Our 2024/25 Team

The finest dancers in the Comox Valley.

Lindsay Sterk, Artistic Director & Owner

Jazz, Tap, Musical Theatre, Ensemble & Preschool

An accomplished dancer, singer and actor, Lindsay has performed and taught throughout Canada. As an adjudicator he has worked with the N.I.Festival of Performing Arts, Pacific West Festival, Danceworks Victoria, Chilliwack and Kamloops Festival of Performing Arts. Teaching credits include Harbour Dance Centre, Van Tap Dance Society, Capilano College and several other West Coast studios.

Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Music (Voice Performance) and Diploma in Theatre Arts. He has studied tap intensively and in masterclasses with Brenda Bufalino, Dianne Walker, Heather Cornell, Roxane Butterfly, Lane Alexander, Cindy Kerr, Germaine Salsberg, Jim Hibbard and Lisa Hopkins. Lindsay’s musical theatre credits include roles with the Arts Club, Showcase Festival, Chemainus Theatre Festival, Gateway Theatre, Vancouver Playhouse, Pangaea Arts, Modern Baroque Opera, Ophidian, Pacific Opera Victoria, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Theatre Calgary, Citadel Theatre, Stage West and the Charlottetown Festival.

Highlight performances include “Hero” tapper in the 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremonies and Don Lockwood in Singin’ in the Rain for Theatre Under the Stars and he is a regular soloist for tap events featuring Canadian artists.

In 2015, Lindsay was awarded the West Coast Tap Collective's Teacher Scholarship which took him to New York City to study at the Manhattan Tap Intensive with Heather Cornell. Lindsay has worked over 12 seasons with CYMC where he has choreographed many musicals including Newsie, Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Shrek the Musical and Les Miserables. Lindsay has also directed and choreographed 8 seasons with the Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular.

Camille Lucas RAD RTS, CBTS, PBT

Acro, Ballet, Lyrical, RAD, Ensemble

Cami is honoured to have been on the faculty at Pantuso Dance for the past 4 years after training at the school since 2007. While her main focus is ballet, she has trained in many styles of dance including jazz, modern, lyrical, contemporary, tap, and musical theatre. 

Cami is certified with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), whose graded examinations measure progress of the musicality, performance, and technique of the dancer and are recognized worldwide. Cami completed the RAD Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies (CBTS), learning the entirety of the RAD syllabus, and understanding how anatomy, dance history, educational psychology, and teaching methods intersect with the repertoire. Cami applies this training to her teaching in both RAD and other dance styles. 

She has also recently completed first aid training and her Youth Protection Advocates in Dance (YPAD) certification. The YPAD program prepares dance educators to properly handle issues regarding body image, bullying, student safety, nutrition, and mental health. These are all steps Cami has taken to better foster a fun, positive, dance class.

She will be completing her Acro certification this summer.

Cami is bursting with excitement for this upcoming year. Let’s get dancing! 

Kelly McCrea

Program Coordinator

Kelly graduated from the Emily Carr College of Art & Design in Vancouver in 1994 and since then has pursed a professional career in arts education. She taught visual arts and managed dance, visual and performing arts programs in North Vancouver for ten years, before moving to the Comox Valley in 2004. Kelly is a strong advocate for giving children and youth the opportunity to develop their creativity and explore it in a safe and encouraging environment. She joined the Pantuso Dance family in 2009 and is proud to help foster the love of dance in her daughter, as well as all the Pantuso students. In her role of Pantuso Dance Program Coordinator, Kelly manages program development, office management, advertising, costumes and customer relations.

Christy Kooman

Ballet, Contemporary, Ensemble

Christy was born on Hornby Island and has danced for over 17 years. Her training has taken her from the Courtenay School of Dance, to the Alberta Ballet School and Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. She spent the last 5 years traveling in Asia and Africa where she taught movement to children living in poor communities. “One of the most incredible things I have learned about dance is that no matter where you go, or what your dialect, dance is always a common language.” Christy worked as a registered massage therapist prior to moving back to the island. Her extensive knowledge of anatomy and understanding of the benefits of movement is reflected in her dancing and instructing.

Paul Gerritsen

Hip Hop, Jazz, Lyrical & Ensemble

Paul is so excited to be teaching at Pantuso after finishing a 20 year career on the stage.

Paul was dancing before he could walk!  After training at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in Calgary, he later went on to round out his skills graduating from the Canadian College of Performing Arts.

Paul travelled the world performing on Norwegian Cruise Lines and after moving to Europe he appeared in Sleeping Beauty at the beautiful King’s Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland.

One of Paul’s stand out jobs was being cast in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 20th Anniversary cast of Starlight Express in Germany where he performed the musical (on roller-skates!) 8 times a week for over 2 years. 

Paul spent most of his professional career in Berlin where he performed in such musicals as West Side Story, Fiddler On The Roof, My Fair Lady, Kiss Me Kate and danced in numerous operas and operettas at the highly regarded Berlin Opera House Komische Oper Berlin where he was Dance Captain.

Along side theatre, Paul has performed in many industrials for companies such as Volkswagen, Mercedes, Bosch, Siemens and has danced in movies, tv and award shows.

Paul is eager to bring all of his performance knowledge and passion of dance to the Pantuso family!