just dance! | Fall 2016 | Vol 4 | Issue 6

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FromThepublisher

I

t is difficult to believe that I am already writing the Fall 2016 letter – where did summer go? I know for many of you, it was spent participating in special dance programs.

Every summer there are more intensives, camps, workshops, and drop-ins to choose from. Proof that participation in all kinds of dance continues to grow right across the country. And this has led to amazing opportunities for many up-and-coming Canadian dancers.

Including those that have been featured in just dance! When following up with some of these dancers, we were thrilled to discover that most of them are still dancing, and many have gone on to achieve their goals in pursuit of professional success. Read their stories starting on page 28.

justdancemagazine.com facebook.com/jdmagazinebc Publisher & Managing Editor Racquel Foran racquel@justdancemagazine.com General Inquiries info@justdancemagazine.com Art Director (Ad production, layout & image submission guidelines) Laura Bellis laura@justdancemagazine.com Advertising Sales info@justdancemagazine.com

I would like to say a special thank you to Laura Zeke of Laura Zeke Photography for working through the heat to get our wonderful cover photo, featuring six of the 11 dancers included in the "Where are they now?" article.

Contributing Writers Andrea Albanese | Racquel Foran Lori Straus | Heidi Turner

I am also excited that writer Lori Straus was able to see The National Ballet of Canada’s brand new ballet Le Petit Prince. This gave her special insight when writing her article about Guillaume Côté's choreographic debut. The article and the ballet are both worthy of your time and attention.

Contributing Photographers Barbara Cole | Karolina Kuras Bruce Monk | Karolina Turek Christopher Wahl | Jae Yan | Laura Zeke

Lori Straus was also able to drop by The Toronto Teacher Dance Expo in early August where she took in Battle of the Stars. She shares the experience of the competing dancers on page 24.

Not to be forgotten, Heidi Turner’s interview with the multi-talented Keltie Knight will surely inspire you to reach for the stars.

And Heidi’s article about Talent Agents will provide you with important info about what they do, and why you need one.

Finally, I would like to thank all of our advertisers. Without your business and support we would not be able to continue to inform, inspire, and celebrate Canadian dance!

Keep dancing!

4 just dance! | Fall 2016

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Features:

INThISISSUE

The National Ballet of Canada’s Big Gamble: Le Petit Prince.... 10

by Lori Straus

credit: Karolina Kraus

Talent Agents: What they do, and when and why you might need one........................................................................ 18

by Heidi Turner Toronto Teacher Dance Expo.......................................................... 24

by Lori Straus WHere are they now?........................................................................... 28

by Andrea Albanese, Racquel Foran & Heidi Turner

in every issue: Editor's Letter........................................................................................... 4 In the spotlight: Natasha Nazerali........................................................ 7

by Racquel Foran Meet The Pro: Keltie Knight .................................................................... 12

by Heidi Turner The History of Dance: The School of Toronto Dance Theatre........ 16

by Lori Straus just dance! Wants to Know...What is the Best Dance Advice you Have Ever Received? (Part II)............................................ 20 Dancing DIversions............................................................................. 26 just dance! Directory............................................................................ 38 Cover photo credit: Laura Zeke Photography | Past just dance! Cover and Spotlight dancers, Natasha Orchison, Natalie Thornley-Hall, Tamara Dawson, Ryan Morrissette, Colby Mackenzie, & Alyssa Oram pose for our Where are they now? feature article.

Fall 2016 | just dance! 5

Do you have the courage, determination and passion to become the dancer you dream to be?

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Bleiddyn Bellis, Artistic Director Fellow and Examiner CSC-CICB Enrico Cecchetti Final Diploma

{INthespotlight}

Natasha Nazerali

Is In the Spotlight

by R ac q u e l F oran , imag e s co u rt e sy of A M D A “Diversify and be open to new genres of dance.” This is probably the most common thing professional dancers say when we ask them to share advice with our readers. This issue’s Spotlight dancer, Natasha Nazerali, offered it too.

Mostly, because it worked for her.

When Natasha was 16, her dance teacher convinced her to try dancing a Bollywood number. “Bollywood wasn’t even on my radar,” Natasha says. “I never thought anything would come of it.”

But something did come of it. A family friend invited her to compete the number at a major Bollywood event in Vancouver. “I knew nothing about the event,” she says. But she did compete and ultimately won. The experience opened up a whole new world of opportunity for her. “I was like, ‘oh, I dance like that, maybe this is something I can have as a special skill that I can use.’”

Fast forward three years and Natasha is now a dancer with and the company manager of MKM BollyStars. She is also part of a touring show called Mystic India, a Bollywood based show produced by AATMA Performing Arts.

That Natasha has carved out a professional dance career for herself isn’t necessarily a surprise.

“I think ever since I could walk I was dancing,” Natasha says.

“And my mom knew instantly I was a performer.”

Natasha took her first dance class, ballet, when she was five years old at Vanleena Dance Academy in North Vancouver, BC. When she was 12, Natasha says she started training, “very seriously.” She joined the pre-professional program at Vanleena which required her to leave school early every day so she could start dance training at 1:45 pm.

Natasha in prayer pose for an AMDA photo shoot.

Fall 2016 | just dance! 7

{INthespotlight} Natashing participating in an AMDA photo shoot.

Then when she entered high school she was accepted into Super Achievers. The program required her to maintain a B+ grade average while also dance training 25-plus hours a week. When asked how she managed, she credited the discipline dance had taught her. “You must be dedicated and organized to maintain both,” she admitted.

In her grade 12 year, Natasha decided to change studios. She joined Shift Dance Academy and that same year became a member of Team Canada Dance.

She travelled with the team to Poland in December 2013 to compete at the IDO World Championships. She was the only dancer from her studio on the team and says she enjoyed working with dancers from other studios. She says the experience gave her real appreciation and understanding of what it takes to be a professional dancer.

Also while in grade 12, Natasha applied to attend the American Musical & Dramatic Academy (AMDA). The application process included three essay questions, an audition, and an interview. Natasha earned a scholarship and was off to New York City within days of graduating high school. She says that she wanted to attend post secondary school when she was young because she wanted to “get in the game younger.”

She explains, “I always knew I wanted to move to New York. I did the Joffrey 8 just dance! | Fall 2016

[Academy of Dance] intensive and fell in love with New York. And after Team Canada I was fully committed.”

Natasha spent the first year of the twoyear program training at the New York City campus, but decided to attend the Los Angeles campus in her second year. “Initially I said no to the LA campus because I wanted to move to New York,” she said. “But I heard the LA campus had really good choreographers and they focussed more on the commercial side of the business than musical theatre (as they do in New York). So I decided to transfer and I graduated in October 2015.”

While attending AMDA, a guest choreographer who owned her own Bollywood company in Los Angeles, scouted Natasha and asked her to join the company. She joined MKM BollyStars as soon as she graduated from AMDA. MKM BollyStars customize and create shows for corporate events, weddings, TV/film, charity events, and other public appearances. More recently Natasha has taken on the role of company manager. In this capacity she is learning the business side of running a company.

“I respond to emails, schedule rehearsals, book dancers, and meet with clients,” Natasha explains. “I enjoy it and I make a bit of extra money.”

In February 2016 she auditioned for Mystic India. She joined the show in

March 2016 and has been rehearsing and performing with them since. And it has been a demanding experience.

