Brooks Dance Academy expands... upstairs
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Brooks Academy of Dance is growing up in Tillsonburg... upstairs.
"We officially got the keys for the upstairs this month," said Academy Director Brittany Brooks-Adam from their 185 Broadway Rear/Fox Alley location. "And we've doubled our size. Right now, upstairs, it's one massive room."
"We are adding one larger studio upstairs," said Assistant Academy Director Emily Brooks. "It's like one-and-a-half of these and a little bit longer. And we are adding a small dancewear store. And mom (Jasna) and I are going to be opening up BAD Hair Salon."
"The larger studio will give us the ability to work on better tumbling and larger groups – we have quite a few very good acro students coming up," said Brittany. "It's nice because we're growing. It's exciting, this is something that..."
"Brittany and I have dreamed of," said Emily, "since we were like 10 or so."
"It was on the list," Brittany nodded.
The plan is to have a spring-loaded rubber floor for the upstairs room, and the two smaller downstairs studio rooms will stay 'as is'.
"So we can offer more," said Brittany. "As they grow older, the levels are changing, so we have to offer more levels which is why it's really nice to have the third studio."
Renovations will continue into the summer. BAD's first expansion priority is the upstairs studio which they plan to have ready for September, or earlier if possible.
"Getting the upstairs room ready is our No. 1 because we want to get our acro kids into tumbling as soon as possible," said Emily. "We want to get that floor done, we want to get our kids in there so we can prepare them for next year."
"The store will be open through the day and not just for our students – the public is definitely welcome to come purchase stuff," said Brittany, noting it will be easier than driving to London or Woodstock. "It's going to have the dance basics and some recreational wear. The parents want something in town, something convenient. But the big thing is... it's open to anybody."
BAD's competitive dance team is in its fourth competition this weekend, a four-day Brantford event, and both Brittany and Emily have been happy with the team's accomplishments in Chatham, Burlington and Collingwood.
"Amazing," said Brittany, summing up their 2014 competitive experience. "The kids are doing great – new and returning – and they're all having a blast."
"We're getting overall and special awards, can't complain about that," said Emily. "Even the novices – the first year kids – are getting special awards. So that shows they have a lot of potential. And they did better every competition, more relaxed, more confident."
More solos, duets and trios, said Brittany, means they are a little busier in their second competitive season.
"More running around," Emily nodded.
"But it's great, it's a blast," said Brittany. "The kids have gotten a lot closer, they're like a family. They do everything together – they're glued to each other."
After Brantford this weekend, their final competition is next month at Kick it Up in Brampton.
"It flies by, it really does," Brittany nodded.
The studio's year-end show is also coming up, June 21-22, which will feature four show times – two Saturday, two Sunday – at the Tillsonburg Community Centre Lions Auditorium.
Registrations for the 2014-15 season will be held July 10-11 and August 7-8, both from 12-9 p.m.
"We'd like to have kind of an 'opening' where people can walk around, see what it's like, and we'll have some food and stuff, and just sort of celebrate..." said Brittany.
"Kind of like another Grand Opening," Emily smiled.
In addition to dancing at Turtlefest on the weekend of June 13-14, BAD dancers will be dancing at a Tillsonburg Multi-Service Centre volunteer appreciation night on May 30.
"We're starting to be more involved with the community," Brittany Brooks-Adam summed up. "So we're pretty excited to be able to do those things... and we're going to try to do more things out in the community."