(Cornwall) – Students, staff and community members from across the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) enjoyed four days of dance at the 2011 Step Into Motion: Taking It To The Streets Dance Festival at General Vanier Intermediate School (GVIS), St. Lawrence Intermediate School (SLIS), Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School (CCVS) and the Aultsville Theatre in Cornwall.

From May 18-21, Step Into Motion offered workshops, performances and an evening gala that focused on hip-hop and street dance styles.

On May 18, UCDSB elementary students were invited to attend dance workshops held during the morning at GVIS, SLIS and CCVS. Following the workshops, students took part in matinee performances at GVIS. May 19 followed a similar format, but the day was directed toward intermediate and secondary school students.

Renowned dance artist and film producer Allen Kaeja was also at SLIS to offer film-making workshops to students.

Dancers, as well as their families and friends, are invited to attend an evening gala on May 20 at the Aultsville Theatre which will showcase performances by professional dancers and dance crews such as America’s Best Dance Crew season 5 runner-up Blueprint Cru, Culture Shock, Kaeja, 4EverFresh, Body Rocks, Moon Runners, Studio Sweatshop, Klaxon, Cadence Dance Co., Christine Dubois and Canterbury High School, Team Rhythm Works/Stomp, and the prestigious Powell School of Dance.

On May 21, the general public had the opportunity to attend workshops at GVIS by many of the professional dancers who performed the evening before. In addition, a salsa workshop for adults was offered by Dance Conmigo, and a workshop about dance and the new curriculum was offered to teachers by the Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators.

“I firmly believe in the importance of the arts and the influence they have on student achievement,” said festival founder and coordinator Gisele Paquette. “Our board, in cooperation with the representatives of the UCDSB Arts Charter, provided funds so that our students could have these experiences in the arts. I would like to thank all involved for making this possible.”

Zumba instructor Christal Huizinga taught a Zumba class to the Grades 4-6 students at SLIS. She said the students loved learning the moves, along with some Spanish meringue and Hollywood hip-hop moves.

“They had great energy,” she said. “Some boys were a little apprehensive at first but they seemed to like it even more than everyone else in the end. I hope the students learned a new way of expressing themselves.”

Kirstie Parisien, a hip-hop instructor, agreed.

“For me, dance was my journal,” she said. “I let movement be my journal. I hope the kids got that connection of letting their bodies speak.”
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