Natasha dances in up to 18 numbers in one show, and had to learn the show in only one week. The company performs in theatres and casinos. She has performed in Palm Springs, Miami, and Los Angeles and the company is currently booking performances in the Middle East and Europe.

Although Natasha appreciates the opportunities Bollywood dance has offered her, she doesn’t want to restrict herself. She recently joined Project 21, a modern dance company based in Los Angeles. “I am grateful that having Bollywood as a special skill has allowed me to pursue my dance career fully and also travel the world while doing so,” she says. “However, I am excited to work with people like Maura [Townsend, director of Project 21] because I am a true technical dancer at heart and that has always been where my forte lies.”

Although Natasha’s dance career is still in its beginning, she has achieved most of her early goals. “I always wanted to be a professional dancer and now I can finally say that I am one,” she says proudly.

She admits that “being in the game” and learning how it works was a challenge.

Explaining, “Getting cut and getting kept.

Learning where you fit in the industry and being smart enough to realize what I am good for. And learning patience and trusting that things will work out [has all been a challenge.]”

Her advice to young dancers seeking a professional career? In addition to broadening your horizons, she recommends working with as many different choreographers as possible.

“The more choreographers you work with, the more you will learn about what you want. When I moved to LA I had to retrain the way I dance. I had to stylize my dance more. They don’t want to see tricks at audition – they want to see how you interpret and execute the choreography. Remember, there are 100 girls [at an audition] and they can all kick their leg to their face – how are you going to stand out?”

For Natasha Bollywood dance opened a path to a professional career. We look forward to following her journey with other genres of dance.

Fall 2016 | just dance! 9

The National Ballet of Canada’s Big Gamble: Le Petit Prince

by L ori S tra u s

Dylan Tedaldi in Le Petit Prince.

Karen Kain said to the CBC, “Every time you take a risk like this you have no guarantees. You can take the most talented people and put them together and they do either their best work or not.”

On the surface, Le Petit Prince is about a boy who travels to different planets and meets different people before landing on Earth and meeting the Aviator, a pilot who has crashed in the desert. However, each planet and each adventure on Earth go far deeper than a mere story.

10 just dance! | Fall 2016

Lindsay Fischer, Artistic Director of The National Ballet’s YOU Dance and Principal Ballet Master, explained some of the book’s layers in a pre-ballet talk: Not only is it a story about a person’s near-death experience, but it’s also autobiographical, i.e., to some extent, it’s about the writer himself. The story also explores the differences between the world of children and that of adults, of emotional attachment, and of friendship.

because Côté allowed the dancers more freedom in their movements, which doesn’t always happen in a ballet career.

Classic ballets and newer but well-known ones are less of a risk: audiences have decided over decades (and sometimes centuries) what they do and don’t like. A new piece by a new choreographer can be scary because of the high risk of failure involved. Moreover, the choreographer doesn’t carry the risk alone: it gets passed down to the dancers, who have to execute the choreographer’s ideas.

The set design was simple but effective: a black box with circles of various sizes that would open, close, or be used by the dancers as props. It left the entire stage open for the dancers, and Côté’s choreography made use of the space.

Skylar Campbell, first soloist with The National Ballet, danced the role of the Prince during two performances. He found working with Côté was rewarding

“He had a lot of intention and he had a lot of direction but allowed us to change things that maybe fit our bodies better. [...] That was probably the biggest difference in any new work that I’ve been a part of. [...] I praise him for that, for giving us that opportunity.”

In addition, customary stage lighting, where lights shine from above the stage, in the wings, and over the audience, was whittled down to strong lights shining from over the audience and far downstage in the wings.

“It looks quite beautiful in my opinion,” Campbell says. “It creates a whole new element that I’ve never seen before, but

Barbara Cole

T

he National Ballet of Canada took a risk: through a private donation of $2 million, it allowed principal dancer Guillaume Côté to stage his first full-length production. The title? None other than the well-known children’s story Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, which has been translated into over 250 languages and read by millions of people. Suffice it say, it comes with expectations.

dancing on that set is definitely the most challenging.”

Campbell never had a stage run—his first time dancing the role on stage was at his first performance—so the effects of the lighting on his dancing took him a little by surprise.

“It was disorienting turning, knowing where I was in the space. It felt like I was dancing with my eyes closed at some points because it was just that disorienting. [...] It actually grounds you, having that light from the side and on top. When that light is eliminated, you’re basically dancing in the dark.”

The book has so many messages and deeper meanings hidden within

"...working with Côté was rewarding because Côté allowed the dancers more freedom in their movements, which doesn’t always happen in a ballet career." its words that bringing those to life through movement can be difficult, if not impossible. Nevertheless, it was a challenge Campbell had to overcome.

Christopher Wahl, Karolina Kuras (bottom).

“I really tried to embody all of the different planets the Prince went to and what he was feeling in all of those situations and tap into his relationships with the Rose.

These kind of surface-type-of-ideas are concepts that are pretty well explained throughout the book. That is what I was focusing on throughout the ballet.”

The production premiered on June 4th with Dylan Tedaldi as the Prince, Harrison James as the Aviator, and Tanya Howard as the Rose. Reviews were mixed. Michael Crabb of the Toronto Star wrote that James was “splendidly engaged and passionate throughout,” whereas Martha Schabas wrote in the Globe & Mail, “I’ve never seen [James and Tedaldi] look so non-committed and technically shaky, as though they were

(Above: Skylar Campbell) Skylar Campbell in Above: Skylar Campbell. rehearsal.

Skylar Campbell with Artists of the Ballet in company class.

unsure of both the actual steps and the emotional motivation behind them.”

Although Campbell didn’t perform in the premier, the reviews still had an effect on him and the rest of the company: “I think it only fuelled the fire to make us work harder. [...] Ballet is a subjective art form.

It doesn’t mean people shouldn’t go to the show based on the review.”

The reviews were published on the second and third days after the premier, respectively, yet by the third day, only standing-room tickets were available.

It goes to show that even the harshest critics aren’t always right.

Mounting this production took a great deal of courage from everyone at the National Ballet of Canada. I know not everyone will agree with me, but in my eyes, the risk paid off.

About Skylar Campbell Age: 25 years old

7 years with The National Ballet of Canada 1st Soloist Dance training: Started hip hop at age 12, ballet soon after. Scouted at the Prix de Lausanne at age 17.

On jumps: “It’s about the agility of a movement. You’re not just using your legs to jump. You’re using your arms, you’re using your body, you’re using your head.

You’re using all four limbs to help you get up into the air.”

On criticism: “I think, take it with a grain of salt; I don’t think it should affect anyone. [...] It’s not going to go away. Reviews like this, they won’t go away, but it’s something you can improve on. It’s only going to want to make you be better. Why would you not want to be better?”

Fall 2016 | just dance! 11

meetthePro

Meet • Pro:

Keltie Knight

by H e idi T u rn e r

12 just dance! | Fall 2016

{meetthepro}

If you watch The Insider on weekends, you likely recognize co-host Keltie Knight. And though she is known for her role as a television host, Knight got her start as a dancer in Sherwood Park, Alberta.

From dancing in malls and seniors’ homes as a youth, to the big stages in New York, to her role as an entertainment television host, Knight has been through a range of show business experiences and has managed to maintain her upbeat attitude through it all.

