I was pleased, along with family, friends, and staff to attend the wonderful ceremony where Mrs. Flynn was honoured.
As quoted from the organizations' website (http://www.wetaskiwinsportsfame.com/):
INDUCTEE
2015 - BUILDER -
Margaret Perry
Flynn
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Dance (Ballet) Founder Wetaskiwin School of Ballet Founder of 4 other Schools of Ballet in Alberta Founder of Professional Alberta Dance Educators Teacher Trainer, Adjudicator, Choreographer Lifetime Member of many prestigious Dance Societies 1954-2015  Margaret
Perry grew up in Wetaskiwin and started dancing when she was four years
old. By the time she was eleven, she had founded the Wetaskiwin School
of Ballet and was teaching dance to other Wetaskiwin youngsters.
Margaret completed her early training in ballet and modern dance in
Edmonton. She danced professionally in many musicals and light operas.
Further advanced teacher training at the National Ballet School of
Canada allowed her to complete her International Cecchetti
qualifications and she holds her Cecchetti Licentiate from the Imperial
Society of Teachers of Dance. Through the years Margaret’s passion for
dance propelled her to pass her love for dance on to others. She
founded dance schools in Edmonton and other Alberta centres, developed
training programs and syllabi for dance teachers, was a founding member
of Alberta Dance Educators, has served on numerous boards, has lifetime
memberships in many Dance Societies and has received awards for her
contributions. Many of her graduates have gone on to careers as
professional dancers and teachers. Her expertise and influence have
extended throughout Canada and around the world.
Passion Leads to First
Dance School at Age Eleven and Schools Being Founded Around the Globe
The Wetaskiwin School of
Ballet was established by Margaret in 1954. Margaret taught in
Wetaskiwin until 1967 when she moved to Edmonton and founded the
Edmonton School of Ballet. During the 1960’s she also founded dance
schools in Beaumont, Fort Saskatchewan and Camrose. While teaching in
Wetaskiwin Margaret established a series of syllabi for recreational
ballet students ages four to twelve. More recently these were expanded
for ages thirteen to eighteen. These publications are used throughout
Canada, England, Japan and Mexico. In 1984 Margaret founded the
Edmonton Festival Ballet Company.
Teachers that Margaret has
trained have founded schools in Red Deer, Fort MacMurray, St Albert,
Vermillion, Coronation, Rocky Mountain House, Vegreville, Meadow Lake
Saskatchewan as well as schools in BC, Ontario, Japan, Mexico, New York
and other American cities. In 1995 Margaret established a professional
dance training program for Edmonton Public Schools, the Vimy Ridge
Academy Professional Dance Program. Students in grades 7-12 are
accepted into this program by audition.
Graduates Become
Professional Dancers and Teachers Around the World
Graduates of Margaret’s
dance schools have become professional dancers for Canadian companies
that include: Alberta Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, National Ballet of
Canada, Ballet Jorgen, Pacific Ballet, Ballet BC, Toronto Dance Theatre,
Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers, Les Grande Ballet Canadien, Decidedly
Jazz as well as International Companies including: Ohio Ballet,
Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet Austin, Garden State Ballet, Hubbard Dance,
Royal Ballet to name a few. Also her trained dancers have been in
numerous musicals and productions companies such as “Lion King”, “Bette
Middler Show” and on cruise ships. Two of the girls she coached when
she was in Wetaskiwin became professional dancers, one with the Toronto
Dance Theatre and the other with Les Feux Follet.
Margaret was a founding
member and council member for the Alberta Dance Educators. She was also
a board member of the Alberta Dance Alliance. As well, she was elected
and served on the National Council of the Cecchetti Society of Canada
for three terms. Margaret has been an adjudicator at dance festivals
throughout western Canada including the Provincial festival in British
Columbia. She has also been a choreographer in numerous operatic
ballets, full length story ballets and television productions including
“Synergy” for the Alberta Government for the Alberta Pavilion at Expo
’87 in Vancouver. Additionally, Margaret was the field coordinator and
trainer for dancers in the opening of Universiade ’83 in Edmonton.
Dedication, Achievements
and Generosity
Lead to Numerous Awards
In recognition of her
dedication to the arts and community service, Margaret has received
numerous awards. In 1983 she received a City of Edmonton Cultural
Achievement Award. In 1987 she was awarded the YWCA Tribute to Women
Arts and Culture Award. For her service Margaret has been given
Lifetime Memberships in the Alberta Dance Educators, the Cecchetti
Society of Canada and the Imperial Society of Dancing, Cecchetti Branch
in London England.
