Dance Studios of Thunder Bay

The Dance Studios of Thunder Bay have been run by pioneering dance teachers from both Port Arthur and Fort William, teaching in several styles, including Ukrainian and Finnish folk dance.

List of Studios

• International Dance Academy (1982 - present) by Laura Pascolo-McRury[1] [2] "Laura Pascolo-McRury started her teaching career with Thunder Bay’s renowned instructors Sylvia Horn and Betty Goodings. [3]"
• Studio One Dance (2001 - at least 2020), by Lisa Fedoruk, 38 Court Street South [4]
• Amelia Jackson's Dance Centre of Northwestern Ontario (~1935 - ~2001)
• Dolores Niskanen's various schools (1950s - mid-2000s)
• Dance Dynamics Dance
• Spirit of Dance [5] [6] 179 South Algoma Street, 2nd Floor Lori Ann Nelson (1999 - at least 2020)
• Legacy Dance Co, 263 Park Avenue, [7]
• Fay Gleeson Dance Centre (1959 - at least 2020) [8] (Cindy Kennedy is a teacher there, and Cindy's mother was Fay's sister, or Fay herself (unclear) [9])
• Dream Dance Company, by Heather Appell, and daughter Harmony, (2006 - June 2019)
• Art in Motion Thunder Bay, 115 Johnson Avenue, [10] [11]
• Applauze Productions, founded by Denise Krawczuk
• Silvia Horn School of Dance (taught Laura Pascolo-McRury and Lisa Fedoruk) [12]

Others

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• Studio One [13]
• Spirit of Dance (1999 - at least 2020) Lori Ann Nelson [14] "The studio hosts 4 spacious studios, a private party room for birthdays, a waiting room for parents and students, a kitchen and tuck shop."
• World Dance Centre - 178 Algoma Street South (or 96 High St N?) (closed as of 2020)
• Slightly Off Broadway Performance Arts Studio [15] As of 2018: "Our physical location was a Triple threat studio offering classes for students ages 4 to senior citizens. Although Slightly off Broadway has closed, owners Connie Fairbrother and Jacqueline McMahon still continue to offer performing arts classes and lessons. Connie is now CJ Dance and can be found teaching in Ignace, ON as well as online. Jacqueline is now JM Music and has a busy online studio as well as a home studio in Ignace, ON. For information text 807 251 5918."
• Body Barre
• Stephanie’s Performance Company (Stephanie DePiero)
• Army of Sass
• Chaban Ukrainian Dance [16] 211 Robertson Street, artistic director as of 2020, Cathy Paroschy Harris (circa 1980 - at least 2020) "over a hundred dancers" as of 2020
• Zorya Ukrainian Dance [17] 1997 - at least 2020 (The Zorya Ukrainian dance Ensemble was established in 1997, by the initiative of 14 passionate individuals who built the foundation for our organization. The name “Zorya” was chosen because, when translated, it means “Stars”)
• Le Stelle Alpine Dancers (1982 - at least 2020) [18] (Le Stelle Alpine Italian Performing Arts Association was first established in 1982 by founder Laura Pascolo McRury to represent and share Italian culture within Thunder Bay. Le Steele still has a board of directors as of 2020. Laura also founded International Dance Academy.)
• Morgan’s School of Highland Dance

Marginal

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• Experience Dance - 179 Algoma Street South. No website [19]. Actually in the same address as Spirit of Dance
• Vibe Dance Centre (no evidence this exists except the article [1]

Source: [1]

Organizations

• Thunder Bay Society of Ballet and Dance (members: Sylvia Horn, President in 2016, Shannon Young) [20]
• CDTA (Canadian Dance Teachers' Association)
• Imperial Society
• British Association of Teachers of Dancing (members: Sylvia Horn)
• Lakehead Ballet Guild (active in 1967 with Betty Goodings)

• Lakehead Festival of Music and Arts [21]
• Folklore Festival (run partly by Herman Hanschke) (each May)

Dance Clothing Stores

• Flair dance (in the old Northwestern Ontario School of Dance building as of 2019)

Betty Goodings

Betty Goodings (died 5 February 1993) [22] was the sister of Joan Gravelle and from the UK. In 1967 with Lakehead Amateur Music Productions, she brought Brigadoon to the stage with a cast of 125 people, thanks to four women: Jean Crittal of Lakehead Music Fesival, Dusty Miller of Cambrian Players, Betty Goodings of Lakehead Ballet Guild, and Barbara Kirkup of the Lakehead Choral Group. They later produced My Fair Lady and Guys and Dolls. [https://issuu.com/thewalleyemagazine/docs/walleye_october_2013/7