Like many professional dancers, Knight started dancing in her hometown as a young girl, when her parents put her in dance class. Her dance school, Sherwood Park School of Dance, had a club called Dance Elite, which performed at malls, seniors’ homes, and trade shows. During her time in that group, Knight developed a love of performing. In high school, she moved to Shelley’s Dance Company in Edmonton, a highly regarded dance school which is owned by Shelley Tookey – mother of Emmy-nominated choreographer Stacey Tookey.

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Although Knight loved dancing, she says she wasn’t actually that good at it and was constantly placed in the back row.

“I remember three things from when I was dancing,” Knight says. “Passing my RAD ballet exam with a ‘commended score;’ when the top of my crushed velvet unitard snapped off during my jazz duet; and watching the senior dancers before me going off and getting jobs and knowing that’s what I was meant to do.”

Dreams of dancing professionally motivated Knight to get a job as a waitress so she could save money to fly to auditions in Toronto and Vancouver. Before she graduated from high school she booked her first job on a cruise line. After only two years on the cruise ship, Knight made the move to New York City where she began training with Broadway Dance Center and started auditioning.

Knight has danced on stage, television, and film, including dancing at the MTV VMAs, Billboard Awards, and for six seasons as a Radio City Rockette. She also danced for the New Jersey Nets and the Knicks City Dancers, and appeared in the movies Enchanted and Footloose. During her professional career, she has shared the stage with Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Kanye West.

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But Knight points out that being a professional dancer is nothing like what she dreamed about growing up.

“There is so little actual dancing,” Knight says. “When I became a professional, I missed those nights at the studio when I would just take class after class. Being professional meant worrying about rent, headshots, and auditions. So much of my career was about overcoming my own self-doubt and waiting in long lines only to not book the gig. It’s a very tough life, and certainly not for the faint of heart.”

Knight credits her difficulties as a young dancer with helping her ultimately succeed as a professional dancer. Because she was used to not being in the front row on stage and not

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winning awards, the rejection didn’t affect her the way it did other dancers.

She says her strong work ethic and sense of professionalism are due to her background in dance. That work ethic has helped her transition to television and host her own podcast, LadyGang.

It was an unpleasant dancing experience that led to Knight retiring from dance and moving into television.

Knight says that during a week of very disorganized rehearsals for a Beyoncé performance, a schedule mix-up occurred and dancers were asked to go without pay for a day of work.

“It was the final straw for me,” Knight says. “Dancers are treated so poorly most of the time, and in my opinion, are certainly underpaid for the amount of talent it takes to be the best in the world.

Keltie Knight’s Favourite Dance Performances

For someone who has danced in many venues with many stars, choosing a favourite performance might be difficult.

Here are Knight’s four most memorable performances: 1. Dancing with Taylor Swift at the MTV VMAs “We were out on the street in front of Radio City and there were only five dancers and I loved Taylor,” Knight says.

“It just felt so important.”

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2. Dancing with Beyoncé at the Billboard Awards “The whole week leading up to the performance had been a disaster.

When we finally got on stage, with all the fire, costumes, and Queen B, I felt so powerful.”

3. Starring in her own Nike campaign “I didn’t realize what a big day it was at the time, or how many people had auditioned. But later, seeing the finished campaign, it was just me, and I looked so cute! It’s still my favourite footage ever.”

4. Dancing in her best friend’s— Christina Perri—Jar of Hearts music video “The whole story of how that song ended up on So You Think You Can Dance was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime story. I was touched she invited me to work on the video with her and it’s my favourite music video of all time.”

{meetthepro} so she was at peace with her decision to retire from dance.

I felt that if Beyoncé couldn’t afford to pay her dancers correctly, then I was going to be poor, living gig-to-gig for the rest of my life. At 28-years-old, I realized I was ready to move on.”

By that point, Knight says, she had done everything she wanted to do as a dancer and had proven she could be successful,

These days, Knight lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Chris Knight, and is the co-host of The Insider weekend edition. She travels around the world interviewing celebrities and has attended events such as the Oscars, the Emmys, The Met Gala, and the Cannes Film Festival. She also co-hosts a weekly podcast called LadyGang, where she interviews a female celebrity each week about life in Hollywood.

In addition to her regular work on The Insider, Knight has appeared on The Talk, Project Runway, and Entertainment Tonight. In 2010, a book about her experiences, Rockettes, Rockstars and Rockbottom, was published under the name Keltie Colleen.

Knight advises young dancers hoping to become professionals to pay attention to the business side of dancing.

“It’s about getting to know the right people, marketing yourself, being in the

right city, getting in with the right agent, and then working on developing those relationships,” Knight says. She also advises dancers to be aware that not every choreographer or director will like them.

The important thing is to keep going.

Knight also points to the importance of appearance in a successful show business career. “Show business can be brutal, but it’s important to be a realist.

You have to have the look.”

Even though she no longer dances professionally, Knight hasn’t stopped her dance training. She says she loves it and it’s important to her that she keep doing things she finds fun, so when possible she takes dance classes and even occasionally teaches master classes.

Knight’s Instagram is keltieknight. Her podcast, LadyGang, can be found at ladygang.com. She can also be seen as a co-anchor on the weekend edition of CBS’s The Insider and as a correspondent on the weekday edition.

Fall 2016 | just dance! 15

historyofdance

The School of Toronto Dance Theatre

by L ori S tra u s

When you think of the 1960s, you likely think of flower children, hippies, and a major blossoming of all that was not prim and proper. It’s likely no coincidence then that modern dance began to flourish in Toronto during this time, having already hit Montreal in the 1940s.

Although there were several modern dance companies that performed once in a while in the 1950s and 1960s, plus a few modern dance festivals, there weren’t any professional companies as we understand them today. Artistic directors from this period included Willy Blok Hanson (19142012), Yoné Kvietys (1924-2011), Nancy Lima Dent (1919-2013), Garbut Roberts (1927-1986), and Bianca Rogge (? -1986).

Then, in 1967, Patricia Beatty founded the New Dance Group of Canada and an accompanying school. Only one year later she joined forces with David Earle and Peter Randazzo and her company and school continued as the Toronto Dance Theatre and its school. All three had strong backgrounds in Graham technique, so they founded the school on that style and vocabulary.

Beatty had studied at Bennington College in Vermont and at the Graham School and had performed with several New York modern dance companies. Randazzo had studied in New York and danced with the Limón and Graham companies. Earle had also studied in New York and danced with the Limón Company, but he had also performed with the London Contemporary Dance Company in England.

In the beginning, the school and company moved often, depending on where space was available. It wasn’t until ten years after opening that both moved into the studios and offices at their current home at 80 Winchester St. in Toronto. The year 1978 was also when the school incorporated separately from the company, but the two are of course still closely affiliated.

16 just dance! | Fall 2016

2016 graduates performing an excerpt from Peggy Baker's Coalesce (2010).

Then, in 1979, the School of Toronto Dance Theatre started its professional training program. Auditions are held twice a year (video audition can be arranged), and applicants must be either a high school graduate or mature student and have at least one year of serious dance training. The curriculum includes technique, creation and improvisation, contextual and professional studies, and interpretation and performance.

Students also have opportunities to dance in works by well-known Canadian and international choreographers, TDT’s own artistic director, Christopher House, and pieces by emerging choreographers.

Third-year students may also present their own choreography.

The school’s students have changed over time. Dancers entering the program are more aware of contemporary and modern dance, thanks to the Internet.

