As winter rolls in to Edmonton, people are looking for ways to take their fitness indoors and out of the frigid temperatures.
The gyms are overcrowded and the only ice time you’re getting is late at night. But there is one place where people are successfully combating the winter-time blues: The MacEwan University continuing education dance courses.
“We do offer a broad range of classes,” said Brenda Philp, MacEwan’s manager of arts and communications, continuing education. “Everything from dance classes for children through to ballroom dance and hip-hop dance and jazz and belly dance. We offer a real broad variety of styles.”
MacEwan’s dance studios are second to none in the city. One is a two-storey studio with a sprung floor and a mirrored wall.
“It’s a beautiful studio,” Philp said.
Courses are mainly offered at the Centre for Arts campus in the west end.
“It’s a very vibrant campus,” Philp said. “There’s music and art and design and lots of other complimentary programs. It’s a wonderful facility to study at.”
MacEwan offers beginner and intermediate classes for adults and they’re all none-credit courses. For children as young as two, MacEwan offers a foundation in dance training. They offer creative movement, and then at age six, they introduce ballet and modern dance for children.
“Dance is becoming a lot more popular now,” Philp said. “I think we’re always influenced by popular culture so people are participating more than they ever have. Ballroom dancing in particular is very popular.”
Jan Reeves, continuing education programmer, said people sign up for MacEwan’s dance courses for a variety of reasons.
“Some people are signing up for the fitness but it’s also for the social aspect,” Reeves said.
For more, go to artsoutreach.org or call Jan at 780-497-4301.
