just dance! | Winter 2014 | Vol. 3 | Issue II

Give an experience this holiday season pgs 28 & 29

irl g r e v o c r u O Gardner

e Danieltlo bout a s u talks m Canada Tea

& more

Winter 2014 | Vol. 3 | Issue II

The pros share audition advice p.9

Ryan Morrissette is In the Sp o tligh t

HEALTHY HOLIDAY PARTY SNACKS dancers share their HST experience

Canada’s 2015 Competitions:

who, when, where + what you need to know

justdancemagazine.com $4.00 PMA #42721520

INThISISSUE

Features: Preparing for Poland with Team Canada ................................... 13

By Racquel Foran The Hollywood Summer Tour: One Dancer’s Experience............. 25

By Lauren Denysek Holiday Gift Guide: The Experience Issue.......................................... 28

Knowledge Base: AuDitions 101 (Part II): Tips from the Pros............................................. 9

By Jacqueline Steuart Holiday Recipes from Fit to Eat............................................................ 30

By Laura Discepola Canadian Competitions: Everything You Need to Know for the 2015 Season.................................................................. 31

by Jacqueline Steuart

in every issue: In the spotlight Ryan Morrissette.......................................................... 5

By Racquel Foran Suzanne Sits down with Danielle Gardner........................................ 18 Just Dance! Wants to know What is Your Favourite Music or Song to Dance to + Why? ...................................................... 21 History of Dance: Hip Hop: Breaking and Beyond.......................... 22

By Racquel Foran Balance: Screen Time and Your Body................................................. 41

By Rochelle Blaak Cover Shot: Danielle Gardener | Credit: Gemini Visuals.

just dance! would like to say a special thank you to Adrienne Thiessen of Gemini Visuals for the many photos she contributed to this issue, including our fabulous cover shot. Adrienne says, "I love to shoot dance for the creative artistic opportunities, and the chance to work with amazing strength, beauty and talent. To capture the action at that perfect moment, and to work with such stunning passionate artists." Contact geminivisuals.com

Spend summer 2015 learning from the pros in LA! just dance! is awarding 3 scholarships to

This INVITATION ONLY career dance intensive is for advanced dancers who are interested in learning about the commercial dance industry in Hollywood. Participants are mentored by top industry professionals who are actively working in the entertainment industry in LA. HST accepts only a select group of dancers who apply from all over the world to attend this prestigious program.

Enter to win 1 of 3 $500 Scholarships (1 Kidz, 1 Teenz, 1 Adultz scholarship available) Send us a link to a video of you dancing along with a brief paragraph explaining why would like to attend the HST to info@justdancemagazine.com with the subject line HST Scholarship no later than March 15, 2015. Winners will be announced April 1, 2015.

thehollywoodsummertour.com | justdancemagazine.com Winter 2014 | just dance! 3

FromThePublisher

I

t is hard to believe that we are already publishing the Winter 2014 issue of just dance! It seems like everyone just got back to the studio and here we are already planning for the Holiday season, and 2015 competitions.

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This issue features our 3rd Annual Holiday Gift Guide, but we took a different approach this time. We believe giving experiences rather than things is a wonderful way to share over the holidays, so we have compiled a list of some of our favourite things to do, instead of our favourite things to have. With this in mind, I also encourage you to get out and enjoy one of the many holiday dance performances this year. From Victoria, BC to St. John’s, Newfoundland dozens of amateur and professional companies will be staging the Nutcracker and other special holiday productions, and the performers always appreciate a full audience.

I am also very excited to be publishing our first ever Canadian Competition Guide.

When writer Jacqueline Steuart started to do research for the article, she and I were both surprised to discover that there are now more than 70 different companies that host dance competitions across Canada each year. And this does not include most dance festivals, ballroom dancing, or cultural dance (e.g. Irish, Scottish, Indian, etc.). That is a lot for dancers, parents and studio owners to keep track of. We hope our handy chart listing and comparing each organizer’s events, answers some of your most pressing questions and helps you wade through the competition season.

As always, this issue is also celebrating young Canadian dancers. I am thrilled to have Ryan Morrissette ‘In the Spotlight’ this issue – his love and enthusiasm for both dance and life are sure to inspire you. Suzanne Ouellette talks with our cover girl Danielle Gardener - her dedication to sharing her passion and drive with young dancers through Team Canada Dance is heartwarming. And the hard work and dedication of Team Canada Dance members as revealed in the interview with four of the western team dancers, will likely leave you feeling awed and exhausted.

I am very pleased with the steady growth just dance! has experienced. With every month that passes we develop more and stronger relationships with industry insiders across the country, and even from the US. We bring 2014 to a close feeling confident about our future and eagerly anticipating what 2015 has to offer. Thank you to our readers and advertisers for your continuing support.

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Happy holidays and all the best in 2015.

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Keep dancing!

4 just dance! | Winter 2014

34A - 2755 Lougheed Hwy Suite 212 Port Coquitlam, BC V3B 5Y9 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 Operations Assistant Meagan O’Connor Advertising Sales Jackie Greenhalgh jackie@justdancemagazine.com Contributors Rochelle Blaak Laura Discepola Suzanne Ouellette Jacqueline Steuart

just dance! magazine is available for $14 per year (4 issues) To subscribe visit justdancemagazine.com Please return undeliverable addresses to: 0970200 BC Ltd. 1220 Gabriola Drive Coquitlam, BC V3E 1G3 Tel: 778 239 9194 Publication Mail Agreement No. 42721520 Copyright © just dance! magazine 2014: Material appearing in this publication may not be reproduced in print or electronically without written permission of the publisher, and without proper credit given. Editorial viewpoints and opinions do not necessarily reflect the view of the publishers.

Advertising and Photo Submissions: Ads must be submitted as a PDF or a high-res TIFF file.

Photos embedded in ads must be converted to CMYK. All ads and photo submissions must be a minimum of 300 dpi. Please contact the art director at laura@justdancemagazine.com with any questions regarding advertisement or photo submission guidelines.

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—Racquel

A

{ in t h e sp o t l i g h t }

t just dance! magazine our objective always is to “inform, inspire, & celebrate young performing artists.” When selecting our Spotlight dancer for each issue we want the dancer’s story to fulfill at least one of these criteria. In this issue’s Spotlight dancer, we found all three.

Ryan Morrissette’s journey from toddler in his mother’s dance studio to young professional dancer is full of lessons for our young readers. The personal challenges he has had to face and overcome make the word inspire seem small and insignificant by comparison.

And his success against all odds, along with his enthusiasm for life and dance are definitely worth celebrating.

Ryan is a study in contradictions. If you were to judge him solely by his appearance, you might do so unkindly.

With his hair sheared at the sides, tattooed body, and bulging biceps, dancer would not likely be the first thing that comes to mind when you see him; but Ryan is. Nor would you necessarily expect a guy that looks like this to say he is never afraid to fail; but Ryan did.

And you definitely wouldn’t think that this strong, confident, talented dancer has been battling a life-threatening disease all his life; but Ryan has.

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R. Foran

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Ryan’s mom Teresa has always owned a dance studio so it is not particularly surprising that he started dancing at two years old. What is surprising is that when Ryan first started dancing, it was against the advice of medical experts. Ryan has Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a genetic disease that impacts the lungs and digestive system. When he was a baby, medical experts still discouraged those with CF from engaging in too much exercise, but Ryan’s mom thought it might help.

She enrolled him in all the usual classes, jazz, ballet, tap, “even salsa,” Ryan added with a laugh. This was remarkable when you consider the extra demands and strains living with CF puts on him.

He takes approximately 125 pills a day. “About 100 are pharmaceuticals, antibiotics… you know. The other 25 or so are vitamins and supplements I take,” he explained casually with a smile.

Ryan Morrissette

In the Spotlight:

Winter 2014 | just dance! 5

{ in t h e sp o t l i g h t } He also has three, one-hour physiotherapy sessions each day. In these he uses a compressor/nebulizer system to inhale medications.

In addition to this, it is imperative to his health and energy levels that he gets eight hours of sleep a night, as well as regular wellbalanced meals. His mom puts his health in perspective, “try to do a whole day with a nose plug on and breathe through a straw- this is what CF patients have to live with.”

None of this has held him back, however. Quite the opposite as a matter of fact. At the age of 11 he discovered hip hop and he hasn’t looked back. “I found a way to express myself,” Ryan explained.

Adding that he loves hip hop because there aren’t specific moves that have to be done. “Once you know the basics anything that looks cool goes and you can do hip hop to any kind of music.”

Ryan accepting his cash award from Sarah Brinson.

Jeffrey Chan courtesy of B. Brand Apparel

Ryan performing with FRESHH. Below right: Ryan already showing his photogenic side at a young age.

He has taken his enthusiasm for hip hop to amazing heights. As a member of the crew FRESHH he has performed in front of huge crowds including at the 2010 Winter Olympics and WeDay. FRESHH has also competed at some of the top hip hop competitions in the world, proving their talent in 2011 by winning 1st place at the Canadian Nationals, 1st place at World of Dance Vancouver, 7th at the World Hip Hop Championships in Las Vegas, and finishing in the Top 3 on Canada’s Got Talent in 2012. As Ryan said, “there’s no point in doing something if you aren’t going to do it well.”

Now 20, Ryan is pursuing a professional career. He spends between four and six hours a day, four days a week teaching at three different BC dance studios: DanceFX in Maple Ridge (his mom’s studio); Lisa’s School of Dance in Langley; and CanDance in Mission.

Ryan shares a smile with his mom Teresa at her studio, DanceFX.

R. Foran

Ryan explained why he teaches in three different cities. “I was lucky to have parents that were willing to drive me to Richmond to attend an elite [hip hop] school [Fresh Groove]. Not everyone can do that, so I chose to go to schools… areas, that don’t offer real old school hip hop.”

He has also formed his own company, RM Productions. His first project is developing a hip hop group called Cloud 9. So far only five dancers have met Ryan’s approval and earned a place on the crew, but he assures us Cloud 9 will be a group to watch for in the future.

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Teaching isn’t all that keeps Ryan busy.

He also earned a place on the Team Canada Dance Hip Hop crew and was given the role of assistant team captain.

The team practiced six hours a week for two months leading up to the September 2014 International Dance Organization’s (IDO) World Hip Hop Championships in Bochum, Germany. Ryan’s role as assistant team captain was to help keep the crew focussed, “the practices are really tiring, motivation can run down, focus can run down – I help keep the energy up.”

Keeping energy up and spirits high is something he believes he is particularly good at, “Every moment I get, I cherish… I try to share that.”

This upbeat attitude helped when the team couldn’t even get off the ground; their flight to Germany was delayed for several hours due to mechanical difficulties adding to the stress and nerves that go along with both travel and competition.

Ultimately the team performed an exciting

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{ in t h e sp o t l i g h t } routine that won them a tenth place finish.

“I am most impressed by Ryan’s positive attitude about everything despite the fact that he has a fatal lung disease,” his mom offered proudly, “… he has accomplished so much in his 20 short years!...”

