Shelly Ann was born on the beautiful twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago into a family deeply rooted and involved in theatre arts. She began formal dance training at age 11 with Les EnfantsDance Company. She has traveled the Caribbean representing Trinidad and Tobago at various dance festivals where she was also invited to teach classes ranging from beginners to advanced dancers and artists. Shelly Ann was awarded and accepted a scholarship from the University of the West Indies to read in the program, Dance and Dance Education in 2004.
Shelly Ann’s involvement, training, and passion for dance led her to Toronto. In 2006 she was awarded and accepted another scholarship from COBA, Collective Of Black Artists in Toronto Canada, where she did intense training in their Professional Apprenticeship Training Program.
She is now a full-time company member, faculty, spokesperson, and board liaison for company dancers at COBA. In 2007 Shelly Ann was recognized by her primary school, La Romaine Roman Catholic Primary School, for outstanding Alumni and contribution towards the community through arts and culture. Shelly Ann then took her pedagogy to Seneca, York University Campus as Dance and Movement Professor in August 2016, and Movement Professor at Toronto Film School in January 2018. She is now the Dance Educator at Emery Collegiate Institute. In 2019 she participated in Luminato Festival and Fall for Dance North with Obeah Opera. Recently toured South Africa (July - August 2024), with Asah Productions, with
the musical ‘Obeah Opera’.
To add to her list of talents, Shelly Ann also sings and writes Calypsos and other genres of music. She started singing at the age of 4 in the Sunday school choir, where she quickly gained the position of lead singer, eventually moving to soloist. At 13 she composed and sang her first
Calypso, which won school competitions around the country. She also composed for family members who entered and won some of their schools' Calypso competitions. She plays steel pan and other percussion instruments.
Shelly Ann is the founder and owner of Shhhhh Designz Body Bar a natural and Organic skincare line. Her aim is to educate about the importance of skincare using natural ingredients. And to simply love and enjoy the skin you are in.