In addition, these dancers are receiving more advanced training from their dance studios and performing arts high schools across Canada. The school has welcomed students from not just across Canada, including from First Nations, but also from around the world: Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, England, France, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, New Zealand, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad, and the United States.

Teaching has changed over the years, too. For example, a deeper understanding of human physiology has made its way into the curriculum, and the school has increased its focus on each dancer’s imaginative and creative expression.

Andrea Roberts, Artistic Coordinator Professional Programs, notes that the school teaches what might be considered a more artistic side to dance as opposed to the commercial side. That’s, of course, not to say that commercial dance can’t be artistic, or that artistic dance can’t be commercial. The school’s curriculum, though, focuses on interpretation and choreography as opposed to music videos and musical theatre productions.

For over a decade now, the School of Toronto Dance Theatre has participated in a post-secondary program with York University. Students who complete the school’s professional program with a minimum B standing can apply to York University’s Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) program. Successful applicants may be able to transfer up to 60 of the required 120 credits towards the university program.

Graduates of the School of Toronto Dance Theatre are everywhere in the dance world. For example, they are directors in over 25 companies in Canada. Graduates are teaching at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre, The Northern School (Leeds U.K.), Rambert Dance Company (London, U.K.), Ryerson University and York University in Toronto, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. As well, many alumni teach at all levels in numerous private studios, intensive programs, and workshops across Canada and internationally.

They’ve also performed in a multitude of companies worldwide.

The School of Toronto Dance Theatre has been around for almost 50 years, and their graduates have reached into many corners of the dance world. It has certainly helped put Canada on the international map as an epicentre for dance development.

Jae Yan

with assistance from the School of TDT: Andrea Roberts, Lilya Sultanova, Susan Macpherson, and Patricia Fraser (school Artistic Director)

{ h i s t o r y of danc e }

School of Toronto Dance Theatre Alumni The school of Toronto Dance Theatre has an impressive alumni list, including: Dr. Peggy Baker

Susanne Chui

Awarded the Order of Canada, Governor General’s Award, the Premier’s Award

Artistic Director of Mocean Dance in Halifax since 2012

Danced with Toronto Dance Theatre, Mikhail Baryshnikov’s White Oak Dance Project, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company Co-founded Dancemakers Dance Company, founded Peggy Baker Dance Projects Currently a National Ballet of Canada artist-in-residence

Performs for Verve Mwendo Dance Company, Gwen Noah Dance, Upstream Orchestra & Zokagagu Founding member of TILT: sound + motion dance company, co-founder of SINS (Sometimes in Nova Scotia) dance collective

Penny Couchie Administrative leader and coArtistic Director of Earth in Motion World Indigenous Dance

Suzanne's headshot: Nick Rudnicki, Peggy's headshot: Cylla von Tiedemann

Co-founder of Aanmitaagzi

Co-owner and co-operator of Big Medicine Studio Core faculty member at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre

BaKari Lindsay Artistic co-founder Collective of Black Artists (COBA) Studied at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Danced for Danny Grossman Dance Company, Artcho Danse Repertoire (Haiti), Jubilation Dance Co. (USA), Toronto Dance Theatre, National Dance Company of Trinidad and Tobago Appeared in original performing cast of Canada’s production of Disney’s The Lion King

BeDance

@BeDanceComp @BeDanceComp

Fall 2016 | just dance! 17

Talent Agents:

by H e idi T u rn e r

W

hen you’ve seen dancers in a movie, television, stage show, or even a commercial, you might have wondered how those dancers booked that job. One way dancers hear about auditions is through a talent agent like Melissa Panton, who works at da Costa Talent Management in Vancouver and Toronto. As a talent agent, Panton finds opportunities for her clients, helping them toward success as professional artists.

Given her love of dance—and her vast experience in it—people who know Panton might not have been at all surprised when she transitioned from a career as a professional dancer into a career as a talent agent. After all, she got her first agent at the age of 18, as she herself was transitioning into the professional dance world. Her experiences as a professional dancer paved the way for her to move into a backstage role, where she now helps young artists make their way in the dance world.

Panton started dancing at the age of three. As a professional, she danced for the Vancouver Grizzlies, the Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Ravens. She also danced in movies and television shows, including Shall We Dance, and Grey Gardens, and performed with Shaggy, Hillary Duff, and Michael Bublé.

Panton’s professional dance career lasted for 15 years before she moved into talent agency.

18 just dance! | Fall 2016

“I was really conscientious about having to take my next steps once my professional dance career slowed down, which it does in your early 30s,” Panton says. “I was with da Costa—they had been my agency from 2002 on—and after being with them for a few years, I started donating my time and shadowing them. I really loved it, being behind the scenes, and using my skill set from school and my professional life.”

In her early 30s, Panton went to college and obtained a diploma in arts administration. After she spent time volunteering at events and learning about talent agents, she became an agent for da Costa Talent Management.

So what does her job entail? Panton finds talented individuals—individuals in the arts whom she sees potential in— mentors them, and provides performance opportunities that match their skill sets.

She also helps broaden their horizons by encouraging them to learn other skills, which opens the door for more opportunities. Dancers who can also sing and act, for example, have more prospects than those who only dance.

Panton’s role as a talent agent also involves marketing and packaging her clients, to increase their chances of success. She works with clients on developing headshots and resumes, and finds jobs or auditions within the industry— including in film, television, theatre and cruise ships—for her clients to try.

Although she represents a variety of artists, Panton says she enjoys working with dancers because it is an important skill set and because of the personalities she sees in dance.

“I love working with dancers because they’re fit, athletic, hardworking and disciplined,” Panton says. “They have all the things that being a top competitive dancer brings you in childhood. And, they’re passionate.”

That said, Panton notes the ideal client is what is commonly referred to as a triple threat, meaning they are skilled at singing, acting, and dancing. Clients under the age of 16 tend to get booked mostly in commercials, where the focus is more on speaking clearly and being confident.

At around the age of 16, the focus shifts more heavily to dancing.

Younger dancers—da Costa’s youngest talent client is six years old—must be aware that they are undertaking a big commitment, both for them and their parents. Auditions can occur at any time of day—including during school hours— so they may be pulled away from their studies or from other activities. They will also need to have their parents around for auditions and time spent on set, so parents will have to give up their time as well.

Dancers who are considering a career as an agent should first get some experience volunteering at dance events and workshops, Panton says, where they can build their skill set and get to know what agents do. She also recommends taking some post-secondary schooling, in arts administration or a related field, to get an edge over the competition.

“Everyone at da Costa has a background in the arts, so we understand what it’s like,” Panton says. “We want everyone to succeed.”

Karolina Turek

Melissa Panton

What they do, & when & why you might need one

”

What to Know if You Are Looking For an Agent...

For those dancers who want an agent, Panton has some advice:

1. Make it easy on the agent you submit your application to.

Most of the information you need to send a full application is on the agent’s website, so go to that first. Don’t send an email to the agent asking for submission information—they often work 10-12 hour days and can receive up to 25 submissions a day, so they don’t have time to respond to questions.

2. Make sure your application is complete.

Check the agent’s website to see exactly what they want in a submission and be sure to include everything. Do not submit a partial or incomplete package, because they will not have time to

respond to you or follow up. Make sure you send in a headshot and a demo reel that has solo or studio footage.

3. Find a reputable agent.

If you know someone who has a good agent, ask questions about how the agency works, what they like about their agent, and how the agency treats them. There are also websites that list reputable agents, including Better Business Bureau and UBCP/ACTRA (the Union of BC Performers/Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists). Keep in mind, agencies have to be licenced to operate.

