dance
Dance \ AUGUST 2014
CALGARY’S RESOURCE FOR ALL THINGS DANCE
Studios
How to choose the
right genre, program
A dancer’s body
Start early to stay healthy
Calgary’s dance scene
Plenty of opportunity
Sean
Cheesman
Calgary dancer succeeds
on the international level
Promoted by Showtime Promotions
JEUNESSE CLASSIQUE BALLET
Umran Sumen Artistic Director
27 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN DANCE, 1987-2014
www.jcbs.ca • [email protected]
WHAT’S INSIDE
4
Prevailing
after the flood
6 7
Profile: Sean
Cheesman
The elements
of dance
8
How to pick a
studio, genre
9
dance
DANCE \ AUGUST 2014
CALGARY’S RESOURCE FOR ALL THINGS DANCE
Costumes
A dancer’s body
Calgary’s dance scene
Sean
Cheesman
Alberta dancer succeeds in
the international market
Profile: Michael
Ward
Cover: Left: Sawyer Nelson, 8, member of
Evolutions School of Dance,
Middle: Taylor Yanke, 11, member of
Jeunesse Classique Ballet, and student at
International School of Ballet.
Photographer: Adrian Shellard, Costumes: Provided
by MUGE Performance Wear.
Right: Sean Cheesman, supplied by himself
10 11
Calgary’s
dance scene
A dancer’s
body health
Dance was produced by the Calgary Herald’s Special Projects department in collaboration with Showtime Promotions to promote awareness of dance for commercial purposes.
The Calgary Herald’s editorial department had no involvement in the creation of this content.
Co-ordinator & Designer: Charlene Kolesnik
Under the direction of Artistic Director
Edmund Stripe, the School of Alberta
Ballet is western Canada’s leading
professional dance school. Delivering
first-rate, superb training, students
are equipped with the dance, life and
academic skills to launch successful
careers.
• World-Class Teachers
• Open & Professional Divisions
• Ballet, Contemporary,
Body Conditioning and more
• Performance Opportunities with
Alberta Ballet
Come dance with the best.
For more information, visit
schoolofalbertaballet.com
The School of Alberta Ballet
THE OFFICIAL TRAINING CENTRE OF ALBERTA BALLET
dance
Survival
Dance Tech weathers the flood
— thanks to strong support from local communities
BY: Jacqueline Louie
D
ance can bring a community together. That’s what happened for
Dance Tech dance studio in High River.
The studio has come back stronger than ever
from last year’s devastating flood.
“The flood really reshaped the way our
company worked together,” says Dance Tech
owner and director Amanda Messner.
“In the demolition and rebuild, so many
people showed up to help, it gave us so much
strength. We always considered ourselves
a really strong team. The flood brought us
together and allowed us to become more of
a family — it’s been our Dance Tech family.”
Located near downtown High River,
Dance Tech’s space was destroyed in the
June 2013 flood. They had to rebuild from
scratch, and everyone associated with
Dance Tech pitched in.
Volunteers worked all last summer and into
early fall, remediating and drying out the studio space. When that was done, new dance
floors were installed.
“We were really lucky to get back into the
existing Dance Tech space. This year, we’ll
be getting mirrors and barres, another step
to having a fully functioning studio,” says
Alison Laycraft, media rep on the Dance
Tech dance council, a parent council with
the primary focus of supporting competition
dancers.
Dance Tech, which celebrated its
10th anniversary this past June, offers classes in
tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary,
modern, hip-hop and acro for ages three to
late teens; as well as adult classes.
“We are really fortunate to have a studio
the calibre of Dance Tech in High River.
There are accredited teachers and they do
a lot of competition,” Laycraft says.
Coming back from the flood, Dance Tech
received a great deal of support from dance
studios and dance-wear stores from Sylvan
Lake to Lethbridge, with donations of dance
shoes and clothes, as well as money.
Help also came from Alaine Kowal, the
parent of two Dance Tech students, who
wrote a children’s picture book, The Little
Dance Teacher, with illustrations by Longview
artist Matts Zoumer.
All profits from the book will go to dance
families hit hard by the flood so their children
can continue to take part.
“It’s all about what you do when a disaster
Dance Tech owner and director Amanda Messner keeps her sense of humour after last year’s flood disaster.
hits,” Laycraft says of the story.
