DANCE \ PREMIER ISSUE \ FALL 2013 danceCALGARY’S RESOURCE FOR ALL THINGS DANCE DANCE:ART or SPORT? IN IT TO WIN IT IS COMPETITION HEALTHY? GO PRO TAKING IT GET YOUR TO THE GROOVE ON: NEXT LEVEL WHAT TO WEAR The School of Alberta Ballet THE OFFICIAL TRAINING CENTRE OF ALBERTA BALLET contents DANCE \ PREMIER ISSUE \ FALL 2013 Art or athleticism? There’s no question that dance demands Stage Lighting • Sales • Rentals • Service a great deal of althletic ability, but what 4 would it be without its artistic expression? Celebrating over PROFESSIONAL TRAINING DIVISION 0 ACADEMIC & RESIDENCE OPTIONS Does opposition attract? 3 years A little bit of competition can be healthy RECREATIONAL DANCE CLASSES FOR AGES 3 - ADULT according to teachers and child sport in the lighting and entertainment industry! PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES WITH ALBERTA BALLET 6 psychologists. Production Lighting has been providing lighting rentals and sales to the Alberta entertainment industry for over 30 years. We can provide lights schoolofalbertaballet.com and staging for the smallest recital to the biggest Career moves festival, all with knowledgeable and friendly techs 8 Ballerina, stage performer, choreographer and So and staff to help you along the way. You Think You Can Dance TV star on — former Edmontonian Stacey Tookey has done it all. Every dance company wants to shine, and we can help you make your routine stand out from the crowd. • Lighting, staging, and drape rentals ALBERTA BALLET’S 2013 - 2014 SEASON • Custom Gobos in different colours or black So you think you can dance and white Agent Melissa P • Black lights and UV reactive paints MADAME BUTTERFLY SLEEPING BEAUTY THE NUTCRACKER Management, anton, a principal of da C says • Special backdrops and fabrics 9being able to sing and a career act. in dancing alsoosta means Talent • Consumables • Dance floor joiner tape • Dance floor cleaners • Spike and Gaff tape • Gel Sculptor of the stage • Foggers and Hazers with fluids of different As the artistic director of the Alberta Ballet, Jean thickness and hang times AILEY II GISELLE JONI MITCHELL 13Grand-Maître’s medium is the dancers who provide the • Dance floors, both permanent and temporary fabric and material for his extraordinary stage work. • Confetti and streamer launchers Come on down to our two Alberta locations and talk to our friendly and helpful staff today. Dance is a special publication of the Calgary Herald in partnership with Showtime Dance Promotions Co-ordinator: Jennifer Worley, 403-235-7119 [email protected] ALBERTABALLET.COM | BOX OFFICE: 403.245.4549 Advertising inquiries: Margo Moore, 403-7382 4630 11th Street NE Calgary, AB T2E 2W7 Ph: (403) 250-1185 • Fax: (403) 250-1190 On the cover [email protected] Evolutions School of Dance students Paige Nelson, 10 (hip hop) and Katelyn Kellner, 13 (ballet) Photo by Adrian Shellard. www.productionlighting.ca BY RacHEL NAUD ity at a high intensity over much longer periods. hen it comes to the arts, nothing For a ballet dancer, Mean Aerobic Ca- is black and white. In fact, many Dance: pacity (measured though maximum oxy- might say it’s all grey. gen uptake) has been shown to gradually WHowever, this is what’s so appealing vs. increases from ballet barre at 36 per cent about the arts — there’s no right or wrong. Beauty VO2 max to allegro at 46 per cent and That’s why, when we asked opinions solo performance at 80 per cent. about the profession of dance, we weren’t brawn “This highlights that jumping into per- surprised to gather a variety of opinions forming may put you at increase risk of from Calgarians when posed this very injury if your stamina is not where it needs Ian and Donna Burridge, question: Is dance art or sport? As with to be,” says Catriona Joyce Davies, a reg- directors of Showtime Promotions most cases of the arts, there is no one an- istered physiotherapist and qwner of Cal- swer. gary’s Dance Physiotherapy. The physicality of dance The beauty of it all One needs only to glance at a dancer’s Despite its obvious physical demands, body to realize the physical commitment dance serves up something your run-of-the- required their craft. Postures are perfect, mill team sport doesn’t — an emotional con- muscles are sculpted, bodies are lean and nection between performer and audience. strong. And for most, this body isn’t just “Dance has interpretive qualities to it; it inherited — it’s earned. tells a story; it evokes and creates emotion,” To be accomplished, dancers must dedi- says Stephanie Knowler, dance school cate many hours to train, develop their skill director of Evolutions School of Dance in and hone their abilities. The most talented dancers. This matches or exceeds what Calgary. dancers make dancing look easy. However, sports teams would do.” “In contrast to most sport, dance al- these people have dedicated painstaking When it comes down to the physical lows for interpretation. A choreographed hours to ensure their technique is perfect, demands of dancers, training involves in- piece often has a story or underlying Showtime Promotions A champion of dancers in every way, in the and that requires immense physical and termittent exercise of brief duration. meaning that evokes emotion. Dance hether a dream job or a passionate hobby, dance is for people of all ages and abilities, last 10 years, Showtime has provided more than mental dedication. In general, all dance requires the in- itself is very personal to the individual(s) says Donna Burridge, a director of Showtime Promotions, a Kelowna-based company “Dance has evolved over last few de- dividual to have good cardiorespiratory performing; the dancer has an objective $1 million in cash and awards to participants in that supports and promotes dancers and theWestern dance industryCanada. in Western Canada. cades to be more athletic in nature,” says fitness to allow for optimal performance to not only connect with the movements The company also gives back to theark and Nuala McCreanor, a physiotherapist at and help prevent injuries. For instance, themselves, but also to involve the audi- W“It’s healthy. It’s good for the mind, heart and community at large, raising more than $60,000 Calgary Youth Physiotherapy. “The athletic a dance performance for a ballet dancer ence and connect with them on an emo- soul,” says Burridge. for the Kids Help Phone over the past four years. requirements are similar to gymnastics. requires high-intensity exercise lasting tional level. The music, the lighting, the Dance is “not necessarily about natural Burridge grew up in Sherwood P Just look at the amount of training dancer for one to three minutes (during allegro movements, the costumes are all very ability,” she adds. “It’s really great outlet began studying dance at age 3, continuing do. It’s about 10 to 12 hours of classes or solo variation) while a modern dancer purposeful in this regard, therefore mak- emotionally for people to express themselves dance lessons until age 16. She taught dance a week for most competitive high level may be required to sustain their activ- ing dance an art form.”d through creative movement. It’s also for a few years, then started her own studio and excellent discipline, especially for young owned several dance studios in Alberta as well dancers learning to follow direction and take as a dancewear store. In the past 10 years, her corrections, and it introduces them to music focus has been on running dance festivals and and movement.” summer camps with Showtime Promotions. It can also be a lifelong activity. In the To promote danceoundation, to a wider a community,not-for-profit past, dancers typically stopped training after Burridge co-founded the Canadian “If your child is serious about dancing Calgary that teaches all genres of dance high school, unless they were going on to a Performing Arts F and savours competition, he or she will to students ages three to 18. professional career. Now, many are still learning foundation created to support dance and the RIGHT FIT performing arts in Canada. CPAF received probably thrive in a studio where the “At the end of the day, it’s not just about and performing well into their 60s, and there are $50,000 from Showtime Promotions to get competitive aspect is emphasized,” says dance,” says Erimata. “For these kids, it’s some dancing in their late 80s. Dance is also a good activity for people with established. Heidi Hillman, director of the Bedouin finding a about them gaining confidence and having “Anything we can get that is donated, we developmental disabilities, who get involved in Dance Company, a modern fusion belly friendships that last a lifetime, because everything from classes to performances and will pass on to the dancers to defray their.S costs.” dance company in Calgary. they are all interested in the same sort of competitions. and give them more training,” says Burridge. If you child is more interested in dance studio goal. The big thing is they are learning so “Our focus is on mentoring dancers at “We need to get funding and support for enhancing fitness and confidence, and many more skills than just dance, as well as all ages and all levels, joining them into Canadian dancers so they can compete keeping their body fit for a lifetime.” a community to pursue their passion,” internationally, predominantly in the U finding a way to express themselves contemporary to Indian classical Funds are also needed at the creatively, you’ll want to choose a studio dance. Adds Angela Benson, artistic director says Burridge, who established Showtime Promotions 30 years ago, and founded the first professional level for dance teachers where this is the main focus, she adds.