Whitby Free Press, Weckiesday, September 15, 1993, Page 13 Roya experience for ballet student Michelle Lack's school day is a littie longer than most. The 12-year-old Whiitby resi- dent recently began her second year of a scholarship program with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. A Grade 7 student at Holy Cross school in Winnipeg, Man. froni 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., she then has ballet classes from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on three weekdays and froni 4 to 7 p.m. on the other two weekdays (she has another two and a alf hours of ballet and modem dance classes on Satur- ~;days). She usually starts homework at 8:30 p.m., at the home of a Winnipeg family with whom she resides for the school year. A student of the Gactane Ollesch School of Dancing in Witby for nine years ,Lack auditioned in February 1992 for the National Ballet of Canada and Royal Winnipeg Ballet. teir scholarship prograni paid fballet lessons, and the former Dr. Robert Thornton Public School student began classes in Winnipeg in September last year. * "I decided last year I wanted to learn more, to become profes- sional," said Lack, who continued practise during the summer at the Ollesch. school on Burns Street East in Whitby. Her first year of ballet classes was at level 2 ("You work a lot MICHELLE LACK of Whitby, a Royal holidays at the Gaetane Ollesch COURTNEY ELLIOTT of Whitby was grand Winnipeg Ballet student, continued Sohool of Dancing of whiçh she was a jazzonalthe ac mrcacmeiion injuir(gd1an12 practising throughout the summer member for fine years. jz tteDneAeiacmeiini Photos by Maurice Pifher, Free Press Orlando, Fia. during the past summer. Whîtby student is Dance America champion Courtney Elliott continues te step ia the right direction toward a career in theatre. Last year, the member of the Gaetane Ollesch School of Danc- ing earned the most promisinq dancer award, at the junior (agea il and 12) level, froni the British Association of Teachers of Dance at a cornpetition in Toronto. That selection was right on the Duigthe summer Elliott, champion at the prestigious Dance Arnerica competition. Finishing ahead of dancers from across the U.S. and Canada, she received that honour, as well as a scholarship, in the junior jazz class in the competition at Orlando, FIa. A Grade 8 student at Glen 3Dhu Public School, Elliott hopes to someday audition for theatre Her instructor for 10 years, 13Gaetane Hughes, says Elliott bas RONDENGALLERY 133 Taunton Rd. W. #16 (11,2 blocks west of Smcoe) Oshawa- 432-1580 Since 1979 Please buy Kidney Foi indation Peantits. TUtE KiU'NEY FeitNnPN previously won many awards in different areas of dance. Elliott, like Michelle Lack now studyingwith the Royal Winni- peeg,,Balet isa "very hard wor- ker,"says hughes. She notes that many of her students "have the potential, but have to have the commitment,» to go far in dance. "And 90 per cent (of students) here are good students as well. They have the discipline," says Hughes. T he dancing school, now on Burns Street East, near Whee- lies, after 15 years at 1818 Dun- das St. E. (across froni the Ken- 700 students each year. The new facility is 1,000 square feet larger t han the for- mer location, has a $7,000 wood sprungfloor and new bars. "We knew we wanted a more professional studio with a new floor, " says Hughes, co-owner, with Julie Lickorish, of the school. Hughes was an instructor with a dance school in Oshawa when she and Lickorish, then a parent of a girl in Hughes's class, deci- ded te start their own school. With Hughes (then Ollesch) as instructor and Lickorish hand- Greeing Cards + Gift Wrètp Gifts + Picture Frames + Plush + Stationery WHITBY MALL 723-2857 Mon.-Sat. 9-9, Sun. 12-5 CRCLEanpotai We'II go anywhere, anyime! 668-6666 more than 50 students their first year and 'it's been growinig stea- dily aIl the time," says Lickorish. Two former students went to the National Ballet under a pro- gami simlar to the one taken by Michelle Lack. Another student, Jim Robertson, also went to the "To get to those companies, everything bas to be just right -- they look at the féeetknees, hips, back" They won't consider candidates who have "things that could take a long time to correct," says Hughes. SEPTEMBER 17-18-19 TORONTO, - EXHIBITION PLACE Queen Elizabeth Exhibit Hall On Lake Ontario Waterfront, South of Gardner Expwy., between Bathurst & Dufferin Streets, on Lakeshore BIvd. i 13OCK BY POPOLUIR DEMAMND, THIS FiIRCILOCIS SHiOW HOS TRIPLED IN SIZE SINCE UTS PREMIER UN TORONTO EORLIER THUIS YEfURI The Ladlng Folk art Show ln the Nation! i Featuring the award-winning, outstanding handcrafted folk iart & crafts of the BEST Artisans from aaoss Canada & the i USA. Bringing for sale their top quality Reproductions & I Country "Heirlooms of the Future"! V i-L, £2(JrnIR DIECORT12M Mfg.3SILE I V iFriday eve., 5p.m. to 9p.m. Adm. $6 Vf"COrh n v (Earty Buyîng Privileges> )"---- Sat. &. Sun. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adm. $4 Folk Art Shows, nc.- Children under 10 Adm. $2 BOX 111. Ortonville, MI 48462 Puiseso onryFl r* OBX (313)634-4151 PubIsh~ aiCot~tr Fok A'. OY8X&£Yppy-Yl-Yea- Magazines COUNTRY FOLK ART" SHOW & S A LE lq% rq m r-