Published by Routes Media in High River,
the book if for sale at Dance Tech, Pixie
Hollow Bookstore in High River, and online at
routesmedia.com (click the store tab).
For both students and parents, Dance Tech
is “a place where they feel safe and secure
and loved.”
“Having that restoration was a huge thing for
those students and families. It has been awesome, having the kids being able to go back to
dance,” says Laycraft.
The benefits of dance
Youngster says performing boosts her overall confidence
BY: Kathleen Renne
P
Piper Fitzgerald, 11, who admits she has trouble
sitting still, says dancing makes her “happy inside.”
4 \ DANCE \ AUGUST 2014
iper Fitzgerald, 11, describes in detail
the red costume she wore for her jazz
dance solo earlier this year, with its
multitude of rhinestones and cutouts.
But her enthusiasm drops when it comes
to the subject of false eyelashes, something she says she wears on stage to make
her eyes “pop.”
“It’s, like, annoying to put them on,” she
says, expressing disgust with the glue used
to fasten them to her lash lines.
Fake lashes notwithstanding, Fitzgerald
says dancing makes her “happy inside.”
“I think it just takes my mind off of things
if I’m having a fight with my friend or something,” she adds.
The youngster, who enters Grade 6 in
September, has been studying dance at
Airdrie’s Star Bound Dance Company since
she was three years old. Her sister Riley, 13,
also dances.
“We were looking for something that
would be challenging, something they
would find a passion for as they grew up,”
says the girls’ mother, Adrienne Fitzgerald.
The elder Fitzgerald says having two
daughters in dance is a significant time
commitment, but it’s one she doesn’t
mind.
“When you see how much fun they’re
having, and you realize what they’re
building on, it does seem worth it,” she
says.
In fact, she says her daughters enter into
a sort of “withdrawal” once classes and
competitions wrap for the summer.
However, the girls still manage to nurture
their dancing souls during July and August
by practising acrobatic moves on the
trampoline.
“They’re always moving,” says Adrienne.
“Our mom says, ‘Keep your feet still!’ But
we can’t sit still, because it’s so fun… We’re
always tapping our feet,” Piper giggles.
While the youngest Fitzgerald admits her
busy dance schedule can make it difficult
to squeeze in her homework, she says
dancing helps her at school.
“We had to do a presentation in front
of the class in Grade 4. I had done a solo
that year, and won a big trophy, and that
gave me a lot of confidence. I had to do
the presentation and I wasn’t scared,” she
recalls.
While the youngster hasn’t decided
upon a career path yet, becoming a
dance teacher is definitely on the table.
“She just needs to be a dancer,” says
mom.
“Why would I want to stop if I love it so
much?” her daughter chimes in.
dance
Promotion
Fostering fun & passion
in all things
dance
Showtime Promotions
W
Donna and Ian Burridge, directors of Showtime Promotions.
hether a dream job or passionate hobby,
dance is for people of all ages and abilities,
says Donna Burridge, a director of Showtime
Promotions, a company based in Kelowna, B.C., that
supports and promotes dancers and the dance
industry in Western Canada.
“It’s healthy. It’s good for mind, heart and soul,” says
Burridge, who encourages everyone to participate in
dance.
Dance is “not necessarily about natural ability,” she
adds. “It’s a really great outlet emotionally for people
to express themselves through creative movement. It’s
also an excellent discipline, especially for young dancers
learning to follow direction and take corrections, and it
introduces them to music and movement.”
Dance can be a lifelong activity. In the past, dancers
typically stopped dancing after high school, unless
they were planning to go on to a professional career.
Now, however, dancers are staying in the studios and
training well into their 60s; and there are dancers in
their late 80s who are still learning and performing.
Dance is also a good activity for people with developmental disabilities who can get involved in everything from classes, to performances and competitions.
Promoting dancers is clearly Burridge’s passion.
“Our focus is to mentor the dancers at all ages and all
levels, thus introducing them to a dance community that
supports them,” says Burridge, who established Showtime
Promotions 30 years ago, and started invitational dance
festivals and competitions with professional adjudicators
in which dancers compete for prizes, medals, trophies,
cash awards and encouragement.
Festivals encompass everything from jazz, hip hop, tap,
lyrical and ballet, to musical theatre, adult categories
and ethnic dancing including Irish, Scottish and South
Asian.
