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28 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday August 22, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Artscene Oakville Beaver · FRIDAY, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2007 Young dancer accepted into National Ballet School By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Oakville's Olivia Lecomte is on her way to one of the most prestigious dance schools in the world. Ballerinas from as far away as Japan and Australia apply to the National Ballet of Canada's school, which combines dance and academics, and is the stepping stone for many into the world of professional dance. The 10-year-old Lecomte is a product of Oakville's Allegro School of Dance. If you ask her, it's the reason she's starting at the renowned National Ballet School in September. "I want to thank Laura (Dacyshyn, dance instructor) and everybody in my class, because I don't think I could have done this without them," said Lecomte after a recent pointe practice in the Allegro school's studio. "I'm going to miss it here, and I'm going to visit a lot." Lecomte, who Dacyshyn described as her "star pupil," will certainly be missed. "All the little ones sort of looked up to her," the instructor said. "She not only has natural talent as a dancer, but she's one of the lucky ones who was born with all the right parts. "She's one of those dancers that you just have to keep watching." Lecomte went through a lengthy process to be accepted to the Torontobased National Ballet School. It started with an audition, and then she spent much of the summer in summer school, which is a more lengthy audition. Approximately 1,000 dancers apply for just 50 positions in the full-time Professional Ballet / Academic Program and the Post-Secondary (Intensive Dance) Program, according to the National Ballet of Canada School's website. Lecomte got the news that she'd been accepted from her mother, who received a call from the school. "I was jumping up and down. I was very surprised, I was very happy," said a smiling Lecomte. "When we were auditioning, we were in one of the best ballet schools, and you don't know who's going to get in because everybody's great." The school curriculum sees pupils work on everything from ballet and character dance to creative movement and pointe six days a week. On top of that, there's the academics. Most days the students won't be finished until 6:30 p.m., and sometimes there's another rehearsal later on that evening. This is a routine the director and instructor of the Allegro School of Dance knows all too well. Dacyshyn, too, was accepted into the prestigious school before beginning her career in professional dance. She knows the hard work it takes to be accepted into the school, which has FALL REGISTRATION August 27, 28, 29, 30 & September 3, 4, 5 (4-8pm) September 1 (12-4pm) Allegro School of Dance Director - Laura Dacyshyn, former dancer with The National Ballet of Canada Ballet . Jazz Tap . Acro Hip Hop Adult Classes Competitive & Recreational Dance Please call for more information LIESA KORTMAN / OAKVILLE BEAVER GETTING READY FOR SCHOOL: Olivia Lecomte warms up for a dance lesson at Allegro School of Dance. The 10-year-old will enter Grade 6 at the National Ballet of Canada's School in September. graduated celebrated professional dancers including Karen Kain and Frank Augustyn. "It's such a huge accomplishment to be accepted," Dacyshyn said. "If you want to be a professional dancer, you have to go to a school like this. It's hard to incorporate the hours of dance with the academics otherwise." And, as both Dacyshyn and Lecomte noted, at the National school, dancers are receiving the best instruction in the country. "Working with really good teachers in a really big facility with lots of very good dancers," Lecomte said, is what she's looking forward to most. She began dancing at age 3, and says it's always been her passion. "I don't do anything else other than dance," she said, smiling. "It's just really fun and flowy." Lecomte will be boarding at the school for the first four months, and in the second half of the year will commute from Oakville to Toronto. 447 Speers Rd., #5, Oakville 905-815-9239 www.allegrodance.ca