just dance! | September 2013 | Vol. 2 | Issue I

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September 2013 | Vol. 2 | Issue I

inspiring:

4

Arts Umbrella dancers share their professional dreams

celebrating:

2013

Crystal Classic Grand Champions

just dance! talks to the cast of The Next Step Page 20

Informing:

Relax with Girlvana Yoga

+

RWB brings a Canadian classic novel

to the ballet stage justdancemagazine.com $4.00 PMA #41073506

Aspire to Greatness Ballet Academic Program - Ages 10+ Aspirant Program - Post Graduate 2013/14 International Audition Tour Please join us for a master class taught by RWB School Artistic Faculty.

For dates, locations + info: rwb.org/school

Aspirez à la grandeur Programme de formation en ballet – Pour les élèves de 10 ans et plus Programme des aspirants - Études supérieures Tournée internationale d’auditions 2013/14

Veuillez vous joindre à nous pour une classe de maître donnée par le personnel artistique de l’École du RWB. Pour connaître les dates, l’emplacement et autres renseignements: rwb.org/school

Saskatoon / Edmonton / Calgary / Vancouver / Victoria / Kelowna / Charlottetown Moncton / Halifax / Ottawa / Toronto / Minneapolis / Montréal / Windsor / Winnipeg

2 just dance! | September 2013

T

204.957.3467

Features:

INThISISSUE

Blossoming Under the Umbrella................................................................ 5

By Racquel Foran A Handmaid’s Tale................................................................................... 10

By Suzanne Ouellette Getting to Your Next Step....................................................................... 20

By Lori Straus

Knowledge Base: Solos: When Are You Ready & What to Expect.................................... 17

By Julie MacRae Discovering Your Inner Yogi with Girlvana Yoga................................... 24

By Alex Mazerolle

In Every Issue: publisher’s Letter...................................................................................... 4 In the Spotlight 2013 Crystal Classic Grand Champions.................... 8

By Racquel Foran just dance! Wants to Know What Did You Do This Summer?........ 14 History of Dance Rebel with a Cause............................................... 18

By Hilary Wood Balance Fighting Off the Flu.................................................................. 26

By Dana Renaud

Cover shot credit: 2013 Crystal Classic Grand Champions | Photographer: GTFX September 2013 | just dance! 3

FromThePublisher

H

ello! and welcome back. It feels like forever since we published our last issue, but that doesn’t mean the just dance! team hasn’t been busy over the summer. We have been making new contacts, meeting new people, and forming new relationships all summer and we are really excited about entering into our second editorial year.

In this issue of just dance! we are honoured to have a number of industry insiders helping us inform, inspire and celebrate you, our readers. Well-known local dance and musical theatre instructor Suzanne Ouellette shares what she learned about RWB’s newest production, A Handmaid’s Tale; Peak Invitational Event Manager Julie MacRae fills dancers in on what to expect when performing a solo; and Alex Mazeroll of Girlvana Yoga helps us find our inner yogi.

Of course we are also thrilled to have the cast of The Next Step dance through our pages. And, as always we celebrate local dancers with our Arts Umbrella feature and a shout-out to the 2013 Crystal Classic Grand Champions. We hope you enjoy the read!

For me, September not January has always represented the beginning of a new year.

Schools reopen, new television seasons begin, and of course dance studios are in full swing again. In keeping with new beginnings, we are launching a new dance discount membership program this month, just dance! partners. We are proud to have formed partnerships with a number of businesses, professional dance companies, and service and support suppliers to offer discounts to dance studios and performing arts schools. The program will officially launch Sept. 30, so stay tuned.

We have a lot of really exciting things planned for the remainder of 2013 and into 2014…we hope you stick around for the read. On that note, if you received a FREE subscription last summer/fall when we launched, your subscription has expired or soon will. Don’t miss our upcoming interview with Dance Moms’ Maddie and Mackenzie, info about why you should attend dance conventions, and more…subscribe online at justdancemagazine.com.

Finally, I would like to say a special thank you to all the advertisers who supported us through our first year – we would not still be here if not for you. We look forward to the opportunity to serve our advertisers and readers for many years to come.

Keep dancing!

—Racquel

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 Copy Editor Hillary Wood Staff Photographer Karen Fisher-Hagel Operations Assistant Meagan O’Connor Advertising Sales Jackie Greenhalgh jackie@justdancemagazine.com Brittany Leavold brittany@justdancemagazine.com just dance! magazine is available for $24 per year (6 issues).

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4 just dance! | September 2013

Michael Slobodian

Blossoming Under the Umbrella

O By Racquel Foran

Maya Tenzer poses at a Arts Umbrella photo shoot.

n any trip to Vancouver’s Granville Island you can spy a tutu-clad dancer dashing in or out of the doors of Arts Umbrella, but

but for a surprising number it has led to great success. Dancers in particular seem to blossom under the umbrella.

In the last decade alone more than two dozen Arts Umbrella alumni have graduated to work with a wide variety of national and international dance

has it ever occurred to you that these kids

companies. Graham Kaplan (Ballets Jazz

might be the stars of tomorrow? For thirty

Montreal), Joaa de Paula (Conny Janssen

years now Arts Umbrella has been “inspiring

Danst, Netherlands), and Stephanie Cyr

kids for life through the arts.� Thousands of

(Imperfect Dancers, Italy) are among the

children have walked through their doors

2013 graduates who found success after

to take art, theatre, music and dance

their time at Arts Umbrella. And it looks like

classes. For many of these children the

the pattern is going to continue with the

experience has simply enriched their lives,

2014 graduating class.

As Arts Umbrella Artistic Director Artemis Gordon noted, there are dozens of dancers in their program that could serve as ambassadors for Arts Umbrella and who deserve recognition, but we selected only four for this feature. Each of these students has been dancing for 10 to 15+ years, and all have had diverse dance experiences that will serve them well in their professional pursuits. Clare Cullen, the manager of the dance program at Arts Umbrella noted that Rachel McNamee, Maya Tenzer, Oksana Wengryniuk, and Christoph von Riedemann are students in the professional program who in addition to being talented, are approachable and dedicated.

September 2013 | just dance! 5

Rachel McNamee grew up in Vancouver.

She started dancing at the age of three at Dance Co.; she joined Arts Umbrella when she was 11. It didn’t take long for her to be spending 20+ hours a week at the Arts Umbrella Granville Island studio.

And it has been fast forward ever since.

In eight years she has performed with Ballet BC twice—Nutcracker and Four Seasons; attended summer school at the Canada’s National Ballet School as well as Movement Invention Project in New York; received a BC Arts Council Scholarship in 2012, and toured to the Netherlands with the Arts Umbrella Dance Company in 2011. And she just got back from the LAUNCH: 8 Summer Intensive in Portland, Oregon which she called an “amazing experience.”

Maya Tenzer has been just as busy. She started dancing a little later than some, but it didn’t take her long to catch up.

