About Pantuso
Pantuso Dance offers an extensive range of classes including: tap, jazz, ballet, ballet contemporary, hip hop, contemporary and musical theatre. Students are immersed in many styles as our teachers continually upgrade their skills, participate in workshops from the masters and bring this knowledge and repertoire back to share with Pantuso Dance students.
Also unique to our school is the amazing fundraising of the Pantuso Dance Parent Auxiliary Society which raises money to bring in world class guest teachers, sponsors the Masterclass Festival, Spring Fling, provides over $2000 in scholarships to our students each year and has produced award winning entries in the Christmas Parade, our annual Christmas Movie Night and various other community building events. For a list of the amazing guest teachers we have brought in please see our faculty page.
Mission Statement
Pantuso Dance is committed to providing the highest quality dance training in a respectful, supportive, fun and non-competitive environment. Through our instruction, students gain an appreciation for the art of dance and are given the opportunity to reach their own greatest potential. We foster a community of active and involved teachers, students and family members who are inspired by a love of the performing arts.
Our Reason for Being: A note from Lindsay Sterk, Artistic Director & Owner
"What I love best about the school is the sense of community, a nurturing atmosphere and a passion for dance. I believe those things contribute to fostering a lifelong true love for learning in the performing arts.
People often comment on how incredibly supportive and giving our students are. Because of our mandate of noncompetition, I feel people zero in on the essential magic of learning how to dance rather than focusing on a grade or a placement. Also, because dance is so subjective, a competitive atmosphere can sometimes breed mediocrity in students in addition to creating a tiered system where students are made to feel more or less important based on their specific results in competition. We like to work from the inside out, creating a genuine love for dance, by working on the craft of dance rather than the product.
This passion starts with our teachers. We are all incredibly dedicated to educating dancers and helping them reach their fullest potential. Each of us spend a great deal of time and effort ensuring our skills are current and we all believe that it is impossible to instil passion in young performers unless we are fully committed and passionate about the work ourselves. We, as teachers, truly love what we do. The positive impact of watching a dancer go from beginning stages right up to the pre-professional level and beyond is a very moving and powerful experience.
Another wonderful and important aspect to the school is the fact that we don't expect people to fit in to a cookie cutter image of what girls and boys should be. Instead, we meet everyone where they are and steer them towards excellence with confidence, joy and compassion.
Once students have reached a certain level of excellence we are also able to provide them opportunities and advice for advancement. This guide to an increasingly "high-stakes" dance environment safely prepares the more advanced student for what the professional world is like. We hope that our students will enjoy a lifetime of dance with the skills they learn here - whether that is through professional avenues or for personal enjoyment."
Pantuso Alumni
We couldn't be more proud of the Pantuso Dance students who have gone on to pursue further education and careers in the performing arts in various ways. Some of our graduates have attended SFU Contemporary Dance, University of Calgary Contemporary Dance, Sheridan University, Modus Operandi, CCPA, Capilano University, Randolph Academy, Studio 58, Royal Winnipeg Summer Intensive and Professional Division, Alberta Ballet Professional Division and worked at the Arts Club Theatre and the Charlottetown Festival.
Pantuso Dance Parent Auxiliary Society
The Pantuso Dance Auxiliary is comprised of parents who fundraise and organize events for the Pantuso Dance community. Money raised is used to recognize students (in the way of tuition scholarships) who excel in dance skill and/or demonstrate outstanding spirit and dedication. Funds are also used to bring in guest instructors and provide grants to students who want to further their dance education outside the school. The auxiliary has produced award winning entries in the Christmas Parade, our annual Christmas Movie Night and various other community building events. If you are interested in becoming a member, e-mail us at pantusodance@gmail.com.