4. Meet with several agents before choosing one.

Panton says the relationship between an artist and an agent is a close one that requires mutual trust. Don’t just choose

the first agent you find—go to meetings and bring questions for them. If you are under the age of 18, do not meet an agent without a parent present. And do not sign with an agent without meeting in person at least once.

5. Watch for warning signs.

Legitimate agencies are not allowed to advertise, so they cannot use television and radio commercials to find business.

Agencies will either find you by scouting at showcases and competitions or by reviewing your submissions. Reputable agencies also will not promise work to clients—they can’t guarantee any client will book a particular job—and they are not allowed to charge any money to register you as a client. Avoid any organization that charges fees up front.

Check to make sure the agency is listed with UBCP/ACTRA and with Employment Standards.

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The best advice I have received from my teachers is “dance for yourself like no one is watching; put your own personality into your dance; dance against yourself at competition and don’t worry about others; and always support other dancers with a positive spirit.”

Victoria B.

Age: 16

Niagara Dance and Fitness Studio, Beamsville, ON The best advice I have ever been given is from my teachers at my studio. My teachers always tell me, “Dance for yourself and reach to be better than you’ve been before.”

This allows me to perform from my heart and I forget about the judges and competitors watching me. I go up on the stage and I dance for me and my teachers.

Respond to Win!

For Winter 2016 just dance! wants to know what is your favourite dance costume?

Send us a photo of you in your favourite costume, along with your name, age, and the name of the studio where you dance and the city it is located in, to info@justdancemagazine.com by October 25, 2016 All respondents are automatically entered to win a FREE one-year subscription to just dance! magazine and this lovely Saraswati bodysuit from Ainsliewear's Little India Collection. (Saraswati is the Goddess of Knowledge, Music and All Creative Arts.)

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Aliyah P.

Age: 14

Rose Pointe Dance Company Winnipeg, MB

The best dance advice I’ve received is to “let go.” My dance teacher noticed me getting so anxious about doing something wrong that I’d hold myself back while performing. She told me to let go of the need to do things perfectly and to just perform. After my dance teacher told me I needed to let go I started to perform like myself again.

Let go of the need to do the routine perfectly and just show the audience a performance to remember!

What is the best dance advice you have ever received? (part II) Petra I.

Age: 12

Turning Point Academy of Dance Castlegar, BC

The best dance advice I have received from my dance teachers is “don’t practise until you get it right, practise until you can’t get it wrong.”

Nevaeh S.

Age: 11

Studio 89, Spruce Grove, AB

The best dance advice I have ever been given is “practice makes perfect; remember the basics; and you must believe to achieve.”

Rachel W.

Age: 14

Dynamic Dance Studio, Abbotsford, BC

The best dance advice I’ve ever received was from my RAD challenge coach who advised that I should always perform in class because if you don’t practice in class you will never learn to perform on stage.

Lily M.

Age: 11

Dynamic Dance Studio Abbotsford, BC

The best dance advice I’ve ever got is, when someone discourages you, never let them push you down or think you are not good at dance because you lost in a competition. Always keep your head up and never let someone push you down to the bottom. Never ever feel like you don’t belong. In your heart you know you’re born to be a dancer!!

Jess L.

Age: 13

Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts, Nanaimo, BC The best dance advice I have ever received is that you will never be perfect. We should strive to be the best we can be today and strive to be better tomorrow.

Fall 2016 | just dance! 21

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Toronto Dance Teacher Expo

she says, so she tries to work with many choreographers. She advises, “Leave your ego at the door so you can take risks and not be so afraid of trying out new genres or working with different people.”

B y L ori S tra u s

Freshfx believes that keeping an open mind also helps you see all the connections between different styles of dance, which can feed your inspiration. “… make your own decision, whatever connects to you internally, and then take those ideas and make your own mosaic.”

A

t the beginning of August, the Toronto Dance Teacher Expo hosted its first dance/ choreography competition called Battle of the Stars: 10 finalists out of over 100 entries were selected to compete for a total of $8,500 in prizes, and each dancer had to be the choreographer of their solo.

The dancers ranged in experience, age, and style. So what does it take to become a choreographer? I spoke with all ten competitors to find out.

1. Music

Lady C (3rd place) first chooses a strong piece of music by an artist she respects. That level of respect helps her create choreography that introduces the audience to nuances of the music.

“I want what I’m doing onstage to be a visual interpretation of the instrumentation and the music, little subtle musical cues that maybe the audience wouldn’t have heard unless they saw me do a little move to it,” she explains.

2. Style

Kelly Gammie likes combining two unlikely dance styles: “I do try to meld my interest in hip hop with contemporary and try to find dancers that are willing to cross boundaries.”

3. You When you choreograph, speak from your heart, advises Lady C. But don’t play it safe. “At the end of the day, you don’t want to look like everyone else.

Otherwise you’re just putting together moves on a stage which, you know, is not that special of a skill,” she says.

Miles Faber became known to Canada in 2008 during the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada? He now choreographs commercially. “The main struggle for me would be how to say what I want to say but still keep it within the pop realm in terms of likability and in terms of making sure everyone’s happy.”

4. Keep learning

Karly Bon focused on jazz, contemporary, and acro at her studio. She didn’t discover a passion for hip hop until she became professional. “I definitely know that’s also a world that I want to pursue and I’m really, really working on that now,” she says.

Self-taught hip-hopper Shawn de Ocampo has also taken classes in contemporary and ballet. “You learn how to learn, you learn how to teach, taking every type of class there is out there,” he says.

From left: Second place winner, third place winner, and first place winner Cora Kozaris with TDTE Director Kent McCord.

24 just dance! | Fall 2016

5. Be open Amanda Donato isn’t quite ready to choreograph her own works just yet,

6. Remember your foundations Gammie suggests using your foundation and technique as a springboard for your own ideas.

Hip-hopper PYRO agrees: “Take class and learn your techniques and your foundations and your history of whatever dance style that it is you’re doing so you can find the importance behind every single technique and move that you do.”

7. Different venues Jennie Pappas, whom you may know as Chloe from The Next Step, choreographs for competition. A challenge for her has been adjusting between television and studio competition: “On a screen, you get shrunken down,” she says. That meant making her dancing “grander,” as she described it.

All ten dancers fit into either contemporary/ modern or hip hop, and yet I saw ten different interpretations and expressions showing themselves to the audience and me that night. Perhaps that is the highest goal for any choreographer and also the most difficult to achieve.

Winner: Cora Kozaris Age: 27 | Years dancing: 20 On winning: “My piece derived from such an emotional place, a really hurtful place. And for that to be turned into such a positive is an incredible feeling of healing and enlightenment and just what the universe is sending me right now. Oh man, I’m just so honoured. I’m shocked.”

On her work: “My stuff is usually very dark. I always say I keep my art dark so that I can stay light.”

On choreographing: “A lot of people choreograph strictly through [the] mental.

All my stuff comes from my gut. So that’s where I pull from. It comes from the soul; it comes from the emotion. And then the movement is really secondary.”

