Let’s dance our way through Ontario’s latest “Stay at Home” restrictions.

Join us for a 4 week online mini-session with online dance classes running from January 18 to February 12, 2021.

Registration is now open for new and returning students. Our multi-class discounts of 10% off a second class and 15% off any additional classes will apply. Minimum registration required for classes to run, register ASAP!

DanceWorks Kenora Merchandise

Show your studio pride with some DanceWorks Kenora gear, from t-shirts and tanks, to sweatpants and hoodies. View all of the sizes and options and shop anytime at the DWK Online Store.

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Buy Streaming Access to a Dance Performance

COVID-19 and the related closures have been especially hard on performing arts companies. The holiday season is typically a busy one for ballet companies as they present their versions of Nutcracker or other holiday performances. While we can’t attend live shows at the moment you can still experience the magic of a professional dance performance and enjoy it right from your own home! Make it a family night experience and as a bonus feel good about supporting the arts! A few of the Canadian options for streaming are highlighted below but you could also watch productions from world class companies such as NYCB, Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, or Pacific Northwest Ballet.

• Royal Winnipeg Ballet – Nutcracker Suite
• National Ballet of Canada – Nutcracker on Screen
• Arts Umbrella – Mixed Nuts

Online Training Options

Have a dancer that wants to try more classes or just can’t stop dancing at home? DanceWorks Kenora is a studio partner of CLI Studios and can give your dancer access to a student account with unlimited access to a variety of classes by top choreographers and dance professionals. Read more at clistudios.com This training program is available for current dancers at the Junior or Senior level at DanceWorks Kenora. Cost for access until the end of September 2021 is $50+HST. Contact Erin at info@danceworkskenora.com for more information or to sign-up.

Progressing Ballet Technique is a training and conditioning program that can be done at home! PBT is an innovative body-conditioning and strengthening program that has been designed to enhance students’ technique by focussing on training the muscle memory required in each exercise in all forms of dance. It is a unique training system using ballet-technique specific exercises to train skill acquisition in a graded and progressive manner from junior through to advanced levels. Sign up with the DanceWorks Kenora referral link and receive 50% off a student account!

Dancewear & Accessories

A dancer can always use another pair of tights, a new bodysuit/leotard, or even a dance bag to hellp them keep their dance gear organized. Not sure what exactly your dancer might need? Give them a gift certificate and let them choose.

• Winnipeg Stores
  • Harlequin – The Dance Store
  • Mallabar Dancewear
  • Dance Plus
• Canadian Retailers
  • inspirationsdancewear.com
  • theshoeroom.ca
  • dancewearcentre.com
• Other Retailers
  • Apolla Compression Dance Socks

Books

Gifts we do not recommend you give your dancer…

• Pointe Shoes
  Dancers must be given approval by their teacher before buying pointe shoes and must go for a personal fitting. Pointe shoes can be damaging if dancers are too young, have not trained properly and do not have the strength and technique required for proper use.
• Foot Stretcher
  Not necessary to use a foot stretcher to achieve the classical line. Using a foot stretcher can overly stretch ligaments and lead to instability and does nothing to help dancers gain the strength and control to maintain the pointe range.
• Leg Stretch Bands / Flexistretcher
  Static stretching and forcing your body into a stretch are often the least effective methods of increasing flexibility and can encourage dancers to push past their safe stretch. These can be useful for some but their utility is often limited and dancers can achieve this range and line without this tool as well.

Hello DWK families,

End of Fall Session

The Northwestern Health region is moving into “Yellow-Protect” under Ontario’s response framework. DanceWorks Kenora is already setup and operating at a level that meets the Yellow level restrictions so there will be no changes necessary for our last few classes in the current session. Our final day of Fall session classes is happening on Monday and will be running as usual for the Dance Foundations, Pointe, Senior Ballet, and Senior Modern classes (this is our make-up class for the Thanksgiving Monday closure). As well, Friday Hip Hop classes have one last day on Friday, December 4 as a make-up for a previous class cancellation.