In addition to running dance festivals throughout
Western Canada, Showtime Promotions is a strong supporter of dancers in every way, helping them pursue
their dreams. In the past 10 years, the company has
provided more than $1 million in cash and awards to
dancers in Western Canada.
Burridge is devoted to promoting dance to a wider
community. To this end, she co-founded the Canadian
Performing Arts Foundation, a foundation created to
support dance and the performing arts in Canada.
CPAF received $50,000 from Showtime Promotions to
get it off the ground.
Any donations made to CPAF will go directly to the
dancers, Burridge says.
“Anything donated will be passed directly on to
local dancers to help defray their costs and hopefully
providing more training. We need funding and support
for Canadian dancers so they can compete in the
marketplace, both here in Canada and internationally,
predominantly in the U.S.”
Funds are also needed at the professional level for
dance teachers and choreographers, adds Burridge,
who emphasizes there is a great need for supporters
and patrons of the arts. To this end, she encourages
readers to check out local dance shows, recitals and
competitions. There is amazing and inspiring talent to see!
DANCE \ AUGUST 2014 \ 5
dance
Profile
From Calgary to the Big Apple
Sean Cheesman lists working with
Michael Jackson among his highlights
BY: Rachel Naud
W
hen Sean Cheesman was
a high school student at
Calgary’s Crescent Heights
school, he would watch the music
videos from Michael Jackson’s Thriller
album and mimic the moves in his
living room.
“I would watch the videos and just
dream about starring in one,” says
Cheesman. “I never thought it would
come true.”
A figure skater since he was very
young, Cheesman’s love for dance
was sparked at age nine when he
enrolled in tap, ballet and funk jazz.
At just 17, he moved to New York to
attend the Alvin Ailey Dance Centre
to pursue his dream of dancing.
“It was really exciting,” he says.
“Being in New York, it was really the
first time I was around a lot of male
dancers. And because the school
was predominately black, it was the
first time I was around black, male
dancers. Growing up in Calgary, I
was usually the only black dancer.”
Following his dream wasn’t always
easy.
“I was definitely teased and
bullied,” he says. “Not only was I a
dancer, but I was also a figure skater.
But you know what they say, ‘Success is the best revenge.’
“It made me a strong person. You
have to have a strong personality to
be in this business. And those people
who teased me back then are the
ones who ask me now what Michael
Jackson was like.”
He went from dancing in his living
room to dancing backup for Michael
Jackson in his music video for the
song Bad — Cheesman’s first big
break after moving from Calgary.
“That was a really amazing experience,” says Cheesman.
“It’s still up there as one of the best
6 \ DANCE \ AUGUST 2014
things I have ever done.”
And Cheesman has done a lot.
One highlight was touring with Janet
Jackson as a choreographer and
dancer. It was this experience that
led him to one of his greatest gigs —
choreographing siblings Janet and
Michael in the video for Scream.
“I look back at that experience and
it was like history in the making,” he
says. “Michael and Janet never did
anything together. One day, being
in rehearsal, I just looked around and
thought someone needs to pinch
me. Did I just choreograph a step for
Michael Jackson?”
That was far from the only
pinch-worthy moment Cheesman
experienced in his career, others
included choreographing the Diamonds and Pearls tour for Prince as
well as tours for Faith Hill, No Angels
and, most recently, he worked on
advertising campaigns for Nike and
Bacardi.
He also appeared in and
choreographed the dance
sequences in the Warner
Brothers film The Bodyguard starring Whitney Houston as
well as the NBC
television series
Guys Next
Door, the Soul
Train Awards
and a Janet
Jackson
performance
on Saturday
Night Live.
Currently,
Cheesman is
working on
the American
version of So
You Think
You Can Dance as well as starting
his own production company,
Mama’s Boys.
And the people by his side helping him accomplish it all? His
assistants he has known since
growing up in Calgary.
“Calgary has some of the
largest dance schools per
capita in North America,” he says
proudly.
“We have amazing dancers,
studios and teachers in Calgary.
People considering a career in
dance should know that they
can be a Calgary Stampeder
and be a dance star. If you
love it, go for it.”
More than a
beat
Elements
Elements of dance include emotion,
awareness, energy
Julie England is up for the challenge of working with
many genres.