Watch her solo here: youtube.com/watch?v=3gLNlZKkXfs

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Fall 2016 | just dance! 25

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2016-2017 Professional Training Schools’ Audition Tours

For those of you interested in pursuing formal training at one of Canada’s many dance schools, Fall and Winter is audition season. Check out these schools’ websites to find out when their audition tour is coming to your area.

kind of What do you e danc e end of h t do at er? mm su er: The ) Answ (tan-go Tango

schoolofalbertaballet.com/professional-division/ audition-dates.html

National Ballet School of Canada This Fall and Winter a team of Canada’s National Ballet School artistic staff will travel across the country on a National Audition Tour (NAT). The Tour stops in approximately 20 Canadian cities. Admission to the Professional Ballet Program is based on a two-stage audition process. The NAT is the first stage, while the Summer School Program is the second stage.

26 just dance! | Fall 2016

Every rabbit’s favourite genre of dance o i p h p h

Word DefinitionS

Ballet Jorgen - George Brown Dance

victoriaacademyofballet.ca/audition-information

G

canadacouncil.ca/council/grants/find-a-grant/ grants/travel-grants-to-dance-professionals

rwb.org/school/professional-division/audition

Acceptance into VAB’s programs is ongoing and auditions (both in person and by video) will be accepted at any time. Each year auditions are held in Canada as well as in other countries including Japan, Mexico, and USA.

h r r t

Arabesque

A position where the gesture leg is extended behind the dancer’s body at 90 degrees or higher, which requires the hip and spine hyperextension, knee extension, and ankle-foot plantarflexion.

Battements

An extension of the leg to the front, side, or back.

Jeté A “throwing step” where a leaping jump is executed from one foot to another. The forward leg battements to the front, and the other leg follows in arabesque.

Top photo: Bruce Monk, courtesy of RWBS, joke source: jokes4us.com

Students can participate in the 2016/17 Audition Tour to gain acceptance into the Professional Division Summer Session (July 2017) in Winnipeg, which serves as the audition phase to gain acceptance into the Regular Session, which starts in September 2017.

Victoria Academy of Ballet

Mmaaaah

The Canada Council for the Arts offers Travel Grants for Professional Dancers. This program assists individual Canadian dance professionals to travel on unique occasions to attend or participate in activities that are important to the development of their artistic practice or career. You may apply for one of the following fixed amounts of $500, $750, $1,000, $1,500, $2,000 or $2,500.

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The School of Alberta Ballet Dancers ages 9 and up are invited to audition for the School of Alberta Ballet’s 2017 Summer Intensive - a three-week-long audition process for students wishing to attend the full-year Professional Division program. Auditions will take place in eight cities across Canada starting in November 2016.

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Where are the

28 just dance! | Fall 2016

e heynow?

Laura Zeke Photography

In October 2012, just dance! published its first issue with the objective of informing, inspiring, and celebrating young Canadian dancers. Since then, we are proud to brag, more than four dozen young Canadian performing artists have been featured in our pages. We thought it would be fun to track down some of our Spotlight and Cover dancers from our first three years and find out what they have been up to since we introduced them to you.

Fall 2016 | just dance! 29

The Young Ones

Emma Heiden

by R ac qu e l Foran

Emma Heiden brought a perfect holiday touch to the cover of our second issue in November 2012. Only ten years old and decked out in her soldier’s costume for Goh Ballet’s Nutcracker, her photo embodied everything just dance! hoped to represent: youthful enthusiasm for dance! Her energy was infectious.

She loved dance, particularly character ballet because she “liked Emma the shoes and skirts.”

Heiden And she wanted nothing more than to be on pointe by the time she was 12.

In the years since she graced our cover, a few things have changed. She moved from the Greater Vancouver region to Vancouver Island, so no longer dances with Goh Ballet, but rather at Lighthouse Academy of Dance in Victoria, BC. And

although she is now almost 14 years old, she still hasn’t achieved her goal of being on pointe, saying, “I work way harder now than when I was 10.”

Emma’s focus is still on ballet, but she has expanded her training to include contemporary and she says this is now her favourite style. “I like contemporary because I get to express more emotion.” She also would like to take hip hop.

Emma dances three days a week (six hours) at Lighthouse. She says her greatest dance accomplishments so far have been being on the cover of just dance! and choreographing a lyrical duet. She adds that being on the cover helped her feel more confident when she dances.

In the fall of 2016, in addition to her classes at Lighthouse, she will be attending the Royal Bay Dance Academy at Royal Bay Secondary School in Victoria. She wants to improve her core strength and flexibility and

looks forward to the opportunity to choreograph more dances. We will keep you posted on how she’s doing!

Natalie Thornley-Hall

by Andr e a Alban e s e

Natalie Thornley-Hall’s commitment to ballet has only intensified since she appeared on the cover of just dance! in January 2013.

She has attended summer intensives at the School of American Ballet (SAB) and Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB), and made the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) finals in New York three years running. In 2014, she accepted a scholarship to train at Next Generation Ballet in Tampa, FL, and 2015 found her even farther away in Stuttgart, Germany, dancing on scholarship at the world-renowned John Cranko Schule.

In Stuttgart, Natalie, now 15, lives in residence, attends a local German school and dances 20 to 25 hours a week. Dancers study the exacting Vaganova syllabus, modern, and Spanish dance, as well as attending daily rehearsals for classical and contemporary repertoire. Natalie says, “The training is great because the teachers and students are all so dedicated and the teachers try to help everyone individually.”

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Natalie Thornley-Hall

CLASSES FOR AGES 3 & UP bboy | hip hop |acro | tap | ballet | jazz | contemporary | adult burlesque/cabaret | adult hip hop | adult tap

Register Online CONTACT US 778.232.0868 Her academic studies were a bit of a challenge at first; as a non-German speaker, Natalie spent six months taking intensive German classes until her language skills were judged to be good enough to attend public school, taught entirely in German. She now studies up to ten subjects in German and says, “The German school is very difficult but we all work together and get through the year.”

The next few years will bring big changes for Natalie. She will graduate from high school next year in Germany. She then hopes to attend The Academy at the John Cranko Schule full-time for two years. Upon graduating as a ‘statecertified classical dancer’, Natalie hopes to dance her way around Europe.

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Aiden Cass

Aiden Cass Laura Zeke Photography

by A ndr e a Alban e se The dance dreams and goals of Aiden Cass have definitely evolved since he was ‘In the Spotlight’ in our March 2013 issue. We interviewed Aiden when he was doing the half-day program at North Shore Academy of Dancing (NSAD) and performing and competing in everything from ballet to hip hop— which he continued to do until gradating high school in June 2015. Aiden also took classes at Harbour Dance and attended various conventions and

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Fall 2016 | just dance! 31

summer intensives including Groove Street and Fresh Dance Intensive. However, his most significant move was attending the Modus Operandi (MO) Summer Intensive last year.

Modus Operandi is an innovative Vancouver-based dance program/company that gives emerging dancers a foundation to develop their technique and a vision to help them transition into the professional world. Attending their summer intensive proved to be a life-changing experience for Aiden as he embraced the dream of a contemporary dance career. Following hard upon the heels of the intensive, he took action and, in the fall of 2015, started the MO program where he’s just finished his first year training. Aiden says, “I train with MO 23 hours per week and I’m loving every minute of it.”

Aiden’s training is contemporary based and focusses more on dance as an art than as a commercial endeavour. Now 19, Aiden says, “I used to want to dance very commercially, but as of now, I am much more interested in contemporary companies and working with one of them.” Aiden’s training at MO is a key component in helping him move toward his goal of becoming a professional contemporary dancer.

