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Thousands of students dance through teacher’s life

After teaching a number of students over the years, Virginia Winterhalt of Dance Connection said her love of dance continues to motivate her. “There’s just been thousands who’ve come through these doors,” Winterhalt said.
dance connection
Local dance school Dance Connection is celebrating its 30th anniversary on the weekend of May 26 at the Dekker Centre. Virginia Winterhalt, pictured middle, began the school 30 years ago, and has taught, she estimates, thousands of students. Also pictured are teaching staff Cassandra Knisely, left ,and Daylan Sabin, right. Photo by Josh Greschner

After teaching a number of students over the years, Virginia Winterhalt of Dance Connection said her love of dance continues to motivate her.

“There’s just been thousands who’ve come through these doors,” Winterhalt said. “It makes you feel really good that you had something to be a part of like that.”

Dance Connection, located at 1622 - 96 St., is hosting its 30th Anniversary Gala Saturday, May 26 at the Dekker Centre. Dance Connection is also staging other performances that weekend. The schedule includes Dance Connection Presents: Inspire, taking place May 24 and 25 at 7 p.m.; Take A Bow taking place May 26 at noon and 3 p.m., along with the gala, May 26 at 7 p.m.

Along with teaching a number of local students, Dance Connection has helped launch the careers of professional artists. 

Virginia Winterhalt has been central to the school since the beginning.

Originally from North Battleford, Winterhalt trained in the city under Heather Myers and finished training at La Danse in Saskatoon. Winterhalt then went on to dance in New York and Toronto, and on a cruise ship. University was next, then Winterhalt returned to North Battleford to open a dance studio.

Dance Connection began in 1988. Winterhalt is the daughter of the late Don Ross, and the dance school’s first registration was at Bill and Don’s Men’s Wear and Shoes.

The first year attracted 65 students, and Winterhalt held dance classes at the old fire hall in North Battleford. After the first year, student attendance doubled in size. The third year turned out about 180 kids, and Winterhalt said the dance school has attracted approximately 200 every year since.

The move to the current location across from École Monseigneur Blaise Morand took place 18 years ago.

The current location is a former church. Winterhalt said converted churches make good dance studios, because of the ceiling height and the vast space. Winterhalt said the location is a good one because of its kitchen, its big lawn in front and its proximity to schools.

Running Dance Connection is “very full-time.”

“Even if you’re not in a classroom, there’s so many jobs to do outside of actually teaching as well, a lot of preparation work on the business side of it,” Winterhalt said. “It’s like running a school, so I feel a bit like a principal.”

Dance Connection offers a range of dance styles, including ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, hip hop, acro, contemporary and musical theatre.

Ballet is based on the Royal Academy of Dance, and is used as a base for other dance styles. Tap is based on the Canadian Dance Teachers’ Association, while the dance school has made its own jazz syllabus, Winterhalt said,

Dance teachers Daylan Sabin and Cassandra Knisely also talked to the Regional Optimist.

Along with other styles, Sabin teaches tap and conducts tap exams. Sabin started dance at age 3 and danced at the fire hall. Sabin now has a family and is a school teacher.

Knisely also started at 3, and after graduating spent three years in New York. Knisely has recently come back to North Battleford, and plans to stay for a period of time.

“I come from a small area but I get to work in the arts, and not very many people get to do that full time,” Knisely said. “It’s nice that I’m able to do that.”

Sabin said she enjoys watching the kids grow up. Teaching dance is different than teaching at a school because dance teachers can watch their students grow over a longer period of time than can school teachers, who often only see students for a few years at most.

Parents sometimes comment dance teachers see their kids more than parents do.

“They almost become your children,” Sabin said. “I call them my kids, too.”

Regarding watching the students grow up, Sabin said, “It’s awesome, but it’s sad at the same time.”

“Kids of kids” now attend the dance school.

“It’s really neat to have [students] in classes where you taught their moms,” Winterhalt said.

Dance Connection’s Wall of Fame includes people who have been involved with the dance school who have gone on to dance and other arts careers. Some have performed musical theatre, danced in music videos, on cruise ships, and Dance Connection also has alumni who danced with Michael Jackson.

Knisely said the dance school hasn’t only produced artists, but also doctors and lawyers and people who have gone on to work various professions.

“Dance teaches you time management, commitment, and dedication,” Winterhalt said.

“People have commented it really helped them deal with the pressures of university and studying things when they had to have so much commitment to something.”

Dance Connection contributes to a larger arts scene within the Battlefords.

“Arts is strong in North Battleford, and we feel really blessed because there’s a lot of activities for kids to do in the Battlefords now,” Winterhalt said.

A highlight of her career with Dance Connection, Winterhalt said, was winning the “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” award at the 1998 BBEX Awards.

Families are at the heart of what Dance Connection does.

“We’re so happy that families have still chosen to have their children dance and support us and trust us with their kids’ training, because our numbers consistently stayed the same for so many years,” Winterhalt said.

Teaching staff for the 2017-18 season include Winterhalt, Sabin, Knisely, Sarah Santoro, Gillian McCaffery, Dianne Gryba, Matthew Armet, Tyrell Witherspoon, Nic Turuk and Brynn Cubbon. Louise Sylvester does administrative work. Barb Stolz is a former administrator and Margaret Stephen is a former ballet teacher. Next year, Danielle Greening and Alexandra Welford will join the teaching team.