Like her peers in the graduate program, she studies ballet, contemporary and jazz at Arts Umbrella. She is a member of the Arts Umbrella dance company so she too travelled to the Netherlands in 2011, the same year that she attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance

summer program. In 2012 she won the Dale Mearns Scholarship for Dance and attended the École Superiéure de Ballet du Québec summer program. In 2013, she was awarded the Dancing with Jocelyn Award and Scholarship for Dance. All this proving that you don’t have to start dancing at three years old in order to achieve great things.

Oksana Wengryniuk did start dancing when she was three, more or less growing up at Arts Umbrella. She credits Arts Umbrella with giving her the opportunity to work with great choreographers like Ballet BC’s Emily Molnar; Fernando Magadan of Nederlands Dans Theater; and James Kudelka who has choreographed for the National Ballet among many others. Oksana pointed out one of the great things about the Arts Umbrella program is that students are required to see live performances.

“We are so lucky, we see everything,” Oksana beamed. Because of this she was able to see to a performance by Wayne McGregor Random Dance. It is her dream to dance with the company one day, “When I saw them I thought ‘I could fit in with this company’.”

Christoph von Riedemann was another one to start dancing later in life. His first introduction to dance was Irish Dance.

He joined because “My friend did it, so I tried… I’m not sure why.” After a couple of years he decided to give ballet a try with the Arts Umbrella boys program.

“I didn’t expect to like it, but I fell in love.” He has been with Arts Umbrella ever since. And like his peers, he too has already had great experiences. He attended the Banff Summer Intensive “the most beautiful place to stay;” performed in Giselle with Ballet BC; and apprenticed at the 2012 Chutzpah Festival on the production of Leaving Grit.

The success and the diversity of Arts Umbrella dancers is no surprise – the Arts Umbrella professional graduate programs are very demanding. Students spend 35 to 50 hours a week in the studio training in ballet, Pointe or men’s work, pas de deux, composition, improvisation, classical variations, Cecchetti exam preparation, body conditioning, health, flamenco, jazz and contemporary techniques. Students can also earn a dance diploma through an Arts Umbrella/Vancouver Community College partnership that supplements

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Oksana Wengryniuk displays beautiful form.

Michael Slobodian

PRESENTING SPONSOR

that she is most proud that “all of them move on to be successful people.”

The students agree with her. “It [Arts Umbrella] doesn’t just produce good dancers, it produces good people,” offered Rachel. Oksana added “It imprints high expectations in everything you do.”

All four dancers are in their final year at Arts Umbrella so they must start thinking about their future plans. Christoph explained that this is the year they have to “Solidify everything, embody it and use it.”

Christoph and Rachel McNamee at the Arts Umbrella Summer Intensive.

Christoph von Riedemann training at the Arts Umbrella Summer Intensive.

Michael Slobodian x2

the Graduate program with academic classes in arts and culture, rhythm training and professional business skills through VCC. This program earns students a postsecondary diploma granted under the authority of the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education.

Artemis Gordon noted that, “a significant majority of the AU grads have received dancing contracts with international professional companies immediately upon graduation and the last three graduating classes have had a 95 per cent placement rate,” but she added

They all hope to dance professionally.

Christoph would love to dance with Kidd Pivot; Maya dreams of dancing

with Batsheva Dance Company in Israel; Rachel has her eye on Nederlands Dans Theater; and of course, Oksana aspires to dance with Random Dance. They are aware that they have to earn their stripes and the road to professional success won’t be easy. As Maya acknowledged, “It is super competitive and there aren’t as many jobs as there are dancers.”

They are, however, confident in the education Arts Umbrella has provided them with. After meeting them, this writer is sure they will all achieve their dancing dreams. I look forward to being able to say just dance! interviewed them when they were still blossoming under the Umbrella.

dance

boys only.

Arts Umbrella’s unique program for boys, ages 6–12!

All classes supported by scholarship.

Supported by: Ashia Mode Clothing Photo by: Michael Slobodian

artsumbrella.com September 2013 | just dance! 7

2013 Crystal Classic Grand Champions {inthespotlight}

by Racquel Foran

Top: Sarah, Ashton and Raelyn performing Hotel California.

Bottom left: Raelyn,Ashton Sarah, Keely, and Emily poured their hearts and souls into their winning performance.

Bottom Right: The Grand Champions receiving their $5,000 cheque at the Crystal Classic in Kelowna.

8 just dance! | September 2013

S

ometimes a group of dancers comes together and they become something bigger, stronger, and better as a group than they were as individuals. When the chemistry is right, a song and compelling choreography can bring out emotional and gripping performances that rivet the audience and leave them wanting more. This past 2013 competition season a group of five dancers from K&S Dance in Port Coquitlam achieved just that with their contemporary dance routine “Hotel

d

{inthespotlight} California.” From their first performance of the season it was clear something special was happening on stage and adjudicators at competitions across BC agreed.

Keely Knuston, Ashton Mitzel, Raelyn Metcalfe, Emily Loski and Sarah Jeffery have been dancing at K&S Dance between three (Sarah) and 15 (Raelyn) years. They have a strong connection with each other and the studio; it is their second home, and the dancers and instructors are their extended family.

This year the five girls came together to form a contemporary group and perform a routine choreographed by K&S instructor and choreographer Heather Dotto, that not only won them awards and accolades, but also gave them something to be proud of and a memory to hold on to for a lifetime.

Heather Dotto created what the girls called a “quirky and fun number,” that, as Keely explained, “Gave us a chance to express a different side of us.” Emily added, “She took a classic song and paired it with choreography the audience can relate to… the dance makes you happy.”

Of course this wouldn’t be the case if the five dancers didn’t have that chemistry.

They work well together because as Ashton noted they “…have similar dance goals and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.” And, as Sarah added they “… are all diligent workers, but can also have a lot of fun together.”

It was Hotel California from K&S Dance that took home the 2013 title of Grand Champion along with the crystal trophy and $5,000 cheque. Donna Burridge, None of this is surprising; this is a director of Showtime explained why very accomplished group of young this routine stood out from the others, ladies. Emily was runner up Provincial “Hotel California was one of those Representative in modern/contemporary memorable routines that left you at Surrey Festival 2013; Sarah won wanting more. Aside from overall solo performer at the fantastic technical Thunderstruck and was abilities of the group, named Thunderbolt our adjudicating Showtime Dance Promotions hosts solo winner; panel was most 13 dance competitions throughout BC Raelyn has won impressed with and Alberta each year including Dream a number of Team, Great Canadian Dance Challenge, the dancers’ contemporary Kids Help Phone Challenge, Dance Extreme, the capability to dance and Evergreen Dance Festival, and the Crystal Classic personify their musical Grand Championships. characters theatre within the Each year Showtime Promotions offer over scholarships; routine. $100,000 in cash prizes, awards & trophies, and Ashton earned They were so scholarships to dancers from all over Western first and fourth committed to the Canada.

