‘Calgary -where she’ attended
Lom . : | : es . ¥F 3

‘by Tod Strachan
The Terrace Recreation
Department is offering a unique

- Opportunity to ‘aspiring new

‘dancers this summer. ‘with a

“Dance and Movement. Work--

Shop. being taught- by. profes-
sional dancer ‘Judy-Anne

. Wilson... Lo
-. Born in Pouce Coupe, B.C.,

Wilson. started dancing in her
mother’s dance studio at the age
of three before mnioving to

enrolted students are (left to right)-Sarah Strachan,

Professional dancer Judy-Anne Wilson holds class in the

Wilson was “‘discovered” by an

2

_ Local kids learn dance with talente

did ‘Amadeus’ which was the

biggest dramatic part that I had

done. I played Annie in“‘Annie,
Get Your Gun’, which is the -
biggest musical theatre role you

can have. I did radio and about

(Six television shows as-well as a
lot “of” work with Tommy

Banks.” SC
“Everything I had ever

_ dreamed. of doing as an enter-
tainer, I had done; And it was a

time. to sit down -and re-hash

this new avenue of achievement,
Wilson is learning new tech-
niques in dance from such greats
as ‘Iris Garland, who has a

Bachelor of Science and a

Masters degree in dance from
California; Grant Strate, with a
Bachelor of Arts and an L.L.B.
from the University of Alberta;
and Monic Giard, a prominent
Montreal choreographer.

— *1’m working with some in-
credible dance instructors at
SFU who have a lot more tech-

Terrace Review — Wednesday; July 1S, 1987 17

d pro

dancers I have worked with
before have been very creative

dancers, and well known in the
‘business, but were not teaching
at a university level.’’

dealt with before: Most of the.

nical -expertise than. T’ye -ever :

+

“This has added. a ‘real’

fullness to may dance knowledge
that {1 never had ‘before. It’s all
technical knowledge that con-
cerns what the muscles are doing
and is there a better way to work
them.’” oo
_ “Instead of just thinking of
lifting your leg, you’re thinking
of pushing from the floor and

" what I wanted to do,” she said,

Fm

park for some Terrace youngsters, teaching them the finer
points of dances and movement. The workshops are available beginning July 20 for elght to 18-year-olds. Currently.

Carly Belina and Jodl Strachan.

“dance classes taught by

Rosemary'Carter. After moving
to Camrose, Alberta, she began

teaching dancing in her mother’s:

studio at the age of 14,
' By the time she was 18,
Wilson had taught vocal lessons
and a variety of dance, including
gymnastics, ballet, tap and inter-
national dance. .
With her early background ‘in
the. entertainment business,

Wilson ‘graduated from high
school in 1971 with dreams of.

being a singer on stage, which

attracted her to a musical group |

who performed everything from
‘easy rock to musical theatre
songs as far east as Thunder
Bay, Ontario.
After about a year of bein
‘fon the road’, she turned to
more traditional employment as
a clerk with .the government of
Alberta in Edmonton and later
as.a recreational therapist work-

ing with emotionally disturbed:

children. She kept up with her

musical career during this time -
by working nights singing jazz

standards and some older style
music with a jazz quartet.

By 1974, Wilson had to make -
a choice between her ‘‘regular’’
_-job and the entertainmeiit

business. Entertainment won
hands down and she was on her

“way to Toronto where she soon.

found work with the Bud Mat-
ton Booking Agency who helped
to launch her professional
career, ee
Work over the next few years

_ included .a popular’ Toronto
band, Phoenix, a starring role in

the ‘Flower and Drum Song”
with the Bob Landars Dance
Company and dance classes with
Len Gibson, a prominent
Toronto choreographer. She
also did some TV production
work during that time on the
first fashion show in’ North
America using professional
dancers and starring interna-

tional vocalists such as Ciloria

Gaynor. .
While working in Toronto,

with the Danny Gail Show
where, among other things, she
played a part in ‘‘Godspell”’ in
Syracuse, New York. But a year

of doing nothing more than

performing and travelling with
this company took: its toll on
Wilson and she was soon faced:
with a major career decision,

‘I got to a point where it was
just too much work,” she re-
called. .

“To me, singing and dancing
had always been fun. I loved it.
But at that point it was work and
I never knew where I was — I
never saw anything.” -.

“You got up at 10 o’clock and
had. an hour to practice your
material,. Then you. had lunch
and met for band rehearsal from
1 p.m. to 3:39 p.m, before you
broke for supper and started get-
ting ready for the show.”” _

“You started performing at
8:30 p.m. and did three routines

‘of a dance set and a show set un-

til 3 o’clock in the morning.”’

“You did that six nights a-

week, Then you got on a plane,
flew to a new place and did it all
over again the next week.’?

_“T woke up one morning and I
didn’t know where I was at all.

So I just-got fed up and-that’s “™
when I came back to Canada.” §

' Wilson returned to Toronto
and some TV stage management
work as a production co-
ordinator, before returning to
Edmonton where she “took a
needed break”’ and enrolled in a
new theatre arts program at
Grant MacEwan College.

After one term of college, she
teamed up to form a successful
company called Wilson and
Stroup Music Ltd. with famous
jazz. trombonist Bob Stroup.
The company acted as an agent
for other musicians in Edmon-
ton’ and was able to get a two-
year contract performing at the
West Edmonton Mall.

’ “The company did very well

and during that time, I reached.

all the goals I had as far as being
an entertainer was concerned. I

__. With three years still to go in

Consequently, in 1985 Wilson

‘set anew goal of'adiinistration |

in the performing arts and decid-

ed to leave the company and |

pursue her education in business
administration and fine and per-
forming arts at Simon Fraser
University. -

course is:

. *% Absolutely free of charge |
* Conducted entirely by mall
. * Based directly on the Bibte

to:

— ~ KNOW YOUR
-- BIBLE CAMPAIGN

“In order to encourage a greater interest in the Scriptures of God a
Spécial FREE Home Bible Study Course in now being offered. This-

* Completely undenominational

“Life Insurance ~
Gic’s & Deposits —
Education Plans

One of the Mituat Life of Canecta
proup cn arusday

The most Important Part
of your Income is

_ the amount you
-. SAVE, _-
‘We have plans to make. -

_ -yoursavings —-:..”

Call or drop by our office. = | ~

Retirement Savings _
(7) Mutual Funds

SKEENA
MALL. —
Terrace
635-2387 —s&§

Come to the Inn of the West, West Banquet room, Terrace |

the Bible?”
Lecture Topics:

the Bibie.
the Bible.
- Bible true.

July 20, 21 & 22 at 7:30 p.m. and know for sure.

Noted Lecturer — Warren Wilcox will
be speaking on “is God the author of

Monday: Proofs of the inspiration of
Tuesday: The scientific accuracy of

Wednesday: Archaeology proves the

Warren Wilcox is the director of the Bear Valley School of
a Biblical Studies, Denver, Colorado. : oo

FREE ADMISSION

Why keep wondering if God is the author of the Bible?

&s Come and know for sure. Jul
g the Inn of the West in the W

y 20, 21 & 22, at 7:30 p.m., at
est Banquet room, Terrace.

Financial Planning 7

|, FRANK DONAHUE

continued on page 19

To receive this absolutely FREE course send your. name and address. |

FREE BIBLE COURSES, P.O. Box 324,
_ Prince Rupert, B.C. V8G 3P9 Ss
(please print) or cali 624-4449 ap

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