Harbour Dance Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada, was founded and co-owned by Pamela Rosa. The Centre is primarily a “Drop in Dance” studio for adults (16 years of age and up). They also offer Progressive workshops that run every eight weeks for dancers that want to work on a Choreography ( they usually video the last class) or are very beginner and want to start with “Lesson One” and be with the same group each week.
“Drop in classes” fit your schedule. They are designed to let you choose when you want to dance and what class you want to take. View their schedule on their website for details and to see the many types of dance classes they offer.
Progressive Workshops are great if you want to focus on advancing your dancing skills. These classes stretch over several weeks where you progress each week with exercises, training and choreography. See their current progressive workshop schedule on their website for more information.
The new dance beginner classes are specifically for those who are unsure which class to take. Just try their easy 3-class sampler. For only $30 you can try three one-hour classes or, you could try their three 1.5-hour classes for only $40. Either way, you would be saving 30%.
They have many students from different backgrounds taking classes from Absolute Beginner to Advanced Professional and the range of classes is unbelievable – Ballet, Tap, House Dance, Modern Dance, Contemporary & Lyrical Jazz, Broadway Jazz, Flamenco, Street Jazz/Jazz Funk, Cabaret Burlesque, Hip Hop, Heels and Sexy Street Jazz, Contemporary Belly Dance, Salsa, Bollywood and many other lesser known dances.
Pamela is very proud of their excellent Intensive Training Program (“ITP”) (accepted by audition only) for higher level dancers, run by Moe Brody, which runs from September to June every year. These students train 25 hours a week in all genres of dance with many workshops throughout the year to help with their future as a professional.
She wants their studio to be accessible to everyone that wants to dance, whatever their background or whether or not they want to be a professional.
The main difference between the Harbour Dance Centre and other studios is that Harbour Dance caters to teens and adults. They have a staff of over 55 teachers that are all Professional Dancers themselves or were professional dancers in their younger years. They understand the importance of good training and are dedicated to making each one of their classes meaningful and full of information for the students to help develop their technique. Their hip hop teachers have won world events and Top Choreographer awards and teach all over the world themselves, always bringing new cutting edge choreography to their classes. You can see a lot of these classes on the Harbour Dance YouTube Channel.
As a beginner dancer, it can be intimidating to walk into a Dance Studio, especially if you are an adult. They might want to take Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop or another style they are unfamiliar with. Luckily, they have a very non-competitive and friendly atmosphere at the studio, and they have a lot of fun in those classes. They want everyone to feel that Harbour is their home away from home. Meeting new people and connecting with something they love.
Pam says she has had many proud moments over the years. But when any of their students go on to achieve their dreams, whether it’s dancing on Broadway or London’s West End, touring, dancing in Cirque de Soleil, Movies, or Television, she finds it very fulfilling.
They have a few students that have become choreographers and are working on Broadway and around the world. Pamela finds it so gratifying to see a show that she knows her former student has created and it is amazing!
Pamela said the staff was talking the other day about the biggest mistakes they have seen dancers make and the consensus was lack of confidence. As an example the name of Tara Jean Popowich came up. Tara Jean had come and talked with their ITP students. She won So You Think You Can Dance Canada (“SYT”) 5 years ago. According to Pamela, Tara Jean is one of the hardest working people she knows. Tara Jean trained at Harbour before competing in SYT and performed with the Source Dance Company that trains and works out of Harbour Dance, run by Joanne Pesusich.
Tara Jean was 16 when she came to Harbour Dance, then moved to LA at 17 to “make it.” It’s not that easy. Just getting noticed and feeling confident in yourself is the hard thing. Tara Jean said when she first auditioned for SYT, she was cut. But, the second year she auditioned, she made it even though she didn’t feel she was a better dancer. She was just a much more confident dancer and that is what got her noticed. That is what it’s all about – feeling good about yourself, and not comparing yourself to others around you. What make you stand out is just “being you” and putting that in your dancing.
Pamela said that some of their dancers come to them after they graduate from their “kids “ schools and have high expectations. They want to get “there” fast. Some train too hard and don’t give their bodies time to rest. As a result, injuries can happen and exhaustion sets in. The Centre has a nutritionist at the studio that works with their Intensive Training students and explains how important it is to eat right and rest when they can. Pam believes training should be a good experience, not painful. They need to give themselves time.
Pamela believes if dancing is your passion, you will do what you can to stay connected, whether it’s teaching, performing or working in a field where dance is a part of it. Many of the Centre’s students have gone on to Nutrition, Physiotherapy, or Dance therapy, to name a few.
She feels that dance is an excellent training ground for anyone. It gives you discipline and many other traits that will stay with you in your life whether you stay in the dance world or go on to other things.
Pamela’s personal goal is to try to take more time for herself and her family. The studio does take a lot of time to run, but her new partners as of three years ago, Moe Brody and Sabine Clifford are an enormous help and have taken over a lot of the administrative jobs she used to do.
Her goal for the studio is just to stay on top of things and make sure everyone is happy and healthy and being the best that they can be.
Thirty years ago, Pamela started Harbour Dance Centre with her then partner Danielle Clifford. Danielle was with the Nice Opera Ballet in France in her 20’s. In her late 20’s, she moved to Vancouver and opened a little ballet studio in her home. Pamela trained with Danielle in that “little ballet studio” starting when she was 15. That was their first connection. Over the years they went through many things together. Pamela taught Jazz at Danielle’s house when she was 16. Also, they performed together as dancers in the Opera in Vancouver.
Pamela went on to do many touring shows, television, and theatre productions. At the age of 30 she joined Danielle and together they decided to open Harbour Dance Centre as there were not many places for older dancers to train in Vancouver. Before that Pamela would go to New York or L.A. mainly to train after finishing a show.
When they opened the Centre, Pamela and Danielle were the only teachers. Danielle taught Ballet and Pamela taught Jazz. They slowly started hiring teachers. Belinda Sobie, who is still with them, taught Jazz. Brad Rapier (who now has the Groovaloos in LA) taught Hip Hop. Jim Hibbard teaches Tap for the Centre (he was one of the dancing waiters in Hello Dolly with Barbara Streisand and many, many other big movie musicals). Jim is an amazing teacher and choreographer. He choreographed many of the television and theatre shows Pamela danced in during her professional career.
Moe Brody, Pamela’s new partner, has taught Jazz and Hip Hop and Tap for 20 years at the Centre. Although she is 72 years old this year, Danielle still teaches Ballet at the Centre and is still one of the best dancers in the class and Pamela’s inspiration. Pamela will be 60 years old and still teaches Jazz. She says she can’t imagine not dancing and even though she is getting a bit arthritic, it still gives her such joy.
According to Pamela, opening Harbour was the best thing Pamela and Danielle could have done, and it has been quite an adventure.
Harbour Dance Centre is in the oldest building on Granville Street in Vancouver. It has quite a history and they love the old world feel, with the big brick arched windows and, of course, three flights of stairs to get to the top. It reminds Pamela of the studios where she used to train in New York. They film a lot of movies in the building because of the ambience. In the 1890s it used to be a rooming house and Pamela often wonders who occupied this space 100 years ago and what their lives were like. Pamela believes there have been many careers made in these walls in the last 30 years.
Please post a comment if you have had any experience with Harbour Dance Centre or Pam Rosa.
If you would like to know more about the Harbour Dance Centre, check them out on their website at www.harbourdance.com and while you are there, you might want to learn how to win free lessons. Also, you could call them at 778-846-5121 or email them at info@harbourdance.com. Don’t forget to “Like” them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and view them on YouTube.
What an amazing dance school!!!