Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Evolution Dance Company is keeping the feet of many dancers very happy during this time of the year.
Alyssa Loewen, who is a Grade 10 student at the Selkirk Comp, is no stranger to the local dance company in Selkirk as she has been dancing for nine years.
“I really enjoy dancing and I have lots of family and friends here,” Loewen said.
The 15-year-old hopes to improve upon her strength and flexibility during the 2020-21 dance season.
“I hope to strengthen friendships and relationships,” added Loewen.
Selkirk Comp Grade 12 student Shaylene Johnson, who has been dancing since she was four-years-old, told the Selkirk Settler Times that dance team at Evolution Dance Company is like a family for her. She continues to dance because of the team aspect that dancing involves.
“I’d like to be able to teach,” Johnson said when looking down the road.
Lockport Middle School student Dani Erwin was seen dancing during a practice on Oct. 6 with a face mask decorated with a floral patter.
“I don’t know, I’ve just been really into flowers and I really like daises and I’m not sure why,” Erwin said. “It’s definitely been different and it just goes show that we have to be more careful, but even with dance and school it’s been very tough, but we’re pushing through and we’re doing well,” she said.
The 12-year-old echoed the same sentiments expressed by Johnson that Evolution Dance provides a family atmosphere.
“They are so kind, caring and supportive and they’ve been family since day one pretty much,” Erwin said.
Erwin said dance inspires her and she hopes to one day become a dance instructor. She also added that dancing takes a lot of energy.
“You do sweat a lot,” Erwin said.
Andrea Myers and Sonja Stepic-Boudreau are the co-owners of Evolution Dance and have been in business since 2006.
“On many levels it’s very exciting and rewarding to see. Just the challenges that everyone faced during the pandemic and It was a scary time and we didn’t know if we’d be back in September. Just on that aspect it’s very exciting to be back,” Myers said as she was fighting back tears. “These kids have been through so much and it’s a scary time. The fact that we get to be a place that they come and it’s a safe place for them to dance, to be with friends and to do what they love. You can’t put that into words, how rewarding that is.”
The theme of family continued with both Myers and Stepic-Boudreau.
“I don’t think of them as staff (I think of them as family),” Stepic-Boudreau said, when asked about the instructors at Evolution. “We’re just blessed. We feel very blessed.”
Looking ahead to May 2021, Myers and Stepic-Boudreau are hoping to have some type of year-end celebration and rehearsal, but are unsure how that will look at this point in time due to the pandemic.
“Take it as it comes,” Stepic-Boudreau said. “Right now we are just enjoying having the children in the facility.”
Video feature coming soon.
