in age from three years old to adult. Dance gives athletes an opportunity to set goals, work hard and improve their skills.
The club travels to several competitions throughout the year as well as attending events locally.
“Competitions give our girls a sense of pride in their community,” said Bourdon. “When we are at a competition in Medicine Hat we have the opportunity to welcome other dancers to our home town. When we travel to other communities we are ambassadors of Medicine Hat and need to leave a good impression.”
There are a lot of benefits to hosting competitions according to Bourdon.
“We draw in people from other cities and towns and give them the opportunity to see what Medicine Hat has to offer,” she said. “It’s good for our economy and good for the community.”
Alia Ruemper Competitive Program Director of Rhythmic Soles Dance Academy in Brooks echoes the statements from the Medicine Hat studios.
dance
“In addition to the local hotels and restaurants benefiting, dance competitions also support jobs in the arts such as theatre technicians for sound, lighting, the video monitors and stagehands for backstage, theatre ushers, and box
Local competitions have grown in popularity over the years with the 2016 registration for Dance Invasion and Great Canadian Dance Challenge competitions selling out within two months. That’s big business for the groups that put on the competitions, the studios that support them and the host communities. ■
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office staff,” she said. “It takes many people to run a dance competition.”
Rhythmic Soles Dance Academy is currently in its eleventh season offering high quality dance training in Brooks and surrounding area. The studio offers ADAPT jazz and tap, Vaganova (Russian method) ballet and Acrobatic Arts Acro classes. Dancers travel to several competitions throughout the season including a group of 25 dancers and three teachers who travelled to New York City last year.
“The dancers consider the Esplanade to be one of their ‘home’ stages,” she said. “It is a wonderful theatre and the atmosphere is very professional.”
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