TISDALE 鈥� Four local dancers are graduating from the Tisdale Dance Centre this year, and the Dance Extravaganza was their final performance of the year.
Hannah Kapeller has spent the last six years with the Tisdale Dance Centre, and she is expected to graduate at the end of the year.
Her favorite dance is lyrical.
鈥淚 like expressing myself through dance and it鈥檚 really beautiful, it tells a story, and Dana [Mutimer] always has great choreography for us,鈥� Kapeller said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 good.鈥�
Her favorite dance from the performance was River.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just so beautiful and the choreography is so well designed and done and structured and the story that we鈥檙e telling is so nice.鈥�
Kapeller said she believes that while the story of the dance is about a river, it is also about unity.
鈥淲e describe it through more swayed movements, moving our bodies like the softness of the river.鈥�
Next year she plans on attending the Edwards school of business at the University of Saskatchewan to work on a Bachelor of Commerce degree, with the goal of applying to law school after.
She intends to continue dance in whatever way she can find, but expects the next year to be busy for her and not allow much time for it.
Kapeller said one of the best parts about being with the Tisdale Dance Centre was the friendships.
鈥淵ou truly gain so many lifelong friends. As well, you gain other skills like learning to be on time for things and learning to hold yourself in a good way and take care of yourself.鈥�
Allison Elmslie is another dancer who is expected to graduating this year.
She has been dancing for 11 years.
Elmslie plans to move to Saskatoon and has applied for Saskatchewan Polytechnic鈥檚 Medical Radiologic Technology and Therapeutic Recreation.
鈥淚 love coming to dance, I love being with the instructors, I love teaching the little kids I get to teach, and I love my group that makes it all for me,鈥� Elmslie said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e my family now and I love them.鈥�
Her favorite type of dance is hip-hop.
鈥淗ip-hop is my groove. I love getting down to the music, I love finding what I am. My hip-hop solo this year was my favorite thing ever and I did well, I won lots of awards.鈥�
Elmslie鈥檚 solo was to a song by Fergie.
鈥淚t鈥檚 was kind of groovy and sassy and that鈥檚 kind of where my skills come out and showing my face and doing all that kind of stuff.鈥�
The solo received most outstanding in three competitions she performed in.
鈥淚 won a thing to go to Vegas for my hip-hop solo, too,鈥� Elmslie said.
Paige Messer started dancing 14 years ago, and this year she is expected to graduate and go on to elementary education at the University of Regina.
Her favorite type of dance is hip-hop.
鈥淚 just like the energy it has around it and a lot more of the dances are a lot more structured and this is kind of carefree, so I like that,鈥� Messer said.
Her favorite dance in the recital was Modern Group.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just super unique and a little bit different choreography than I鈥檝e seen from Dana before, so I really like it,鈥� Messer said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just like more dark, and I鈥檝e done a few dark dances before. It鈥檚 more mature.鈥�
鈥淛ust like the moves where it鈥檚 shadows, we鈥檙e dressed very dark and the movements are supposed to be gooey.鈥�
She hopes to keep dancing but doesn鈥檛 know if she will be able to at this present time.
Aunnkia McPeak is the final dancer graduating from the program this year. She plans on starting a social work degree.
Her favorite dance at the recital was also River.
鈥淟yrical is my passion, it鈥檚 one of my favorites,鈥� McPeak said. 鈥淟yrical is just a faster version of ballet.鈥�
For those who are thinking about joining dance, she said they should know how much of a family the team is.
鈥淵ou just get incorporated with a big family and all get treated the same,鈥� McPeak said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also very fun and you get to learn a whole bunch of different stuff and techniques along the way until you鈥檙e ready to graduate.鈥�
