Calgary Regional Dance

Our daughter, Chelsea, has been a dancer all her life. She started competitive dance at the age of 5. Needless to say this is definitely her passion and it was evident in every routine she performed. But when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, her passion slowly faded away as the quarantine caused us all to be confined in our own homes. Dance lessons via Zoom in the basement became a tiresome everyday routine. She felt like she was no longer learning anything and had reached a plateau in her dance education. She once said that she would rather be doing something else with her time than dance. It was heartbreaking to hear her say those words.In January 2021 she told us she wanted to quit dancing. For months she focused her attention on other things but her love for dance, although diminished, still remained. Then in the summer of the same year we came across Calgary Regional Dance as recommended by one of her former dance teachers and we met Ms. Melissa. We came for an initial meeting with her and she explained to us what the studio is about and their method of teaching. What attracted us the most is how they not only focus on skill development but also looks into the physical aspect such as taking time to do proper stretching prior to a class and ensuring that their students demonstrate proper technique with regards to body alignment and posture. In this regard, Chelsea has improved tremendously in the 2 years that she has attended classes at CRD. She said that her skills have been easier to execute after learning how to use her muscles the properly.Another thing that we appreciate at CRD are the opportunities they offer for their students such as participating at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) held in Toronto last March. It was a wonderful experience for our daughter to have exposure in such big dance conventions. Chelsea was named one of the Top 24 dancers at the said event and this speaks volumes of the caliber of training CRD offers. Ms. Melissa’s dedication to her students and her constant drive to deliver them the best dance education possible is excellent and very well appreciated. We are happy to have found this studio. It has been an awesome last 2 years for our daughter who is graduating this year. She rediscovered her love for dance and we have Calgary Regional Dance to thank for. We couldn’t have picked a better studio!

I started at CRD after covid when I was going into grade 12. I was nervous about starting a different method of training right before I graduated. Now, I am just finishing my second season (and post grad year) with this team and I wish I had made the switch sooner!CRD is like nothing else offered in the city. Miss Melissa is knowledgeable about anatomy, and is able to help dancers rehabilitate and avoid injuries through technical training. I was never really in pain when I was dancing but I did always think (after 14 years of dancing) I didn't have the natural facilities for ballet. In less than 20 months, I saw my turnout start to noticeably open and movement quality in all genres improve. With an understanding of proper technique, I put a variation on pointe in about a month! My body functions healthier and more effectively in my everyday life as well. My teachers are helping me build my body like an athlete so that I am able to have more freedom as an artist.In addition to CRD's unique approach to technical training, the support and unique opportunities I’ve been offered there has been amazing. We’ve done many competitions and conventions, worked with amazing guest choreographers, and dancers are always met with encouragement when they set new goals. My teachers believe in me, my friends are always cheering me on, and I am so grateful for the dancer I’ve become with their support.