A14

Community Assets

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Since I was a little girl I have been the ballerina in the jewelry box, the fairy in the forest, and the Sugar Plum fairy in the Land of Sweets. What appears to be only possible in a dream has been what I've been exposed to my entire life.

My creativity and artistic ability as a dancer is not only a result from my love of dance, but also the commitment from my dance instructor, Harriet Gratian.

Harriet Gratian is the artistic director at DancEast dance centre. She is an enthusiastic, hard working, successful individual who shares her passion with not only her students but to the community as well.

She takes her students in as her own, and has been said to spend more time at the dance studio than at home with her family. I feel I have developed many of the qualities I observe in Harriet. Whether they are qualities I've improved on while performing or instructing dance, they have made me a more professionally trained and hardworking dancer.

Harriet's dance background extends much further beyond dancing in her bedroom with a tiara and wand while imagining being a princess. Harriet's success is clearly defined by her dance training.

In fact, she joined the ranks of Outstanding Contributors to the Cultural Life of the Nation as profiled in Canadian Who's Who, and in 2005 received the American Biographical Institute's Eclipse Award for Innovations in Dance.

Harriet's positive outlook on life reflects through her choreography. Her choreography is extremely well known throughout Canada and in other countries such as the United Stated and Europe.

I am inspired by Harriet's ability to compose dance in creative ways. The members of the DancEast Young Company, including myself, are always proud to perform Harriet's choreography wherever we are.

When Harriet's choreography was presented at Les Jeux de la Francophonie it was the first time that a Canadian dance company was selected as finalists in the international competition. Paul Gessell of the Ottawa Citizens wrote:

"And last but not least, the Most Promising Artist gold medal must go to the DancEast Young Company of New Brunswick. These dancers, girls aged 14-17, made it to the finals in the competition, out muscling far more experienced, professional dancers and put on a show that elicited more cheers than the National Arts Centre has heard in a long time. These girls are a genuine national treasure."

Experiences I witnessed, such as these motivated me to be the best I could be; and I knew it was possible because Harriet always told me that if I worked hard I could be "one of the big girls".

Harriet's choreography has not only been witnessed through live performances, but has also been broadcasted on BRAVO, WTN, CTV, ASN, and CBC-TV. I have had the opportunity to be on Rogers Television several times throughout the past few years, presenting numerous dance performances.

Harriet creates a pathway to success for her students by offering a promising dance background. Graduates from DancEast have furthered their education in dance at many different schools of dance.

Harriet has prepared me for both the performance and instructing sides of dance. In the fall I plan to attend university, although I will pursue a career in commerce I will continue to take dance classes while instructing university students.

Harriet's passion for dance is what makes her inspirational to everyone around her. She is a wonderful role model to all of her students and demonstrates dance at it's finest throughout the community. I feel that I have followed in her footsteps in several aspects.

From the passion we share in dance, to the qualities I have developed, I owe it to her. The creative and artistic ability that I have gained through the past 13 years is thanks to my role model and dance instructor, Harriet Gratian.

n Kayla MacDonald is a Grade 12 student at Bernice MacNaughton High School in Moncton. Community Assets is contributed on a bi-weekly basis by the Youth First Committee of the United Way of Greater Moncton and South East New Brunswick.