BY: Rachel Naud
Drawn to
choreography
I
f you’ve ever
been moved
by the beauty
of ballet, you
know that dance
evokes emotions
for spectators and
dancers alike.
While to the outside eye dance may
look like a series of movements timed to a
beat, it is far more.
“Dance is not only an individual art/
sport; it is shared with others,” says Stephanie Knowler, dance school director at
Calgary’s Evolutions School of Dance.
“Not only is it shared with other dancers
or choreographers, it is shared with anyone who watches. Building relationships is
such an integral part of dance.”
To build those relationships and captivate
the audience, it’s essential that dancers
have an intimate knowledge of their
bodies’ physical capabilities
and an understanding of
the physics of movement.
A comprehensive knowledge of the integrity of the
steps such as phrasing, tempo
and aesthetic awareness are
part of a dancer’s vocabulary.
“The body is the dancer’s
instrument,” adds Umran Sumen, artistic
director of Jeunesse Classique Ballet in Calgary.
BY: Meghan Jessiman
F
or Julie England, to see a dance come to life on
the stage is nothing short of pure magic.
It’s always been this way for the England-born
choreographer, who moved to Calgary 24 years ago
after completing her training at the London College
of Dance.
Although she trained extensively in almost every
discipline (ballet, tap, jazz, modern, national, musical
theatre, ballroom and Latin dance) and received all
graded medals in the syllabi, it was the art of choreography that she felt most drawn to.
“From an early age, choreography always came
naturally to me,” she says of the start of her now professional career. “My first dance teacher, Mavis Burrows,
told me I would be too small to dance professionally,
but could have a successful career in choreography. I
remember sitting in the theatre at countless rehearsals
when I was younger and being fascinated by the creative process behind the shows coming together.”
Upon finishing her training, England accepted the
director position with Showtime Promotions and crossed
the Atlantic, choosing Alberta over Ontario based on
the allure of the Rocky Mountain lifestyle.
“They still take my breath away,” she says.
England credits those early years in Alberta, and
more specifically Showtime’s founders, Donna and Ian
Burridge, for teaching her everything she knows about
the dance business.
“They were both great mentors and became my
family away from home,” she explains. “They pushed
me to be the best that I could be.”
As it turns out, England’s best is deeply creative, visually striking choreography in genres ranging from classical ballet to, most recently, gymnastics floor routines.
Her best has also earned her many accolades along
the way, including the Cathy Wade Ensemble Award
in Division II at the Dance under the Stars Choreography Festival in Palm Desert, Calif.
“I like to think I bring unique and physically demanding choreography together with thought-provoking
costuming and intriguing staging,” England says.
These days, England’s work as a choreographer,
dance instructor and adjudicator takes her across
Canada. She choreographs between 50 and 60 pieces
a year in many genres.
“I like to be challenged by all the different genres
— to be able to take all the aspects of one genre and
work it into another, resulting in more unique pieces.”
dance
“It is like the violin to a musician, the voice to a
singer and must be finely tuned and maintained.
“A deep understanding and respect for one’s
instrument is paramount. The space a dancer
inhabits becomes a vital part of the movements
and is interactive with the body,” Sumen says.
“A dancer moving through space can be
compared to the positive and negative aspects
of a drawing or painting, both are a vibrant and
necessary.”
One of the dance philosophies taught at
Jeunesse Classique is body and space, action
and energy. The art of classical ballet involves a
highly specialized training based upon a purity
of physical development combined with intense
dedication and personal discipline.
“At Jeunesse Classique, technique and correct
physical development are balanced with pure
esthetic vision, emphasizing the joy, beauty and
tradition of classical ballet,” says Sumen.
At Evolutions School of Dance, the dance concepts of body and space are taught in
developmentally appropriate ways since many of
its students are under the age of 10.
“We guide our students to understand the many
ways in which we can use our bodies, not only for
specific movements, but also how to convey a
certain message or meaning,” says Knowler.
“Through explicit instruction as well as creative
movement, our dancers are taught the mechanics of dance, but also encouraged to be
individuals and to inject their own personal flair
into dance.”
Thinkstock image
• Adult Classes
from Beginner to
Advanced
• Workshops
• Trial Class Offer
• Private or Corporate
Parties
• Canadian Step-Dancing
Classes
• Zumba
403-921-9757
www.dancethroughlife.ca
DANCE \ AUGUST 2014 \ 7
dance
Choices
How to pick the right school
Experts offer their advice
BY: Jacqueline Louie
A
Thinkstock image
good dance teacher can make all
the difference for a student.