For 2014 event dates visit highest scoring performance that showtimedancepromotions.com solos at Peak you got lost in the Burnaby in April 2013 story. They pulled out as well as scholarships all the stops at our Crystal to the Groove Street Dance Classic Grand Championships Convention and to the Edge in LA from and performed Hotel California to the Dream Team in May 2013; and Keely won absolute best of their abilities.” a Surrey Festival of Dance Scholarship in 2012 and first place in the lyrical/jazz/ The dancers believe Hotel California was modern category at PEAK. To top that successful for a number of reasons. They off, all five girls earned a place on Team definitely think the classic song helped Canada in 2012 to represent our country get the audience into it. They also credit at the World Dance Championships, Dotto’s unique choreography that was however Sarah was unable to travel to fun to both perform and watch. But Germany because she landed a role on the dancers’ don’t sell themselves short the television show “Rogue.” either, “We put a lot of time into making Josh Beamish and MOVE the company, proving they could hold their own with the pros.

Heather Dotto did a good job of With all that experience, the group was capturing the best of the dancers with her feeling confident when they choreography and audiences travelled to Kelowna this past were captivated. The list of July to compete in the awards the routine won is K&S Dance is located Crystal Classic Grand long: first place at PEAK in Port Coquitlam, BC. It Championships. The Invitational; high gold has been in business under and second place at Grand Championships the creative direction of owner Dance Power as well is Showtime Dance Sharise Wedding for 22 years. They as judges choice for Promotion’s headoffer a full range of dance classes contemporary/ballet/ to-head competition for children of all ages and modern routine; third of all Gold Medal abilities. For more info visit place at the Surrey and High Gold Medal kandsdance.com.

Festival; high gold at performances from all Dream Team Festival and 13 of their BC and Alberta judges’ “Most Promising Group competitions. Crystal trophies, of the Category with a High Score,” medals, scholarships and thousands of which qualified them for Showtime dollars in cash awards are given away as Dance Promotion’s Crystal Classic the best of the best compete for the title Grand Championships. And they also of Grand Champion. impressed audiences at a gala hosted by

this dance the best that it could be…” said Sarah. And Raelyn noted that they would always sit together and each one of them would put something forward that they felt needed to be worked on to improve the routine. In this case the hard work definitely paid off.

Raelyn, Emily and Keely are particularly pleased with this ending to their 2013 competition season as all three graduated from high school this past June and are moving on to new things.

Each of them plans to keep on dancing, either professionally or simply for the pure pleasure of it.

Hotel California includes the line, “some dance to remember, some dance to forget,” for these five dancers this was definitely a dance to remember.

September 2013 | just dance! 9

A Handmai

American Choreographer Brings Canadian Classic to the Ballet Stage Story by Suzanne Ouellette Photos by Aleli Estrada

Taylors Company now a renowned American choreographer, has taken on the challenge of transforming this full length novel into a dance. After having proposed the concept to other Canadian companies she was thrilled when RWB Artistic Director, Andre Lewis picked it up and gave York full access to the amazing dancers of the Royal Winnipeg.

This October, Winnipeg audiences are in for an unexpected dance experience; the Royal Winnipeg Ballet is bringing Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale to the ballet stage.

Lila York, a former dancer with Paul

York was an English major in college with the hopes of being a writer when she caught the dance bug. On a scholarship with Paul Sanasardo in New York City, she studied all around the city for three years before auditioning for Paul Taylor and joining the

10 just dance! | September 2013

company for 12 years. She worked for two years with Martha Clarke in the last of her dance years. With a few exceptions, she has worked almost exclusively with ballet companies throughout her career.

After many years of development, her new work with the RWB is a project York is passionate about as its themes are very relevant to many issues prevalent in today’s society. The main theme of the novel, losing liberty and women’s rights, is very topical today. As York commented, many countries around the world still treat women as chattel and deny them basic human rights. “Fear of losing personal liberty is in the zeitgeist right now, so it is timely. Fifteen

id’s Tale Main spread image: Dancers Left to Right: Anna O’Callaghan, Sarah Davey, Kylie Duggan, Chenxin Liu, Katie Bonnell & Yayoi Ezawa.

Top and bottom: RWB Principal Dancer, Amanda Green & RWB Soloist, Dmitri Dovgoselets

states in the U.S. have outlawed abortion, even though it is a guaranteed right, and they are in the process of outlawing contraception. The battle for women’s rights is front and centre in this ballet.”

However, there are not many ballets based on full length novels and translating the story into dance where images, music and movement must replace words was difficult. “At first I considered having some of the solos performed to actual words from the novel, but instead I used lots of media such as multiple screens; I want the audience to see the piece more on a visual level,” explained York.

The RWB has only 26 dancers and with the number of characters in the novel, all of the dancers will be dancing a lot. Even then York has had to eliminate characters from the story, focusing instead on the pivotal characters around Offred. These characters will be surrounded by the three key female groups, the wives, the Jezibels and the handmaidens. York noted that each of the roles is entirely different from the others, and they have very different movement qualities.

Offred the narrator belongs to the class of Handmaids; fertile women forced to bear children for elite, barren couples.

Her movement material will be adagio.

Whereas Moira, Offred’s best friend and

a staunch feminist, embodies female resourcefulness and independence so her movement is mostly allegro. Lydia who works at the re-education centre where Offred and other women go for instruction is covered with fast footwork.

And the Commander, who is the head of the household where Offred works as a Handmaid and who initiates a relationship with Offred, though he is not very adept at seducing, will be waltzing.

One character that particularly fascinates York is Moira, as she is the only character in the novel that stands up and says “no.”

Moira escapes the Centre and Offred loses track of her for several years until she September 2013 | just dance! 11

Kelly Douglas, RAD Examiner

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encounters her working as a prostitute at a brothel. Moira had been given the choice of being banished to the colonies or the brothel. Moira once strong and outspoken is now indifferent, representing how the state can destroy the most independent spirit.

York noted, “I think that in our own time we are seeing people of courage stand up to injustice in new ways and Moira reflects that. Authoritarian regimes never survive.

Witness Hitler’s ‘thousand year Reich,’ because human nature being what it is, the spirit demands to be free to express itself.

Sooner or later it does, as the collective society stands up and says “no way!”

York was determined early on in the process of developing this piece to handle the controversial elements of the story in a way that would not offend parents or frighten children. The infamous “Ceremony” where the Commander reads from the bible then has sex with Offred while his wife watches is being presented as an abstract neo-classical pas de trois.

Adults will see the metaphors clearly, but children will not. The Jezebels have some “sexy” dancing, but the pas de deuxs are romantic rather than sexual.

York definitely has things to say, and because she is a dancer, she uses dance as her voice rather than words.

Although York chose dance over writing, she is still sharing compelling stories with audiences, and we in the audience are very fortunate in this instance that she selected to bring an iconic Canadian novel to life on the ballet stage.

The Handmaid’s Tale will be performed by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Oct 16th - 20th 2013 at Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg.

Choreographer Lila York, Ballet Master Jaime Vargas, Ballet Master Vanessa Lawson.