GOODINGS, BETTY M. 05/02/1993 Chronicle-Journal 11/01/93 P. 21

Index of social notices, news and photos as published in The Port Arthur News-Chronicle 1962 - 1972 NAME EVENT DATE SOURCE NOTES Goodings, Betty PIC n/a 7 Mar 1966 p.5 N.W.O. Music Festival Goodings, Betty (Mrs.) BIO n/a 23 May 1963 p.8 pic Ballet recital Goodings, Betty (Mrs.) BIO n/a 25 May 1963 p.8 Review of recital

Betty ran "Betty Goodings Ballet School." [23]

Betty taught Deborah Delvecchio and Laura Pascolo-McRury.

Sylvia Young

Sylvia Young (nee Horn) (20 March 1914 - 25 January 2005) [24]

Deborah Delvecchio [25] and Laura Pascolo-McRury and Lisa Fedoruk were all taught by her.

Young- Mrs. Sylvia (Horn) Young, passed away peacefully at Bethammi, St. Joseph's Heritage, on January 25, 2005 with family and friends at her side. Born in Port Arthur, she was the daughter of the late James (Harry) and Gertrude Horn. She attended local schools, including Fort William Collegiate Institute and Fort William Business College. At the age of 16, she attended her first summer school in Minneapolis on her way to becoming a Dance Teacher. Following that, she advanced her studies in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and also the Legat School Of London, England. She opened studios in both Port Arthur and Fort William. Her whole life was devoted to children and dancing and many will remember the beautiful recitals that were put on at the end of every season. She touched the lives of thousands of young people at the Lakehead and many of her students have gone on to achieve their ambition in the "Dance World". She was a member of the Thunder Bay Society of Ballet and Dance, the Canadian Dance Teachers' Association and the British Association of Teachers of Dancing. As her school grew, she included Baton Twirling and was active in starting the Lakehead Lionette Twirling Corps. She created and put on the Chapples Santa Claus Show which was held annually at the Fort William Gardens, which show brought delight to thousands of youngsters. Many of Sylvia's students won high awards and scholarships at the Lakehead Dance Festival and it was never too much trouble to take a group of children to perform for various service club functions or to the various Homes For The Aged. In 1941she married Waino W. Laakso and during the war years was active in producing Army Shows for the War Charities Board. In 1964, after returning from training in England, she added the Model And Charm Division to her school. Predeceased by her husband Waino in 1978, she married Fred J. Young in 1984. Sylvia is survived by her husband, Fred J. Young, step-son John Young (Barbara) and their children Shannon and Jennifer Young, sister-in-law Helen Scott, nieces, nephews and other relatives also survive. Funeral service will be held on Friday, January 28th when family and friends will gather at St. Michael & All Angels Anglican Church for services at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Peter Smyth presiding. Following a reception in the church hall, interment will take place in Riverside Cemetery. Visitation for family and friends will be one hour prior to service time in the church. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Ontario Heart & Stroke Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society or to a charity of one's choice would be appreciated. Arrangement entrusted to Sargent & Son Funeral Directors, 21 North Court Street. On-line condolences may be made at; www.sargentandson.com. To send flowers to the family of Sylvia Young, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

— Obituary, Sargent and Son Chapel [26]

Miss Sylvia was not only a well respected local dance teacher but also the founder and Director of the prestigious Sylvia Horn School of Dance. During her lifetime, she was an enthusiastic supporter of the Lakehead Music Festival. She encouraged hundreds of dancers to participate in the Festival’s yearly “Dance Competition”. For several decades, she also sponsored a highly acclaimed dance scholarship. Even though Miss Sylvia is no longer with us, her love for Dance continues to be felt through her generous legacy to the Festival. As per her wishes, a trust fund was set up to provide a very sizeable scholarship to be awarded yearly to a senior or open dancer/upcoming teacher who continues to strive for excellence in his/her dance endeavours while pursuing a post-secondary education. The recipient of this scholarship should also enjoy sharing her/his accumulated dance knowledge with the next generation of dancers. The purpose of this scholarship is to assist a dedicated dancer cover a fractional portion of the high costs associated with post-secondary education.

— "Sylvia Horn Young Scholarship" Information, Thunder Bay Music Festival [27]

Source

[1] Shannon Young of TBSBD in an interview with Karen Christie of Bayview Magazine Sep 2016 [http://www.bayviewmagazine.com/article/2016/09/dancing-bay