But the teacher is just one thing
to consider when looking for the perfect
dance studio. Here are some other tips.
For a student just starting as a recreational
dancer, it’s important to choose a studio
that will be easy to get to, says Candice
Mathewson, owner of Elite Dance Academy,
a Calgary company that teaches ballet,
tap, jazz and hip-hop to students from age
three to about 18.
Another important thing to watch for is a
positive studio atmosphere.
“That covers everything from the first impression when you walk in, to the cleanliness
of the studio, to how the staff addresses the
parents and children,” Mathewson says.
“You want your child to feel comfortable
in the space, that it’s a place where they
can develop their self-confidence.”
Melissa Kastelic, director at Flexpointe
Studios in Edmonton, suggests starting off by
looking at what the school’s overall philosophy is, and what kind of programming it offers.
“You need to take a look at whether a
school’s teaching methods and goals would
suit your child. You’ll also need to consider
whether you want to enroll your child in a
competitive or a recreational program,”
Kastelic says.
The other big thing to consider, according
to Kastelic, is what kind of qualifications, certifications and experience the teachers have.
It’s important to choose an accredited
school with certified instructors, agrees
Melissa Klassen, founder of Acrobatique
AcroDance, which certifies dance teachers
across Canada and abroad to teach acrodance, a genre that incorporates elements
of gymnastics and jazz tricks and flips to
complement dance choreography.
Certification ensures that dance teachers
are trained to properly follow the curriculum
and that they adhere to a nationally
recognized system.
Finding the
perfect genre
Many styles are available
BY: Jacqueline Louie
I
f you’re interested in starting dance lessons
— for you or your child — there are many
different genres to try.
“Sometimes kids already know what they’re
interested in, which is a great place to start,”
says Melissa Kastelic, director of Flexpointe
Studios in Edmonton.
Otherwise, for younger children, a combination class that covers different dance styles is a
good way to introduce them. A dance camp
will also allow them to try different genres.
Before choosing, consider the prospective
dance student’s strengths and interests, says
Melissa Klassen, founder of Calgary-based
Acrobatique AcroDance. For instance, is the
dancer attracted to slow and methodical, or
a fast and upbeat expression of the body?
“If a student is interested in including tricks
and flips to their dancing, they would love the
art of acrodance,” Klassen says. “Students
who add acrodance to their repertoire of
classes add another dimension of flare,
excitement and polish to their choreography.”
8 \ DANCE \ AUGUST 2014
Thinkstock image
Look at what kind of music your child is interested in, as well as how attentive he or she is.
“If they can focus on something for a little
bit longer, definitely ballet would be great,”
says Candice Mathewson, owner of Elite
Dance Academy in Calgary.
“Ballet is slower moving than hip-hop, jazz or
tap. But if kids like to be a little more stimulated, I would push for something like hip-hop
or musical theatre, something that’s going to
be a faster-paced class.”
Many studios now run combination classes
for children ages three to six, such as tap
and jazz, or ballet-tap.
“They are a good introductory class. We
start all kids in the combo class and they
branch out from there,” Mathewson says.
In terms of prerequisites for a professional
career, the foundation of all dance is ballet,
she says. So for those wanting to turn professional, Mathewson recommends enrolling
in a ballet class and going at least twice a
week.
It only took an hour to get hooked
Michael Ward on how dance changed his life
dance
Profile
BY: Meghan Jessiman
A
EVOLUTIONS
career in dance was not Michael
Ward’s idea.
Call it fate, destiny, or perhaps the
side-effect of having two older sisters enrolled in dance and not being able to take
the bus home alone.
Something intervened and made sure the
then nine-year-old Ward crossed the threshold of Barrhead’s Danceworks and enrolled
in its after-school jazz class.
“Originally, I wasn’t into the idea of being
a dancer, but I was hooked after the first
hour,” Ward says.
Flash forward 22 years and the now
31-year-old is hanging out in Los Angeles,
dancing with the likes of Jennifer Lopez,
Justin Bieber and working with big-name
choreographers such as NAPPYTABS (also
known as Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo) of
So You Think You Can Dance fame.