Margaret has dedicated her
life to dance and continues to be the owner and Artistic Director of the
Edmonton School of Ballet. Her contributions to the world of dance in
Wetaskiwin, in Alberta, in Canada and around the world have benefitted
thousands. We applaud Margaret’s contributions, her achievements, her
dedication, her generosity in giving to others and her passion for
dance. We are proud to induct her into the Wetaskiwin and County
Sports Hall of Fame.
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The opening remarks included:
Introductory Speech by Sandy Wright
Tonight it is
my honour and pleasure to introduce you to Margaret Perry
Flynn who is being inducted as a Builder for her life-long
involvement in the “World of Dance” and her influence on
dance programs in Wetaskiwin, in Alberta, in Canada and
around the world.
There aren’t
many people who can say that their passion as a pre-schooler
became their “life work”. This is definitely the case with
Margaret. She began taking dance lessons in Wetaskiwin when
she was four years old. When the teacher moved, Margaret
then traveled to Edmonton for lessons. Margaret’s dream was
always to become a dance teacher. Consequently, after a few
years of taking lessons and with the approval of her dance
teacher, Margaret started assisting her teacher, learned the
teaching methods and procedures and began teaching younger
dance students. At that time there was no dance program in
Wetaskiwin but many mothers and young girls showed an
interest. At the age of eleven, with her family’s help and
her Edmonton dance teacher’s guidance, Margaret started
teaching other girls from Wetaskiwin in her home, following
the same lessons that she had taught in Edmonton - the
Wetaskiwin School of Ballet was born. Margaret’s father
built her a studio in the basement of their home. While
Margaret was conducting the lessons in her basement her
mother was having coffee with her students’ mothers
upstairs. After a couple of years teaching in her home
Margaret moved her classes to the Recreation Hall.
Margaret’s reputation grew as did interest in her programs
resulting in students coming from other centres to take
lessons. With added students, another studio move was to
the old AGT Office on Main Street.
When Margaret
was of high school age she attended boarding school in
Edmonton. During her three years of boarding school she
continued to teach dance in Wetaskiwin, started teaching
dance lessons in Edmonton, developed a program in Camrose
and continued her own dance training. After high school she
also added dance schools in Beaumont and Fort Saskatchewan
to her teaching circuit. Wow, what a busy life for a
teenager.
During the
1960’s Margaret also ran summer school dance camps in
Wetaskiwin and students came from all over central Alberta
and Edmonton to take part. When the students came to
Wetaskiwin from out of town they stayed overnight at the
Driard Hotel. Margaret would also book a room in the Driard
in order to supervise the students and then she would walk
them back and forth to the studio. According to an article
in the Wetaskiwin Times, in 1967 there were 40 students
that took part in the dance camp and 22 were from
out-of-town. All students took part in several classes each
day and besides hard work, they enjoyed extra-curricular
activities such as movies and barbecues.
Through the
years Margaret continued to train and acquire teaching
certification all the while gaining confidence and
experience. The last year Margaret was in charge of the
Wetaskiwin School of Ballet she was teaching 80 students;
several of the girls she taught had become professional
dancers, several girls had become qualified teachers and
others had been accepted to National Dance schools. Also,
when the Bolshoi Ballet was touring Alberta, four of
Margaret’s students were chosen to dance with the company.
In her early twenties Margaret was already having a profound
impact on dance in northern Alberta.
When Margaret
founded the Edmonton School of Ballet in 1967 she turned
over the Wetaskiwin School of Ballet to one of her
students. The same thing occurred with the schools she
developed in Camrose, Fort Saskatchewan and Beaumont,
Margaret would direct the program and teach for a few years,
then turn over the program to a student. Collaboration and
sharing have always been a part of Margaret’s teaching
philosophy.
As a teacher
Margaret is strict but has kind demeanour, she sets high
standards, has high expectations and is always able to get a
lot out of her students. Margaret is well respected by her
students, by other teachers and generally by the dance
community. Even at the age of eleven students called her
Miss Perry. Margaret is also very humble and unselfish, she
is always ready to give others recognition.
Dance programs
and schools in Wetaskiwin have changed since the 1954
establishment of the Wetaskiwin School of Ballet but the
roots that Margaret planted are still evident and
influential in our community.
Margaret, for
sixty-one years
you have dedicated yourself to following your dream and
passing your passion for dance on to others. The number of
young people you have affected by your teaching is
immeasurable. You are indeed one of the pioneers of dance in
Alberta and more than worthy of this recognition.
Congratulations on your induction into the Wetaskiwin and
County Sports Hall of Fame!
To watch Mrs. Flynn's response please check out this link on Vimeo!
Congratulations again Mrs. Flynn! You are truly an inspiration to all of us!
Thank you!!!
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