12 just dance! | September 2013

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just dance! wants to know…

Sponsored by:

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

Carlie Fradin

Age: 12

Spiral Dance Company, White Rock I was excited to spend my summer learning my solos for next year, doing dance master classes and dance camps. Dance is such a big part of my life and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I also had fun hanging out with my friends at the beach and going to the lake with my cousins!

Lauren Mendes

Age: 10

Sandra Gray School of Dance, Edmonton

Respond to Win!

This summer I had a national dance day party with friends from the studio: Emily Carter, Kirsten Bradshaw, Nicole Comeau, Sophia Mendes, and Alexa Lucas.

For November just dance! wants to know... what dance routine do you want to learn or perfect this season?

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

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14 just dance! | September 2013

Natalie Smith

Age: 12

Studio: Affinity Dance, Langley This summer is going to be amazing! After saying goodbye to Elementary School, my first few days of vacation were all about dance as we had two days of dance recital and then I got to go to see Taylor Swift (awesome!!!). I am SO excited to be going to Fusion Dance Camp! It will be my first time attending and I have heard such great things about it. I’m looking forward to learning some great choreography, meeting up with friends from other studios and making new friendships while I’m there. That’s one of the things I love about dance – meeting so many new people and making incredible friendships. I’m then back for one day before I head off to LA to take part in Triple Threat Dance Convention’s “The Next Step”. Since I heard about this program in December, I have been counting the days down until I go. It’s going to be AWESOME! I can’t wait to take class with the amazing choreographers they have lined up and I am SO SO SO excited to go to a taping of So You Think You Can Dance! After my week with the Next Step, the rest of my family will have driven down to meet up with my mom and I and then we are going to Disneyland – my favourite place to go. It truly is the Happiest Place on Earth and I get to spend my Birthday there!! We then will spend a couple of weeks driving back and then when I get home it will be all about getting ready for a new chapter in my life: High School as well as starting a new dance journey at a new studio. As I told you – the next few months are going to be AMAZING!!!!

What did you do this summer?

Abbey Cormack

Age: 14

Studio One Dance Center, Aldergrove

GTFX

This summer I plan on going to Fusion Dance Camp, doing tech classes at my studio, stretching, going on a small vacation to Shuswap Lake, and most of all relaxing after a long dance season!

Alaina Orr

Age: 13

GTFX

Kick It Up A Notch Academy Of Dance, Aldergrove This summer I will be going on a road trip with my family across Canada. I will also be dancing before and after my trip! I am excited for summer and I am excited for the dance year to start again!

Sofia Oram

Age: 13

Techno M

onkey

Dance has been my love and passion since I was 5 years old! I do all forms of dance; jazz, lyrical, contemporary, ballet, stage & modern. So when summer comes, I do love to just be a teenager and enjoy the fun that summer brings, like walking my dog, swimming, spending time with my family and friends, and holiday time!!!

We drive up to Kelowna and visit my Nonno & Nonna and cousins that live their, its so much fun! I do still keep dancing in my life during the summer by attending workshops and dance camps, which is actually the best part of my summer, since its with my sisters & my dance friends!

Rebecca Gombar

GTFX

Encore Dance Academy, Port Coquitlam

Jillian Haima

Age: 13

Project Dance, Chilliwack

I am spending my summer, relaxing but also stretching throughout the summer, and doing some extra technique classes.

Also I started my solos and groups in the summer.

Age: 13

Tri-City Dance Centre, Coquitlam

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Revival Arts

I spent all of July training at the Dance Awards and then the Joffrey Ballet School’s Intensive Program in New York City. I will also be attending my own studio’s Contemporary/ Ballet Intensive at the end of August. This photo is of my lyrical solo that I competed at Dance Awards.

September 2013 | just dance! 15

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16 just dance! | September 2013

Solos: When Are You Ready & What to Expect

I

By Julie MacRae

t’s been a long time since my first solo, but I’ll never forget the feeling of being on the stage alone. I don’t remember much about the routine other than the little black cat costume I wore, but dancing solo in front of an audience was one of my favourite things about competing. The owner of the studio I danced with then is now my boss, Janice Wharton. Janice recently reminded me of what I said the moment I stepped off stage after that first solo. “I really liked that! I got to dance on the stage and everyone was looking at only me.”

While I no longer get to be centre stage as a soloist, I’m lucky to get to watch thousands of dancers cross the stage each season at Peak Invitational Dance Competition. If you`re looking to make your solo debut this 2014 season, here are some things to keep in mind.

Are you ready?

Deciding whether or not to do a solo can mean different things depending on what studio you dance with. Some studios have teachers request to work with certain dancers, while others leave it to the dancers to ask to do a solo. Studio owners agree that when considering whether or not someone is ready to perform a solo they look at the students who have strong technique and stage presence, good attendance and work ethic in class, as well as a real passion for dance.

Shannon Stewardson, owner and artistic director of Tri -City Dance Centre adds, “We look at how this could be a positive experience [for the dancer] and help him or her grow both emotionally and technically.”

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Alyssa in her first solo costume.

What to expect Performing a solo will also require additional rehearsal time and costs.

Preparation for a solo involves one-onone choreography sessions that are billed at an hourly rate. And, the extra studio time also means additional cleaning costs for the studio owner, adding to the overall cost for the dancer. While costs vary depending on the studio and the choreographer you are working with, you can expect to pay between $350 and $400 for each solo you want to perform.

Typically this means approximately three to seven additional rehearsal hours, depending on where you dance.

Another expense related to performing a solo is the cost of a costume. Usually your teacher will have a costume idea in mind for the routine, but Amy Mihal, a director at Dance in Motion in Abbotsford, says it’s then up to the dancers. “They can order it, have it made or even just borrow one.” But most dancers think finding a costume is a really fun part of the entire solo process— even I still remember that little black cat outfit.

Allison Law, owner and director of Affinity Dance reminds dancers there is one more expense to consider, competition fees. Law adds, ”These can range from $25 to $65 per entry, depending on the competition.”

Music Often the choreographer will already have specific music in mind for the dancer. However, Mihal added, “If the dancer has a song they would really like to use, she discusses it with the teacher and together they choose what they want to do.” Law agrees, “When it comes to selecting the music, it is important that both the dancer and choreographer can

he n ld Alys ttling t year o ys “ba a s , ure Eleven y m akes s Acade She m .” tch y s Dance a t n’t e per s re tage is o a pro r d h d n backs ing e ts a Per form athe lo .” re e he b t “ g a in o t t on s o be going likes “t re a s l s fo il t e ly s b t, A ter she at eigh years la e sa first solo s re ly h t A t” and form.” r h e a g li p t o d sp lo “it is ce an g a so in o dan t o s d , e n lf v “lo ourse at whe e by y ned th ckstag a mentio b re she g in prepa ary be l it.” To o t little sc es, fee d few tim et use g a , u e c o c y n da e dan but for my gh the d u e ro it h c t x e “runs y and n!” m read have fu o t that I a ry t I ll a st of but mo connect to the piece.” Adding that, “The dancer is alone on the stage, so she has to be into the music!”