Originally trained in the disciplines of jazz,
ballet, tap, lyrical and contemporary, at age
16 Ward discovered hip-hop at the Groove
Street Dance Convention in Edmonton and
began studying popping, locking and house
dance, further expanding his versatility.
In 2004, Ward moved to Vancouver to
join the Source Dance Company, run by
Joanne Pesusich. This is when Ward believes
he really began his professional training in
all genres.
Ten years later, his resume includes a
promo for the Academy Awards with Ellen
DeGeneres, the 2010 Olympic opening
ceremonies and, most recently, scratching
an item off of his bucket list by working with
choreographer/director Kenny Ortega on a
new Disney Channel movie.
Despite all that, Ward still believes there’s
room for improvement.
“The cool thing about dance is that there
are always things you can improve on,”
he says.
“Specifically, at the moment I am focusing
most of my energy on my tap execution
and choreography, as well as the freestyle
elements of my hip-hop and funk-style
dances.”
So where does Ward stand in the debate
about dance being an art or a sport?
“For me personally, I have never really
considered my dance a sport. Not to say that
the training and dedication that goes into it is
not equal to that of many sports,” he explains.
“Dance in general could be considered
both an art form and a sport equally, but
for my specific styles — and where my focus
is — it’s more of an art form and a form of
expression.”
Ward’s perspective makes sense
considering his greatest dance strength
has always been his showmanship.
“I have always seen myself as an
entertainer or a character first. I would say
stage presence, or the actual performance
quality of my work, is where I stand out.”
Up next is more work at Universal Studios
where he is part of a four-man tap show.
He’s also making his first foray into short
films, playing Charlie Chaplin in a variety of
modern-day scenarios.
Quite the character, indeed.
Professional dancer Michael Ward.
DANCE \ AUGUST 2014 \ 9
dance
Scene
BY: Rachel Naud
P
Calgary embraces Dance moms a helpful bunch
performing arts
rofessional dancers may want to point
their toes to Calgary for growth and
opportunities. The city’s arts scene is
flourishing, which is good news for dancers
looking for a chance in the spotlight.
“Calgary has a small, but mighty arts scene,”
says Kimberley Cooper, artistic director with
Decidedly Jazz Danceworks.
“We are lucky that some truly amazing
artists, in all disciplines, have chosen to stay
here, rather than flock to larger centres.
There can be a lot of possibilities here and
sometimes the plus of being a big fish in a
small sea is more alluring than the opposite.”
Decidedly Jazz is comprised of seven to 12
dancers, depending on funding, programming and availability. Its 2014-15 season will
see eight dancers performing in the two to
three productions the boutique company
puts on per year.
Dancers at the company range in age
from 25 to 43 and have all danced professionally before coming to Decidedly Jazz.
Dancers dreaming of a life in ballet are wise
to look at opportunities at Alberta Ballet.
Alberta Ballet employs approximately 34
BY: Shelly Boettcher
dancers, ranging in age from 19 to 33. With
a presence in both Calgary and Edmonton,
Alberta Ballet showcases 37 performances
between the two cities in addition to
Nutcracker shows in Ottawa and a handful
of special events locally, nationally and
internationally.
Alberta Ballet trains future dancers who
join companies all over the world and also
employs professional dancers.
“The youngest dancer we have had is
17 years old,” says artistic director Jean
Grand-Maître, who adds the average age
of a dancer in the company is 26. “Talent,
artistry, attitude and technique are much
larger indicators than paper degrees or age,
though.”
Still, no matter what their age, GrandMaître says Calgary should be on any wannabe dance’s radar.
“There is a fantastic outpouring of commitment and support for the arts in Alberta,”
he says. “Our audiences are hungry for more
art, they are growing constantly and more
people see that there is a diversity in expression throughout this province.”
R
ebecca Lockyer has been taking her
two young daughters to dance lessons
since they were tiny.
Now 10 and 12, they still perform with
many of the same girls they started with almost a decade ago. And they love it. A lot.
So does Lockyer. In fact, a few years ago,
she and a handful of other mothers signed
up for adult classes at McDonald Wilson
Dance Academy in northwest Calgary.
They’re now friends, she says. Real, supportive, helpful and kind friends. Not the
mean, pushy parents seen on the Lifetime
Television reality show Dance Moms.
