Christian dance school sees 20 percent growth following studio relocation

Jenny Burr
Spur Ottawa Correspondent

After six years of renting space at West Ottawa Community Church, offering classes 6 days a week, Arise School of Dance has moved to a new location, in Stittsville. Their new studio opened the last week in August. Directors Naomi Gilman and Jennifer Turco say since the move, they have noticed a 20 percent increase in enrollment.

Gilman and Turco both say they are “excited to see what the Lord brings now that we have this facility.”

The school was growing even before their move, but now they have ambitious plans to increase their services.

“We had our first ever father-daughter ball in October. We’re hosting dance-themed birthday parties, choreographing for special events, such as weddings, and renting space to a Christian army workout group,” Gilman says.

Before the move, Arise relied mainly on word-of-mouth advertising. Having their own building, with a sign out front, allows them to become more known within the community.

Having their own building, with a sign out front, allows them to become more known within the community. Photo courtesy of Arise School of Dance.

“We now have people email, phone, or even walk in to ask us questions about who we are and what we do,” Gilman states. However, she emphasizes that “Arise is the same as it’s always been, in that we believe in teaching excellence in dance for the glory of God.”

Gilman moved to the States in 2005 to train with Ballet Magnificat, which is the world’s premiere Christian ballet company. She always dreamed of doing something “big” for God. In 2010, she says she realized that dream by returning to Ottawa as a teacher for Arise School of Dance.

Turco was a dancer with La Jeunesse Classique Ballet Company in Calgary, in 2005. During that year, Turco came to know the Lord. She says God led her to share her gift of dance. She returned to Ottawa in 2006 and began a three-year instructor training program at the Ottawa School of Dance. She joined Arise in 2010.

“All our graduated students,” Gilman shares, “have said that it is the classes, teachers, and opportunities at Arise to which they credit their strong walk with the Lord.”

Photo by Bill Morrison.

Photo by Stephen Shew.