Budding dancers will blossom as we celebrate all the joys of Springtime through dance. Get ready to twirl to the song of the birds chirping; Jump to the rhythm of the Woodpecker pecking; and skip by the sparkling springs.

Dance is celebrated in every country and culture around the world. Each day, our little dancers will leap over to a new continent where they will be introduced to unique cultural elements and rhythms for the stylized steps. Join us as we galop around the globe and dance, dance, dance!

In your Ballet & Repertoire classes, we will build on the vocabulary and choreography of signature Petipa masterpiece ballets – The Sleeping Beauty in week 1 and Swan Lake in week 2; and explore artistic dynamics, musical phrasings, and characterization. From the sweet Fairies to the spirited Naiads or the poetic Swan to the powerful Neapolitan, we will bring some of these memorable sections expressively to life.

For your week 1 Musical Theatre, classes will center around creating characters while incorporating style, acting and complete performance into the choreography. The musical, Mary Poppins, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” was chosen because of the sheer magic of the show’s lesson that anything is possible, just as you will leave class believing in yourself. In week 2, Matilda - “Revolting Children”, we will gain confidence from exploring a new dance style while pushing our stage abilities and incorporating acting into our pieces. Get out of your comfort zone, build self-confidence and become a more rounded performer!

For Jazz, get ready with a 5-6-7-8! Students will be led through energetic movements that train flexibility, core strength and stylistic flair. Let’s kick high to the sky with classes that will include cardio, conditioning, and choreography, danced to the pumping music of some of today’s hottest tunes. Gain the power to perform explosive leaps balanced with muscle control and pizzazz. Together we’ll take it up a notch cause we just love to Dance, Dance, Dance.

Taught by Ms. Monica Proenca, these classes will emphasize the body as a whole with an anatomical concern for dance, including
flexibility, strength, coordination, and spatial vision with dramatic freedom of expression. These unique and vibrant classes will help you establish great technical skills while encouraging individuality and expression as you explore the foundations of contemporary movement.

Weekly session with Academy Director, Ms. Chan Hon Goh during which Ms. Goh will aim to assist youth in building confidence, motivational skills, and mental resilience through dance. As well she will share her intimate knowledge of the ballets that you have worked on during the course of the week, and insight to professional life as a dancer and strategies to stay on track for reaching your future goals.

In your Ballet & Repertoire classes, we will build on the vocabulary and choreography of signature Petipa masterpiece ballets – The Sleeping Beauty in week 1 and Swan Lake in week 2; and explore artistic dynamics, musical phrasings, and characterization. From the sweet Fairies to the spirited Naiads or the poetic Swan to the powerful Neapolitan, we will bring some of these memorable sections expressively to life.

For your week 1 of Musical Theatre, taught by guest instructor, Ms. Shannon Hanbury, The Prom - “Tonight Belongs to You” will be focused on the classic Big Broadway spectacle numbers; learning how to maintain stamina to make it through the entire piece, whilst also incorporating acting and other requirements to be successful in the industry. Gain experiences paralleling the emotional drive to connect on a personal level. You will be pushed to bring yourself into the piece. On to week 2: Chicago - “Cell Block Tango”, we will explore another very specific and technical based technique inspired by one of the most renowned choreographers. You will be challenged to extend your knowledge of imagination to be able to become different characters.

For Jazz, get ready with a 5-6-7-8! Students will be led through energetic movements that train flexibility, core strength and stylistic flair. Let’s kick high to the sky with classes that will include cardio, conditioning, and choreography, danced to the pumping music of some of today’s hottest tunes. Gain the power to perform explosive leaps balanced with muscle control and pizzazz. Together we’ll take it up a notch cause we just love to Dance, Dance, Dance.

During week one of your Contemporary classes, work with Ms. Jen Cole who will introduce the Graham Technique. Martha Graham’s work has been considered one of the most groundbreaking movement vocabularies in dance history. Explore floor work, standing centre work, and movement across the floor. Graham’s highly dramatic and physical technique will challenge you to find specificity of movement and expand your performative capabilities. During week two, explore the Cunningham Technique: the use of the back for support, strength found in the core, and an emphasis on flexible limbs, especially the legs. As well, experiment with Chance Dance creation and develop your own short work.

Weekly session with Academy Director, Ms. Chan Hon Goh during which Ms. Goh will aim to assist youth in building confidence, motivational skills, and mental resilience through dance. As well she will share her intimate knowledge of the ballets that you have worked on during the course of the week, and insight to professional life as a dancer and strategies to stay on track for reaching your future goals.

In your Ballet & Repertoire classes, we will build on the vocabulary and choreography of a signature Petipa masterpiece ballet – The Sleeping Beauty. Explore artistic dynamics, musical phrasings, and characterization. From the sweet Fairies to the spirited Naiads or the poetic Suiters, we will bring some of these memorable sections expressively to life.

Introducing: Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT), an innovative body-conditioning and strengthening program that has been designed to enhance your technique by focusing on training the muscle memory required in each exercise in all forms of dance. PBT focuses on core strength, weight placement and alignment of the body with a gradual approach of carefully designed exercises and repetitions of these exercises that trigger muscle memory. This program helps with injury prevention and rehabilitation and will enhance your ability to perform at your best.

Required Equipment: (Student to supply their own) Fusion ball, resistance band, lacrosse ball, and yoga mat.

Barbara Bourget’s approach to her unique dance aesthetics has been informed by her early training in ballet, modern, and tap dance and honed by her studies with renowned artists of many disciplines.

Barbara’s classes focus on the building of a highly responsive body through a dynamic, developmental exploration of technical and performance skills. Classes are designed to build strength, flexibility, and stamina of the physical body as well as the poetic experience of the individual spirit of each participant.

Barbara Bourget is the Artistic Director of Kokoro Dance and Co-producer of the Vancouver International Dance Festival. Barbara has performed ballet, modern, and butoh for the past fifty-eight years with dance companies including the Vancouver Ballet Society, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Paula Ross Dance Company, Mountain Dance, EDAM, and Kokoro Dance.

Barbara has taught modern dance for the past forty-six years and has choreographed over one hundred and ninety dance works including 82 full evening stage and site-specific productions. She has collaborated with composers, including Robert J. Rosen, John Korsrud, Giorgio Magnanensi, Jeffrey Ryan, Tony Wilson, Jeff Corness, Scott Good, Paul Haggis, Stefan Smulovitz, François Houle, John Greenaway, Sylvia DeTar, Margeurite Witvoet, Lee Pui Ming, Zoe McDougal, and Joseph Hirabayashi; set designers, including Duncan Wilson, Susan Madsen, Terry Podealuk, Thomas Anfield, Richard Tetrault, Lyse Lemieux, Kai Chan, Judy Nakagawa, and Jonathan Baldock; videographers/filmmakers, including Scott Haynes, Clancy Dennehy, Chris Randle, Alex Mackenzie, and Paul Furminger; costume designers, including Tsuneko Kokubo, Jennifer Eves, Mara A. Gottler, Sarah-Jane Crowe , Alix Hirabayashi, Loraie Tyler, Eleanor Hannon, Michael Whitfield, David Eichorn, Hiroko Tamano, Christine Hackman, Birute Letukaite, Inga Kazemekiene, Laura Bartlett, Eleanor Hannnan, Jonathan Baldock, and Tammy Maltese; lighting designer, Gerald King; and choreographer, Jay Hirabayashi.