They may be a small company but they had big success this year for their size.
Five dancers from Dance Your Hart Out Studio qualified to go to this week's provincial competition in Fort St. John despite being a fraction of the size of Excalibur Theatre Arts or Enchainement Dance Studio.
Sophie Yarish, Paolina Gialleanardo, Caitlin McCormick, Abigael McCormick and Miranda Sosnowski all made the elite squad of dancers that were advanced to the provincial competition, some as competitors and some as observers.
"I'm scared a little bit, but excited," said Gialleanardo, a 16-year-old Home-School Check Program student who placed first in the Contemporary category vying with 16 other dancers. "It will be good experience for me. I was surprised to be picked, but thrilled to go."
A couple of years ago she went as an observer in the Speech Arts division, so the overall atmosphere is not new to her, but being in full competitive mode will add to the emotional level.
Sosnowski, 18, has also been as an observer in the past, but cannot attend this year's provincials as she is also graduating from Kelly Road secondary school this year, and the ceremonies coincide.
Yarish, 11, from Heather Park elementary school, also cannot attend the Fort St. John festival because she has a ballet event in the Lower Mainland occupying her time.
She had to choose between skills-development opportunities.
Abigael McCormick, 18, also cannot attend provincials this year due to KRSS graduation scheduling conflicts, but she is still able to provide leadership to the younger dancers still coming up through the DYHO ranks.
"Part of competing at the provincial festival isn't just the time you're on stage for your solo. The judges also take into account how you treat the other dancers, how you attend the workshops, and more unnoticed things like that," she said. "A lot of the same people go, each year, so it's great to see each other again and get to know people who do what you do. I look forward to that part each year."
"My attitude towards provincials has changed," said Caitlin McCormick, another from KRSS who has also attended before from Dance Your Hart Out Studio. "I felt like I needed to get something, to win something, but now I'm not worried about any of those outcomes. I'm just going to focus on what I could learn from all this, and if I win or don't win it is OK. I'm not going to let stress take away my excitement and fun."
The provincials are on all this week in Fort St. John.
