Our Team

Management Team

Alanna Budhoo

Co-Founder

Alena Tuchina

Co-Founder

Krystina Chabursky

Training & Programs Specialist

Sarah Hodkinson

Instructor

Shenel Williams

Instructor

Jeannine Matyi

Instructor

Emilia Ballsester Diaz

Instructor

Julia Zuckernick

Instructor

Edz Gyamfi

Instructor

Mike Donovan

Instructor

Judi Jaekel

Instructor

Grace Butler

Instructor

“Nurture these relationships and treat your teachers well. You’ll likely find many along your journey, and together they will constitute a mosaic of mentors who will influence and direct you in untold ways.”

Kevin Carroll, Rules of the Red Rubber Ball

Alanna Budhoo

Alanna holds a BA degree in Sociology from York University and is a TESOL certified ESL Teacher. She has over 15 years of experience in sales and operations management, education, the arts, and administration in the not-for-profit and for-profit sector. Alanna is passionate about enriching the lives of young learners, through a variety of activities geared towards overall wellness. With a background in the performing arts, she applies these skills to her life and work to spread compassion and thoughtfulness in her surroundings. She believes in learning and collaborating with students and using their personalities, curiosities and imaginations as a foundation to deliver exciting content that plays to their strengths and life experiences.

Alena Tuchina

Alena is an accomplished entrepreneur and operations manager with 15 years’ experience in all areas of business management and administration. Her unique and versatile background combines HR, Business Administration, and Marketing expertise as well as over 20 years of professional performing, teaching, and talent management experience.

As a life-long learner obsessed with organization, productivity and making things better, Alena has always taken on leadership roles within organizations and has helped many companies and individuals to streamline processes and achieve top results. Her career path has been shaped by an everlasting passion for the arts, fitness, enrichment education, and the positive effects that those fields can have on our society.

Alena is thrilled to be the co-founder of Playocity, an online educational platform with a goal of bringing communities together, encouraging collaboration, diversity, and ultimately helping children and adults achieve healthy minds and bodies.

Krystina Chabursky

An energetic and imaginative storyteller, Krystina has over 15 years' experience working with children as a dance instructor and circus coach. Currently based in Toronto, Krystina has taught for both recreational and competitive programs, and most notably served as the Director of Performance Teams at Cirque-ability.

Krystina also works professionally in the entertainment industry as a dancer, actor, and acrobat. The performing arts have always been and continue to be her drive, her dream, and her passion. Krystina enjoys sharing that passion with her students and hopes to evoke from them the same spark that fluttered within her so many years ago.

Sarah Jean Hodkinson

Sarah Jean Hodkinson is a Toronto-based Actor/Dance Instructor with over 20 years of experience working in theatre, TV & Film.

She obtains her Intermediate In the Royal Academy of Dance and is highly trained in Cecchetti method, Jazz, Music Theatre, Contemporary and Hip Hop.

Sarah teaches all over the GTA at studios and schools from babies to adults.

A graduate from The Randolph College of the Performing Arts she has also produced short films of her own that have been screened across Canada and has acted in Principal roles featured in “Canada Shorts” and the Oscar-qualifying “HollyShorts” in LA.

Sarah is passionate about connecting with people and creating safe spaces to express and grow in the arts.

Shenel Williams

Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Shenel is a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Growing up she self-trained in Hip-Hop, Ballroom, African/Afro, Dancehall, and various other styles. She was the captain of the Downsview Dance Company in her senior years, where she performed at various events such as tdsbCREATES and collaborations with JustBGraphic. Through JustBGraphic, Shenel was featured in the Unplugged festival: Middle School Tour in 2015 with artists such as Mike Black and Danny Fernandes.

Shenel graduated from York University’s Dance Program in 2022 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honors. She is currently an active choreographer and performer in the Toronto dance scene. Some of the recent or ongoing projects include: choreographing a set for “ArtstartTO,” performing at Jean Augustine’s Black History Month Celebration, and training with York University’s Hip Hop dance team called “Integrated Entity.”

Aside from training, Shenel is teaching with a couple of dance studios in the GTA, and facilitating lots of exciting programs here at Playocity. In her free time, Shenel continues to use her voice to initiate change in the dance community and beyond.

Jeannine Matyi

Jeannine Matyi is a Registered Dance Movement Therapist leading Creative Movement and Yoga classes for pre-k and school-aged children. With expertise in Childhood Development, Jeannine also provides Early Intervention services for children with special needs. She assists families within their natural settings to establish routines and strategies that help maximize their child’s fullest potential. She has dedicated her career applying movement in a therapeutic way. Most recently Jeannine facilitates Dance Movement Therapy groups for senior citizens with memory related illnesses as well as bereavement support groups for children who have experienced a loss. Her sessions are powerful, engaging, playful and inclusive to all. With a heart felt belief in the vital role that movement contributes to mind-body connection, Jeannine is an advocate for the positive effects it has on ones physical and mental well being. She’s excited to share her joy of yoga and dance to help children engage in the most fun, playful, and meaningful ways.

