Dance around Calgary

For this issue of the Calgary Journal, our senior photographers produced a body of work exploring movement and expression through dance. It's been around as long as people have walked the earth, and what our photographers have discovered is how versatile and fulfilling dance can be, whether it's for therapy, expressing the power and beauty of the human body, or just having a good time. Dancing connects people of all shapes, sizes and walk of life, whether it's ballet, vogueing in a nightclub, or just having a good time with friends. Our photographers have done their best to capture this expression of culture and fun.

Ballet dancer Heather Thomson (Pictured to the right) takes flight with a grand jeté as part of the Calgary Journal's study of light and dance. Thomson trains for seven hours each day with her twin sister Rachel. Thomson has danced since she was three, and has studied ballet for 17 years. Recently, she joined the Alberta Ballet II program, as she is on the verge of a professional career. She has toured throughout Alberta in education and outreach programs, and will perform in company productions. Her favourite ballets include Giselle, Don Quixote and Petite Mort.

Cameron Perrier

The Argentine Tango is a style of dance that requires minimal separation between two partners, as displayed by Renzi and his partner during a late night gathering in one of the large, beautiful backrooms of the Ballroom & Country Dance Studio.

Photo by Brandon McNeil
(Left photo) de Souza, left, watches Singh, right, demonstrate a dip in the dance. De Souza works at the Distress Centre Calgary during the day, while Singh owns and operates Hamesha Events Wedding Planning.

Photo by Andrew Szekeres

(Right photo)

Nikita Singh is a self-taught Bollywood dancer who recently had a successful audition with Static Bollywood Dance, a dancing team that performs at events all over Alberta with Bollywood actors. Bollywood represents Hindi language cinema that is based in Mumbai, India. Bollywood is a culturally significant industry that has a distinctive culture and music. In her spare time, Singh also teaches Bollywood dancing in her home.

Photo by Andrew Szekeres
Volunteers and teachers at Dubasov Dance and Wellness Inc. provide dance, yoga and movement classes for children, youth and adults with special needs. Telisa Dubasov, director of the studio, says, "For me it's all about the joy of movement and allowing them a different way of expressing themselves and a different way to communicate what they are feeling or form their thoughts." Photo taken on Saturday Feb. 28, 2015.

Photo by Bre Brezinski
Front to back, Emily Abelseth, Margie Grace, and Taryn Knorren , warm up by running through a typical Irish dance routine.

Photo by Hannah Cawsey
(Left photo) Quinn Kliewer, a contemporary dance student at the University of Calgary, helps Mount Royal University photojournalism students learn how to work with studio lights. She leaps through the air, proving the athletic graces needed to be an accomplished dancer.

Photo by Jocelyn Doll

(Right photo) Quinn Kliewer, a contemporary dance student at the University of Calgary, helps Mount Royal University photojournalism students learn how to work with studio lights. She holds a bridge, highlighting the fusion between dance and flexibility.

Photo by Jocelyn Doll
Kayla-Rae Maurer performs a more advanced move while suspending herself in a silk scarf.

Photo by Kassidy Christensen
Marcos Ravelo, left, is a Cuban dance instructor at the Havana Cuban Dance Studio in Calgary. Ravelo teaches many different types of authentic Cuban dancing and has appeared in workshops and events around the world.

Photo Landon Wesley
Katreena Cardenas, front in grey and black pants, is an instructor at the Havana Cuban Dance Studio and has extensive training in over 10 different kinds of dance.

Photo by Landon Wesley
A cloudy day didn't stop one of Waikiki beach's many traditional Hawaiian dance troupes at the Waikiki Shell in Kapiolani Park on Valentines Day 2015. The group, comprised of five women who are 50+, dance for crowds at the park on weekends, combining historical dance routines with a live band.

Photo by Olivia Condon
Keith Armbruster, one of many volunteer dance instructors at the Haysboro Community Hall, walks John Howard and Mary Wilkes through a turn. At every class, there's always a new turn to learn. (Feb 20, 2015)

Photo by Nicholas Aviles
Stephanie Kautzman has been pole dancing for four years but has only attended Strut Fitness for six months. Kautzman came in third in the amateur division at the Alberta Pole Dancing Competition in 2014.

Photo by Ryan Rumbolt

The Argentine Tango is a style of dance that requires minimal separation between two partners, as displayed by Renzi and his partner during a late night gathering in one of the large, beautiful backrooms of the Ballroom & Country Dance Studio.

Photo by Brandon McNeil

(Left photo) de Souza, left, watches Singh, right, demonstrate a dip in the dance. De Souza works at the Distress Centre Calgary during the day, while Singh owns and operates Hamesha Events Wedding Planning.

Photo by Andrew Szekeres

(Right photo)

Nikita Singh is a self-taught Bollywood dancer who recently had a successful audition with Static Bollywood Dance, a dancing team that performs at events all over Alberta with Bollywood actors. Bollywood represents Hindi language cinema that is based in Mumbai, India. Bollywood is a culturally significant industry that has a distinctive culture and music. In her spare time, Singh also teaches Bollywood dancing in her home.

Photo by Andrew Szekeres

Volunteers and teachers at Dubasov Dance and Wellness Inc. provide dance, yoga and movement classes for children, youth and adults with special needs. Telisa Dubasov, director of the studio, says, "For me it's all about the joy of movement and allowing them a different way of expressing themselves and a different way to communicate what they are feeling or form their thoughts." Photo taken on Saturday Feb. 28, 2015.

Photo by Bre Brezinski

Front to back, Emily Abelseth, Margie Grace, and Taryn Knorren , warm up by running through a typical Irish dance routine.

Photo by Hannah Cawsey

(Left photo) Quinn Kliewer, a contemporary dance student at the University of Calgary, helps Mount Royal University photojournalism students learn how to work with studio lights. She leaps through the air, proving the athletic graces needed to be an accomplished dancer.

Photo by Jocelyn Doll

(Right photo) Quinn Kliewer, a contemporary dance student at the University of Calgary, helps Mount Royal University photojournalism students learn how to work with studio lights. She holds a bridge, highlighting the fusion between dance and flexibility.

Photo by Jocelyn Doll

Kayla-Rae Maurer performs a more advanced move while suspending herself in a silk scarf.

Photo by Kassidy Christensen

Marcos Ravelo, left, is a Cuban dance instructor at the Havana Cuban Dance Studio in Calgary. Ravelo teaches many different types of authentic Cuban dancing and has appeared in workshops and events around the world.

Photo Landon Wesley

Katreena Cardenas, front in grey and black pants, is an instructor at the Havana Cuban Dance Studio and has extensive training in over 10 different kinds of dance.

Photo by Landon Wesley

A cloudy day didn't stop one of Waikiki beach's many traditional Hawaiian dance troupes at the Waikiki Shell in Kapiolani Park on Valentines Day 2015. The group, comprised of five women who are 50+, dance for crowds at the park on weekends, combining historical dance routines with a live band.

Photo by Olivia Condon

Keith Armbruster, one of many volunteer dance instructors at the Haysboro Community Hall, walks John Howard and Mary Wilkes through a turn. At every class, there's always a new turn to learn. (Feb 20, 2015)

Photo by Nicholas Aviles

Stephanie Kautzman has been pole dancing for four years but has only attended Strut Fitness for six months. Kautzman came in third in the amateur division at the Alberta Pole Dancing Competition in 2014.

Photo by Ryan Rumbolt

Dance around Calgary

July-August 2019 Print Edition

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