Two of Canada’s best offered local young dancers tips during a visit to Dance Trance studio.
Roxanne Hooper, Langley Advance
Published: Friday, March 26, 2010
Two of the country’s top dancers paid a surprise visit to Dance Trance, offering some tips and inspiration to a few dozen up-and-coming dance students from throughout the Lower Mainland.
Tara-Jean (TJ) Popowich and Vincent Desjardins, of So You Think You Can Dance Canada fame, dropped by the local dance school recently, explained school founder Suzanne Zelmer.
“I thought the dancers were going to explode with excitement when I told them I had organized these two great dancers to come and visit us at our own studio,” said Zelmer, who has run the Dance Trance studio and talent agency since 1991.
Popowich was the winner of last year’s reality television dance competition, while Desjardins was a 2009 runner up.
But visiting the dance studio on the Surrey-Langley border was like returning home for the dancer in her early 20s.
Just a few years back, Popowich – now in her early 20s – taught at the local studio.
“She subbed my classes while in her late teens (after high school) for a year,” Zelmer explained. “I asked her to be part of our faculty for the following season, after I had her sub some of my classes. However, she wanted to try the world of professional dance first. We wished her well.”
The students Popowich taught are grown up and are no longer dancing at Dance Trance. The dancers who participated in the impromptu workshops were all new to both Popowich and Desjardins, Zelmer noted.
“After I received my email from TJ, I asked my dancers if they’d be interested in such a workshop… The immediate reactions were: ‘Oh my goodness YES!!!,” ‘How do you know her?’ ‘She has your email address and cellphone number?’
“They couldn’t believe that I knew her and that they were going to have the opportunity to train with her in our own studio,” Zelmer said.
“But when TJ walked into our studio, she gave me a big hug and it was like nothing has changed her,” Zelmer said.
“TJ is the same lovely person that she was before she was announced the SYTYCD Canadian winner. She is truly a great role model for all young dancers.
“Girls always need a role model. Because TJ is well known for her dance ability, her winnings from SYTYCD, and is a genuinely nice person, she is a great role model for our dancers. Our girls can relate to her and want to be her,” Zelmer said.
“She is a great influence on the dancers. For them to see that you can be trained at a local studio, work hard, and follow your dreams, and your dreams can come true. She is a hometown girl who has now made it to the big leagues, and we are so proud of her.”
Zelmer described it as a great reunion, but added that it was an even bigger treat for the young dancers who took part in two workshops lead by the celebrities.
Popowich led an hour and a half contemporary dance workshop, while Desjardins taught a one-hour ballroom and cha cha workshop.
“They were real people. I think they realized this as we were taking class, and both Tara-Jean and Vincent made jokes and were very light hearted throughout the class. They were fun and the farthest thing from snobby. Their fame has not gone to their heads, which I think is refreshing for young dancers to see as well. They spoke about working hard and dancing with passion. Enjoy what you do. They have great value systems and good mindsets,” Zelmer said.
“The dancers had a fantastic time,” Zelmer said, noting that participants were not just from the local studio. Invitations were extended to all studios in the Lower Mainland, and open to dancers nine years and older. Even a few instructors took part.
“The energy and excitement was amazing from everyone,” said Zelmer.”It will be an experience they will never forget.”
rhooper@langleyadvance.com
(Langley Advance)