Emilia Ballester - Playocity Teacher - Dance, Yoga, and Acting classes for kids in Toronto

Emilia Ballester Diaz

Emilia is an enthusiastic, energetic and dedicated dancer, choreographer and teacher who takes pride in her Mexican heritage and infuses it in her dancing. She started training in Tap when she was only 8 years old and expanded her training to include Jazz, Contemporary, Ballet and Hip-hop. Her desire to further study dance inspired her to train in another country where she got into a summer dance intensive at Joffrey Ballet School in Miami.

Her growing experience and capacity to be on stage got her cast in musical theatre in a Christmas show called “La Fábrica de Santa” (2014 to 2016) as an ensemble dancer. From 2017 to 2019, Emilia got cast in the production of “Dorian Gray El Musical” where she sang, acted and danced as an ensemble dancer. This opportunity led her to star in the leading role in “La Bella Durmiente” (2017 – 2018) where she acted and sang doing 4 shows every weekend. She has seven years of experience teaching dance and theatre in several dance studios and schools in Mexico City and Toronto, she has experience teaching from elementary children to young adults.

In 2022, Emilia graduated from the Centennial College Dance Performance Diploma program in Toronto, Canada which inspired a new goal to diversify her dancing and become an inspiration for more Latinos to pursuit their passion.

Julia Zuckernick

Julia holds a BA degree in Sociology from Wilfrid Laurier University, a Graduate Certificate in Mediation from Durham College, and is currently completing her MA degree in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University.

Julia was a competitive dancer for over 10 years and has worked with children, teens, and adults from all walks of life. She is an enthusiastic dance teacher and encourages each one of her students to live their lives to the fullest. Julia is passionate about mental health and the connection between the minds and bodies of her students. She believes that movement is a powerful tool and enjoys watching her students grow and express themselves through dance.

Edz Gyamfi

Edmund Gyamfi, better known by his stage name Edz Gyamfi, is a Ghanaian-Canadian dance choreographer from Ottawa, Canada. He has over 10 years of teaching experience and has taught hundreds of students ranging from 4 to 60(+) years of age.

Edz is a three-time recipient of FULL DANCE SCHOLARSHIP at OIP Dance Centre (Toronto ON) and was recently in The Motivating Excellence (Intensive Program) series. He has worked with some of the most world-renowned choreographers: Rhapsody James, Luam Keflezgy, and Galen Hooks. Some of the credits include music video appearances: Additive, Digydon ft Elephant Man, CB featuring Captain Hooks, and TV/Media appearances including Much Music Video Awards (Mia Martina ft Wake Flocka), Self Made film, CBC Arts “The Move”, TO LIVE “The Art Squad”, and many more.

Edz teaching style is unique and stands out for a strong focus on the history, foundations, and technique. Edz is always looking to branch out and share his love of dance with anybody who seeks to learn and grow.

Grace Butler

Grace is pursuing her BA at the University of Toronto and competes with the Varsity Dance Team, began her dance training at the age of 2 and has been dancing for 19 years! She has trained in Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Modern, Acro, Contemporary and Tap, and has represented Canada with the Canadian National Tap Team in 2017 and with World Performers Canada at the Dance World Cup in 2022.

Grace has successfully completed examinations with CDTA and R.A.D in ballet, tap, jazz and acro, as well as associate tap teacher training with the British Academy of Teachers of Dance. As a teacher, Grace emphasizes that athleticism and artistry are synonymous, and values how important it is for her students to feel confident, motivated and excited to be in class, while always having fun!

Judi Jaekel

Judi Jaekel is originally from Michigan, where she graduated from Grand Valley State University with a B.A. in dance and broadcasting. Shortly after graduation, she returned to her alma mater as an adjunct faculty member, teaching modern, improvisation and choreography.

In 2015, she moved to New York City to further her dance career. Since then she has performed with modern dance companies such as Shawnbibledanceco and Bomdiggs. Currently, Judi teaches dance around the city at various K-12 schools and in the fall she will be an adjunct professor at Manhattanville College teaching contemporary dance.

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Last updated: September 1, 2020

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Our Team

Management Team

Alanna Budhoo

Co-Founder

Alena Tuchina

Co-Founder

Krystina Chabursky

Training & Programs Specialist

Playocity Teachers

Sarah Hodkinson

Instructor

Shenel Williams

Instructor

Jeannine Matyi

Instructor

Emilia Ballsester Diaz

Instructor

Julia Zuckernick

Instructor

Edz Gyamfi

Instructor

Mike Donovan

Instructor

Judi Jaekel

Instructor

Grace Butler

Instructor

“Nurture these relationships and treat your teachers well. You’ll likely find many along your journey, and together they will constitute a mosaic of mentors who will influence and direct you in untold ways.”

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Alanna Budhoo

Alena Tuchina

Krystina Chabursky

Sarah Jean Hodkinson

Shenel Williams

Jeannine Matyi

Emilia Ballester Diaz

Julia Zuckernick

Edz Gyamfi

Grace Butler

Judi Jaekel

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