“Not to divulge too much information, but
I just had a significant birthday,” she says
with a chuckle.
“A good half of the people that were
at my birthday party were dance moms.
They’re a big part of my life.”
And how. Several volunteer time at the
Brentwood Community Gardens, located
only steps away from the studio. One year,
they organized a Halloween flash mob at
the nearby Captain John Palliser School
and then at a downtown department
store.
Others volunteer to sew costumes,
organize fundraisers and help out at the
annual recital.
“Dance moms are really supportive and
invested in their children,” says Lockyer.
“They’re invested in the community where
they’re located, the community at large,
and in the dance community.”
That’s something Shana Eriksen, owner
and instructor at McDonald Wilson, has also
witnessed.
Eriksen, who has been dancing since
she was two years old, says she has seen
real-life examples of the uber-competitive
behaviour portrayed on Dance Moms at
various points in her career.
“I think the show is an exaggeration, but
I also know this sort of thing does happen,”
she says with a laugh. “There is a degree of
competition between parents.”
But, she notes, most instructors encourage
a kinder, healthier approach than what’s
depicted on the show.
“We’re not saying competition is wrong.
We’re just saying there’s a different way to
go about it,” she says.
“It’s not about you competing against
someone else. It’s about being the best you
can be.”
ALBERTA BALLET’S 2014–2015 SEASON
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JEAN GRAND-MAÎTRE
TEXAS BALLET THEATER COMPANY ARTISTS | PHOTO BY ELLEN APPEL
DON QUIXOTE
SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2014
THE NUTCRACKER
DECEMBER 18–24, 2014
LES BALLETS TROCKADERO
DE MONTE CARLO
JANUARY 16–17, 2015
FUMBLING TOWARDS ECSTASY
FEBRUARY 12–14, 2015
CARMEN & FORGOTTEN LAND
MARCH 26–28, 2015
LA BAYADÈRE: THE TEMPLE DANCER
APRIL 30–MAY 2, 2015
DO YOU HAVE YOUR SEATS?
ALBERTABALLET.COM | 403.245.4549
10 \ DANCE \ AUGUST 2014
Alberta Ballet Company Artist Mariko Kondo. Photo by Paul McGrath.
THE THREE MUSKETEERS
OCTOBER 23–25 2014
SEPTEMBER 25-27
403.245.4549
albertaballet.com
GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN BY DAWN MCDONALD & DR. GRANT BARTLETT
A dancer’s body
T
Learn the importance of healthy rituals from the start
here’s no denying that dancers
possess a grace, beauty and ease
in all of their movements. Not just
the pirouettes and pliés they perform on
stage, but even just walking through the
supermarket.
Unfortunately, pushing those bodies to
their physical limits on a daily basis also
means dancers are at higher risk of both
acute injuries and the long-term effects of
overuse.
All that grace comes at a cost. Namely, potential issues with hips, knees and
ankles, most commonly, though different
bodies demonstrate misalignments and
areas of weakness in different ways. But
dedicating one’s life to dance doesn’t
necessarily mean a lifetime of discomfort.
With careful attention and the proper
precautions, young dancers can learn
how to protect their bodies and head off
trouble before it begins.
“After a certain many years you begin
to understand certain pains and that some
are good and some are bad,” explains
Paige Tirs, a professional dancer with Vinok
Worldance and instructor at Edmonton’s
Zero Gravity Dance and
Shelley’s Dance Company.
“It’s important for dancers to have a
good physical therapist who deals with
sports injuries. They not only help fix ailments, but also prevent chain reactions or
catch injuries before they become serious.”
Tirs believes preventive measures such as
properly warming up for rehearsal, stretching and doing strengthening exercises
at home truly helped her avoid injuries
that could have sidelined her career
over the past 22 years (she has
been dancing since the age
of two). She always recommends her students take
a proactive
approach to their own well-being.
In the same vein, cross-training in disciplines such as Pilates — which focuses on
core strength — with an instructor who
understands the specific demands on a
dancer’s physique can also be a great
preventive measure.
“With my dancers, I work a lot around
rib cage extension because it will often
lead to potential hip damage,” explains
Corrina Anne-Poss, owner of Calgary’s Limitless Motion, a movement clinic offering
physiotherapy, massage and cutting-edge
Pilates techniques such as the Fletcher
method, which was developed by a
former Martha Graham dancer.