He seems to make an impression everywhere he goes and he has collected a few awards to prove it. But he is most proud of the ones that have recognized his contributions and achievements as a whole person, not just a dancer. In 2012, he was named the Cystic Fibrosis Champion. “It was awesome to be recognized…to meet doctors who helped discover the gene - it was huge!” Adding that he likes being given the opportunity to show other people with CF, what can be done.

d we a s i h t m with port Tea ce sup da Dan a Can

In July 2014, Ryan was honoured with the B. Brand Apparel Inc. & Sarah Brinson – 1st Annual Cultural Architect Award. He was selected for “his outstanding leadership and achievement while living with a terminal illness.” The ACAA press release went on to say “Ryan’s love of life, his continuing commitment to fighting cystic fibrosis, and his crystal clear understanding of who he is, have all enabled him to be a leader, community builder, and therefore a ‘Cultural Architect’.”

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Director/Owner Kylie Hannan’s goal is to provide an elite, dynamic dance studio with the highest quality instructors available. She endeavors to create and maintain a caring, positive, and professional atmosphere that offers dancers of all ages the ultimate studio dance experience.

It is important for Ryan to be more than his illness, stating, “it doesn’t define me, I define it.” This is why one of the awards he has received that is most special to him is the Center Stage Award from the International Dance Challenge. “It was a really proud moment. I was picked out of a group and judged solely on my dance – no one there knew about my CF.” Ryan has more to offer than dance. He is working on recording his first rap album, Just Breathe, at AMP Records in Vancouver; he anticipates an iTunes release in early 2015.

And, he recently earned a part in a cell phone television commercial, “I can’t say who it is for yet, but you will see it soon.”

When asked if his tattoos have ever prevented him from getting a part he admitted they had, “but I don’t regret them. I try and keep them places where they can be covered up, but they all mean something to me. They are all about dance, cystic fibrosis, music…things that are important to me. They are part of me.”

He dreams of being a star. “To be the entertainer- not the backup dancer,” his mom explains. “I believe he will accomplish this.”

We at just dance! are sure he will too, CF, tattoos and all.

Auditions 101 Part 2

Tips from the Pros

Sixteen-year-old ballet student, Kelsey Miller, recalls being extremely nervous when she first auditioned for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. “I knew I couldn’t get rid of my nerves,” she says, “So I just tried to focus on my dancing by listening really well to the teachers and applying their corrections.” Miller confides that she felt a bit intimidated at first because many of the dancers seemed to be very confident and more advanced than she was, but she says it was helpful to remember that everyone in the audition room had the same goal, “We were there just to dance.”

Miller decided she’d conquer her fears by at least appearing confident. “I would try to stand in the front row or go in the first group across the floor. I didn’t want the instructors to know how nervous I really was.” Fortunately for Miller, her strategy worked and she is now a full-time resident student at the ballet school.

By Jacqueline Steuart

“You have to go in with your best attitude,” advises RWB school director, Arlene Minkhorst, and she says there is no way you can know what is going to happen in an audition, so you just have to do the best you can. “We are not really concerned with what you already know, but we are looking for potential,” she says.

So what happens if you really mess up an exercise, or your bun falls out, or you forget your shoes at home, does this mean that you have blown your chances? “Not at all,” encourages Minkhorst. “We’re more interested in how you react to the situation. Do you become totally flustered and embarrassed, or do you push through?” Minkhorst says the RWB professional division looks for students who react positively in any crisis. This, along with other important attributes like musicality, classical aesthetic of the physique, and coordination, contributes to your success at an audition.

Bruce Monk

A

uditions can be fun and they can also be nerve-wracking.

Some people get really excited about auditioning and they can’t wait to showcase their talent, while others feel like throwing up.

You are definitely not alone if you feel nervous before or during an audition.

However, how you handle yourself in the face of unfamiliar surroundings, complicated choreography, and unpredictable circumstances could make the difference between having a good memorable audition or one that’s memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Kelsey Miller showing great attitude.

By the time you are ready to try out for a professional ballet company, you’ve probably already tested your nerves with at least a little bit of audition experience and you should be feeling confident.

But not too confident cautions Ballet Victoria’s artistic director, Paul Destrooper.

“If you are invited to take company class, you must always ask where you should stand.” He says professional dancers are often attached to their places at the barre, and you don’t want to step on any toes, so to speak. He also advises “heading front and centre” might appear Winter 2014 | just dance! 9

If you thought you knew Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, think again.

Destrooper also recommends that an auditioning dancer place themselves in the second row of the second group during centre work, and he suggests it’s a good idea to perform an exercise twice. “If you are really confident with an exercise then you should show it twice, or if you’ve made a mistake the first time, we can see how you’ve made the correction the second time.”

Destrooper reveals that he has seen dancers blow auditions because they lacked versatility or they were not familiar with the style of the class. “Today’s companies want dancers who can do the grounded work of contemporary movement but also handle the aesthetic of classical ballet. It’s the difference between speaking two languages or only one.” He adds it is also very important to be well versed in a range of technical styles. “You are not going to do your best work in the audition if you do not know the difference between Vaganova or Cecchetti.” Destrooper says dancers need to expose themselves to a variety of dance styles through workshops.

With the Victoria Symphony and Joey Pietraroia

Victoria, Royal Theatre

Photo: Derek Ford

a tad arrogant to other company members, so be sure to mind your ego. “The company director will know where you are in the room, so they will be watching you anyway.”

Dec. 27th, 28th & 29th | 2:00 pm Tickets: www.balletvictoria.ca or call 250-386-6121

Paul Destrooper - Artistic Director - www.balletvictoria.ca

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Nutcracker “Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Nutcracker is PICTURE

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“You must showcase your strengths at an audition too,” adds Destrooper. If your jumps are very good, or you have excellent pirouettes then make sure to demonstrate these skills on the day. Keep in mind that your artistry and musicality coupled with your pleasant demeanour are what makes for a successful audition. “No one wants to hire someone who appears difficult or temperamental,” he says. “Can you imagine a company of 30 dancers having a bad day?”

Destrooper’s best advice for aspiring professionals: “If something is not working for you during the audition, make sure that you handle it with a positive and relaxed disposition.”

“We want you to do well at your audition and we are there to support you,” affirms Chelsea Carlson, Production Manager at Royal City Musical Theatre. “If we see you make a mistake, we are not standing in judgment of you at all,” she insists, “But we do want to see you get back on track as quickly as possible.”

For a musical theatre audition, Carlson also advises picking songs that you can perform confidently. “It is really difficult to watch someone struggle with nerves because the material is too difficult for them.” She says she understands that sometimes performers want to challenge themselves, but the audition may not be the place to do that. “If the auditioning panel want to hear more of what you can do, trust they will ask you to do scales, or present another song.”

Carlson says the most important thing you can do in a musical theatre audition is to really focus on the singing and connecting with the material. “Work as hard as you can to hit the notes and to tell the truth of the story.”

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RWB RECREATIONAL DIVISION STUDENT. PHOTO BY REJÉAN BRANDT PHOTOGRAPHY.

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Remember every school, company, or show has specific requirements and it’s not possible to accept or hire every person who comes to audition. If you’re not successful at one audition, and your nerves got the best of you, chalk it up to an experience, but do continue to pursue your love of the performing arts.

Royal Winnipeg Ballet School rwb.org Ballet Victoria balletvictoria.ca Royal City Musical Theatre royalcitymusicaltheatre.com

Photo credit: Lois Greenfield

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www.joffreyballetschool.com/summer-programs Summer 2014 | just dance! 11

12 just dance! | Winter 2014

Children's team member, Brianna Lannard-Ghini.

Preparing for Poland with Team Canada Dance

E b y R a cq u e l F o r a n

ight thousand eightytwo. That is how many kilometers 14-year-old Greg Jungco will travel without his parents this December. Greg, along with 74 other young dancers from Canada will be traveling to Mikolajki, Poland to compete in the International Dance Organization’s (IDO) World Championships in jazz, modern and ballet-pointe. This is this the first time Greg has travelled outside of North America but he’s not nervous, “I am looking forward to meeting everyone, seeing how different countries interpret different genres of dance.”

It is 7:30 pm on a Thursday evening and Greg along with his studio mate Malaena Lee have already been at Pulse Dance Centre in Port Coquitlam, BC for seven hours; they will be here two and a half more. This is not unusual either. Both dancers, ages 14 and 13 respectively, spend approximately 20 hours a week training as part of their studio’s company program. This in addition to going to school full-time. It is somewhat surprising then that both decided to take on the added pressure of joining Team Canada Dance which has increased their weekly training by several hours.

When we tallied up the number of hours in a week that Greg spends dancing - 30 to 40 - he seemed genuinely surprised,

Junior team member Greg Jungco.

“Gee, that much? Now that you say it, it does sound like a lot, but it doesn’t seem like much.” He went on to explain that the more he dances and the more he learns, the more he loves it. “I love the challenges, they motivate me to work harder.”

His teammate and contemporary dance partner Malaena echoes the sentiment “why dance if you’re not happy?”

There is no doubt that dance makes both of them happy. And this is a good thing, since they have both been doing it so long and dedicate so much time and energy to it. Malaena has been dancing since she was five, starting with ballet and musical theatre but moving into jazz, lyrical, contemporary, acro and tumbling when she became a company member at her studio when she was nine. Her favourite is contemporary, “I feel good when I do it,” she explained with a smile.

For Greg, however, finding dance was a bit of a happy accident. “I showed up at my studio to register for musical theatre – it was my third year, but I had never taken a dance class – when Miss Sarah (now the artistic director at Pulse) asked if I would like to join company. So I did. I didn’t even really know what I was saying yes to,” he laughed. Going on to explain that he went from taking one, one-hour class a week, to spending 16 or 17 hours a week at the studio. That was just over three years ago and now he is a member of Team Canada Dance, proving that Miss Sarah’s instincts about him were right.

Greg Jungco and Malaena Lee practicing their duo.

Earning a place on the team was a bit of a surprise for Greg too, “the studio sent in my audition video, when they told me I made the team I didn’t even know they had sent in a video,” Greg laughed again.

But he is glad they did. “It has been great to meet dancers from other studios – we have come together as a family.”

Malaena agreed, “I have really liked meeting the other dancers I normally compete against – get to know them in a different way.”

Despite being featured in this article, however, Greg and Malaena are not unique. All 75 of the dancers travelling to Poland are just as remarkable and dedicate as many hours to dance as Malaena and Greg. And all of them have to memorize an astounding number of routines. Ten-year-old Brianna Lannard-Ghini, another Pulse dancer who will be travelling to Poland, tallied up approximately 30 separate routines she has learned since August, including eight routines for Team Canada. It is no wonder then that one of her fears is forgetting her routine, “I don’t want to mess up on stage,” she said, but she didn’t look too worried.

Like her teammates, Brianna was thrilled to find out she had made the team, “I screamed when I found out.” She is, however, a little afraid of the long flight but, “I am excited to perform with new friends from Team Canada.”

When asked if they knew when they joined the team, the amount of time Winter 2014 | just dance! 13

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· ·

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14 just dance! | Winter 2014

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they would have to dedicate not only to practicing, but also to fundraising would they still have accepted, they all said “absolutely.”

Tri-City Dance Centre

“Team Canada has helped me meet people who I have things in common with,” Greg explained.

Brianna agreed, “It has been really fun and a good experience – fun all together. I get to travel to Poland and eat different food.”

Malaena is also excited to go to Poland and “watch dancers from different countries.”

The dancers aren’t the only ones who make a big commitment when they are accepted to Team Canada, parents do too.

