about us

our mission

"Our mission is to promote the accessibility of dance by encouraging our participants and audiences to explore the limitless boundaries of artistic expression, to engage their imagination, and most of enjoy the art of dance." 

our background

AX-S Dance is a collection of talented award-winning dance artists who have collaborated to share, inspire and cultivate strong dance communities. It aims to promote the education and artistry of dance  through performances, workshops as well as offering dance classes in different styles in a safe, exciting and challenging environment.

The AX-S Dance team is a dynamic collective of highly regarded professionals who are always in demand within Canada’s contemporary dance scene. Their dance works are performed at various festivals and events throughout Ontario. Classes range from Contemporary Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop, Break Dancing and Acrobatics. Outreach programs feature technical training fused with a variety of dance styles and workshops to create diversity in physical expression.

  Kate Nankervis : founder & artistic director    http://web.mac.com/knankervis

AX-S Dance was founded by Kate Nankervis who also acts as the company’s artistic director. Kate began dancing at the Nancy Delmonte Academy of Dance in South Porcupine, ON. Since leaving the north, Kate has been pursuing an exciting dance career in Toronto while obtaining her BFA Honours degree at York University. In summer 2006 she studied in the USA at NYU’s coveted Tisch Dance Residency program. As a member of the prestigious York Dance Ensemble, a select York University Dance Company, Kate has been privileged to perform works by well known choreographers Susan Cash, Sashar Zarif, Carol Anderson, Susan Lee, Darcy Callison and David Earle. Kate’s recently and much acclaimed choreographed work “ Vanity Fair” has been commissioned for the York Dance Ensemble Repertoire. Kate as worked professionally with choreographers Dave Wilson and Parahumans Dance Theatre, Heather Saum and her Collective HEAT, and Berlin choreographer Tino Seghal. Recently Kate received two major awards, the IMASCO Performing Arts Award and the Spedding Memorial Award for Dance. Kate continues to teach dance in schools with elementary and secondary students and children with disabilities.

The AX-S Dance Team

Erin Merrifield

Erin Merrifield will be graduating from York University in Spring 2008 with degrees in two of her passions: Dance and Psychology. Prior to her dance education in Toronto, Erin trained at Swan Studio Dance in London, Ontario. Here she completed examinations by The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) at the level of Intermediate Ballet in the vocational syllabus and Grade 8 Awards in the graded syllabus, and with The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) in Advanced Modern Dance. Erin found enjoyment in sharing her love for dance with others through teaching classes at Swan Studio. As well as teaching Ballet and Modern Dance, Erin taught Body Conditioning classes which focussed on body alignment, stretching and strengthening muscles, and included principles taken from The Pilates Method and The Myofascial Release Method used in Rolfing. As a previous member of Children’s Dance Project (a London based company founded and directed by Jennifer Swan) Erin worked with Toronto Dance Artists Matjash Mrozewski, Kimberly Glasco, Chan Hon Goh, Svea Eklof, and Trish Armstrong, and performed choreography by Margie Gilles, Danny Grossman, Robert Wood, Pamela Eddelston, and Jennifer Swan. Since moving to Toronto Erin has performed in Vessel Dance Projects: reVIEW, In a White Room 2006, and The Toronto International Dance Festival 2006 as a member of Collective HEAT, and most recently performed choreography by Kate Nankervis in “Stacked Crooked” as part of the Over The Top Festival 2007.

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 Ashley Ann Burton

Ashley Ann Burton grew up in the fresh air and rugged beauty of Northern Ontario.  At a very young age she discovered a passion for movement, which she explored through dance and participating in what her brother and male cousins enjoyed – hockey! Eventually there came a time in Ashley’s life when her parents asked her to choose between hockey and dance.  With little hesitation she traded in her skates for ballet slippers and never looked back. Ashley graduated from Sudbury’s high school for the performing arts with an education in Graham and Horton techniques as well as classical ballet. During the summers she studied at the Quinte Ballet School. She has had the pleasure of working with prominent teachers and choreographers including Allen Kaeja, Majtash Mrozewski, and Carol Anderson. Recently she has begun honing her choreographic skills and her work has been performed at various venues throughout Toronto including The Artist’s Play Theatre and TIDF (Toronto International Dance Festival). Ashley has just released her first dance film Ready! Set! Go! She currently teaches Hip Hop, Jazz and Modern at various studios and high schools throughout the GTA and Northern Ontario. A fresh graduate of York University’s Dance Honours program, and with a strong penchant towards contemporary dance, Ashley’s passion for motion and space continues to flourish. She will be attending the Consecutive Education program at York in September to further her knowledge and interest for teaching.

Shara Kim

 Shara is graduate of the George Brown College Dance Program. She has been teaching for 5 years specializing in Acro, Jazz and Hip Hop. She has many film and television credits including: Cheetah Girls, Ice Princess ( Disney), Honey (Univerisal),  Acura, Honda (Commercial), Corn Pops (Commercial), Hilary Duff, Canada Day Celebration (CBC), Shawn Desmond, and the Jane Show. Her stage credits include The King and I (Stratford), Fashion Cares, Bell Canada Gala, Sony Tours as well as other industrial shows.

Jennifer Templeton

Jennifer started her dance studies at the Thornhill School of Ballet, this led her to the well known dance program at Unionville high school, she now finds herself at York University studying dance at a professional level. She has danced with youth companies Youth Theatre and Dance Mosaic, among others. She is currently a member of the prestigious York Dance Ensemble a select York University dance company, as has worked with choreographers such as Susan Cash, Sashar Zarif, Carol Anderson and David Earle. She has most recently been featured in  the dance film Ready! Set! Go! and performed in Toronto's Luminato Festival of Arts. She is known for her exciting classes in Contemporary Ballet, Tap and Jazz. She teaches for studios, high schools and elementary schools throughout the GTA. She has recently been accepected to the National Ballet of Canada for their Teacher Training Program where she will be continuing her passion for teaching dance.