COLBY MACKENZIE

by Racquel Foran

She still dances at Encore Dance Academy in Port Coquitlam, BC, but is now part of her school district’s EPIC program, which allows her to spend more time at dance. She leaves school early every day so she can start dance at two o’clock in the afternoon. She spends approximately 25 hours a week at Encore. In addition to this, she attends as many conventions and camps as possible, and won the Ultimate Threat title at Triple Threat Dance Convention in December 2015. Her prize included a partial scholarship to Fusion Dance Camp, which she attended in July 2016.

Colby has also developed a special relationship with another of our cover dancers, Danielle Gardner, attending as many of Gardner’s intensives as possible. Gardner has also coached Colby twice as a member of Team Canada Dance. The second time around, Colby performed a modern solo that ultimately won her a silver medal. “That was sure an exciting moment as I sat on the stage with eight other kids for the finals, with Danielle standing by 32 just dance! | Fall 2016

Laura Zeke Photography (bottom and opposite page top)

Colby Mackenzie was only 10 years old when she and her dance studio and Team Canada friend Alyssa Oram Colby proudly waved Mackenzie the Canadian flag on the cover our November 2013 issue. The two girls were excited to be representing their country at the International Dance Organization World Championships for the first time. And as with all the dancers in this feature, Colby has been very busy since we first met her.

the stage. Both of our mouths dropped open when my name was not called for the 6th, 5th, or 4th places and we knew I got a medal! After I came home from Poland I took that solo to Youth America Grand Prix where I placed in the top 12 dancers.”

Colby says her greatest achievement so far is not something she has won, but rather something she has learned.

“I used to be very shy and I would get very scared before I went on stage,” she explains, “but I learned to be brave and to just trust myself and my teachers. Being on the cover of just dance! helped me as well because it helped my confidence.

People would see me and say ‘Hey, you were with your friend on the cover of the magazine for Team Canada.’”

Alyssa says that being a member of Team Canada and on the cover of just dance! were highlights of her young life. “I was able to share my experience of being a dancer for Team Canada at the World’s in Poland with others when I was 11 years old, so that changed me. And I got recognized for being on the cover, which was pretty cool.”

Her primary goal for the future is to develop and grow as a dancer, adding that she plans to apply corrections from every teacher and always try and do better than the last performance.

Natasha Orchison

by H e idi T u rn e r

First spotlighted in the Fall 2014 issue of just dance!, Natasha Orchison has continued to develop as a dance student at Abbotsford Dance Centre.

Now 13 years old, Natasha recently added musical theatre, pointe, and contemporary to her already full schedule, which included lyrical, jazz, ballet and acro.

Her plans for the future are to just keep learning. “I love dancing and I want to just keep developing and see what happens. Winning is nice but it is not the most important thing. The most important thing is to be kind and have fun. Dance lets me do that every day.”

Alyssa Oram

Alyssa Oram

by R ac qu e l Foran Alyssa Oram was another “young one” when she and Colby Mackenzie were on the cover of just dance! in November 2013; only 11 years old at the time, she recently turned 14. Like Colby, she still dances at Encore Dance Academy, spending 23 hours a week at the Port Coquitlam studio. Also like all the dancers featured in this article, as much of her spare time as possible is devoted to attending workshops, intensives and camps.

Competitions are also a large part of Alyssa’s dance world, and improving her results year over year is something she consistently works to achieve. She is particularly pleased to have had four of her solos place at Surrey Festival in 2016.

Fall 2016 | just dance! 33

Among Natasha’s role models are her teachers, Aimee Payne, Mackenzie Kelly, and Chelsea Schurko, all of whom she credits as being good, supportive teachers.

“I also really look up to Danielle Gardner, because she is a good role model and a good dancer,” Natasha says.

Transitioning from the Teens Despite the new dance styles, Natasha’s favourite is still jazz. “I like how upbeat the music is,” Natasha says. “It has lots of energy and I’m good at jumps. It’s easier to put jumps into jazz than other styles.”

In addition to jumps, Natasha has added a number of acro tricks to her repertoire.

She’s working on a back tuck and has learned back handsprings and aerials.

In the future, she’d like to try hip hop dancing, and wants to take more master classes and conventions. Overall, her main dancing goal is to continue improving.

Natasha attends a variety of competitions, such as Star Talent, Core, Dance Power, and Shine, and says she has been achieving better results every year. Her favourite competitions are Star Talent and Core.

Lacey Cebula

by Heidi T u rn e r

Since she was featured ‘In the Spotlight’ in our Summer 2014 issue, Lacey Cebula, now 22, has been busy performing and teaching dance around Greater Vancouver. In addition to teaching six days a week at Project Dance in Chilliwack, BC, Cebula has performed back-up for Elise Estrada, started filming a movie, and continues taking summer intensives.

“I did Elise Estrada’s music video, U Don’t Need 2 Know, and I did some shows [with her], including a fundraiser for the Philippines when the earthquake hit,” Cebula says. “Every job I have experienced with her has been great.

Back-up dancing live—as opposed to on camera—is so different. There’s a bit more pressure, but it’s awesome. My dream is to go on ContaCt Us aboUt tour with an artist.”

Late RegistRation (Late registration fee applies after August 1st)

all-4-dance.com Unit 108 - 19292 60th Ave {between Cloverdale & Langley} dancewtme2@gmail.com 34 just dance! | Fall 2016

Cebula also has a dancing role in the movie, Hot Street, which focusses on hip hop crews and is filmed in Vancouver.

Cebula’s role is as a member of one of the hip hop crews, and while it is not a speaking role, it requires a great deal of dancing.

As well as going on as many auditions as she can fit into her schedule, Cebula continues her dance training. This summer marks the fourth year she’ll go to Los Angeles to participate in the Mather Dance Company summer intensive.

Lacey Cebula

As for her goals, Cebula says they’ve just grown stronger since she was featured in just dance! “It’s almost like my dance life is just starting now,” she says. “I’m taking every opportunity I can and trying to make it work.”

Tamara Dawson

by R ac qu e l F oran

For our Fall 2014 cover, Mona D’Amours of 5678 Showtime captured the passion and commitment that Tamara Dawson brings to every dance performance.

This, along with her diverse talent, is the reason Tamara was named National Dancer of the Year in the 13 & Up category at their 2014 event, earning her not only the title, but also the spot on our cover.

Tamara says winning National Dancer of the Year at 5678’s National Competition with eight solos has been her greatest accomplishment to date. “It took several

Tamara Dawson

Laura Zeke Photography (top left, bottom image and opposite page)

Natasha Orchison

The film Cebula is working on, Hot Street, has a few connections to just dance! magazine. Produced and choreographed by Paul Becker, who we featured in our Summer 2016 ‘Meet the Pro’ article, the film also includes the acting talents of Travis Lim, who we featured ‘In the Spotlight’ and on our cover in Winter 2015. The film is slated for release in 2017.

the World Hip Hop Championships in Las Vegas in August 2016. “As,” Ryan reminds us, “the Canadian Champions!”

years to reach this goal. I worked my butt off and fully dedicated myself,” she adds that being on the cover of just dance! inspired her to take on even bigger goals, which she is still doing. “And,” she says, “it also gave me more reason to inspire those around me.”

Ryan Morrissette

She has been busy working on her craft for the last two years. She travelled to Paris and Barcelona for the 5678 Showtime Dance Tours; she has joined several dance training programs; and she has started teaching dance for the Township of Langley, BC.