Performing Advice You have now learned your routine, you’ve practiced, and you have your costume. Now it’s time to perform.

Mihal reminds dancers that. “The more comfortable they are with their dance, the more confident they will be on stage.” Adding that they should “Practice, practice, practice then just relax and have fun!”

Law says soloists should “Take each opportunity to dance a solo as a chance to grow as a dancer. It’s a huge challenge to go out alone and perform and be critiqued by others.”

She reminded that it’s not about placing or winning but rather learning and hard work. “Work hard to do better each time, take the corrections you’ve been given and work on them.”

Stewardson added, “Competing as a soloist is a privilege and takes great courage. Be proud of yourself for just getting out there!”

Julie MacRae is an event manager with Peak Invitational Dance Competition.

She also studied Journalism at Ryerson University. Peak Invitational is heading into its fourteenth successful season as a dance competition based in BC and Alberta. Peak was created to ensure dancers of all ages and ability levels receive recognition and have fun at an event designed just for them. Like the Peak Invitational page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @peakdance.

September 2013 | just dance! 17

By Hillary Wood

witha The Extraordinary Life of Martha Graham

M

artha Graham led the life of a pioneer – exploring, experimenting, and sometimes enduring hardship and ridicule to forge new ways of physical expression through dance. Her tireless creativity has given the world of dance a new vocabulary and inspired generations of dancers.

She did this against all odds.

Martha was born in 1894 in a small city outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and grew up in a well-to do home. Martha’s mother stayed at home to look after Martha and her two sisters. Her father was a psychiatrist with firm ideas about what were and were not acceptable behaviours and occupations for the members of his conservative, respectable household.

When Martha was 14, the family moved to Santa Barbara, California, where her father continued his psychiatric practice. Dr. Graham was particularly interested in the ways that physical movement revealed or expressed emotion. He also believed that physical movement could be used to remedy nervous disorders. These ideas intrigued young Martha and later proved to be an important influence on the directions she took in dance.

As a young girl and a student in high school, Martha’s primary physical

18 just dance! | September 2013

interest was in sports. Her attendance at a dance recital when she was 16 changed all that. After much cajoling on her part, her father took her to a performance of Ruth St. Denis, a dancer who was breaking with the traditions of ballet that had ruled the stage for 200 years. St. Denis and her partner, Ted Shawn, were choreographing and performing dance influenced by Eastern, South Asian, folk, and American Aboriginal traditions, as well as classical ballet.

Martha was riveted; she had discovered her destiny. After the performance, she announced to her family that she wanted to become a dancer, and that she wanted to study the type of dance she had seen on the stage that fateful night.

Her father absolutely refused to allow it. A life on the stage was not his idea of a proper career for a young lady of respectable background.

Martha obeyed his wishes, but in her deepest heart she did not give up her dream. In the years that followed, she displayed the same perseverance that would carry her through a lifetime of rebellion and individuality. Quiet, but determined, she continued to ask his permission to learn dance. He finally relented enough to allow her to enroll in an arts-related college to study theatre

and what he considered acceptable forms of dance.

It was not until her father died that Martha finally felt free to whole-heartedly pursue her dream. She applied to enroll as a student in the Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts. It was 1916 and Martha was 22 years old. There again, Martha encountered obstacles and discouragements. The teachers told her she was too old to begin training as a dancer. Still, she persisted. Finally, impressed by her quiet determination, they accepted her as a pupil. Martha did not disappoint them. She worked so hard to master the movements and techniques of the Denishawn method, that within two years she was teaching dance there. She also began her career as a performer and met the composer Louis Horst, who would become an important part of her collaboration with other artists. Martha stayed with Denishawn for eight years, gaining star status for her performance in an Aztec ballet called Xochitl.

Martha left Denishawn in 1923 to become a featured dancer in the Greenwich Village Follies revue in New York City. Two years later she moved to Rochester, New York, to join the Eastman School of Music and Theater, where she taught and was given freedom to experiment with her own choreography. In 1926, after a year with Eastman, she established her own dance company, The Martha Graham School of Dance .

That same year, Martha made her New York City debut as an independent artist.

Her repertoire, while including some of the experimental choreography she had developed at Eastman, also showed the continued influence of her Denishawn training. The critics praised the concert as graceful and lyrical. However, opinions changed with her 1927 concert, which included Revolt, the first dance of social comment and protest staged in the United States. Critics and audiences were shocked by the angular, thrusting movements, the flat white makeup and blood-red lips of the dancers. They called the performance “ugly, stark and obscure” – words applied to Martha’s radical choreography and performances for a number of years. On the first tour of her company to Paris, the audience booed.

Martha, however, was undaunted. She persevered in her quest to find ways of moving and dancing that echoed the very deepest recesses of the human

{ H i s t o ry O f D a n c e } “I believe that we learn by Over time her dances became practice. Whether it less harsh, less radical. She means to learn to dance began to include men in her by practicing dancing, or to company, which had originally learn to live by practicing living…

Practice means to perform over been entirely female, and and over again, in the face of collaborated with dancers from all obstacles, some act of the ballet tradition, such vision, of faith, of desire.” as Rudolf Nureyev, – Martha Graham

soul despite the negative reactions to her work. In her autobiography, Blood Memory, she stated, “Many came to me with conventional notions of prettiness and graceful posturing. I wanted them to admire strength. If I could give them only one thing, that would be it.

Ugliness, I told them, if given a powerful voice, can be beautiful.”

She remained committed to honesty and courage no matter how unpopular her work was at the time.

Often inspired by the movements of animals, she continued to develop and refine her unique approach to dance forms. She replaced the outwardly rotated legs with parallel foot positioning and did away with the pointed foot and rigid torso of ballet, and devised a system of contract/release movements and floor-based exercises, which she believed gave the dancer a special connection to Earth and its powers. Also gone were the pointe shoes, bun and tutu. Her dancers were most often barefoot and wore their hair loose with costumes that emphasized the sculptural forms of their movements and postures. Along with artist Isamu Noguchi, she created sets that included sculptures and 3D set pieces, a departure from the usual flats and backdrops of ballet. She expanded her repertoire to include themes from a number of sources including mythology, Bible stories, religious history, American history and psychology.

Through dance she often addressed difficult social issues like immigration, racism and poverty.

Elite Dancer: Melanie Ebbett, 15

Margot Fonteyn and Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Slowly, she grew to be admired and emulated for her bold approach and her innovations.

Her troupe was invited to many other countries and was the first to perform at the White House.

Vancouver’s Karen Jamieson, founder of Karen Jamieson Dance, and Judith Garay, Artistic Director of Dancers Dancing, both studied dance at The Martha Graham School and have incorporated many of her practices into their own.

