Yorkton dancers compete with the best in Germany

A town the size of Yorkton isn’t really supposed to have world-class programs. When it does happen, it usually starts with one exceptionally talented and dedicated leader who doesn’t accept location as a limitation.

That is the case with Tammy Kostersky, owner of Dance Innovations, who coached Team Canada at the International Dance Organization’s World Tap Dance Championships in Germany from December 1 to 6, 2014.

She said it was a remarkable experience.

“What words do you use?” she said. “It was amazing, incredible to see our students from Yorkton in another country up against the best of the best from those countries. Watching them walk off down the hall with all their Team Canada jackets and knowing that they made it there, even just getting there was something we’ll never forget.”

But it wasn’t just getting there, the 37 Saskatchewan dancers, 20 from Yorkton, competed at the highest level. Their best showing was in the Junior (age 12-15) Formations where they finished fourth.

Like most inspirational leaders, Tammy plays down her role, giving full credit to the hard work the kids put in, rehearsing every weekend from September to December on top of their regular dance schedule.

“It comes from putting them in those situations all they time, to allow them to believe that just because they’re from little Yorkton doesn’t mean they don’t belong here,” she said.

“I think when we go to competitions, often people are surprised, but as a leader I guess I’ve never given them the excuse that you’re just from a little town, so we’ll just do our very best and we’ll be okay.”

Tammy got the gig by impressing Bonnie Dyer, director of the Canadian Dance Organization, at the Canadian National Dance Championships in Winnipeg last spring that drew more than 1,200 entries.

“Her large group was the highest scoring tap group from a week-long and high caliber competition,” Dyer said.

Dyer was also impressed by Tammy’s performance at the World Championships.

“Miss Tammy did an outstanding job as Team Canada choreographer and many of her numbers made it to semi finals,” she said. “Her dances were well prepared and it was an honour to have Miss Tammy and the dancers from Saskatchewan represent Canada at the World Championships.”

After accepting the invitation, Tammy held auditions in Yorkton. Dance students from across the province competed for spots on the team.

Tammy said it was a great learning experience for everyone to see the approaches of other nations.

“The dancing is different,” she said. “Every country kind of has their way. For example, Canadians do lots of turns in their routines. The Europeans don’t do turns at all. Their footwork is really fast and different, different rhythms, different ideas, but they don’t do turns so when Canadians do turns, it’s a huge thing, whereas in Canada everybody does turns.”

She said she will likely incorporate some of those different ideas into future choreography.

“That’s why we expose people and ourselves to different ideas all the time, so that you can always grow and I think that’s the only way you grow as a business and as an artist, is to keep putting yourself into unfamiliar territory and then stepping up to it and then progressing and moving on.”

There will be more travel in the future for Yorkton dancers. Tammy said Dance Innovations will be announcing the destination of their biannual trip this weekend, acknowledging they would not be able to do it without help.

“We are extremely appreciative of the Yorkton community for supporting and standing behind our dancers,” she said.