Dancing her way to Italy. Nine-year-old Milah Hanson, who has been training at Cowichan’s Carlson’s School of Dance with co-owner and director Ricki-Lee Allison since the tender age of three, is wrapping up a worldy experience that most young dancers can only dream of. She was chosen by Team Canada Dance to represent the country at the official International Dance Organization (IDO) World Acrobatic Dance Championships in Castellanza, Italy from Nov. 17 to 22. IDO is a World Dance and Dance-Sport Federation with a membership of more than 90 nations, representing more than 250,000 dancers from six continents. “We couldn’t be more proud of Milah and grateful to her amazing family for all the support they show her,” said Allison priro to the trip. “Traveling to the mainland for rehearsals and the extra costs to be part of this team requires a lot of commitment from her whole family and it doesn’t go unnoticed. “With Milah being so young, she may not realize what an opportunity this is, but we know it will stay with her all her life that she represented Canada in Italy. We are all so excited for her and can’t wait to cheer her on.” It is quite appropriate that Milah’s family and teachers are doing backflips as she embarks on this exciting and life changing opportunity as the young dancer has also been training with Duncan Dynamics Gymnastics Club for the last six years. At Carlson’s Milah puts her best foot forward in several dance styles including acro, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and tap. “Acrobatic dance combines dance with acrobatic and gymnastic movements so Milah does very well as she trains in both dance and gymnastics in the Cowichan Valley,” said Allison. Milah is definitely making moves as she gets ready to compete on this worldy stage; when first asked what she was most excited about for her trip to Italy, her first response was pasta. “I’m also excited to do my aerial,” said Milah. It’s a move where a performer flips or cartwheels through the air without their hands touching the ground.
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