The Fletcher method, according to Anne-Poss, strengthens
a dancer’s core to the
point where back pain
should never be an
issue. The
Health
technique ensures the body is aligned
properly — something that is often an issue
when dancers begin training at a young
age and learn incorrect muscle compensation patterns.
Beyond the physical, Tirs also notes that
mental health is also a factor when you
consider the emotional stress dancers
face.
“Dancers bear their souls to the world
and lots of times they end up facing
rejection and humiliation in return — this
happens a lot in the professional world,”
she says, adding that dancing is an
incredibly challenging profession and
having a strong support network to lean
on is essential.
“I really feel my strength and courage
came from the support and love from my
family and friends to keep pushing me to
do what I love best and that no matter
what, I was going to be OK.”
Above: Sawyer Nelson, 8, a member of Evolutions
School of Dance, holds a long stretch.
Photographer: Adrian Shellard
• African
• Tap • Indojazz
• Lyrical • Modern
• Ballet • Hiphop
• Breakdance • Jazz
• Drumming • Musical Theatre
• Boys Only • Highland
• Bellydance • Flamenco
• Latin & Ballroom • Zumba
• Aerial Fusion • Pilates
• Flex & Tone • Gyrokinesis
• Barre & Baby & more!
and music. Our strength of purpose is
not competing with one another but
incompeting with oneself.
Adults/Teens/Kids (3+)
www.freehousedance.com
,
20
20
12
th
• All levels • Co-ed
• Syllabus Training /
Exams
• Performance
Division
5
• Morning
0
Classes
2-
5
5
BY: Meghan Jessiman
dance
Av
en
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28
403-
DANCE \ AUGUST 2014 \ 11
Canadian Performing Arts
Foundation
Showtime Dance Promotions is the largest dance festival series
in Western Canada with over 30 years’ experience, hosting 16
events in Western Canada as well as the Rocky Mountain Dance
Project Summer Camp held in Jasper, AB in August each year.
CPAF (Canadian
Performing Arts
Foundation) is a
foundation created
to support dancers,
choreographers and
the performing arts
in Canada.
Our mission is to
create a scholarship
fund for up-and-coming Canadian performing
artists and choreographers.
To ensure a bright future in the
Canadian performing arts industry,
CPAF will be dedicating 100% of monies raised to support
Canadian performing arts and choreographers alike.
We believe that with your support, we can ensure a growing
and vibrant Canadian Performing arts Industry.
We’re excited to introduce new studios and dancers to our
innovative approach to Dance Competitions and Festivals which
support and encourage dance training at all levels.
Listed below is our 2015 Dance Competition
and Festival Tour schedule including our brand
new competition series Gravity. Please visit our
website to register your studio.
GREAT CANADIAN DANCE CHALLENGE
Fort Saskatchewan, AB | Dow Centre | March 25th – 29th
Lethbridge, AB | Yates Theatre | April 8th – 12th
Medicine Hat, AB | Esplanade Theatre | April 22nd – 26th
Calgary, AB | Martha Cohen Theatre | May 8th – 10th
Kelowna, BC | Community Theatre | May 13th – 17th
DANCE EXTREME FESTIVAL
Sherwood Park, AB | Festival Place | April 22 - 26
EVERGREEN DANCE FESTIVAL
Sherwood Park, AB | Festival Place | April 29 - May 3
GRAVITY
Delta, BC - Genesis Theatre
March 25th – 29th
DREAM TEAM DANCE FESTIVAL
Sherwood Park, AB - Festival Place
April 8th – 12th
CRYSTAL CLASSIC GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPS
Fort Saskatchewan, AB | Dowe Centre | May 29 - June 2
Kelowna, BC | Kelowna Community Theatre | July 2 - 5
Burnaby, BC - James Cowan Theatre
April 15th – 19th
Surrey, BC | Surrey Arts Center | May 1- 3
Sherwood Park, AB | Festival Place | May 6-10
ROCKY MOUNTAIN DANCE PROJECT
Jasper, AB | Jasper Activity Centre | August 2 - 7
Calgary, AB- Martha Cohen Theatre
April 30th – May 3rd
www.showtimedancepromotions.com
North Battleford, SK - Dekker Centre
May 20th – 24th
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