On Stage Dance Studio Team Showcase prepares dancers for competition season

The On Stage Dance Studio team performed their Team Showcase Feb. 15th in advance of competition season kick-off. The dancers will perform 125 routines in five competitions beginning the 17th in Richmond Hill.

The team of 112 dancers from On Stage Dance Studio performed their Team Showcase to an appreciative audience at Centennial Hall in London on Sunday, Feb. 15. It was a big day for the dancers, family and friends as the performances are akin to a dress rehearsal for the upcoming competition season.

The Team Showcase features the 112 dancers aged five to 18 years old, as they prepare for 125 routines in five competitions to come.

“We started training for this season in September and have been working since September to improve and to get our dancers ready for the stage, so Sunday was a dry run through everything. Everybody got a chance to go on the stage and practice on the stage with their music and costumes. It’s a nice chance for families to come and see the dances in one day all in one place,” said Meghan Seaman, owner and artistic director of On Stage Dance Studio.

Former dancers join in the day as judges offering critiques and tips for improvement for the dancers to take back to the studio to fine tune their performance. Dance styles covered run the gamut from ballet to jazz, tap, hip hop, contemporary, modern and musical theatre providing a very diverse program.

“It’s a great opportunity for the kids to get up on stage and get in front of an audience doing something they love. There are so many benefits to the performing arts for kids. They are all so proud to be out there and shining so bright is what I always say. They all look like they are born to be out there … Because there is always the ones that are brand new, or are as a group of two or three friends or all alone, it’s amazing to watch them build their confidence over the course of the dance season. It’s just so wonderful and validating to see,” said Seaman.

Now that the Team Showcase dress rehearsal has been successfully completed, competition season is right on the horizon with the first beginning Friday, Feb. 20 in Richmond Hill, followed by another in Hamilton the following Friday.

At the competitions, teams are able to see what other studios have been working on and get to perform for them what they have been working on. “It’s a great time, especially for those dancers that have done it for a few years and start to recognize their competitors over the years and start to be able to better recognize their own achievements,” Seaman said.

On Stage Dance Studio prides itself in offering a substantial recreational program that offers something for every dancer no matter what their particular goals are. There is something for the three-year-old looking for an outlet or the competitive dancer looking to enhance their journey.

Their main program begins in September of each year, however, the spring and summer registration is now open for shorter, smaller sessions. For more information about the sessions and to register, visit onstagestratford.dance.