Twenty-six students of Yorkton's Dance Innovations studio and their families recently returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to take in the dance culture of New York City.
Every two years, a group of the studio's students travels to a destination somewhere on the continent where they can expand their skills and learn about dance opportunities.
"Basically, the aim of the trip is to further the children's dance education," explains Dance Innovations director Tammy Kostersky, "and the way to do that is to expose them to as many different styles of teaching and styles of dance as possible."
Last year the group visited Disney Land. This year, they chose to travel to the heart of North America's Broadway scene: New York City.
"New York is a place where lots of dance is always happening. They can go and take classes in various places, and then they can go to Broadway and watch dancers who have done exactly what they are doing."
It took two years of fundraising-performing at events, cleaning ditches, working coat checks, and more-for the students to pay for their trip.
"Our goal was not to ask for donations, but to show community service," Kostersky says. "It taught the children the value of giving back to your community."
Much of the trip was taken up by classes beneath top instructors at the three-day Tremaine Dance Convention. A few students also took part in the convention's dance competition, where they placed well. A tap duet by Kaytia and Zachariah Kostersky was awarded first place in its category and second place overall. A tap group made up of Zachariah Kostersky, Morgan Thorley, Abby Hunter, Erica Baker, Jessica Rohatynsky, Tatianna Ochitwa, and Paige Mundt received second place in its category and third overall.
Lauren Denysek, Zachariah Kostersky, Kyra Harris, and Jennaya Kreklewich received scholarships at the end of the convention, allowing them to attend again next year at no charge.
Other highlights of the trip were the Rockette Experience-in which students were taught choreography from a member of the Rockettes-and courses at the Broadway Dance Center. In one of these, students learned choreography from a scene in The Lion King musical from one of its cast members.
"That was really neat," says Kostersky, "because later that night we went to watch The Lion King, and you could hear all this rustling when it got to that part as they said, 'That's the part I know!'"
The studio director says she was impressed with her students' ability to keep up with dancers in one of the most competitive environments in the world.
"I was very proud of them all for working so hard."
The students' reaction to the trip has been overwhelmingly positive, Kostersky says.
"They really enjoyed the time together with their classmates. They enjoyed all the different styles of dancing and being challenged. They enjoyed everything about it."