We couldn’t have our typical “parent viewing” week at the studio but we did take videos during class over the last few weeks so that you can see what your dancer was working on. Those links will be sent out to each class over the next few days.

Winter Session – Starts in February

Given the increasing cases in our region and the possibility of higher transmission over the holidays we will not be beginning our Winter session until February. Fall session dancers and families will have the first opportunity to register when we release the schedule in early January (we are aiming for it to be similar to the Fall schedule but changes may be needed based on restrictions at that time).

A small group of dancers have been invited to participate in dance exam classes for December and January. The timing is good to offer this training as it further reduces contacts at the studio with fewer classes and a max class size of 4. This will be our first time offering dance exams and assessments to our dancers. We are excited for the opportunity to train towards a specific goal and look forward to seeing how dancers respond to the experience.

Thank You!

As most classes have now finished up the Fall session Ms. Erin wanted to send a quick thank you to everyone for doing such a great job of following all of the COVID-19 procedures at the studio. Thank you for choosing virtual classes or taking a week or two off when you were concerned about any symptoms or contacts, thank you for wearing masks and for your understanding when we pivoted to wearing masks for the entirety of class, thank you to the dancers of all ages who followed distancing guidelines and showed their resilience and adaptability, and most of all thank you for your continued support of the studio and for trusting us with your dancers. We appreciate all of it and we are so thankful for our DWK dance family.

PS. Stay tuned for some Christmas gift ideas for the dancer in your life. While we encourage everyone to shop locally as much as possible this year to support our local small businesses we also will be posting links to some dance specific ideas that you can’t usually find locally – including dance books, movies, training tools, etc. We will also be continuing to sell our DanceWorks Kenora clothing as well.

Hi DWK families,

We hope everyone had a happy and a safe Halloween. We loved seeing everyone’s costumes and creativity at the studio for our Halloween week. If you haven’t seen them yet, check our Facebook or Instagram to see some of the pictures.

A few notes and reminders as we enter November and the final month for our current class schedule.

Pre-Screening & Travel Restrictions

Please ensure you continue pre-screening your dancer before they attend in-person classes. Younger dancers should complete the Ontario COVID-19 School Screening while adult dancers should take the Ontario COVID-19 self-assessment.

The DanceWorks Kenora COVID-19 Health & Safety Plan states that dancers should not come to the studio if they have travelled outside of Canada or have travelled within Canada to an area with a high number of COVID-19 cases within the past 14 days. Please note, with Manitoba now entirely in Orange and Winnipeg in Red this means that dancers who have travelled to Manitoba should not be attending in-person classes for 14 days. If your dancer usually attends in-person but needs to attend virtually for a week or two please let Ms. Erin know at info@danceworkskenora.com so that she can ensure the online class is setup and ready.

Winter 2021 Classes

We plan to continue to offer classes through the winter but we are currently keeping an eye on the local case numbers as well as the increasing numbers in Manitoba and will be waiting to finalize our Winter schedule for a little while longer. Once we have a schedule confirmed our current students will receive the first opportunity to re-enroll.

Hi dance families,

As we head into Thanksgiving weekend I wanted to send out a quick message with a few reminders and updates.

• Classes are on as usual on Saturday, October 10. The studio is closed and there are no classes on Monday, October 12. Fall session classes resume on Tuesday, October 13 (with the exception of the Fall 2 mini-session classes which begin the week of October 19)
• Ms. Erin is planning to limit her social interactions over Thanksgiving and hopes that all dance families are also making safe holiday plans. If you’ve decided to travel or you end up seeing larger or multiple groups of people please choose the virtual class option after Thanksgiving rather than attending class in-person. It requires the effort of everyone attending to keep the studio a safe space to dance.
• We will be continuing with wearing masks during class as much as possible for the next few weeks. Please make sure your dancer has a mask that fits them well. If attending back to back classes they may want to bring extra masks so they can change to a fresh mask if needed.
• The Fall 1 Mini Session ends on Saturday, October 10. Thank you to all that participated in this session of Parent & Tot, Creative Movement I, Creative Movement II, Gentle Ballet, and Gentle Jazz & Tap. The Fall 2 mini-session begins the week of October 19. Limited spots are still available in some classes, register online at danceworkskenora.com

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Hi DWK families,

We know that the sudden increase in the number of local COVID-19 cases is concerning.

