When you meet Beverley Cayton-Tang and Robert Tang, the co-founders of danceScape, you immediately realize that they are uniquely talented and deeply devoted to each other, professionally and personally.

Beverley is originally from Manchester, England. As far back as she can remember, big band music and dancing were a part of family life. The family immigrated to Kitchener, Ontario, in 1975, where Beverley and a partner began entering dancing competitions, eventually winning eight provincial championships and rising as high as fourth at the national level. When her first partner decided to become a teaching professional, Beverley looked for a new partner.

In the meantime, Robert’s parents, originally from Malaysia and now in Mississauga, were taking lessons from the same coach. Robert first met her when he joined his parents at a competition, “At that time ballroom dancing wasn’t nearly as mainstream as it is today.” he recalls. “It truly was a sub-culture, replete with fun, high energy and truly captivating on so many levels. I was quickly drawn in
myself.”

Robert began dancing with another partner and they quickly progressed through the competitive ranks. But within a short time span, Robert’s coach recognized his unique talent and wanted him to progress further. This occurred right around the point that Beverley was seeking a new partner.

With a perfect twist of fate, Robert and Beverley were paired together, “Although we couldn’t see it ourselves, we were told that we had great chemistry and demonstrated genuine likeability,” Beverley says.

In a short eight-year window, the duo won seven provincial titles, three nationals, two North American titles, and were Canadian representatives at five World Championships! Shortly after their last World Championship appearance in Japan, Robert and Beverley decided to turn professional. A philanthropic venture capitalist became endeared to their cause and supported them in starting danceScape 10 years ago.

To find out more about their achievements, check out www.danceScape.com. You’ll be amazed at their TV involvement on programs such as Dragons’ Den and Healthy Gourmet. You can also visit them at their upcoming open house on Sept. 14th & 17th from 7:30pm to 9:00pm in their
Main Ballroom, 2077 Pine Street, Burlington.

Ilene Elkaim is an active thespian in Halton, while running Six Dynamix : “retail services behind the seen” (www.sixdynamix.com).

The Ontario Trillium Foundation:
Building a Vibrant Arts Community

With a mandate to build healthy and vibrant communities, it’s easy to see why the Ontario Trillium Foundation invests almost a quarter of its overall funds to support arts and culture.

“What better way to help a community thrive than to build the capacity of local arts organizations so they can, in turn, support home-grown artists, dancers, musicians and performance venues”, says Gilmar Militar, Program Manager, Halton-Peel, Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).

“Building the local arts infrastructure in a given community has the effect of getting more people interested in the arts, enhancing the level of local artistic ability, but most importantly, helps a local
arts organization, like Performing Arts Burlington, become more of a local catalyst,” says Militar.
The Foundation recognizes Performing Arts Burlington is a valuable and valued community resource and strong advocate for the arts. The organization is receiving $197,000 over three years to broaden its reach and to continue to build its capabilities as a voice and leader in the city’s growing arts community.

An agency of the Ministry of Culture, the Foundation relies on the work of more than 300 community volunteers in 16 grant review teams. Over the last 10 years, the OTF has awarded close to $221 million in support of the arts and culture sector, or 23% of overall funds granted by the Foundation.

The Foundation also recently supported the Burlington Civic Chorale with a $10,100 one-year grant to hire professional soloists and musicians and improve the capacity of this local performing arts group.
View a list of the most recent Ontario Trillium Foundation grants in Halton-Peel
http://www.trilliumfoundation.org/cms/en/2009_2010_HP.aspx

Keys to the Future Campaign

Exciting news for the Burlington Performing Art Centre! A committee has been formed to raise money to purchase a grand piano. The committee members are Andrea Battista: Chair, David Goodings: Treasurer, Sandra Brewer: Secretary, Philip Corke: Event Coordinator, Irene Hayworth, Nina Truscott, Catherine Richardson, Diane Manojlovich and Jennifer Averink.

The committee’s Keys to the Future campaign invites donors to purchase a key for the grand piano for $500 each. The City of Burlington will provide tax receipts for any donation over $25. You may wish to purchase a key in honour of a special music teacher, or your studio may wish to purchase a key under the studio name.

To launch the campaign, a Playathon is being held on Saturday, November 7th, at St. Matthew’s Church on Plains Road East. Music students will perform and receive a friendly adjudication for their effort in return for pledges they collect.

Other events scheduled are a gala concert on May 8 featuring the Harlequin Singers & the Jazz Connection. Watch for more information in the Burlington Post and Artworks. Also planned is a series of smaller concerts centred on the piano, all of which will feature local musicians.

The Committee is also thrilled to announce that an anonymous donor has pledged a matching donation for all the money raised by the Keys to the Future campaign. That means that your donation will go twice as far!

Our young people deserve a chance to perform on a professional instrument to hone their skills and hear professional artists perform on a quality instrument. Help us make the Keys to the Future a success. For more info contact Andrea Battista at 905-331-8701 or abattista1@cogeco.ca.