Contributed
The sound of tap shoes clicking and hip hop beats echoes from the Bosun Hall this snowy winter. Dance is back in the groove in New Denver.
Local Lucerne 2011 grads have initiated Dance classes once again. This all began last year when Kyla Smutny and Tisha Becker had a vision to offer dance right here in the Village. Kyla began tap and jazz dance at age four at the Kimberley Dance Academy under the guidance of Leslie Lindberg. Through the years she learned choreography, confidence, poise, presentation and nurtured her love of dance and music. At age 12 she moved to New Denver, where there was no dance offered, so she gathered a small quartet of girls and carpooled to Nakusp for Hip Hop classes for two years. At age 15 she ran as a candidate in the May Queen Ambassador Program where she won the speech award, and the title of May Queen. Through this experience she created, choreographed and practiced on her own for the Talent component a Tap Solo, rewarding the applauding crowd with her performance. In her reigning year she helped choreograph dance routines and worked with Tisha to create and implement New Denver’s first Dance classes. These ambitious girls stuck together every week for practice and completed with a successful year end dance recital. Smiles, fun and good times continued when they were asked to put together a workshop for May days on Main Street in downtown New Denver, under the sunny skies to all passersby and anyone of all ages that wanted to join in.
This year Kyla has added Tap as well as Hip Hop, offered for children. Tisha has since gone off to University and Meagan Brown-Dahl has stepped up to assist every week since Mid-October in teaching steps and moves in hip hop. These ambitious girls don’t see this community as lacking activities, they see it as an opportunity to thrive and grow in. Along with two Hip Hop classes of 14 kids there will also be two tap duets and additional dance routines from the girls themselves. Come on out and support this fun Youth Initiative and help raise some funds for another leaf on the Bosun Hall Legacy Tree towards renovations.