“You definitely think about the financial commitment before you accept,” said Brianna’s mom and Pulse director Nicole LannardGhini. The cost for each dancer is $4,000; if parents want to go, too, their airfare and hotel is an additional cost. Needless to say fundraising also consumes a lot of these kids’ time. They have had hot dog sales, bagged groceries at Superstore, and hosted pub nights in the little spare time they have.

When asked how they manage everything, Malaena laughed, “Well school does sometimes get in the way of dance.” This even though her back-up plan to a professional dance career is to become doctor. And she, again just like Greg and Brianna, excels in school.

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“I focus on school when at school, and dance when at dance,” Greg explained. “I use breaks at the studio to do homework. It takes time management, but it can be done.”

The dancers also all feel pressure to bring home gold but they handle this with the same maturity and grace they do everything else, “there is pressure knowing that Canada won gold last year,” admitted Greg, but ultimately, “representing Canada is awesome!”

And we at just dance! think all of the team members are awesome for doing it!

Going the distance Everyone involved with Team Canada Dance, from National Team Director Bonnie Dyer and her team of choreographers, to the young dancers, and their dedicated parents work hard toward making the trip to the IDO World Championships successful. Some, however, go the extra mile – literally!

Aiden Yip is a 13-year-old dancer from Judy Russell’s Enchainement Dance Centre in Prince George, BC. When his mom Shendah learned that he had made the team she didn’t hesitate to let him do it, “I wanted him to meet new people, new teachers, have new experiences.” Her response is all the more remarkable when you consider the fact that it takes between eight and nine hours to drive from Prince George to Greater Vancouver, and she has been making the trip to the city and back every weekend since August. “We sleep on the side of the road to save on hotels. We can do that in the summer and early fall, but when the weather changes, we will have to stay in hotels.” She is willing to do it because Aiden has professional aspirations, “he is willing to make the sacrifice, do the hard work necessary.” Hats off to Shendah and Aiden – we will be cheering for you every Aiden rehearsing his solo. kilometer of your journey.

DanceWest will be hosting another IMPACT All Styles Dance Workshop!

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Winter 2014 | just dance! 15

The Team!

Team Canada Dance operates under the guidance of National Director Bonnie Dyer who is also an IDO judge, supervisor and chairman of judges.

Team Canada West is led by Team Director and Head Choreographer Danielle Gardener and is comprised of 40 talented dancers ranging in age from 10-19 years. The ballet choreographer for the team is Caitlin Griffin.

Children’s Team 11 & under • Brea Franklyn • Paisley Lalley • Brianna LannardGhini • Sophi Spatzner • Kelly Blancas • Richelle Gordon • Trinity-Dawn Schiazza • Avery Senft • Colby MacKenzie • Hayley Hedquist • Kylie Creighton

Junior Team 12 to 15 • • • • • • • • • • • •

Hana Pauls Taya Bjarnason Serena Crouse Malaena Lee Alyssa Ellison Gregory Jungco Paige McLachlan Kaitlin Zarin Aiden Yip Caroline Kiddie Alyssa Exley Chloe Carpenter

Adult Team 16 & over • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Amber Hall Kaitlin Hartwig Summer Sheehan Christopher Efthimiopoulos Kelsie Exley Kyera Fedoruk Raquel Newton Megan Rota Jessica Felix Shelby Greaves Samantha Martin Megan Anne O’Grady Sydney MacLennan Nicole Hall Katheryn Isfeld Samantha Sadler Kristine Arnold

Team Canada West having fun at their photoshoot.

Team Canada West photos are from Revival Arts. Revival Arts won Commercial Photographer of 2014 from the Professional Photographers of Canada. They also photograph dance studios throughout Greater Vancouver.

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Team Canada East, led by head choreographers Emilio Macri, Stephanie Macri, Lynn McCarthy, and Katherine McCarthy, is made up of 35 outstanding dancers.

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• Laura MacNeil

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Winter 2014 | just dance! 17

SuzanneSitsDownWith Danielle posing at a David Cooper dance photography workshop.

Suzanne Sits Down with…

Danielle Gardner Since launching just dance! in October 2012, Danielle Gardner’s name has appeared in our pages a few times. Most often in association with Team Canada Dance; even in this current issue. But who is Danielle Gardner? Where did she come from? And what has motivated her to take on the challenge of being the head choreographer for Team Canada Dance West three years in a row? Suzanne Ouellette went asking, and this is what Danielle had to say.

Tell us where and when you started your dance training and career?

I first started dancing at the ripe age of three. Mainly training in ballet, jazz and tap. My first day of class started at a studio called Symmetry Dance in Surrey and my last as a competitive dancer at Danzmode Productions and Arts 18 just dance! | Winter 2014

Umbrella where my path to dance began professionally. My dance career started at the age of 18 as an apprentice with MOVE the company directed by Joshua Beamish. After six years working with the company on and off, I then went on to teach with the company as a guest instructor at the MOVE summer intensives sharing my experiences and my love of dance. The perfect example of working from the bottom to the top.

Was there someone early on that influenced your career path?

Someone that inspired me the most and influences me still to this day is Tiffany Tregarthen!! Not only is she a true artist, she spreads her love of movement to the next generation of dancers and is the definition of passion. Her commitment to Modus Operandi is something to cherish.

She helps shape artists in BC and guides them on their journeys of truly knowing who they are in dance and in life.

Something I aspire to do on my journey as a dancer, choreographer and teacher.

When did you know you wanted to make dance your career and was there a pivotal point in your career that you knew that you wanted to choreograph and teach?

I truly believe I knew from the moment I stepped in the classroom at age three that dance was going to be my life. I dipped my feet in acting, visual arts, singing, and swimming, but I never felt at home in those specific areas. Dance always accepted me and welcomed me with open arms. As a teen, I battled with many personal issues - body, mind and

{ S u z a nne S i t s D o w n W i t h } spirit - and truly believed I had nothing to offer the world. But because of dance and great guidance from my mentors, I was able to change my frame of mind and have some amazing experiences and dance around the world. Dance enables me to be my true self and express emotions in a beautiful way and a way that can inspire those around me. There was not necessarily a pivotal moment I knew I wanted to dance for a living. It was very gradual but it was always in my soul.

My teaching career started at age 14.

I was a student of the Langley Fine Arts School and had daily choreographic classes where I had to teach my peers.

Teaching as a teen, I never imagined or believed that I would one day be a choreographer and have people watch what was once an idea in my mind come to fruition and be performed by some of the best dancers in Canada!

It was when I was on So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 3 where I really knew choreography was for me. I was very blessed to work with some amazing choreographers such as Mia Michaels, Stacey Tookey, Sean Cheesman and Luther Brown to name a few. Sitting back and watching them in the choreographic process really inspired me. I was so taken aback that they could create something out of their daily lives, or moments in time, that effected them and could move people of all ages to feel emotions they have never felt. That was the moment I knew choreography was to be my path.

(CNDC) where I first heard that dancers could qualify to dance on a National team to represent our country in Europe; the National Team Director Bonnie Dyer runs CNDC. Many years later I competed again at CNDC and won the National title and was accepted onto Team Canada, which then consisted of four dancers and no director. The four of us dancers headed to Oslo, Norway and competed at the IDO World Championships and won! Having no idea that one day I was to be the youngest director and head choreographer in the history of Team Canada.

That was just the beginning of my journey with Team Canada.

to continue to challenge myself to be better in dance and in life. I have been challenged in ways I never thought possible. Whether it be organizing something as simple as rehearsal, dealing with parents and students, to organizing a gala for thousands of people, I feel that Team Canada has instilled a lot of strength

Has the experience with Team Canada helped shape you as a dancer/ instructor?

Team Canada has 100% shaped me into the dancer and instructor I am today. It has taught me patience, love, strength and has driven me

Danielle performing in Panama in 2013.

Left: Posing in her lyrical group costume while a student at from Symmetry Dance in Surrey. The group went on to perform the routine in LA. Bottom left: Danielle in her 2nd year Symmetry Dance

SYTYCD Canada was a big moment for you in your life, what did it teach you about yourself as a dancer?

So You Think You Can Dance was a huge learning curve for me! As a dancer it taught me that you have to be just as strong on the inside as you are on the outside. You have to believe in yourself or no one else will. You are your biggest fan and that to me was the most valuable lesson to be learned.

How and why did you get involved with Team Canada Dance?

Team Canada was introduced to me over 12 years ago as a competitive dancer. I was competing a solo at Canadian National Dance Championship

Another shot from a David Cooper photoshoot.

Winter 2014 | just dance! 19

{ S u z a nne S i t s D o w n W i t h } within me to handle anything that comes my way, big or small.

Bring it on world!

What can you tell young dancers about competing internationally?

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If I could inform dancers of anything about dancing internationally it would be that it is the best lesson a dancer could ever be blessed with. To be surrounded by [dancers from] other countries and see how they work, makes you appreciate how lucky we are as Canadians. We are encouraged to be unique and not be carbon copies of each other, which is a beautiful thing! If you have the opportunity to dance or compete internationally, as scary as it may seem, take that risk.

You will learn so much and see movement that will inspire you for the rest of Danielle your life! competing in SYTYCDC. Left: 12 yr. old Danielle in costume as Dorothy.

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Posing as Minne Mouse her first year at Symmetry Dance.

About Suzanne: Suzanne Ouellette has performed with, taught, rehearsed and enjoyed the company of some of the world’s most famous dance movers and shakers. She has trained and danced with the world’s finest ballet companies from Stuttgart Ballet to Royal Winnipeg, as well as performed professionally as a lead dancer, singer and actress in theaters across Canada. She was ballet mistress for Ballet BC, rehearsal director for Mascall Dance and Ballet BC; and founder of the BBC mentor program. She is a creative and innovative choreographer of dance for film and television, as well as opera and theatre. Suzanne’s passion, enthusiasm, and extensive background in many facets of the performing arts, make her in great demand as a teacher, choreographer, director and adjudicator.

20 just dance! | Winter 2014

just dance! wants to know…

What is your favourite music or song to dance to and why?

Kaitlyn V.

Sponsored by:

Age: 14

Summit School of Dance Calgary, AB My favourite kind of music to dance to is definitely pop or upbeat styles of music. I feel like this kind of beat allows me to express my personality the best, compared to other music styles. When I dance, I get really happy and lose myself in the music. Upbeat music is easy to dance to, for example jazz is easy for me because it’s normally to pop music.

I love dancing to high energy music all the time and never get bored of it!

Two locations to serve you: Abbotsford, BC: 604 855 9166 Maple Ridge, BC: 604 466 0861 jazz-ma-tazz.com

Jessica V.

Age: 14

Young At Arts, Langley, BC My favourite song to dance to has to be, You Lost Me

by Christina Aguilera because it has a slow but different rhythm and sound to it and I think that it isn’t just the same slow songs that play on the radio again and again. I feel songs that are different are more interesting to dance to.

Malia M.

Age: 12

CRDanceXtreme, Campbell River, BC My favourite song to dance to is “Sail (Gravity Remix)” by AWOLNATION. I love dancing to this song because it’s a hard hitting song with accents where I can hold a leg, or snap a leap!

Anderson S.

Age: 10

Amanda’s Academy of Dance, Edmonton, AB

Lily R.

Age: 9

Project Dance, Chilliwack, BC I love dancing to every kind of music, but my all-time favourite is dancing to any song where I get to be a little sassy.

Respond to Win!

I really like to dance to songs with a strong beat like “Stutter” by Marianas Trench. It always makes me want to dance. I feel that I can put more of myself into the dance as I feel the music.