Martha continued to perform until she was no longer able to withstand its rigourous demands. She stopped dancing around 1970, when she was 76 years old. She then faced ill health and deep depression as she tried to come to terms with her inability to perform as she wished. But her life was dance and she couldn’t bear to live entirely without it.

After two years she returned to teaching and choreography, which she continued until her death at the age of 96. Over the course of her career she choreographed 181 dances.

The Martha Graham School of Dance remains the oldest school of Modern Dance in the world and Martha herself is thought of as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. “Movement never lies,” she said, and she worked for seven decades to bring us the lights and shadows of her truth through dance.

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September 2013 | just dance! 19

{ C e l e br i t y C o r n e r }

Getting to Your Next Step: Advice on Dancing, Auditions, & Life from the Cast of The Next Step

by Lori Straus Last March, Family Channel announced they were premiering a brand new series, The Next Step. This new television show provided a dozen or so young Canadian dancers the opportunity of a lifetime.

The cast of the Next Step are a dedicated group of dancers (all between the ages of 15 and 25) who have a long list of achievements to their names. Here is a little about each of them and an overview of a few of their accomplishments to date.

ALEXANDRA BEATON (Emily) Hometown: Ashburn, Ontario Alexandra’s strengths are lyrical and jazz.

She played Baby June in the Shaw Festival’s production of Gypsy and her television credits include appearances in 300 and Four Sisters. Something Alexandra thinks you might like to know about her… “I’m not mean in real life.”

VICTORIA BALDESARRA (Michelle) Hometown: Bolton, Ontario Victoria started dancing when she

was three years old and auditioned for The Next Step when she was only 13. She competed with Team Canada on the international stage in Germany in 2010 where she won a bronze medal.

BRITTANY RAYMOND {Riley}

hop and break dancing are his strengths.

His unique style has given him the opportunity to perform in music videos for Victoria Duffield and Shawn Desman.

ISAAC LUPIEN {Eldon} Hometown: Oakville, Ontario

Hometown: Brampton, Ontario Brittany has achieved RAD Advanced 1 Certification and feels very lucky to have had the opportunity to have worked with choreographers Mandy Moore and Stacey Tookey.

SPECIAL NOTE: On Friday September 13 at 7 p.m. ET/PT Family Channel will be airing a special episode hosted by Brittany that will recap the first 14 episodes of The Next Step.

TREVOR TORDJMAN (James) Hometown: Kitchener, Ontario Trevor studied all forms of dance at his mom’s Kitchener studio, ConfiDance, but hip

Isaac has a long list of appearances and accomplishments under his dancing shoes. Most recently he was named first place overall senior soloist at the Showstoppers American Dance Championships (2012). He has had the opportunity to train with choreographers Mia Michaels, Desmond Richardson, and Mandy Moore.

SAMANTHA GRECCHI (Stephanie) Hometown: Woodbridge, Ontario Samantha started dancing when she was six years old, but she also loves to sing!

She too represented Canada at the IDO World Dance Championships in Germany.

TAMINA POLLACKPARIS (Tiffany) Hometown: Toronto, Ontario If Tamina looks familiar that is because she was one of the top 16 dancers on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada. She has also worked with some big names including Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, and Victoria Duffield, and on some big productions including Glee and Camp Rock.

JENNIFER PAPPAS {Chloe} Hometown: Pickering, Ontario Jennie has very diverse training including Russian classical ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, acro, contemporary, lyrical, modern, partnering and even figure skating.

She won Teen Miss Dance of Canada (2009) and was a Top 10 Senior Dancer at the Dance Awards Nationals in 2011.

BRENNAN CLOST {Daniel} Hometown: Burlington, Ontario Brennan has only been dancing for ten years, but he has had many great experiences.

He trained at the National Ballet School of Canada, was named Mr. Onstage New York in 2006, Mr. Showbiz in 2008, and he won a silver medal at the World Showdance Championships in Germany. He continues to train at the Julliard School in New York City.

LAMAR JOHNSON {West} Hometown: Scarborough, Ontario Lamar stands out from the rest of The

{ C e l e br i t y C o r n e r } Next Step cast – he is a self-taught dancer.

His amazing back flips and tumbling have wowed audiences on The Maury Show for ‘America’s Most Talented Kid Dancers,’ and at Showtime at the Apollo Theater in New York. He also teaches kids hip hop on TV on Pop It!

JORDAN CLARK {Giselle} Hometown: Tottenham, Ontario Jordan is another face that probably looks familiar to you. She was a So You Think You Can Dance Canada winner. A wellrounded dancer who has trained in tap, ballet, hip hop, contemporary, jazz, and acro, she has also danced for Blake McGrath and Nellie Furtado.

BREE WASYLENKO {Kate} Hometown: Calgary, Alberta Bree is another cast stand-out—she is the only member of the Season One cast that isn’t from Ontario. She has worked with Canadian choreographers Luther Brown and Linda Garneau and has appeared in music videos for Carly Rae Jepsen, Howie D, Shawn Desman, and Blake McGrath.

SHAMIER ANDERSON {Chris} Hometown: Ajax, Ontario Shamier is an Ontario Scholar graduate from Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts. He has appeared in a number of television shows and movies including Saving Hope, Rookie Blue, Degrassi, and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. He can also play the flute and is a skilled magician.

just dance! asked the cast of The Next Step about what it’s like be in the cast of a television show, what gets them through tough days, and how to survive auditions. They had a lot to say! Here are just some of their answers: What do you love about working on a television show?

Alexandra: I find it very eye-opening to work with not only such talented people, but also people that are truly in love with what they do.

Victoria: All the skills and demands acting requires.

Brennan: There’s so much opportunity to grow alongside your character that I leave work every day feeling challenged and accomplished.

What do you find challenging about working on television?

Bree: On average I work twelve hours per day, so there isn’t much time for a social life if you plan on getting any sleep.

Tamina: Every day we have to push ourselves to the next level, whether it is to dig deeper into our emotions, or to push ourselves to nail a new trick or pirouette section.

Brittany: Waking myself up at 5:00 in the morning almost every day!

September 2013 | just dance! 21

Every cast member gets the opportunity to show off their skills and shine.

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Lamar: All the lifts, turns, big tricks— we have numerous takes, doing the same thing.

What’s it like working together?

Samantha: Everyone I work with is just so talented. I feel so lucky to be able to share my talent with such unbelievable dancers who are also my best friends!

Trevor: It’s like we have become a big family.

What might readers be surprised to learn about you?

Brennan: I love being outdoors rollerblading, swimming, running, walking the dog are all things I love doing in the summer.

Samantha: When I was about 3 or 4, my mom attempted to get me into modeling and I absolutely hated the camera!

BREE: I originally wanted to be a doctor.

What gets you through a really tough day?

will make you stand out, because no one else in that room will have what you have.

Tamina: Come prepared with a great headshot, résumé, and just an overall sense of professionalism.

Any general advice you’d like to pass on?

Bree: It is so important to have as many skills as possible. Take singing lessons, acting lessons, work on choreography, photography, and

anything and everything that interests and inspires you. It’s your job to make yourself as marketable as possible.

