Poise, discipline and strength are some of the first things that usually come to mind when thinking of a ballet dancer.
Those are characteristics of the professional dancers at Mission Dance Centre and Company in Kelowna, B.C., who are pushing themselves to new limits in their upcoming show, ‘Artistico’.
“It’s an interesting experience, I find between every piece I always need to take a minute to shift my mindset, especially when you are going from piece to piece with different storylines you can’t just tell the story you have to feel the story,” said Laika Wintermute, who is one of the professional dancers at the Mission Dance Centre and Company.
The performance blends classical ballet with neoclassical and flamenco, highlighting its four principal ballet dancers who are ushering in a new era for the expanding company.
“The Okanagan is just a beautiful place to grow for artists and this company’s purpose is not just to bring amazing works to the stage, but also to bring opportunities for the dancers that wouldn’t normally have a job performing,” said Tanya Vadurova, artistic director at Mission Dance Centre and Company.
Vadurova says that many dancers have to leave the region to get contracts or continue to grow and she hopes to provide more opportunities for dancers to stay in the region in the future.
One of the dancers she has trained is Dante Grootjes, who now studies at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and is returning home to join the performance.
“I think this time around, I am bringing more experience. I am not relying solely on my artistry like I was before,” said Grootjes.
“Now I am more experienced with technique, ways of thinking and confidence for sure.”
Gootjes will be able to show off what he has learned so far and share it with the other dancers at their upcoming performance on Oct. 13th at the Kelowna Community Theatre. Tickets are still available online at theatre.kelowna.ca
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