We thank everyone for their efforts so far in following our COVID-19 procedures and ask that everyone continue to follow the distancing, masking, and sanitizing guidelines. Please make sure you are screening your dancer before they attend every class.

Given the current increase in cases locally and in order to take extra precautions we are recommending that dancers wear masks for the entirety of class (not only for entrance, exit, and across the floor work). Classes will be structured to take extra breaks as needed.

Virtual class is an option for all dancers. If your dancer has been contacted by the NWHU and is self-isolating please do not enter the studio. If you are not currently comfortable attending in-person classes at the moment please remember that you can take virtual class instead. The Zoom links for each class are available in your DanceWorks Kenora Portal account under the “class details”. All classes this week will proceed with hybrid instruction so that dancers are able to attend in-person or virtually.

To assist with planning please let Erin know at info@danceworkskenora.com if your dancer will be attending virtually rather than in-person.

It’s time to register for Fall 2020 dance classes!
Note: Our studio policies have changed, including refund and withdrawal policies, closures and online learning, and COVID-19 policies. Please make sure to read and review the updated policies before agreeing.

COVID-19 policies are in place, please make sure to review the DanceWorks Kenora COVID-19 Health & Safety Plan. For in-person classes there is an expectation that dancers be able to follow directions and maintain distance throughout class, please keep this in mind when making the decision to register. Some classes will also be available with an online option, please make sure you are registering correctly for in-person or online depending on your preference.

Priority registration will open at 12:01am on Monday, August 17 for current students and families that filled out the Fall 2020 survey. Registration will open to the public at 12:00 noon on Friday, August 21.

Registration fee and first payment is required to confirm your spot for Fall session classes. Full payment required for mini session classes.

There is a max of 6 dancers in any group and classes will require a minimum of 3 (preferably 4) to run.

Notes on our COVID-19 class procedures:

• Masks are to be worn when entering and exiting the building but can be taken off while dancing. The teacher may ask for masks to be worn for portions of class if students are able to wear them.
• Drop-off and pick-up only. Studio will open approximately 5 minutes before class and the teacher will greet dancers at the green door.
• Dancers will sanitize their hands when they enter and place their shoes and personal belongings in a bin and then proceed to one of the marked dance spots on the floor. If working at the barre each dancer will have their own distanced spot.
• Teachers will wear masks at class start and end times and at times during class where they may be subject to reduced distance. They may remove their mask when standing in their own distanced dance square.
• At the end of class dancers will put their masks back on and take their bins through to the art studio where they can put their shoes on and wait for their parents to arrive for pick-up.
• We have had a UV Air Purifier installed in the studio HVAC to improve air quality.
• There will be cleaning done frequently throughout the day with all major touch points being cleaned between groups.

DanceWorks Kenora needs your help in planning for our Fall 2020 dance classes. In order to be more flexible for the 2020-2021 dance year our current plan is to offer all classes as a Fall session registration (September to end of November or early December) which gives us the option to make changes for Winter depending on the requirements and local conditions at that time.

Please help offer the best dance class options for your changing needs by telling us if you plan to dance this Fall and the type of classes (online, in-person, and dance styles) as well as the scheduling (days and times) that would be the best fit for your family.

This information will also help the studio in creating our Fall schedule. With smaller class sizes and increased cleaning we are looking for ways to maximize our schedule and minimize dancer crossover which may involve shorter classes, grouping dancers by level for multiple classes, offering synchronous online and in-person classes, etc.