For spring 2015 just dance! wants to know...what are your competition goals this season?

Send your response including your name, age, and studio you dance with, along with a photo of yourself to info@justdancemagazine.com.

All respondents will be automatically entered to win a FREE one-year subscription to just dance! + $50 cash. (contest submission deadline is January 15, 2015.)

Winter 2014 | just dance! 21

Hip : hop breaking

{ His t o r y o f D a nce }

by Racquel Foran

Hip hop is not really a genre of dance.

It was, and in its truest sense still is, a collision of music, dance and graffiti art that grew into a culture. Now, more than 40 years after it first appeared on the scene, the four elements that make up hip hop - DJing, MCing, graffiti, and breaking - all stand on their own as individual pop culture entities. Breaking, or B-boying, however, would not have exploded in popularity without the music to set its foundation.

>> Up and coming Canadian hip hop choreographer Paul Otterbein brings his inspirational and creative style to Team Canada Hip Hop West as their head choreographer.

Herc noticed that the kids liked to dance during the musical breaks on the record tracks, the places in the song where there was just a beat. He started buying two copies of every record and he had two turntables to play them on. He would line up the needle of the second turntable exactly where the musical break started on the record. When the break on the first record ended he would stop playing that one and start the second one, thereby extending the break. The longer the break beat the more the kids danced, so Herc would repeat the tracks over and over.

His method of spinning records was the early beginnings of the looping and mixing that are now both standard elements of hip hop music. He also introduced an MC to his act. The role of the MC was to get the crowd excited and to encourage the dancers, which Herc had labeled, B-boys and B-girls, to take to the floor during the beat breaks.

The MCs began to introduce poetry and their own rhymes into their

performances; this became what is now known as rapping.

Early adopters of DJ Kool Herc’s style were Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash, but they took things a step further by forming performance

22 just dance! | Winter 2014

collectives that included a DJ, MC and B-boys. Bambaataa develop what is considered one of the first B-boy crews, the Zulu Kings. They moved their performances from the block parties of the Bronx, to New York’s nightclubs. It didn’t take long for B-boying to grow in popularity. Soon kids were practicing dance routines in their basements, school gymnasiums and community basketball courts. And DJs were looping and mixing records in more diverse manners in order to challenge the B-boys to move in more interesting ways.

In its early days B-boying was very different from what we see today. Often referred to now as old-school breaking, it involved mostly complicated footwork done very quickly, with some arm moves and hand gestures known as uprock or toprock, as well as freezes. It was very popular among the street gangs, and dance battles often replaced fights to settle disputes between gangs. The gang members would form a circle around the dancers as they ‘battle-danced’ against each other. The dancer that performed the most difficult or original move, or complex combination would win the battle. It was in this competitive atmosphere that break-dance moves became more and more athletic and diverse. No one is sure exactly when the B-boys first started going down to the ground, or downrocking, to perform tricks, but slowly moves like sweeps, the Russian, and side to sides started to appear in combination with the uprock moves; downrocking has been part of B-boying ever since.

At virtually the same time that B-boying and rap were emerging on the East coast, the West coast was also developing their own funk-based dance styles which included popping, locking and boogaloo.

Locking, invented by Don “Campbellock,” is basically pausing at certain points in the dance, or “locking in a pose.” Popping, a style invented

by Boogaloo Sam, involves the dancer flexing his muscles and “popping” them into place. Both locking and popping, although developed independent of each other, mimic robotic movement. The boogaloo, on the other hand, is a much more fluid style. Also

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Most people credit DJ Kool Herc as the true founder of hip hop. It all started on the Westside of the Bronx, New York in 1970 when Herc organized a back to school party for his sister. It was hugely successful and soon he was hosting block parties all over the Bronx. He was known for having the biggest and loudest sound system, as well as his unique way of mixing records.

{ His t o r y o f D a nce } An early publicity photo of the Rock Steady Crew.

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Boogaloo Sam.

invented by Boogaloo Sam, it involves rolling the knees, hips, torso, shoulders and head. When popping and the boogaloo are combined, it is then called the electric boogaloo.

B-boying dance styles really started to diversify in the late 1970s.

One of the most famous and innovative crews of the time, Rock Steady, began introducing more acrobatic moves to their routines including head spins, backspins, hand glides, and windmills. Other crews even started to blend the West coast and East coast styles. It didn’t take long for the dance of the streets to go mainstream. More and more n fact that nightclubs started featuring hip It is a little know ew member Rock Steady cr hop DJs, and these DJs would , aka Crazy ón ol Richard C attract dancers to the floor. The Jennifer Beal’s Legs, played for a scene truly skilled dancers would draw le body doub No one was the attention of the crowd and in Flashdance. backspin, so s hi n able to lear people would clear space for d, he shaved at 16 years ol them to show off their moves. oustache and m his legs and This would often lead to informal suit to perform put on a body the scene. r fo battles between top dancers. the spin As these battles became more popular, clubs started announcing competitions at their venues.

The original competitive nature of B-boying helped to feed hip hop’s popularity.

The hip hop culture continued to grow in popularity throughout the 1980s and 90s. It moved from the streets and nightclubs of the big cities into the school yards and dance studios of the suburbs. B-boying started appearing in the movies, too. The 1983 blockbuster Flashdance featured four members of Rock Steady, and at least five other films featuring or about breaking were released in 1983 and 1984.

In the 1990s hip hop record labels and fashion designers started popping up. And somewhere along the way the term hip hop no longer defined the culture, but was used to describe the individual elements of both the music, as well as all the various breaking dance styles combined.

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In the late 1990s, dance studios started offering formal hip hop classes to their students. With more classes and more participants, more staged hip hop performances and competitions started appearing. And perhaps because it moved from the streets to dance studios, hip hop routines started to incorporate a variety of genres of dance and acrobatics. And the hip hop culture that started in the 1970s with a few broke kids living in the ghetto of New York City, had by the beginning of the 21st century, become a multi-billion dollar international phenomenon.

Winter 2014 | just dance! 23

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Canadian competitors age seven and up perform choreographed hip hop routines in the hopes of qualifying for the World Hip Hop International.

Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are awarded to top placements and overall champs receive financial support to attend World’s in San Diego, 2015.

Next Level hip hop nextlevelhiphop.ca Langley, BC: May 8-9 Two days, three judges, four categories: Solo, Double/Trio, Crew, Freestyle.

Independent and studio entries are welcomed at Next Level, a family-friendly event, where all dancers will receive a medal and first, second and third placements will be recognized.

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One memorable experience was having the privilege to take a master class with Vincent Paterson. He was the assistant choreographer for the iconic video, Thriller,

by Michael Jackson. We were taught the original choreography, in the same studio where Michael Jackson was taught. The energy in the room was indescribable. To have such a talented individual teaching us what he once taught Michael Jackson was incredible. Other teachers that we were exposed to included, Liz Imperio, Cati Jean, Michael Schwandt, Michelle “Jersey” Maniscalco, and from SYTYCD, Fikshun.

by Lauren Denysek This past July and August I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend the Hollywood Summer Tour (HST).

I started dancing at three years old in Yorkton, SK. Now 19, I train in all styles of dance in Vancouver, BC. As someone who is always looking for opportunities to grow and learn, I believe The Hollywood Summer Tour (HST), directed and organized

by Menina Fortunato, is one of the most comprehensive educational opportunities any dancer can experience.

Menina’s credentials are outstanding with both breadth and depth in the industry. She is caring, driven and eager to share her knowledge. She is genuine in her desire to see everyone grow and succeed. Having the opportunity to work with, and learn from her, was invaluable.

Menina Fortunato

ne Dancer’s Experienc

he Hollywood Summer Tour

Every day of the program provided a chance to push my boundaries. A typical day began with training or conditioning with industry professionals. The hot Los Angeles weather, mixed with the instruction and education offered by faculty members, created an ambiance of drive and determination. Participants were exposed to the best in the dance business at Millennium Dance Complex, EDGE Performing Arts Center, Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio, and Movement Lifestyle.

Most classes were privately taught for the HST which made the experience that much more personal. Everyone that Menina brought in to teach was extremely qualified and knowledgeable. The wisdom and experiences they shared helped us grow and advance in our dreams and goals, fueling our desire to pursue a dance career.

The HST is an invite only dance career intensive, geared towards helping dancers achieve success in the dance industry. Dancers are selected worldwide from competitions, conventions, workshops and master classes. Dancers can also apply through online video submission. And, Menina supports dancers by offering scholarships every year.

After classes, we visited various locations throughout Los Angeles, including Beverly Hills, Hollywood & Vine, LA Live, and The Grove. Days were exciting right to the end, with evenings also filled with activities. As a full-program participant, the first evening we attended Choreographer’s Carnival. We saw some of L.A.’s best choreographers and most talented dancers. All of the dancers who attended left the venue inspired, and with a feeling of tenacity and renewed perseverance to be performing on stage, and working with the best choreographers in the business.

We also attended a live taping of So You Think You Can Dance, and were delighted to meet dancers Jacque LeWarne and Tanisha Belnap. Other evening events included a trip to Santa Monica Beach, an agency showcase with personal feedback and critiques, a private Princess Cruise Line audition, and educational seminars including nutrition, marketing, immigration, and personal finances.

Winter 2014 | just dance! 25

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26 just dance! | Winter 2014

HST Group shot.

Left: Menina Fortunato (in Minnie Mouse ears) poses with some HST participants at Disney's California Adventure Park.

Right top: Arassay and Lauren (1st & 2nd from right) perform in a music video taping.

Bottom page (right): One of Lauren Denysek's pictures from her HST professional photoshoot.

As creator and Director of the HST, Menina’s approach is to provide a well-rounded and diverse program. It was not only informative and educational because of the physical conditioning and dance training, but it also provided the tools needed to be successful in the “business” of dance. For example, headshots are a dancer’s calling card and are a necessity in the entertainment industry. The program included a professional photoshoot for each dancer. The experience provided us not only with stunning headshots, but also the opportunity to learn how to pose in front of the camera and know and work our best angles.

Dancers also received a professional demo reel and website. The demo reels include high definition dance footage filmed and edited by professionals.

Websites are professionally created by Menina herself, incorporating our resume, professional photos, and everything one needs to market themselves effectively.

A unique experience that HST provided, was the chance to be in a professional music video. This gave us the opportunity to be in front of a camera, as well as inside knowledge of the creative and filming process. The team that HST brought in to work with us included choreographers under the direction of Flii Stylz, who most recently worked with Chris Brown. The choreographers gave us both amazing choreography and advice. They took us through the details a smart dancer needs to know to execute HST participants taking a master class with Thriller asst. choreographer Vincent Paterson.

choreography properly and work together as a team to create a successful final product.

I moved to Vancouver to help take my dance training and abilities to the next level, but before attending HST, making dance my career path was a faint idea; it seemed like a far-fetched dream and near unattainable goal. After completing the tour, it strengthened and solidified my determination to be a professional dancer. My goal continues to be a strong, versatile, commercial dancer. It is my burning aspiration to someday tour with an international artist, explore the world through dance, and share with people my passion and what I love to do every day. I now feel confident that I can turn my dream into a reality.

I would recommend the Hollywood Summer Tour to every dancer who has a dream to share their passion for dance as a working professional in the industry. The experience will provide you with knowledge, skills, and the determined mindset needed to become a successful dancer. It is an opportunity not to be overlooked or missed. If given the chance to attend HST your answer absolutely must be “YES!”

