Caitlin McCormick danced to new heights in her youthful career as a performer. The 16-year-old dancer from Dance Your Hart Out Studio was the runner up in the Modern II class at this year's Performing Arts B.C. provincial championships.
She was the only finalist from northern B.C. in any category of dance. She was not alone, however.
Elsie Coombs, 15, was also along from DYHO as an official observer while McCormick competed. McCormick has been an official observer in past years (her sister Abigael McCormick was a past provincial qualifier and is now at Harbour Dance Centre in Vancouver learning more of the trade) and considered those experiences fundamental to her scoring such high points this year.
"The outcome for me was obviously amazing, but going in the past and seeing all the talent from all the different regions of the province, and how good everyone is, really gave me the impression I wasn't probably going to get anything. For that reason I went in pretty chill, not worrying about getting anything except experience," she said.
She said the adjudicator kept a poker face throughout the competition and had plenty of constructive feedback for all the participants, so she was no closer to a hint about her high scores until the moment it was announced.
"I even got corrected on my face," McCormick laughed. "I was thinking the whole time about the choreography and I guess that showed in my expression."
Coombs said it would be understandable to come away from observing the provincials and feel intimidated but for her it was another sign that she should commit herself to dance. She was allowed to take part in some of the workshops made for the 19 competitors and she dove in with gusto.
"They said I could do the tap workshop, but I didn't have any tap shoes. I haven't done tap since I was four. So I did it in my socks," she said.
"Now, I think tap is going to be very important for me this year. I'll be working very hard on it. You have to be driven," Coombs added. "You're at Point A and you have to get to Point B, so the only way there is to be dedicated and focused, or else why do it?"
McCormick has been driven for years, and this year she added flying. She commissioned Calgary choreographer Sarah Dolan to work with her this past year and the results were game-changing, the up-and-comer said.
"I'm so glad I could show Sarah how much her work with me really meant," said McCormick, about getting the runner-up award.
"It felt good to represent DYHO and Prince George and Quesnel (she won her way into provincials through the Quesnel Dance Festival), but all of northern B.C.
"It felt really good to hear all the cheering I got from all over the whole region, there was so much support just because there were so few of us up against the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. I want all the dancers from this region to feel that. It was special. I really appreciated that, and I want to do that for others, too."
Perhaps next year Coombs will be back as a competitor. McCormick said she was going almost immediately back into the preparation work for next year. Both will be better prepared after the 2017 experience.
