Stepping into summer Tiny dancers hope to make the leap to the RWB’s professional division program By: Jen Zoratti Posted: 4:21 PM CDT Monday, Jul. 17, 2023

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This article was published 17/07/2023 (782 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For many kids, these are the lazy, hazy days of summer vacation.

For the hopefuls who got into the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School’s three-week Professional Division Summer Session, which began July 3 and wraps up this week, these are the days that could determine their future in dance.

The students have been spending full days in the studio, six days a week, honing their craft and vying for an invitation to study in the RWB School’s Professional Division in the fall.

Students from all over Canada and the U.S. audition for the summer session — itself a three-week audition — but many are from here in Winnipeg and, in some cases, are already familiar with the RWB School.

A group of young students, ranging in age from 10-12, from the RWB School’s Recreational Division got into the summer session this year. They are hoping to make the leap to the Professional Division’s Ballet Academic program — an intensive, full-time, seven-level program for those who are serious about a career in dance. Many graduates from the professional division have gone on to dance professionally with the company or have become faculty members in the RWB School.

The summer session offers a crash course in school life.

“The summer is a real trial for us to see if we think it’s a good fit for them, and for them to trial us and see if this would be a good fit for them and their families because it’s quite a commitment,” says Kelly Bale, vice-principal of the professional division.

Indeed, depending on the level they are at, students in the Ballet Academic Program dance 14 to 25 hours per week, 11 months of the year.

And because students are taking classes six days a week during the summer session, versus once or twice a week, faculty members are able to see how quickly a student might progress, Bale adds.

The recreational students, meanwhile, have appreciated the challenge of a more rigorous program.

“Getting into the professional division means you have to take up your dancing level a lot,” says Mara Rivers, 11. “Like, really making sure that you point your feet and that you really pay attention to the corrections that you’re given. But a challenge is sometimes really good for you because you can really challenge yourself to be better than you were.”

“I felt like I’m in a new environment with much more detail,” agrees Summer Chan, 10. “And everything is more specific. Like, for example, how a jeté should be 45 degrees.”

Sadie Scott, 11, relishes being able to focus solely on dance.

”My mom also did summer schools when she was younger, and she always said, dancing in the summer is better than dancing at night,” says Sadie, whose mom, Cheryl Scott, is a recreational division teacher at the RWB School. “Because at night, after school, you have to get ready and then you lose all of your energy because you had, like, gym and stuff like that at school. And then in summer, you wake up, get ready, and then you go and you’re full of energy.”

”My mom also did summer schools when she was younger, and she always said, dancing in the summer is better than dancing at night.”–Sadie Scott

All of the students say they were shocked they got into the summer session after their auditions in January.

“I was actually very surprised,” says Alec-Xander Dubois, 10. “I was a lot shorter than everybody, so I was surprised they noticed me.”

Of course, that tends to change at this age.

“He is taller than me,” Summer points out.

Brothers Deklyn Lemoine, 12, and Baraxil Lemoine, 10, are doing the summer session together and both are scholarship winners: Deklyn was one of seven students from across Canada to receive the IG Wealth Management Summer Session Scholarship, while Baraxil received a Recreational Division Scholarship.

“When I got in and got a scholarship, I was so surprised. I couldn’t sleep for like one night,” Baraxil says.

So that’s how it started. As for how it’s going: “I got to learn new things and I could really show my spark. In professional you really got to present yourself, and in rec, you don’t really have to because you’re just dancing,” he says.

This is the second summer session for Deklyn, who has been able to further fine-tune his technique.

“I’ve never been good at turns, so that’s something I’ve gotten better at,” he says.

While all of the students are hopeful they secure a spot in the fall, they are taking things in stride — especially since they know they can always try again next year.

“If I don’t get in, I’ll still be happy,” Mara says. “I had a new experience that I’ve never had before.”

jen.zoratti@winnipegfreepress.com