How old are you and where do you dance?

I am 28 years old and I dance at/with National School of Art in Cuba, Scotiabank Dance Centre, Harbour Dance Centre, Millennium Dance Complex, Debbie Reynolds, Athletic Garage, and Danzaire Studio.

What are your long term dance goals?

I would love to move to the United States to pursue my dreams and take my dance career to another level… to train hard, and I would love to book a dance tour with the best pop artist in the industry. A long term goal I have is to be the Artistic Director of my own Dance Company based on my Latin, jazz, and Afro-Cuban background. … I would also like to improve my hip-hop style and ballet technique. I think it’s so important to continue learning how to use your body in different dance styles.

Why did you decide to attend the HST? I was drawn to the HST because it was the exact program I needed at this moment. I am a dancer and choreographer, and the HST provided me with all the tools I need to get started in this industry. It offered me the opportunity to showcase my dance skills, and train with top choreographers and teachers that are already working in the entertainment industry.

Plus, it gave me many connections and opened doors for many more great opportunities to

come. It was the most educational program I have ever done in my dance career. It was an amazing experience to be part of the Los Angeles dance scene for one week… to be surrounded by people that love dance as much as I do, understand the meaning of dance, and admire and respect each other equally as artists.

dance now! Participating in the So You Think You Can Dance TV show taping was also a very memorable experience for me. Thank you to Menina Fortunato for this amazing opportunity, and to Sheldon and all the fantastic choreographers for making this program an experience I will never forget!

danceLAB PROFESSIONAL DIVISION

Elite Pro Dancer: Vienna Kliman, 16

Q&A with HST participant Arassay Reyes

the

What about the experience did you find most challenging?

What was your favourite part of the HST? To be able to dance and train ALL DAY!!! It was such a pleasure and a privilege to train with the most amazing teachers in LA. I also made new friends who became special to me. It’s incredible how we became a little family after only a week. …. It was honestly a dream come true to meet all the major directors and choreographers in the entertainment industry.

Their energy and passion was so intense that it inspired me every moment to become a better dancer. I think I’m more addicted to

The most challenging part for me was also the most inspiring part for me: working at such a high level of professionalism all the time, being surrounded by extremely talented artists that pushed my skills and abilities to the limits. I was pushed out of my comfort zone, I had to do and be my best all the time!!

Basically, I couldn’t be afraid to be amazing!!

2015-2016 Auditions June 5th 2015 RAW Summer Intensive August 10th-21st 2015

604-525-5289 info@dancelab.ca www.dancelab.ca

What is one thing you learned/discovered at the HST that you didn’t know before?

The most valuable things I learned were strategies to maximize my talent within the industry. The educational seminars such as financial, marketing, immigration, and acting, to name a few, were so informative. In my opinion, they were the perfect instruments I needed to prepare myself and make this already amazing career more incredible.

These new tools and skills will allow me to continue growing as an artist in all areas!

rt uppo we s ance d a this da D with m Cana Tea

Winter 2014 | just dance! 27

Holiday 2014

Gift Guide The Experience Issue

Ballet Victoria

For 10 years now Ballet Victoria has been producing anything but ordinary original ballet works. They stage five performances a year at various venues throughout Vancouver Island and the rest of BC. Tickets for a performance often start at less than $25 – a real bargain! balletvictoria.ca * Search for dance performances in your area, tickets are often very affordable, and all professional dance companies appreciate the support.

This year instead of focusing only on material things in our Holiday Gift Guide, we have chosen experiences.

These are gifts that inspire creativity, embrace the arts, and create lifelong memories. All across this great country of ours there are endless opportunities to have and enjoy new experiences and share them with others as gifts. These are some ideas we came up with for this gift giving season.

VSO Kids Koncert Series

Museum Passes

Art Gallery Memberships

Every province in Canada has a provincial museum of some kind and all are worth a visit. Most museums have a mix of permanent and temporary exhibits, so there is always something new to see and learn about. Yearly passes start as low as $30 for children and up to $200 for families. Contact your local museum for more information.

There is nothing like the ever-changing walls and exhibits of an art gallery to keep young creative juices flowing. All galleries offer yearly memberships, including student rates averaging $45/year and family rates at $130/year. Visit canadianart.ca/galleries to find a gallery of interest in VANCOUVER SYMPHONY your city.

VANCOUVER SYMPHONY

KIDS’ KONCERTS!

KIDS’ KONCERTS!

FUN-FILLED CONCERTS FOR CHILDREN AGED FIVE TO ELEVEN AND THEIR FAMILIES!

Each year the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra puts on a Kids' Koncert series for children ages 4 to 11. The concerts feature The VSO Kids’ Koncerts series features the full orchestra, a full orchestra and the very best and the very best in children’s musical entertainers. children’s musical entertainers. One hour before each Your tickets also give you entry to the Kids’ Koncerts Instrument Fair one hour concert there is an instrument fair where children can before each concert, where children can touch and play real orchestr algreat gift touch and play real orchestral instruments.

A instruments, courtesy of Tom Lee Music. experience for the young Mozart in your life. Tickets for the VSO Kids Koncerts — 5-concert series, Sundays atand five-concert series start at $75 for children 2pm, at the Orpheum $115 for adults.

Bramwell Tovey

Chris McKhool

Gordon Gerrard

vancouversymphony.ca/series/14kids PREMIER EDUCATION PARTNER OCTOBER

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FUN-FILLED CONCERTS FOR CHILDREN AGED FIVE TO ELEVEN AND THEIR FAMILIES!

Classical Kids

Chris McKhool

Gordon Gerrard

Classical Kids

The VSO Kids’ Koncerts series features the full orchestra, and the very best in children’s musical entertainers.

Your tickets also give you entry to the Kids’ Koncerts Instrument Fair one hour before each concert, where children can touch and play real orchestral instruments, courtesy of Tom Lee Music.

Theatre Tickets

There is nothing like the experience of your first live theatre performance – it’s like a movie coming to life right before your eyes. For many, it is after they have seen their first live performance that TICKETS ONLINE rsymphon y.ca or dancing they getvanc theouve acting, singing, OR CALL 604.876.3434 bug. A ticket to a play, or season’s tickets to your local community theatre might be just the thing to bring out the performer in the receiver. Visit theatrecanada.com to find a theatre in your area.

VSO Kids Koncerts — 5-concert series, Sundays at 2pm, at the Orpheum Lemoney Snicket’s The Composer is Dead!

MEDIA SPONSOR

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Royal Winnipeg Ballet Tickets

Bramwell Tovey

OR CALL 604.876.3434

Lemoney Snicket’s The Composer is Dead!

PREMIER EDUCATION PARTNER OCTOBER

PREMIER EDUCATION PARTNER

26, FEBRUARY 8, MAY 17 CONCERT SPONSOR

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For 75 years the Royal Winnipeg Ballet has been entertaining Canadian audiences with their performances. Every year they stage several productions that they perform both at home in Winnipeg, as well as tour across Canada. Tickets prices can start as low as $29.

Visit their website for the 2014-2015 Company Season and ticket info. rwb.org 28 just dance! | Winter 2014

Read

A quiet hour and a good book are always received with gratitude.

Taking Flight

Michaela DePrince’s journey from orphan in war-torn Sierra Leone, to the height of American ballet is a memoir that will inspire and move not just dancers, but all young women.

Firebird

This is the debut picture book from American Ballet Theatre’s Misty Copeland. It is an inspirational story brought to life with the dynamic drawings of Christopher Myers.

Hardcover: $14.99 amazon.ca

Hardcover: $14.43 amazon.ca

The Faber Pocket Guide to Ballet

Pinkalicious: Tutu-Rrific

The latest edition of this ballet guide not only spans two centuries of classical dance, but it includes new works

by Wayne McGregor, Alexei Ratmansky and Christopher Wheeldon. It features everything from plot summaries to background and historical information. Written by former Royal Ballet principal Deborah Bull and dance critic Luke Jennings it is appropriate for both new and long-time ballet enthusiasts.

For the little ones, the story of Pinkalicious accidentally attending the big girl’s ballet class will delight.

Hardcover: $15.33 Paperback: $4.99 amazon.ca

Picture This

Paperback $13 amazon.ca

Nothing captures a memory like a photograph. And dancers are always happy to have their picture taken. Consider these ideas from two Vancouver-area photographers.

Gemini Visuals

Is it time to start building your dance portfolio or diversify the one you have? Gemini Visuals offers creative photo sessions for dancers – the perfect gift for dancers of all ages.

Prices for a portfolio session start at $450. geminivisuals.com

Revival Arts

You have seconds to create that priceless, first impression.

Does your image pass the test?

Whether you want to portray a professional image or showcase your unique personality, Revival Arts will help you stand out. revivalartsstudio.com Mention “just dance!” when booking your headshot session and save $75 off your session fee. Expires January 31, 2015.

Try These

These products may not be experiences, but we believe that tools to get and stay organized are gifts we can all use, and taking care of the environment is a gift we can all give to each other.

Dream Duffel

For dancers on the go Dream Duffel now has the Carry-On BLACK Complete Package. This rolling carry-on sized suitcase with telescoping garment rack holds three costumes and also comes with 1 Garment Bag, 1 Wooden Hanger, 1 Accessory Box, and 1 Black Cosmetic Roll. $200 dreamduffel.com

Curtsey Cosmetics

“Protect her beauty” this holiday season with Curtsey Cosmetics’ all natural performance makeup for girls. This vegan line of cosmetics is free of parabens, silicone, talc, bismuth oxychloride, cornstarch, FD & C dyes, and carmine. All products have a 3-year shelf life. Everything you need to get started on the natural path can be found in the Essential Curtsey Kit: 1 foundation; 1 blush, 1 shadow, 1 stage set red lipstick, 1 kabuki flower brush, and 1 double angled eye shadow brush. $100 curtseycosmetics.com Winter 2014 | just dance! 29

Holiday R ec i p e s

Fit to Eat

Tur key and Cheddar Cheese “Subs”

FROM

At just dance! we know how the holiday season can tempt you into eating things that maybe you shouldn’t. So we thought we’d help you out. If you are hosting a get-together try these healthy recipes from Fit to Eat Catering & Nutrition. They are tasty and pretty!

INGREDIENTS (quantities depend on the number of guests you are serving) • Cucumber • Turkey cold cuts (preservative free) • Grated cheddar cheese • Low fat mayo • Cajun spices 1.

Slice the cucumbers lengthwise and, using a small spoon, remove the seeds from both halves.

2.

Lay the turkey cold cuts out flat on a cutting board.

3.

INGREDIENTS • 1 cup soda water • 1 tbsp agave syrup or 1 pkg. Stevia • Juice of one lime • Raspberries for garnish • 2 stems of fresh mint 1.

Mash the agave syrup or stevia with the mint leaves using a mortar and pestle.

2.

Put a handful of ice into a tall glass.

3.

Add the lime juice and the mint mix and top up with soda water.

4.

Drop in a few raspberries and add a straw and mint leaf for garnish.

INGREDIENTS (quantities depend on the number of guests you are serving) • Navel oranges • Fennel bulb (anise) • Olive oil • Apple cider vinegar • Pumpkin seeds • Shaved red onion 1.

Peel and slice the oranges and lay them out on a plate slightly overlapping each other.

2.

Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese across the length of the turkey and roll the turkey.

Thinly slice (shave) the fennel bulb and immediately toss it in olive oil and apple cider vinegar (the fennel will brown if left out).

3.

Place the roll in the cucumber cavity. Repeat until the cucumber cavity is full.

Place the shaved fennel over the sliced oranges and top with thinly sliced red onions and pumpkin seeds.

4.

5.

Mix the low-fat mayo and Cajun spices to taste.

Drizzle the entire salad with olive oil and apple cider vinegar to taste.

5.

6.

Spread the mayo on the other half of the cucumber and place it on top (like a sandwich).

Add a pinch of sea salt and pepper if desired.

7.

Insert toothpicks to hold both sides together and slice in one-inch pieces.

4.

Raspber ry Mojito Mocktail

Orange & l e n n e F d e v Sha Seeds n i k p m u P h t i Salad w

INGREDIENTS (quantities depend on the number of guests you are serving) • Raspberries • Blackberries • White Chocolate, shaved or chips • Dark Chocolate, shaved or chips

er r ies B d e p ip D e t la o oc h C

1.

Melt the white chocolate and the dark chocolate in separate bowls using a double boiler (med. heat in microwave also works).

2.

Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper.

3.

Once the chocolate is melted, dip the larger end of the berry into the chocolate and place on the cookie sheet.

4.

Repeat the process, slightly overlapping the chocolate so that the berries almost touch to create groups of 3-berry clusters.

5.

Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

By Fit To Eat™ Nutritionist Laura Discepola, RNCP/ROHP Laura Discepola is a Registered Nutritional Consulting Practitioner and Registered Orthomolecular Health Practitioner. She created Fit To Eat™ to educate and inspire the public and athletes to make fit choices when they eat. She now offers a daily food service in the Greater Toronto Area (three meals and two snacks a day) prepared from her kitchen to yours with your success and health in mind. fittoeat.ca | laura@fittoeat.ca 30 just dance! | Winter 2014

{ C o m pe t i t i o ns }

Canadian Competitions: Everything you need to know for the 2015 season

by Jacqueline Steuart

E

very spring thousands of Canadian dancers, young and old, from coast-to-coast, vie for cash awards, scholarships, trophies, medals, trips, and overall recognition for their dedication to dance at regional, provincial, and national competitions.

With more than 70 dance competitions and growing (excluding ethnic and ballroom genres, as well as most regional and provincial festivals), dance studios in Canada are encouraging their students, from recreational beginners to experienced pre-professionals, to compete. For parents who are often in the position of blindly writing cheques in support of their children’s endeavours, it’s good to know where your money is going. And for dancers, it is good to know what to expect before you step on that competition stage. But how familiar are you with the different types of competitions?

Do you know who the organizers are?

How are adjudicators selected? Do you understand the benefits of competing?

We’ve compiled some information to help answer some of those questions.

Top: GTFX, bottom: Dancesnaps

Why compete?

If you search the festivals’ and competitions’ websites you will see that nearly every event’s mandate is to foster the development of dance and celebrate the achievements of dancers. “There have always been events for figure skating, baton, and gymnastics, but dance was slow to jump on the competition bandwagon,” says Donna Burridge, owner and director of Kelowna-based Showtime Dance Promotions. “For dancers, not having a place to showcase their talent was like playing an instrument and not having the opportunity to perform.”

“Competing gives dancers something to train for other than a year-end recital,” adds Shannon Newman, Artistic Director of DanceForce studio in Burnaby, BC. “Competition promotes teamwork and commitment, plus dancers receive a first-

hand critique from working professionals who are relevant in today’s market.”

DanceForce dancers Richelle Phillips and Miliyn Trenholme at Synergy.

Below: dancers at Kick it Up receiving awards.

Who runs the competitions?

Most competitions, with the exception of regional and provincial festivals, are private, for profit businesses. Many of the owners are, or have been dancers, studio owners, and some are even dance parents.

What’s the difference between a Festival and a Competition?

Festival events like the cross-country Kiwanis Music and Dance Festivals, BC’s Surrey Festival of Dance (which is only one of 34 BC regional festivals that funnels its top placements to the BC Provincials) and the Alberta Dance Festival, among many others, operate on a notfor-profit basis. Festivals are typically organized and run by volunteers within the community.

Competing dancers are awarded first, second or third placements and receive a written critique from a single adjudicator. The adjudicators at these events are usually experts in one particular genre. So, the ballet adjudicator will only adjudicate the ballet category (this can include ballet, pointe, demi-character and character dance) over the course of several days before the festival moves on to another genre and another adjudicator.

a pep-rally vibe. Dancers are awarded trophies, medals, and some competitions give away door prizes and exotic trips.

Many of these competitions will wrap up with a final showdown or dance off and overall winners can walk away with large cash prizes, scholarships, an overall title, or even a crown.

A traditional dance festival will be a

Competitions, on the other hand, may have a panel of three to five adjudicators for the duration of the event. All of the judges will have a familiarity with all genres, but each adjudicator will also be a specialist in a particular field.

little more subdued. Performers are

While many regional dance festivals can last for weeks depending on the number of entrants and categories the majority of privately run competitions are weekend events or take place over a few days.

compete in a provincial final.

Weekend dance competitions operate at a frantic pace. They are usually festive events with a party-like atmosphere and

or age and each dancer receives an

adjudicated after the completion of each session and final awards are reserved for top three placements. Many festivals culminate in a gala performance and top performers are invited to

Some events, like Catch a Rising Star Festival, Galaxy Dance Festival, and Nova Dance Challenge in Alberta are open to everyone no matter what level adjudication at the end of a session.

None, however, are awarded a first, Winter 2014 | just dance! 31

{ C o m pe t i t i o ns } Burridge suggests considering the competitive categories. “When we started in Alberta, many years ago, there was only one festival. It had no levels, so competitors regardless of age and experience were competing against each other,” explains Burridge. She introduced the multi-level format so dancers would be judged based on their age and experience. Comparing “apples with apples,” she says is the setup most festivals and competitions prefer today.

second or third placement; instead everyone receives a participation award.

Because every competition and festival across the country presents a slightly different format, parents and dancers should familiarize themselves with the organizers and events by researching company websites, reading the rules and regulations, and noting the scoring and awards systems. This way everyone has an idea of what to expect on the day.

Affordability: Always take into account value for your dollar when selecting competitions. Entry fees can range from 20 dollars per dancer in a group entry for a festival, to 100 dollars for a solo

What should parents and studios consider when researching competitions?

Format Style: Showtime Dance Promotions’

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The trend at many competitions today is to supply dancers with a running commentary. The adjudicators’ remarks are recorded on to either Video Judge®, CD, DVD or USB and given to the teachers who can review the performance and commentary with their students back at the studio.

kidsphysio

Inspire. Challenge. Encourage. 

Awards: The award system at competitions varies as well. Consider whether the quality and quantity of awards given out lines up with the number of competitors or the entry fees collected? Are all dancers recognized, or just the top placements?

And does this matter to you?

Adjudicators should be working dance professionals, preferably from out of town. Ontario-based Kick it Up’s John Raymond adds that blind judging where adjudicators have no idea which school the dancers represent is also essential to fair adjudication.

Kids will be kids. Or at least they should be!

Kids Physio Group is here to help with services designed specifically with them in mind, so they can go back to doing what they love most: being kids.



Professionalism and Reputation: Familiarize yourself with event organizers by scouting websites and asking questions. VIEW Dance Challenge co-founder, Justin De Bernardi, advises studio owners and parents to also take into account parents’ and students’ past experiences when selecting competitions.

Adjudication: Who and How?

J UST FOR KIDS!

kidsphysiogroup

performer in a privately run competition.

These fees can really add up when dancers compete several genres of dance in multiple events.

“We like to bring a diverse adjudicating panel who have strong educational backgrounds and experience as professional dancers, teachers and choreographers,” says De Bernardi, whose Toronto-based company will operate nine events across Canada in 2015. “The VIEW’s judging panel consists of three adjudicators for the whole competition. Each adjudicator must be well-versed in all styles of dance, but each will also have their own specialty.”

“It’s really important to hire adjudicators who still work with children,” stresses Showtime’s Burridge. “I think that it’s easy for a top flight adjudicator to lose their compassion and forget what it’s like to be a 10-year-old out on a stage all by themselves.” She insists that each dancer should be respected and given positive reinforcement and constructive criticism at all times.

{ His t o r y o f D a nce }

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34 just dance! | Winter 2014

{ C o m pe t i t i o ns }

DanceForce dancer Aya Canda at Peak.

At regional and provincial festivals, dancers typically receive written and in-person adjudications at the end of every session. The adjudicator’s remarks are shared with the audience and oftentimes the overall mark will be announced on stage. This method of adjudication is still loved by teachers and dancers because it gives the performer on-the-spot feedback and personalizes the experience between adjudicator and dancer.

THE PLACE TO BE FOR 2015!

March 6 – 8: London, ON – Centennial Hall

Scoring

May 1 – 3: Milton, ON – Jean Vanier Theatre

Typically adjudications follow a specific breakdown where dancers are marked out of 100, or in some cases, 1000. The scoring sheet is broken down into categories and marked in percentages.

May 22 – 24: Toronto, ON – Armenian Youth Centre

An example of scoring could look like this: Performance: 60%, Technique 40%, or broken down further to include marks for creativity, musicality, costumes and music choice, and choreography. (You may want to ask yourself if it’s fair to judge a dancer’s performance based on their costume choice or choreography, elements the performers’ may not have control over.) When there is more than one adjudicator on a panel, the overall score is averaged between them.

Final placements are also varied and may be distributed so every competitor receives a medal standing. Competitions may have different categories. An example of a common system is broken down like this: High Gold, Gold, High Silver, Silver, or Bronze. Often times it is the overall High Gold winners and top scorers who will receive the major scholarships, cash awards, gift certificates and trophies. It’s also these performers who are often invited to a final showcase performance, gala, or Dance Off.

WHY ELITE DANCE CHALLENGE? o Efficient and Organized o Easy Online Registration o Amazing Prizing and Scholarships o Healthy Competitive Atmosphere o Accredited Adjudicators o Fun for the entire Family

Taking the competitive experience to the Elite Level.

What’s a Dance Off? A Dance Off is a final challenge that results in declaring overall winners for the entire event. Sometimes these grand overall champions will move on to a national or international event.

Though Nationals aren’t common in Canada, 5678 Showtime qualifies its regional champions for the prestigious invitation-only Dance World Cup, and Ontario-based Canadian National Dance Championships (CNDC) is the only competition in Canada to select its top competitors to represent Team Canada Dance at the renowned International Dance Organization World Championships.

d we this aTeam h t i w port e sup da Danc a n Ca

It’s your experience...

Why EMBRACE?

Sportsmanship If you are brand new to dance competition, the exuberance of the audience during a performance may catch you off guard.

You might think you’ve stepped into a pep rally at a sporting event. Audience participation is welcomed at most dance events, meaning audiences should show their unbridled and respectful enthusiasm for all performers and performances.

And like any competitive atmosphere where opinions may differ, it’s important to accept the judges’ decisions and to never approach an adjudicator to question their judgment. Do, however, discuss your concerns with your studio owner.

“Competition is not always about the trophy,” concludes De Bernardi, who strongly supports the artistic growth of dancers. “Yes, someone is going to win, but if everyone can leave the competition a better dancer and having learned something valuable, then that is what matters in the end.”

