At Footprints Dance Centre we believe in the principle of whole dance education. To us, we do not want to just educate our dancers to ball change battement with the best of them, we want our dancers to explore really explore what dance is and what it means to them. To gain a greater understanding of dance we encourage our dancers to experience dance outside of the regular studio context. This includes providing our dancers the opportunity to visit dance them
ed exhibits (like Woodstock Art Gallery’s Evelyn Hart exhibit and workshops (like Dance Attack Workshop) and to professional dance experiences. On Friday March 3 we road tripped to the Centre in the Square theatre to see Travis Wall’s dance company, Shaping Sound.
Going to the show was open to any Footprints dancer or parent who wished to attend. Rides were coordinated through the parents and everyone arrived smoothly. Getting to see our dancers (and dance teachers) outside of the regular sweaty, messy ponytail and leggings is always a treat! Our dancers certainly cleaned up well!
Dancers and Mom pose for a in-seat photo at our Shaping Sound event!
As the lights dimmed and the music swell the excitement from our dancers was clear. Not many of our dancers had ever experienced a professional dance show of this calibre. Emmy award winner (of So You Think You Can Dance – USA fame) Travis Wall brought together an incredible cast of dancers and technicians in a mix of various styles to create a breath-taking experience.
At intermission it was clear that our dancers were experiencing something truly moving and memorable. Comments ranged from, “How do the dancers just jump all the way across the stage?” to “How do they make all the lights work like that?” to even “Can I ask Travis to prom?” Our dancers were clearly enraptured and we were only half way through!
The bell dinged and we were back in our seats!
The cast continued to move beautifully, moving most of us to tears throughout the second half. The music echoed through the building with the final note as the curtain closed. A standing ovation was immediate and our dancers were ready to head back to the car but little did they know, we had a bigger surprise instore for them! We were going to meet the cast!
We headed down the stairs into the orchestra and waited patiently for the dancers to shower, clean up and come back out. After what seemed like forever for our FDC girls, the dancers began to appear from behind the curtain.
Our dancers were clearly super excited and just a little overwhelmed at meeting these incredible artists. There was a little bit of fan-girl squeeling that certainly came out of Miss Lainy’s mouth. We made our rounds through the dancers chatting about tour life, Canada’s cold weather and of course how amazing the performance was.
Finally, Travis came out to meet our dancers. The swarm was immediate, although most of us didn’t know what to say. Rebekka stepped up to bat and asked Travis about audition tips and dancerly advice. Our younger dancers shyed up for a photo and autographs. Miss Lainy snapped a selfie and was a little too star-struck to make much conversation.
Miss Lainy snaps a selfie with Travis Wall of Shaping Sound.
The night was full of laughs, beautiful dancing and surprises. Our dancers will certainly remember tonight as not only an amazing performance but as an opportunity to bond with their fellow dancers and to learn a little bit more about dance in a professional context.
Our dancers getting silly with Shaping Sound!
Check out the rave review from one of our senior dancers below:
“My Shaping Sound experience was incredible!!!! It was nice to have a laid back, but very exciting fangirling night with the other dancers. It was also nice to change things up a bit and be on the other side of the stage this time. I really enjoyed, being a dancer myself, watching the performance because I truly appreciated and LOVED every part from the props to costumes to their facial expressions. I never wanted the performance to end; the story line was so captivating and beautiful. Plus, the cast was just so talented and amazing and when we got to meet them I was so happy and to be able to interact with their unique personalities was an experience in itself. I thank Footprints so very much for this opportunity, and I’ll never forget it! -Chelan
