I have been teaching performing arts alongside my friend and colleague, Corrie Tucker, since before the pandemic started in 2019. She had been teaching kids belly dance classes for many years prior, when her students started expressing an interest in theatre and character development. She reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in integrating performance aspects and improv into her classes and I was happy to accept. Together, we have formed the “Shakes and Shimmies” improv troupe, which made its debut last summer in the Western Canada Theatre’s Reemergence Festival of 2021. Working with this talented bunch of kids has been incredibly rewarding, as they navigate their way through character development, thinking on their feet, and tapping into their emotional experiences to better emote during performances. The talent and passion of these students have really blossomed over the last two years, in spite of the pandemic putting a hold on live performances, and I can’t wait to see what we can do next.