TOUR TOURDATES DATES

info@embrace-dance.com • www.embrace-dance.com • 416-455-9792 Winter 2014 | just dance! 35

THE CANADIAN DANCE ORGANIZATION CDNC is the only dance competition in Canada that qualifies Canadian dancers to represent Canada at the prestigious World Championships. The International Dance Organization (IDO), is a World Federation with a membership of over 90 Nations, representing more than 250,000 dancers, from six continents. Last year, the World Championships was broadcasted worldwide for the first time. The IDO is the “Olympics” of dance with one gold, silver and bronze medal being awarded, the flags are risen in the background and the winning National Anthem is played. For more information on this exciting World Championships, please visit teamcanadadance.com.

THE CANADIAN DANCE ORGANIZATION PRESENTS:

2015 TOUR DATES ONTARIO Barrie, April 10-12 Fisher Auditorium

CONTACT CDO:

WWW.CDO-ONLINE.ORG REGIONAL COMPETITIONS: Alison Sharp alison@cdo-online.org TEAM CANADA & WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Bonnie Dyer bonnie@cdo-online.org WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Melissa Dyer canadaworlddance@gmail.com 36 just dance! | Winter 2014

Guelph, May 8-10 River Run Centre MANITOBA Winnipeg, April 23-28 Winnipeg Convention Centre QUEBEC Pierrefonds, March 27-29 Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School SASKACHEWAN To Be Announced BRITISH COLUMBIA To Be Announced

R

R

R

R

R

R qualifies for P

R

Champions Dance

CoreDance

DanceAbition

Dance Power

Fabulous Feet

Fever Dance Championships

**Greater Victoria Regional Arts Festival

iMP Dance Inc.

R

R

Catch a Rising Star/Galaxy/Nova

Peak Invitational

R

Candance Competition

R

R,N

***Canadian National Dance Championships

Pacific West Festival (PacWest)

R,N,I

**BC Provincials Performing Arts Festivals

P

P

**BC Annual Dance Competition

Upper Island Musical FestivalNanaimo

R,P,N

Alberta Dance Festival

R

P

*5678 Showtime/Dance World Cup-Invitational

Millenium Dance Festival

Across Canada / Whistler

R qualifies for N N qualifies for I

Event Name

AB, BC

BC

Nanaimo, BC

AB,ON,NB,NS

Edmonton, AB

Victoria, BC

AB,ON,QC

AB,SK

BC,AB

C

F

Apr 27May 8 Mar-May

F

F

C

F

C

F

C

C

C

C

F

C

C

late Mar

Mar-Jul

Jan 17

Apr-May

Mar-May

Apr-May

Feb-May

Mar-Apr

Apr-May

W.Van / Nanaimo, BC

Mar-May

Mar-May

Mar-May

Feb-May

NS

C

F

C

W

W

W

W/USB

W

W

VJ

W

W

W/USB

Unknown

W

W

USB

VJ

W

W

W

VJ

Adjudication: Competition (C) Video Judge (VJ) or Festival (F) Written (W)

May 26-31 F

May 3-9

May 9-13

Jan-Jul

Dates

AB, BC,ON ,NS

AB

AB, SK, ON, QC, NS

BC, SK, MB, ON, QC

Powell River, BC

Prince Rupert, BC

AB

Province or Territory

Regional (R) Provincial (P) National (N) International (I)

TP/A

TP

TP

TP/A

TP

TP

TP/A

TP/A

TP/A

TP/A

TP

TT/A

TP/A

TP/A

TP/A

TP

TP

TP/A

TP

Awards: Top Placements (TP) All Performances (A)

Dance Off

Power Championship

Finale

S/C/T/M

S/C/T/M

Bursaries

S/C/T/M

S/C/M

S/C/T

Ultimate Peak Challenge

Honour Performance

Dance Gala

Dance Off National Finals

improvisation and student choreo workshop at end of event

Honours Performance

S/C/T/M/tickets/door Dance Off prizes

S/C/M

C + medals for all

S/C/T/M

Gala Showcase (winners)

Dance Off

C/T + medallions for all S/Bursaries/Prizes

N/A

Nationals in Florida

C/T/plaques + medallions for all S/C/T

World Dance

Provincial Gala

Gala Performance

C/Plaques/R/M

Nationals / World Cup

Winners Showcase/ Not Applicable (N/A)

S/C + medals for all

S/C/T

S/C

S/C

C/T

Prizes: Scholarship (S), Cash (C), Trophies (T), Ribbons (R), Medals (M)

{ 2 0 1 5 C o m pe t i t i o ns }

Winter 2014 | just dance! 37

R

R

R

R

R

R

R qualifies for P

R

R

R

Event Name

Shine Dance Festival

Shy-Ann (Invitational) Dance Competition

Showtime Dance Promotions

38 just dance! | Winter 2014

Stage Door Productions

Standing Ovation Dance Festival

Star Talent Dance Competition

**Surrey Festival of Dance

Synergy Dance Competition

Thunderstruck Canada

The Dance Vibe Competition

R

R

R

R

R

R

Attitude Dance Challenge

Be Dance

Bedazzled Dance Champions

Believe Dance

BreakThru Dance Challenge

Dance Canada

Mar-May Feb-May

multiple cities plus QC

Apr-May

Feb-Jul

Feb-May

Mar-Apr

multiple cities

multiple cities

multiple cities

multiple cities

multiple cities

Mar-May

AB,BC,MB, ON,QC, NB

R

View Dance Challenge

C

F&C

C

C

F&C

F

C

C

VJ

On-stage

On-stage & VJ

VJ

VJ & W(Blend)

W

VJ

W

V

W

Comp w. F format C

W

VJ

Adjudication: Video Judge (VJ) Written (W)

Comp w. F format

F&C

Competition (C) or Festival (F)

C

C

C

C

C

C

Unknown

VJ& in-person

VJ

USB

CD /USB

VJ & Score Cards

Ontario Only Competitions

Feb & Apr

BC

**Victoria Dance Works Competition R qualifies for P

Apr-May

Feb-Jun

Coast to Coast, YT BC

Mar-May

Mar-May

Apr-May

Mar-May

May-Jun

Mar-May

Apr-May

Mar-Apr

Dates

BC

BC

BC

AB

NB

AB,BC,SK,MB

AB

BC

Regional (R) Provincial (P) Province or National (N) Territory International (I)

TP/A

TP/A

TP/A

A

TP/A

Top Ten/All

TP/A

TP

TP/A

Top Ten/All

TP/A

TP

TP

A

TP

TP/A

TP/A

TP

Awards: Top Placements (TP) All Performances (A)

Winners Showcase/ Not Applicable (N/A)

Gala Performance

S/Awards

S/C/T/R

C/T + awards for all

Mr. and Miss Dance Canada

N/A

N/A

Finals

N/A

C/S/T + certificates for all C/Custom Award/R

Finals in Punta Cana C/T + medals for all

S/C/T + medals for all Final Showdown

Grants/Trophies

C/S/T + medals for all Battle of the Vibe

Positive Flash Gala

Showdown Finals

C/ + medals/prizes for all C/T + plaques for all

Honour Performance T/S/Bursaries

N/A

Encore Dance Off

S/C/T/ + medals for all T/S + medals for all

Spotlight Gala

Grand Championships

N/A

S/C/T

S/C + medals for all

S/C/Plaques + pins for all

S/C/T + medals for all N/A

Prizes: Scholarship (S), Cash (C), Trophies (T), Ribbons (R), Medals (M)

{ 2 0 1 5 C o m pe t i t i o ns }

R

R,N

R

R

Just Dance

Kick It Up

Luv 2 Dance

Move: The Ultimate Dance Competition

Move With the Beat (plus contortion / circus / aerial) multiple cities

multiple cities

multiple cities

ON, AB,QC

four locations

Mar-May Mar-May

multiple cities multiple cities. plus AB

Mar-May

Mar-May

Mar-May

Mar-May

Mar-May

Apr-Jul

Mar-May

Mar-May

multiple cities plus QC

R

R

Inspire Dance Challenge

Mar-Apr

Mar-Apr

Mar-May

Mar & May

Apr-May

multiple cities

Rhythm Dance

R

Galaxy of Stars

Hamilton, Toronto

R

R

Embrace Dance Competition

London, Toronto

Real Dance Competitions

R

Elite Dance Challenge

multiple cities

multiple cities

R

Elevation Dance Challenge

multiple cities

R

R

Dance Odyssey

multiple cities plus NS Feb-May

On The Floor (proceeds to Sick Kids Hospital)

R

Dancefest Canada

Dates

Competition Adjudication: (C) Video Judge (VJ) or Festival (F) Written (W)

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

VJ

USB/P

VJ

VJ

VJ

VJ

Video Critique

VJ

USB

VJ

DVD

VJ

VJ

VJ

VJ

VJ

Ontario Only Competitions (continued)

Province or Territory

multiple cities

R

Event Name

Northern Stars Dance Competition R

Regional (R) Provincial (P) National (N) International (I)

TP/A

TP

TP/A

TP/A

TP

TP/A

TP/A

A

A

TP

A

TP/A

TP/A

TP/A

TP/A

Awards: Top Placements (TP) All Performances (A)

S/Gift Certificates

S/C/T/M + trips

Donations to Sick Kids/ T/S/C

S/C/Awards for all

S/C/T/M/tickets/ prizes

N/A

Showdown

Ultimate Battle/ Sick Kids Gala

Dance Off

N/A

Finals

Finals in Florida

S/C/T/M/Cruise Giveaways C/T/R

Virtual Final (DVD)

N/A

C/Charm bracelets/ statues S/C/T

N/A

N/A

Miss/Mr. Embrace Crown

N/A

N/A

N/A

Dancefest Pageant

Winners Showcase/ Not Applicable (N/A)

S/C/T + photo awards

C/T/R/M

S/C/T/Ribbons for all

C/T/M/R

T/R

S/T/R + medalllions

S/C/T//M/Prizes

Prizes: Scholarship (S), Cash (C), Trophies (T), Ribbons (R), Medals (M)

{ 2 0 1 5 C o m pe t i t i o ns }

Winter 2014 | just dance! 39

40 just dance! | Winter 2014

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

Shock Dance Challenge

Shooting Stars Dance Competition

Star Beat Dance Champions

StarCatchers

Strive Dance Challeng

Terpsichore Dance Celebrations

The Ultimate Dance Connection

En Pointe

Festival Du Ballet

Surrey, BC

Ontario

multiple cities

iMP Dance Inc.

we d a m is Tea nce h t a t th por a D i p w u s nad Ca

F

C

For more inFormation or to regiSter viSit: impdance.com or email inFo@impdance.com

Saturday, January 17th, 2015 l’uni theatre - 8627 91 St, edmonton

IMProvIsatIon & stuDent ChoreograPhy CoMPetItIon

inspiring movement potential

C

CD

CD

USB

On-stage

VJ

VJ

VJ

W

USB

Ballet Only Events

May 10-13

Apr-May

Apr-May

C

mulitple cities Feb-May plus BC and AB

C

C

C

C

C

Mar-May

Mar-May

Mar-May

Apr-May

Ontario Only Competitions

Dates

Adjudication: Competition (C) Video Judge (VJ) or Festival (F) Written (W)

Mar-Apr

multiple cities

multiple cities

multiple cities

multiple cities

multiple cities

Province or Territory

TP/A

TP/A

TP/A

TP

TP / A

TP/A

TP/A

A

TP

Medals for all

Rose Gala Finale

N/A

N/A

S/C/T/M/plaques/ banners

C/Charm bracelets/ statues

N/A

S/T/plaques, pins, ribbons

C/T/M/Ribbons for all N/A

C/T/M/Ribbons for all N/A

All-Star Beat Dance Off

Showcase of the Stars

S/T + medallions for all S/C/R/Medallions

Ultimate Shock Showdown

Winners Showcase/ Not Applicable (N/A)

C/T/plaques

Prizes: Scholarship Awards: Top (S), Cash (C), Placements (TP) All Trophies (T), Ribbons Performances (A) (R), Medals (M)

DISCLAIMER: This chart is for general reference only. Although we have made every attempt to ensure accuracy of the information herein, we cannot guarantee it. Please refer to each event's website for the most current information.