Jaydee-Lynn McDougall

by R ac qu e l F oran

Jaydee-Lynn McDougall was already working hard on her dancing career when we featured her on the cover of

Her primary focus right now, however, is auditioning for the cruise ships. “I wish to dance on a cruise ship travelling the world. As for the distant future, wherever life takes me.”

Training tomorrow’s dance artists

THE SCHOOL OF TORONTO DANCE THEATRE

Ryan Morrissette

SUMMER INTENSIVES - JULY 2017

by R ac qu e l Foran

When we last spoke with him he had just formed his own production company, RM Productions, and he was auditioning dancers for his first hip hop crew, Cloud 9.

“It has been going fantastic!” was Ryan’s enthusiastic response when asked how things have progressed in the last year.

“Cloud 9 has been competing and winning competitions all over Greater Vancouver,” he offered proudly, “including Synergy, Next Level Hip Hop, and HipHop Battlegrounds!”

pre-professional and teen modern/contemporary programs

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM

conservatory style, three-year, post-secondary conse program in contemporary dance Margarita Soria © Cylla von Tiedemann

Ryan Morrissette first appeared on the cover of just dance! with the hip hop crew FRESHH in March 2013, and then we put him ‘In the Spotlight’ in Winter 2014.

We were inspired by Morrisette from the moment we met him and were sure that he was going to build a dance career for himself on his own terms. For his part, Ryan says that being featured in just dance! definitely got his face out there as a choreographer and brought a lot of new opportunities to the table.”

“Winning CHHC’s MegaCrew Division with TwoFourSeven is by far my most proud achievement to date,” Ryan added. And he encouraged just dance! readers to follow their journey.

Auditions for September 2017: February 5 + July 15, 2017 (Toronto) Video auditions available

schooloftdt.org Registered as a private career college under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005

Auditions for the 2016–2017 season took place at DanceFX in Maple Ridge, BC, in mid-August; Ryan hopes for even bigger and better things for the crew in its second season.

In addition to teaching and choreographing Cloud 9, Ryan is also a member of the mega-crew TwoFourSeven. They recently won first place at the Canadian Hip Hop Championships in Montreal, which earned them the right to compete at Fall 2016 | just dance! 35

Grown-Up Success

Danielle Gardner

by Racqu e l F oran

Jaydee-Lynn McDougall

our Spring 2015 issue. And she has not slowed down since, racking up awards and accolades at multiple events. Most notably she won the Protégé Award two years in a row at The PULSE On Tour. This allowed her to travel to and compete in Chicago, Portland, Palm Springs, Boston, Toronto, Las Vegas, and New York City for the finals. “I also got to train with many amazing choreographers,” she says, “including Brian Friedman, Dave Scott, Cris Judd, Tricia Miranda, and Sisco Gomez.”

Jaydee-Lynn also travelled to Los Angeles to train at the Edge School of Performing Arts, MILLENNIUM, and Movement Lifestyle, dancing 25-plus hours a week in a variety of disciplines, while also taking ten hours of acting classes each week. “It was an amazing experience to be on my own and just focus on dancing and having fun with the art of dance and acting.”

She has also been diversifying her dance work experience by assisting at Triple Threat Dance Convention and 5678 Showtime. And she choreographs and teaches at the dance studio where she has trained since she was nine years old, Kickit Dance Studio in Winnipeg.

In addition to continuing to work on her dancing and acting, Jaydee-Lynn is working to obtain a degree in Education and Kinesiology in order to create even more opportunities for her future.

Jaydee-Lynn says being on the cover of just dance! definitely gave her recognition. Admitting that she is not one to seek praise, she adds, “I was quite taken back by the article and how it showcased my accomplishments.”

36 just dance! | Fall 2016

In Winter 2014, Gemini Visuals provided us with a gorgeous photo of Danielle Gardner that we couldn’t resist putting on our cover. The image was festive, fun, cheeky, confident, and powerful all wrapped in one – just like the dancer herself. Some of the reasons we like working with her so much.

We have included Gardner in our pages several times since we first met her as head choreographer for Team Canada Dance when we were putting together our Premier issue in October 2012. She spent three more years as the lead of the Team Canada Dance West while also building her career in other ways, before deciding to take a break in 2015.

“In the year and a bit since I stepped down from running Team Canada in the West, I decided to dedicate my time off to living! Being a human, not just a choreographer or artist. I traveled around Canada and the US and took classes from industry greats while soaking in culture. Sometimes you just have to step back and press the refresh button.”

Just because Gardner decided to step back, doesn’t mean that her creative and entrepreneurial juices weren’t still flowing. She has developed a new intensive, ChoreoLab , for emerging teachers and choreographers that will launch this September in Vancouver.

Through her company, Impact Dance Productions, she will also be offering a dance education program to serious

dance students within a Greater Vancouver public school district. And she has also teamed up with some photographers and videographers to give young dancers all of the tools they need, like headshots and demo reels, to enter into the world of professional dance.

Even with all of that, Gardner has decided to return as lead choreographer of Team Canada Dance West. When asked what motivated her to return she replied, “My answer is short and sweet: the children are magical. One thing that was missing from my adventures away was the magic of the children. They are caring, kind, and when spoken to with respect, can really open your eyes to how wonderful the human race can be.

These kids give me hope.”

Gardner has many dance goals she would like to achieve over the next few years, including going to Germany, Prague, and Australia to choreograph, but she seems more focussed on personal goals. “My most recent goal in life is to find happiness in all that I do, whether it be in dance or a completely different field. If you are happy you then bring happiness to those around you, and I feel very strongly that is my purpose in life.”

She also hopes to start a family. “If you know me at all you know my biggest and most important goal is to start a family,” she said, then declaring, “Danielle Gardner was meant to be a mommy!” We’ll keep you posted on any announcements.

About the photograher: Laura Zeke The arts are what I live to capture…

When dancers are in front of the lens it’s a struggle for me to put the camera down.

With each movement more ideas emerge.

Growing up dancing gave me a great appreciation for the arts in every form.

When I found photography it was only fitting that my two worlds collided.

Danielle Gardner

Whether on-stage or on-set, I photograph an artist in a way that’s more of a partnership than a photo shoot: working together to create images that capture the strength and beauty behind each individual movement.

Check out Laura’s website: laurazeke.com For bookings contact: info@laurazeke.com

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Visit our website for direct links to listings’ websites: justdancemagazine.com

ACADEMIES, SCHOOLS & STUDIOS All-4-Dance all-4-dance.com dancewtme2@gmail.com Cloverdale, BC Armstrong Dance armstrongdance.ca info@armstrongdance.ca 250 546 0308 Armstrong, BC Arts Umbrella artsumbrella.com info@artsumbrella.com 604 681 5268 x0 Vancouver, BC Avant Dance Company avantdance.ca avant@avantdance.ca 778 875 0708 Burnaby, BC Boswell Dance Academy boswelldance.com info@boswelldance.com 604 522 4424 New Westminster, BC DanceFX dancefxmapleridge.ca dancefxmapleridge@gmail.com 778 232 0868 Maple Ridge, BC Defy Gravity Dance Company defygravitydance.com office@defygravitydance.com 604 294 4677 Richmond, BC

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Audition to be a part of the cast!

Open Company Auditions Sunday, September 11, 2016 Junior Intermediate Senior

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