Four dancers from Quinte West have earned a spot on Team Canada’s Hip Hop team and will travel to Slovenia this fall to compete at the prestigious International Dance Organization (IDO) World Championships.
The dancers – Clara Brown, Ella Warner, Chloe Dupont, and Olivia Taylor were chosen after extensive auditions, marking an exciting achievement for the local dance community.
Clara Brown, 15, who grew up surrounded by dance and began competing at six years old with the Dance with Miss Liz competitive team, says she is thrilled to represent Canada and hopes this will be the beginning of many more opportunities.
Ella Warner, 16, of Brighton, has trained in multiple styles since the age of five. A former member of the Dance with Miss Liz team, she later joined the Quinte Ballet School of Canada’s Professional Training Program. Last summer, she trained at the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen through the Sara Holton International Program Scholarship. Now, she looks forward to testing her skills internationally with Team Canada Hip Hop.
Chloe Dupont started dancing at age four and entered the competitive circuit in 2022. With the support of her studio, friends, and family, she says this opportunity is a dream come true and is eager to make Canada proud.
Olivia Taylor, a long-time student and now instructor at Dance Xtreme Studio in Trenton, was also part of Team Canada in 2023, representing the country in Contemporary and Jazz at the World Championships in Belgium. While an injury will prevent her from competing this year, she continues to support her teammates as they prepare for the world stage.
The IDO World Championships bring together top dancers from around the globe, offering these young performers the chance to showcase their talent on an international stage while representing both Quinte West and Canada.
Anyone who would like to get more information on the competition or of ways you can support the local team-members, you can email dancewithmissliz@gmail.com.
(PAUL MARTIN)