R

Event Name

*Only qualifier for Dance World Cup 2015 ** Not-for-Profit/Volunteer Run ***Only qualifier for Team Canada Dance

Regional (R) Provincial (P) National (N) International (I)

{ 2 0 1 5 C o m pe t i t i o ns }

{ B a l a nce }

Screen time & your body

I

by Rochelle Blaak t is early evening and you have been doing homework for half an hour, but the nagging ache in your neck is effecting your concentration. This combined with a near constant low grade headache for the past week is starting to concern you. The cause of your pain, however, might surprise you.

Screens - laptops, desktop computers, smart phones, tablets and televisions – are part of almost everything we do now. And this constant exposure to screens might be doing your body more damage than you realize. Like everything else in life, balance is key to ensuring you get the most out of your screen time without harming yourself in the process.

Body Aches and Pains

© Alena Ozerova | Dreamstime.com

Sitting for long periods of time in front of a screen can cause injuries due to repetitive strain. Laura Patrick, BHK, MScPT, physiotherapist, owner and founder of Kidsphysio says, “This can cause pain, stiffness, numbness and tingling in the neck and back."

Overusing these devices can also strain the eyes, causing headaches and blurred vision. People tend to blink less when using a device, which leads to dry eyes, discomfort, pain and fatigue. Additionally, focusing on a screen at a constant distance away for long periods of time can lead to eyesight degradation, or impaired eye coordination.

Repetitive strain injuries from using keyboards and touch-screens effect the

"Spend some time lying on your tummy while using your tablet or smart phone."

hands, arms and shoulders. One of the most common hand and wrist injuries is carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the nerve that runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. Symptoms include burning, tingling, or itching numbness in the palm of the hand and the fingers.

An ergonomic keyboard, mouse and

injury Prevention

multimedia phones) be limited to no

Laura Patrick, says prevention is primarily found in good posture. “How you sit while using technology is extremely important, especially if you spend hours doing so each day. It’s best to sit in an upright chair, with a slight lumbar lordosis and your feet flat on the floor. Keep your shoulders stacked over your rib cage and your rib cage stacked over your hips. This alignment allows us to most efficiently use our deep core muscles to help stabilize the spine while we work. Engaging deep core muscles will prevent fatigue of the other

more than two hours per day. If you

postural muscles that can lead to pain.”

The position of your screen also matters.

A computer monitor should be positioned so that the top of the screen is slightly below eye-level, approximately an arm’s length away and directly in front of you.

If the screen is the proper distance away, it should not be necessary to bend your neck to see it.

When using a smart phone, try holding it out in front of you while reading the screen to avoid bending your neck. To prevent leaning your head to one side, ear-pieces and headsets are recommended with the use of cell-phones.

chair can all help to prevent injuries and alleviate symptoms.

Perhaps the best method of injury prevention however, is to limit the use of these devices. Canadian guidelines recommend that recreational screen time (television, computer, video games,

spend more than this amount of time, reducing the use of these devices is strongly encouraged. When you do spend extended periods of time in front of a screen make sure you stand up, stretch, and walk around every twenty minutes to increase blood flow to your muscles, improve flexibility, and rest your eyes.

Physio Tips The next time your neck and back start to nag you, Laura Patrick recommends the following two tips to help keep you limber and pain free while in front of a screen.

1.

Every 15-20 minutes, align your spine, roll your shoulder blades down your back and take 3-5 deep breaths in and out.

2.

At home, spend some time lying on your tummy while using your tablet or smart phone. This will put you into a “low cobra” or slight back bend, counter-acting the forward slouching from the day.

Winter 2014 | just dance! 41

Visit our website for direct links to listings’ websites: justdancemagazine.com ACADEMIES, SCHOOLS & STUDIOS Armstrong Dance armstrongdance.ca info@armstrongdance.ca 250 546 0308 Armstrong, BC Artistic Edge artisticedgedanceacademy.com lovetodance@shaw.ca 604 809 0138 Surrey, BC Arts Umbrella artsumbrella.com info@artsumbrella.com 604 681 5268 x0 Vancouver, BC AUUC School of Dance auucvancouver.ca danceschool@auucvancouver.ca 604 254 3436 Vancouver, BC Ballet Bloch Canada balletbloch.com info@balletbloch.com North Vancouver, BC Boswell Dance Academy boswelldance.com info@boswelldance. com 604 522 4424 New Westminster, BC Canada’s National Ballet School nbs-enb.ca Toll Free: 800 387 0785 Toronto: 416 964 3780 DanceFX dancefxschool.ca tcrm-@hotmail.com 778 232 0868 Maple Ridge, BC The danceLAB dancelab.ca info@dancelab.ca 604 525 5289 Coquitlam, BC

Fusion Force Studio fusionforcestudio.com fusionf@telus.net 604 533 1863 Langley, BC Joffrey Ballet School joffreyballetschool.com joffrey@joffreyballetschool.com 888 438 3808 New York, NY The Landing Dance Centre thelandingdance.com info@thelandingdance.com 604 325 8653 Vancouver, BC Marr Mac Dance & Theater Arts marrmac.com 1968@marrmac.com 780 434 9281 Edmonton, AB OneDance Creative Art Centre onedance.ca onedance@shaw.ca 604 987 8747 North Vancouver, BC Place des Arts placedesarts.ca info@placedesarts.ca 604 664 1636 Coquitlam, BC PULSE dance centre onthepulse.ca 604 474 3466 info@onthepulse.ca Port Coquitlam, BC Royal City Youth Ballet royalcityyouthballet.org rcyb@telus.net 604 521 7290 New Westminster, BC Royal Winnipeg Ballet School rwb.org school@rwb.org 204 957 3467 The Spiral Dance Co. spiraldance.ca info@spiraldance.ca 604 541 2800 White Rock, BC

DanzMode Productions danzmodeproductions.com info@danzmodeproductions.com 604 294 4677 Burnaby, BC

Tri-City Dance Centre tricitydance.com info@tricitydance.com 604 523 6868 Coquitlam, BC

Driftwood Dance Academy driftwooddance.com info@driftwooddance.com 604 770 4650 North Vancouver, BC

Victoria Academy of Ballet victoriaacademyofballet.ca 250 590 6752 Victoria, BC

Encore Dance Academy encoredanceacademy.ca office@encoredanceacademy.ca 604 468 7400 Port Coquitlam, BC 42 just dance! | Winter 2014

Canadian National Dance Championships (CNDC) cdo-online.org alison@cdo-online.org Elite Dance Challenge elitedancecchallenge.ca katie@elitedancechallenge.ca 416 819 7750 Embrace Dance Competition and COnvention embrace-dance.com info@embrace-dance.com 416 455 9792 Fresh Dance Intensive freshdanceintensive.com david@freshdanceintensive.com The Hollywood Summer Tour thehollywoodsummertour.com info@ thehollywoodsummertour.com 1 818 574 8365 Los Angeles, CA Impact Dance Workshops impactdanceproductions.com impactdanceproductions@ gmail.com 604 644 3720 iMP Dance impdance.com info@iMPdance.com facebook.com/iMPdance Showtime Dance Promotions showtimedancepromotions.com info@ showtimedancepromotions.com 250 768 7202 VIEW Dance Challenge viewdancechallenge.com info@viewdancechallenge.com 1 855 405 VIEW 1 416 405 8439 5678 Showtime 5678showtime.com info@5678showtime.com 604 945 7469

Performing arts retailers and SUPPLIERS Avalon Dance Shop of Canada avalondance.ca info@avalondance.ca 604 874 2461 Vancouver, BC Curtsey Cosmetics curtseycosmetics.com curtseycosmetics@gmail.com 905 630 8674

COMPETITIONs, Conventions & Workshops

danceCraft dancecraft.ca dancecraft@shaw.ca 604 590 1733 Surrey, BC

BeDazzled bedazzleddance.com bedazzled@bellnet.ca 905 465 1593

Dream Duffel dreamduffel.com info@dreamduffel.com 877 378 1260

En Pointe Enterprises en-pointe.com info@en-pointe.com 1 866 491 9019 Forever Dancewear foreverdancewear.com info@foreverdancewear.com 604 770 0703 North Vancouver, BC Jazz Ma Tazz jazz-ma-tazz.com jazzma@telus.net Abbotsford: 604 855 9166 Maple Ridge: 604 466 0861

Professional companies Ballet BC balletbc.com 604 732 5003 Vancouver, BC Ballet Victoria balletvictoria.ca info@balletvictoria.ca 250 380 6063 Victoria, BC

Services Gemini Visuals geminivisuals.com info@geminivisuals.com 604 312 6330 Surrey, BC Kids Physio Group kidsphysio.ca admin@kidsphysio.ca Vancouver, Surrey, & North Vancouver, BC Laura Zeke Photography laurazeke.com info@laurazeke.com 604 908 5861 Revival Arts revivalartsstudio.com db@rastudio.ca 604 864 6339 877 310 3500 Stagestep stagestep.com stagestep@stagestep.com 800 523 0960 Philadelphia, PA

TheaterS Evergreen Cultural Centre evergreenculturalcentre.ca info@ evergreenculturalcentre.ca 604 927 6550 Coquitlam, BC

Royal City Youth Ballet Company Society proudly presents, for the 26th season, the full length ballet, the Nutcracker.

The longest running Nutcracker ballet performance in Canada!

Don’t miss your opportunity to see this unique show that delights audiences of all ages.

2014 Artistic Director, Camilla Fishwick-Kellogg Executive Producer, Trisha Sinosich-Arciaga

Michael J. Fox Theatre, Burnaby

Abbotsford Arts Centre, Abbotsford

Saturday, November 22 2:30 pm Tickets through the Act Box Office: 604-476-2787

The Act, Maple Ridge

Sunday, November 23 1:00 & 4:00 pm Box Office: 604-476-2787

Friday, December 5 7:00 pm Box Office: 604-664-8875

Surrey Arts Centre, Surrey

Friday, December 12 7:00 pm Saturday, December 13 1:00 & 4:00 pm Sunday, December 14 1:00 & 4:00 pm Box Office: 604-501-5566

Cowichan Theatre, Duncan

Centennial Theatre, North Vancouver

Sunday, December 21 1:00 & 4:00 pm Box Office: 604-984-4484

Massey Theatre, New Westminster Monday, December 22 2:00 & 7:00 pm Box Office: 604-521-5050

Friday, December 19 7:00 pm Saturday, December 20 1:00 pm Box Office: 250-748-7529

For more information, please visit our website:

www.royalcityyouthballet.org Winter 2014 | just dance! 43