Wondering about our COVID-19 precautions? Our COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan and a short video of the COVID-19 procedures can be viewed at the “COVID-19 Procedures” page. Our current policies are also listed on the website under “General Policies”.

With our region’s move into Stage 3 of Ontario’s re-opening plan we are excited to announce our summer class programming! Registration will open at 3:00pm on Saturday, July 18. Payment is required to confirm your spot.

There is a max of 6 dancers in any group and classes will require a minimum of 3 (preferably 4) to run.

DanceWorks Kenora – Summer 2020

Teen Dance Fundamentals
July 21 to 23 – 1:00 – 4:30 pm
ballet, jazz, and modern basics for those with limited dance experience
Age 11 and up – $97.35 +HST

Mini Dance
July 21 to 23 – 9:00 – 11:30 am
OR
August 18 to 20 – 1:00 – 3:30 pm
dance, rhythm, and creative movement for young dancers
Age 5 to 7 – $70.80 +HST

Ballet Basics
July 28 to 30 – 1:00 – 4:30 pm
ballet fundamentals, creative movement, and more (age 7 should have danced previously, no experience for age 8 and up)
Age 7 to 10 – $97.35 +HST

Jazz Basics
August 4 to 6 – 1:00 – 4:30 pm
jazz fundamentals, creative movement, and more (age 7 should have danced previously, no experience for age 8 and up)
Age 7 to 10 – $97.35 +HST

Tap Basics
August 11 to 13 – 1:00 – 4:30 pm
tap fundamentals, creative movement, and more (age 7 should have danced previously, no experience for age 8 and up)
Age 7 to 10 – $97.35 +HST

Dance Conditioning & Stretch
July 21 to 23 – 6:00 – 7:30 pm
for those looking to get their body ready to get back to dancing (can bring their own mat if desired)
Age 11 and up – $35.39 +HST

Ballet and Modern Intensive
July 28 to 31 – 6:00 – 9:00 pm
ballet and modern technique (for experienced dancers)
Age 11 and up – $115.04 +HST

Jazz and Tap Intensive
August 4 to 7 – 6:00 – 9:00 pm
jazz and tap technique (for experienced dancers)
Age 11 and up – $115.04 +HST

Notes on our summer cleaning and class procedures:

• Masks are to be worn when entering and exiting the building but can be taken off while dancing.
• Drop-off and pick-up only. Ms. Erin will greet dancers at the green door.
• Dancers will sanitize their hands when they enter and place their shoes and personal belongings in a bin and then proceed to one of the marked dance spots on the floor. If working at the barre each dancer will have their own distanced spot.
• Teachers will wear masks at class start and end times and at times during class where they may be subject to reduced distance. They may remove their mask when standing in their own distanced dance square.
• At the end of class dancers will put their masks back on (if they chose to take it off for class) and take their bins through to the art studio where they can put their shoes on and wait for their parents to arrive for pick-up.
• We have had a UV Air Purifier installed in the studio HVAC to improve air quality.
• The studio will be cleaned (bathrooms, doors, barres, floors, etc) after each group.

When we closed the studio for March Break we had no idea that it was the last time there would be dancers in the studio for the rest of the season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we made the transition to online programming, including pre-recorded and live Zoom classes, and stayed connected through social media and studio challenges.

While we couldn’t have our typical performances at the Kenora Festival of the Arts and our Year-End Recital we still wanted to recognize and celebrate the 2019-2020 dance year. So we’ve put together a Year-End Video & Playlist which is a compilation of in-studio rehearsal videos and dance at home photo and video submissions.

We hope you enjoy!

Thank you to all of our dancers, families, friends, and supporters. We hope to be back in the studio and dancing together soon!

As we wait and see when we can re-open and what the exact safety procedures and protocols will be required due to COVID-19 we have created an “Expression of Interest” for Summer 2020 programming. If your family might be interested in summer dance classes, camps, intensives or workshops please register your interest at the link. You can tell us more about what you would be interested in and will be on our priority list to receive information on any programming that we are able to offer.