Tamina: The best piece of advice I was ever given is to always be YOU, because everyone else is already taken.

The Next Step! will start airing again Friday, September 20 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on Family Channel with new episodes airing regularly on Fridays at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Alexandra: My sister. She is one of the most amazing people I know.

Lamar: Music gets me by. I absolutely love music.

Bree: Music, friends and family, and lots of chocolate! And of course dance.

Victoria: I just take a moment and realize how grateful I am to be where I am today. It makes me forget why I was complaining in the first place!

Trevor: Remaining in a positive headspace and taking in every opportunity.

What did you learn at your dance studio that’s important to you as a working dancer?

Tamina: Always perform as if you’re on stage, even if you’re just in rehearsal. That way once you hit the stage, you already know what it feels like to be full out!

Jennifer: Choreographers appreciate a dancer who is willing to work day and night to deliver the performance they want. The harder you work, the more you will improve.

What audition tips do you have for aspiring dancers?

Alexandra: Audition, audition, audition; the more people who know you and recognize you, the better.

Jennifer: Often times, casting directors want you to succeed so they don’t have to continue auditioning anymore. It sounds funny, but it’s true!

Brennan: Showing who you really are, how you like to interpret the movement, or how you envision the character is what

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I Girlvana Workshop at Ivivva Athletica Store in West Vancouver.

started my initiative Girlvana Yoga began to bring a lot of joy and lightness to in 2012 with the hope of bringing my life. So I studied to become a teacher. the teachings of yoga to a younger I felt the pull to connect with my teen self generation and in particular, girls. and heal some pretty destructive patterns Coming from an extensive background I had created at that age. Six years later in dance I came to yoga with a broken Girlvana was born and I began leading body and a ‘push myself to the extreme’ yoga retreats to Galiano Island, teaching mentality. I was 20, injured and struggling yoga in high schools, and offering yoga with an eating disorder. But after my programs at dance studios. first yoga class Girlvana Yoga something shifted. has a few key I was learning components. how to breathe Yoga poses deeply and to are imperative be connected for flexibility to the present and strength. moment without Meditation is performing or key to a sound trying to please mind—a mind that anyone. I was is less reactive, learning to honor

by Alex Mazerolle clear and helps a body I felt very to deal with stress. Journaling is another disconnected from, a body that was never powerful component for self-discovery perfect enough. I was always injured, sick and release. Finally, raw dialogues, a time or exhausted. I was tired of pushing myself; I and space for girls to feel safe opening up needed help, but I didn’t know how to ask and sharing their feelings, round out the for it.

Girlvana approach. Girlvana is a place I chose yoga because it felt safe; I was where girls can be real, authentic and already a mover, a dancer and I had a learn practical tools to live a healthier life. flexible and strong body. I approached Some of the benefits I see from working yoga the same way I had always with dancers specifically, include approached dance—be the best.

• Improved flexibility However, I learned very quickly that

Discovering Your Inner Yogi with Girlvana Yoga: How Yoga Benefits Dancers

Girlvana owner Alex is committed to empowering girls through physical and personal acceptance.

The first Girlvana Retreat on Galiano Island.”

Sharing circle at the 2013 Girlvana Retreat.

having the most open backbend wasn’t going to get me praise. In fact, no one cared. No one even looked around.

Instead it was people on their mats, on their own journey, moving through their own pain or joy. The yoga practice was personal, cathartic…healing. I can remember in one of my first classes I wept for what felt like forever. The yoga class had opened me up and I felt a huge release through my heart. I heard the words ‘I forgive you’ over and over again.

I realized that my body was a temple, my only vehicle in this life, and I had been abusing it by ignoring injuries, restricting my diet, or throwing up my meals. I realized how painful it was to hate myself so much.

And so I wept with that realization and I wept because I was willing to forgive.

Yoga gave me a whole new relationship with my body and helped me to see that my harshest critic was me. The voice in my head was relentless and cruel and was a constant source of suffering for me. Yoga helped me clear up a lot of negative thought patterns that were creating depression, comparison and judgment.

I began to learn to love myself, and that

24 just dance! | September 2013

• Improved core strength • Clearer, more present mind • Less reactive in stressful situations • Less stage fright and preshow jitters • More coping mechanisms when dealing with rejection • Better commitment to healing when injured • Healthier eating • More restful sleeps • More energy and vigor for life • Increased compassion towards themselves and others Yoga is a holistic approach. It isn’t just stretching your body; it is stretching your mind, your beliefs, and your understanding of yourself and the world.

It isn’t just getting physically stronger, but also gaining emotional and mental power and centeredness. Yoga teaches us about life and the impact we have in this world. It teaches us oneness, kindness and love. It helps us move through fear and judgment and leads us to acceptance.

To learn more about Girlvana Yoga, visit girlvanayoga.com.

Megan Lawson x3, Janine Curry,

Girls relaxing in ‘Savasana’ or final relaxation after a morning yoga class.

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{Balance}

FightingOfftheFlu recommendations for flu prevention. The first is to get the seasonal flu vaccination.

It is offered in November by most clinics, doctors, and even at some pharmacies.

The vaccine is completely safe with most people having no side effects other than soreness around the injection site.

While everyone should get vaccinated, it is particularly important that some people make a point of doing so. Health Canada created a list of candidates who absolutely need the flu vaccine. If any of these apply to you or a family member, speak to your doctor for more info about getting vaccinated: • Infants aged 6 to 23 months • People with chronic heart and lung disease Sadly, the summer break has come to an end it is back to the fall. Life will start to get more hectic with all that needs to be bought, cleaned or prepared for the new season. The sudden change in our routine and activity level can leave our bodies very stressed. And when the leaves start to fall, the number of flu bugs in the air rises. All of this conspires to work against us, making us vulnerable to getting sick. The flu, or influenza, season starts in October or November and can last until April. Being laid up for a week with the flu can cost you valuable learning, working and dancing time. Here are some tips on how to avoid catching the flu.

You Only Get One Shot It’s very easy to catch influenza, no matter how healthy and fit you may be.

All you have to do is touch an infected surface like a doorknob, tissue or barre.

Health Canada makes two great

• Anyone living in a nursing home • People aged 65+ • Anyone with chronic conditions such as diabetes, anemia, cancer, immune suppression, HIV, or kidney disease • People on long term acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) therapy • Healthy pregnant women • Health care workers, other caregivers, and household members capable of transmitting influenza to the above at-risk groups; • People traveling to areas where the flu virus is circulating There are, however, a few people who should avoid getting vaccinated.

You should not get a flu shot if you have a severe allergy to eggs since the vaccination is created with egg byproducts. And, if you’ve had a bad

Not All Bugs Need Drugs

Ever since the discovery of antibiotic medicines, they have been widely used to quickly cure many kinds of infections. Infections can be caused by both bacteria and viruses, but antibiotics only fight bacteria, they do not fight viruses. The best defense against a virus is to wash your hands regularly for a minimum of 20 seconds each time.

