She built a dance program from nothing at a Toronto high school; students say it changed their lives. After 30 years, she's taking her final bow

Toronto Star

07-06-2025

Maryanne Marsh demonstrates ballet movements to her students, narrating rhythmically: 'Seven and eight. One cross the thighs and out, cross the thighs. And arm. Add the arm. To the back and close, to the back and close, and bend and stretch. Inside front. Am I right?'
'Yes,' the students chorus.
Building a dance program from the ground up
For 30 years, Marsh has taught dance at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, growing it from a small group of 50 students in 1995 into a thriving program of 450 across ballet, jazz, hip hop and more. Now 61, she is retiring at the end of the month. 'You gotta know when to fold 'em,' she says simply. The long hours have taken a toll, and she's eager to travel while still mobile.
It's a bittersweet farewell for a teacher who built the program from scratch at a school that had no dance department before she arrived.
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'We had to fight every year for our numbers,' said Bertan Kazazic, the school's technical director, who has worked with Marsh for 16 years. He says they regularly did community outreach — bringing dancers and musicians to places like Regent Park and local schools to raise awareness and let people know the school even existed.
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Marsh often used her own money to buy music, costumes and supplies. 'She created something out of nothing, literally,' Kazazic said.
After class, Marsh reflects on her life and career. 'Arts programming in schools saves lives,' she says, tearing up. After losing her husband — her 'cheerleader and music researcher' — dance kept her going.
'He would share his opinions about my artistic choices and journeys, and he would reflect and debrief with me after performances,' she says. 'I miss that.'
Dance has been her outlet since childhood. 'It was a good escape for me,' she says, describing a difficult childhood with little elaboration. 'I was a sensitive kid, so I had a hard time. I have come to terms with much of my childhood.'
From age 13 — the age of many of her students — she started working to fund her own dance lessons. She taught younger dancers and developed a love of teaching. It came naturally to her, she said, and enabled her to 'learn a lot about (herself) and a lot about the craft.'
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She studied at Toronto Metropolitan University, then Ryerson, and danced professionally for a few years with two Toronto collectives: PBJ Dance Projects and idDanse.
Then, she was hired to start the dance program at Rosedale.
For three decades, her workdays often stretched from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., filled with teaching, choreographing, and planning showcases. In 2002, she was recognized with a Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence. According to archival records from Library and Archives Canada, she received the honour in part because her 'popular dance program focusses on skills and instils discipline, responsibility and personal life skills.'
'She's like the iron lady with a heart of gold,' said principal Barrie Sketchley, who hired Marsh 30 years ago. 'In her classes, (the students) work and there's no fooling around. But somehow she also communicates to them that they are very much cared for.'
A lasting legacy
At a recent retirement show, alumni returned to perform and to honour Marsh. One was Adam Boros-Rausch, now a PhD candidate in women's and children's health. He graduated in 2015.
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'When I heard that I was able to come back and do this, most importantly for Miss Marsh… I jumped at the chance.' He says it was Marsh's dance class that sparked his passion for anatomy and physiology.
Marsh taught him discipline, camaraderie, perseverance, and loyalty — skills he only recognized years later. 'I think most of us took it for granted at the time... (we) didn't realize what it was doing for us until after the fact.'
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Lukas Malkowski, now a professional dancer and choreographer, credits Marsh with seeing potential in him early. He graduated in 2011.
With mainly hip hop experience and plans to pursue trumpet, Marsh's ballet class changed his path. She encouraged him with a simple compliment: he had a 'good pli é. ' 'That one comment kept me going all year,' he said.
Marsh gave students freedom to create, helping Lukas find his artistic voice. 'There's a lot of formal training, but not much artistic training — that's what Maryanne fostered,' he said.
She told him he could be a professional dancer but needed more ballet training. 'Maryanne was the first teacher to tell me I could pursue it professionally,' he said.
He studied at Opera Atelier ballet school from 2008 to 2012 and danced professionally with their company for five years.
Other alumni shared their gratitude in the event programme. Naomi Lee, a 2022 grad, wrote, 'Marsh taught me how to speak with my chest and advocate for myself. She made me realize that grit and grace are two sides of the same coin.' Another, Melanie Yin, said, 'Learning to dance made me feel comfortable and confident in my body; it made me feel strong.'
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From the start, Marsh envisioned Rosedale as a true performing arts school. She insisted that the dancers should be accompanied by a live pianist rather than a CD because the students 'respond differently.'
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In the early days of teaching dance at Rosedale, many students — some from less affluent parts of Toronto — were hesitant to embrace ballet. So Marsh started with what felt familiar, introducing other dance styles first and gradually easing them into ballet. 'These kids deserve this kind of arts education too,' she said. 'Not just the ones who've had private lessons or come from money.'
Students were dealing with more than finances. Then, as they do now, students struggle with their mental health. To boost their confidence, she reduced mirrors in class and offers skirt options for those uncomfortable with leotards.
Don't look, feel, she tells them. 'I'm here to be your eyes... (You're) beautiful no matter what, and you're exactly where you're meant to be.'
Life beyond the studio
Today, Marsh teaches about two dozen students in room 111. Black-and-white photos of alumni and anatomy posters line the walls. The pianist plays while she moves between students, offering cues: 'Change and change and change, up beat close, up beat close. If you're a beginner, don't do the beat — just do out and in. Those are called échappées. Échappée means to…?'
'Escape!' the students cry.
'Escape. The legs are escaping each other. Let's do it all together… Right leg devant. And.'
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Most students have no prior dance training. The program requires no auditions — anyone can join.
Though Marsh says she will miss teaching, she plans to take a trip this September to explore Lake Garda, Italy, and its environs. But as soon as she gets back to Toronto, she plans to continue volunteering in the Toronto dance community.
Dancing is 'magic,' she says. 'You get to leave the earth for a while. It's another force, outside of regular life.'