Sara Zacharias has been a professional vocalist for 15 years and a teacher for 10 years. Having achieved her BA of Music in Jazz Studies from Capilano University, Sara specializes in Contemporary, Popular, Jazz, and Musical Theatre styles. Sara blends her diverse performance and teaching experience with her education to take stage and vocal technique curriculum to a whole new level of excellence.
Using targeted listening techniques and vocal exercises, Sara helps both amateurs and professionals pinpoint specific challenges, empowering them to continue improving as singers and performers.
As a performer, Sara brings it on! Her wonderful energy, connection to her audience, and theatrical jazz style is the perfect match to her bluesy, honey toned vocals. You may recognize Sara from her performances at local venues such as Rossini’s, the Ouisi Bistro, Opus Bar, Katz Lounge, the Purple Onion, and Monk McQueen’s. Her national credits include the Vancouver and Montreal International Jazz Festivals and Festival Vancouver. Provincially, Sara performed at the Okanagan Fringe Festival, the Kelowna People’s Choice Awards, the Kelowna Symphony Orchestra Annual Fundraiser, the Royal City Jazz Festival, Jazz in the Park, as well as the Orpheum’s 75th Anniversary Celebrations. In Vancouver’s Musical Theatre Community, some of Sara’s credits include Footloose (Ethel, TUTS), Aspects of Love (Jenny, Applause!), Lucky Stiff (Annabel Glick, Triptych), Nine (Carla, Applause!), and Anne of Green Gables (Blewett/Pye, VOS).
Born and raised in Surrey, B.C, Emily Nieken has been a part of the dance world for the past 10 years. Emily has trained at a number of studios, receiving instruction in RAD Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, ISTD Tap, Hip Hop and Breakdance, Musical Theatre, and Contemporary. Emily has also had the opportunity to travel to St. Petersburg, Russia and New York City to learn from incredible teachers and further her learning. As an aspiring young artist, Emily worked for The Public Dreams Society in the Illuminares festival. She also worked as a performer during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
As a teacher, Emily has been working for the past 4 years at Langley Dance Academy. She helps teach ballet to young children, as well as working as a substitute in any other form of dance. This year, Emily has accepted a new task- choreographing competitive dances for advanced students. Emily is always looking for new challenges to push her creatively. She hopes to share her love of dance with as many others as possible.