For more information about flu prevention visit dobugsneeddrugs.org

by Dana Renaud

reaction to a shot before, check with your doctor before getting a flu vaccine.

Keep It Clean

To stave off the flu, Health Canada’s second recommendation is even easier.

Wash your hands. If you’ve come in contact with a person who you think may be sick, make sure not to touch your face and clean your hands as soon as possible. By washing your hands regularly, you prevent ingesting or breathing in the virus that causes influenza. It’s best to use warm water and soap. Make sure to wash all parts of your hands thoroughly. If you’re nowhere near a bathroom, using a hand sanitizer is a great alternative. You don’t even need water and it can be taken anywhere. The key is to keep those germs off your hands.

Boost Yourself Up

If you do catch the flu, you can always boost your immune system to recover faster. Many doctors agree that getting lots of Vitamin C can help people overcome influenza quickly. Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruit like oranges and lemons as well as tomatoes and guava. There are also Vitamin C supplements such as Emergen-C tablets.

Most people need about 100mg of Vitamin C each day. An even better immune builder is sleep. Many over-thecounter flu medicines cause drowsiness, this is because sleep is the best way to get well. When you’re sleeping, your body functions at a minimum capacity, so all the energy that normally goes towards deeper breathing, moving and thinking can be devoted to fighting the infection.

So if you do come down with the flu, your best bet is to get bed rest and take vitamin C. No matter what, remember to keep yourself healthy all year round with exercise, healthy sleeping patterns, and a proper diet. The stronger your immune system is, the harder it is to catch influenza. And if you do get sick, a healthy and fit you will get better faster.

ACADEMIES, SCHOOLS & STUDIOS Armstrong Dance Academy armstrongdance.ca info@armstrongdance.ca 250 546 0308 Armstrong, BC Arts Umbrella artsumbrella.com info@artsumbrella.com 604 681 5268 x0 1286 Cartwright St Granville Island, Vancouver DanceFX dancefxschool.com info@dancefxschool.com 778 232 0868 #100 - 22722 Dewdney Trunk Rd Maple Ridge The danceLAB Studios Ltd. dancelab.ca info@dancelab.ca 604 525 5289 910 Sherwood Ave, Coquitlam DanzMode Productions danzmodeproductions.com info@danzmodeproductions.com 604 294 4677 7209 Curragh Ave, Burnaby Defy Gravity Dance Company defygravitydance.ca office@defygravitydance.ca 604 272 0808 30 - 11151 Horseshoe Way Richmond Douglas Ballet Academy douglasballet.com dba2@telus.net 604 420 0204 202 - 4199 Lougheed Hwy Burnaby Fusion Force Studio fusionforcestudio.com fusionf@telus.net 604 533 1863 101 - 19670 Landmark Way Langley K&S Dance kandsdance.com kandsdance@telus.net 604 944 6826 #10 - 1730 Broadway St Port Coquitlam National Ballet School nbs-enb.ca Toll Free: 800 387 0785 Toronto: 416 964 3780

Place des Arts placedesarts.ca info@placedesarts.ca 604 664 1636 120 Brunette Ave, Coquitlam PULSE dance centre onthepulse.ca 604 474 3466 info@onthepulse.ca 121 - 1533 Broadway St Port Coquitlam Royal Winnipeg Ballet School rwb.org school@rwb.org 204 957 3467 Studio One Dance Center studioonedancecenter.ca info@studioonedancecenter.ca 604 856 0400 3347 262 St, Langley The Spiral Dance Co. spiraldance.ca info@spiraldance.com 604 541 2800 1471 Stayte Rd, White Rock Tri-City Dance Centre tricitydance.com info@tricitydance.com 604 523 6868 98 Brigantine Dr, Coquitlam Urban Dance Co. urbandanceco.com info@urbandanceco.com 604 277 4494 #128-11121 Horseshoe Way Richmond Victoria Academy of Ballet victoriaacademyofballet.ca 250 590 6752 643 Broughton St, Victoria COMPETITION & EVENT ORGANIZERS Fresh Dance Intensive

freshdanceintensive.com david@freshdanceintensive.com The Hollywood Summer Tour thehollywoodsummertour.com info@ thehollywoodsummertour.com 1 818 574 8365 Los Angeles, CA iDance / SDF Productions sdfproductions@shaw.ca 604 721 7909 Suite 126 – 255 Newport Rd Port Moody

Showtime Promotions showtimedancepromotions. com info@ showtimedancepromotions.com 250 768 7202 Wharton Event Management wemlive.com events@whartoneventmgmt.com 604 868 1426 5678 Showtime 5678showtime.com info@5678showtime.com 604 945 7469

Performing arts SUPPLIERS Avalon Dance Shop of Canada avalondance.ca info@avalondance.ca 604 874 2461 4750 Main St, Vancouver En Pointe Enterprises en-pointe.com facebook.com/danceproducts 1 866 491 9019 Jazz Ma Tazz

jazz-ma-tazz.com jazzma@telus.net Abbotsford: 604 855 9166 Maple Ridge: 604 466 0861 MOVE Athletics moveathletics.com moveit@moveathletics.com Greater Vancouver: 604 812 1382 Toll Free: 888 267 0576 Rac n Roll racnroll.com 905 503 ROLL (7655) 800 545 9302 professional companies Ballet Victoria balletvictoria.ca info@balletvictoria.ca 250 380 6063 643 Broughton St, Victoria Lamondance lamondance.com 604 980 3040 3355 Mountain Hwy, North Vancouver XBa DanceCo xba.ca info@xba.ca 604 220 9679

Professional SupportS Dr. Fred Meinzer Chiropractor for Ballet BC drfredmeinzer.com Integrative Healing Arts, Vancouver: 604 738 1012 Aldergrove Wellness Centre: 604 856 5299 Girlvana Yoga girlvanayoga.com info@girlvanayoga.com 604 506 7788 Dr. Harold Meinzer Chiropractor for BC thunderbirdwellnesscentre.com Back2Health Chiropractic, Vancouver: 604 742 0111 Thunderbird Wellness Centre, Langley: 604 881 2404 Services Gemini Visuals geminivisuals.com info@geminivisuals.com 604 312 6330 20 - 15531 24 Ave, Surrey GTFX gtfx.ca 604 434 3686 (FOTO) Laura Zeke Photography laurazeke.com info@laurazeke.com 604 908 5861 Lechner Syndications lechnersyndications.com/ dance-series info@ lechnersyndications.com Victoria, BC Westwood Printing & Signs westwoodprinting.com sales@westwoodprinting.com 604 464 8840 your world in order yourworldinorder.com info@yourworldinorder.com 604 472 1000 (staging & organizing the Tri-Cities & beyond) THEATRES Evergreen Cultural Centre evergreenculturalcentre.ca info@ evergreenculturalcentre.ca 604 927 6550 1205 Pinetree Way Coquitlam

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28 just dance! | September 2013