Taylor and Ty Pollard of Ripley reaching new heights in dance

By: Maryellen Pollard July 15, 2016 2407

Taylor and Ty Pollard of Ripley reaching new heights in dance

This competitive dance season has been a busy one for Taylor and Ty Pollard, children of Jeff and Maryellen Pollard of Ripley.

Besides their regular training at Danceology MWO in Lucknow, they have attended six competitions with their team, and several workshops.

Taylor, 16, a student at Kincardine District Secondary School, won highest overall score for her contemporary solo at many of the competitions. At one competition she was one of five dancers offered a coveted spot to perform in Mexico in November.

She auditioned for, and was selected to Team Canada. Six other dancers from Danceology MWO also qualified! This speaks highly of the training the dancers are receiving from studio director Jenna Andrew and dance teacher Courtney Nelson-Dunlop.

In Ontario and Quebec combined, only 25 dancers were asked to join the team. The International Dance Olympiad World Championships will be held in Wetzlar, Germany, the last week of October.

Taylor was also selected to train in Toronto at the prestigious dance school, Conteur. She will be travelling to Toronto for training for Team Canada and 5 Star Dance Company in preparation for her busy fall.

In only his second year of dance, Ty was awarded several first-place and overall high scores this competitive season. He received a few scholarships and was recognized for his strength and skill.

He and Taylor both qualified for Dance Canada's Solo Pageant, held the first weekend in July, in Brantford. Soloists from across Canada attended workshops, learned choreography from renowned dancers and practised audition and interview skills.

Each dancer was scored on his/her overall performance for the weekend. Ty was named Junior Mr. Dance Canada, won a cash scholarship and will have the responsibility of helping train next year's contestants and presenting awards.

Later this summer, he will travel to Toronto for the Canadian Dance Expo, one of the scholarships he won, for training with some very talented professional choreographers.

Ty also plays soccer, and hockey.