The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

14 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday August 9, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Oakville cheers on local athletes If you love the Olympic Games, you will be pleased to know there is an impressive group of local athletes preparing to head to China. Oakville has eight Olympic hopefuls who will test their athletic prowess at the 2008 Beijing Games. To make the Aug. 8-24 event that much sweeter, Oakville kayaker Adam Van Koeverden will carry the Canadian flag during the opening ceremonies. Van Koeverden also happens to be Canada's best medal hope, as he is the reigning Olympic and world champion, as well as world record holder in the men's K-1 500 metres. His World Cup performance this season is just as compelling, winning five of six races (three in the K-1 500, two in the K-1 1,000), and capturing a bronze in the other K-1 1,000. While watching the Games, keep your eye on these Oakville athletes: Oskar Johansson, sailing; Andrew Hurd, swimming; Colin Russell, swimming; Kara Lang, soccer; Diana Matheson, soccer; Kyle Jones, triathlon (alternate) and Alyssa Brown, gymnastics (alternate). Oakville's Josh Cassidy will be wheelchair racing in the September Paralympics. Over the ensuing weeks, it would be encouraging for our athletes - especially the local ones - to know that they have a very proud country cheering them on to greatness. We wish them luck. The Internationally renowned Oakville School of Dance The professional training program provides lizabeth Paterson, a major examiner with the Royal training to students who aspire to profesAcademy of Dance for over sional careers in classical ballet. "Excellent 30 years, founded the Oakville School of artistic training at the highest caliber offers a Dance (OSD) in 1961. After offering her positive learning experience in both ballet and expertise for many years, Elizabeth retired other complimentary subjects," says Amanda and handed the reins to her daughter Anderson "We are a Performance-oriented school performing with the Oakville Ballet Amanda Paterson-Anderson. Amanda, a graduate of the National Ballet Company on productions like Nutcracker in School has raised the standard even higher early December and Spring Evening of Dance for her students. In fact, this year all danc- in late May." OSD believes when selecting a ballet ers from the graduating class have been offered professional contracts in the dance school much consideration should be taken. world. Past graduates are now dancing in "You are placing your Childs' emotional and companies in the U.K., the United States physical development in the hands of an instructor. You need to be assured and across Canada. "Over the past 47 years the OSD has that the instructor is a qualified grown from a local dance school to an inter- ballet teacher with the credennationally renowned classical ballet school," tials and experience necessary to says Amanda Anderson. "The OSD provides provide a fun positive supportive exceptional ballet training for beginners to experience leading to proven, sucprofessional students throughout Southern cessful training. You should expect Ontario. Ballet classes offer a young child and demand nothing less," says from the age of three the opportunity to Amanda Anderson. After 47 years in downtown grow in self-confidence, coordination, flexibility, strength, musicality, artistry and cre- Oakville OSD has taken their un-paralleled experience to North Oakville. ativity." Emphasis on the younger classes con- "We are offering the highest qualicentrates on the pleasure of movement fied teachers. Students are invited and musicality with the development of to come out and dance in our protechnique evolving throughout the levels. ductions at the Oakville Centre for "Children are also exposed to Character the Performing Arts," says Amanda Dance, the study of folk steps and danc- Anderson. "We are offering the es from selected countries," says Amanda same opportunities and professional Anderson "This provides insight into the colourful his- INFO AT A GLANCE... tory of music, dance, and LOCATIONS: 260 ROBINSON ST. DOWNTOWN OAKVILLE AND NORTH OAKVILLE national costumes of counTELEPHONE: 905.844.7035 tries such as Poland, Russia WEBSITE: www.oakvilleballet.com and Hungary." E training that have been provided at our downtown location for many years." OSD offers classes in ballet, modern, jazz and Spanish for both recreational and professional division students. "The majority of our students are recreational or general division students who are interested in receiving the same highly qualified training as the professional division students without the intensity, yet all the fun. Why settle for anything less?" says Amanda Anderson. If you are interested in registering for fall classes at either location ­ call now! NOW OPEN 10% Off Dine-In or Take-Out Nutcracker with OSD graduate Ashley Moras and Etienne Lavigne Specializing in Thai Cuisine · Choose from a wide selection of Salads, Curry, Pad Thai, Seafood, Duck, Chicken and Beef · Private parties available for any corporate or private functions · Custom menu designed to your request, for any group of 12 or more Young Dancers at Oakville School of Dance Eva Gogan and Thom Dobronyi in La Sylphide Oakville School of Dance, Corps in Swan Lake. OSD graduate Kate Ewing and Etienne Lavigne in Swan Lake. Swan Lake with OSD Kate Ewing and Etienne Lavigne Trafalgar 372 Iroquois Road, Oakville 905-815-9888 www.orchidthaifusion.com Iroquois Shore Rd. Oakville Place Oakville Place Dr. QEW