Like Mother, Like Daughter: Two generations of dance
Now that we are coming to the stage 3 of business reopening it is an appropriate article from days not too long gone published in our Beat Magazine in January 2019
If your little one has both a blossoming athlete and artist inside them, dance is a fantastic activity. Luckily, Orléans is home to one of the most prestigious schools in the region.
The Cumbrae School of Dancing will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year and it continues its legacy of excellence and high quality standards that it has had since opening its doors in 1979. Whether your little dancer is interested in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, choreography, theatre dance, or hip hop, there is a class at Cumbrae to suit them.
The teachers at Cumbrae offer a seriously impressive and unique set of skills, experiences, and training – all of which create an atmosphere where learning is valued, classes are well-structured, and students gain a sense of achievement as they progress from one level to the next. They keep their class sizes manageable so each student receives personal attention from the instructor.
Founder Mrs. Marion Harvie, Cumbrae’s former principal and owner, completed her dance training in Scotland. She is a Teaching Member of the The Royal Academy of Dance and a Fellow and Teaching Member of the British Association of Teachers of Dancing.
Her daughter, Amber Harvie, continues the tradition of excellence and has an amazing resume. She is an accomplished dancer and choreographer who returned to Ottawa ten years ago to teach at Cumbrae. Amber has been dancing and teaching in various parts of the world including New York, Toronto, Hong Kong, Moscow, and various parts of Europe. Among her credits are a Broadway-based production of 42nd Street in Moscow, Tribute to David Merrick in NYC, Silverseas Cruiselines with Jean Ann Ryan Productions, Time Steps: the musical (NYC), performances with the Ottawa Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, “Unity” with Cyndi Lauper, Fashion Cares, as well as various other film and television credits, benefits and live industrials. In 2006 Amber was a back-up dancer for Asian pop star Sally Yeh in Hong Kong and Malaysia.
Teacher Ping Feng, who was a soloist with The Ottawa Ballet, is a graduate of the Beijing Dance Academy, and holds a B.A. in Dance Ed., from Beijing University. His professional performing experience includes the Beijing Dance Academy Ballet Company (Central Ballet of China), Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Theater Ballet, and The Ottawa Ballet.
The three dance studios at Cumbrae offer a warm and friendly atmosphere and their studio floors are sprung to create a safe dance surface.
All instructors are qualified under either the Royal Academy of Dance, The British Association of Teachers of Dancing, and/or the CLRG (An Coimisium le Rinci Gaelacha).