at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens (Montreal) and as a teacher of adapted dance through Parkinson en mouvement.
Joanabbey Sack
Joanabbey is a board-certified Dance Movement Therapist and registered Drama Therapist with extensive training in Social Sciences, Laban Movement Analysis, Theatre Arts and Music. Joanabbey was Dance Therapist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital for 12 years and is part time faculty in Concordia University’s Department of Creative Arts Therapies and Centre for the Arts in Human Development. Joanabbey co-founded Parkinson en mouvement in 2007 with Sarah Humphrey and is now Vice President of PEM. She continues her work with Parkinson’s as a teacher, researcher and writer.
Galymar Sanchez
Galymar is a Montréal Dance Therapist. Among other things, she has provided dance therapy to those: on the autism spectrum, adults with neurodevelopmental disorders, refugees, immigrant families and individuals who have experienced traumatic events. Since 2011, Gelymar has also worked as a dance teacher and choreographer in a variety of settings. She joined the PEM teaching team in 2025.
Zuzana Ševčíkova
Zuzana is a Dance Movement Therapist and Drama Therapist who holds degrees in physiotherapy and contemporary dance from the Czech Republic, her country of origin. She is a co-founding member and a past President of Dance/Movement Therapy Association in Canada and a co-founding member and a board member of the Quebec Alliance of Creative Arts Therapists. Zuzana works in elementary schools of the Lester B. Pearson school board in Montreal. Her current academic research interest involves the clinical application of the polyvagal theory with a variety of populations.