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| SPORTS - July 22, 2008 |
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Barrhead Leader
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| Barrhead native Michael Ward says that dancing is like "being a musician with my feet." He has taught at various workshops across the country but says he always enjoys some down time in Barrhead. |
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| Local resident dances all the way to North Hollywood and back |
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By Lauren Den Hartog
Leader Staff
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On average, Michael Ward says he spends 4-5 hours of each day dancing. "If it’s not in a specific class, I sometimes just get a mirror. Sometimes it happens when I’m brushing my teeth," said the Barrhead native recently over the phone from Vancouver. "You just try something new and then you go with it — it happens everywhere."
Ward has been cutting tile (slang for dancing) most of his life thanks to two older sisters who also danced and encouraged him to do the same. He’s danced all the way to North Hollywood, Los Angeles where he now spends his winters.
Last year the 25-year old appeared in the movie Kickin’ it Old Skool, and recently completed a music video that aired on the Disney Channel for the new movie College Road Trip with Martin Lawrence and Raven-Symone.
His mother, Debbie, said her son was hesitant at first but eventually realized that dancing was his passion. "Not many boys actually danced but he loved it," she said. "We encouraged him to start and he just thrived from then on, and he’s gone to make a career out of it." The two stay in touch constantly while Michael is on the road, she says.
Despite so many types of dance out there, Ward doesn’t hesitate when asked what he prefers. "Right now I tend towards old-school hip-hop, which is comprised of ‘locking’ — an old, funky, funky form of dance from the 70s," he told the Leader. "Then there’s ‘popping’ which is another funk style form of dancing, and then just general hip-hop as well."
Locking and popping will both be on the agenda for an intensive three-day workshop Ward is hosting at the end of the month with friend, Ferdinand Tocol, who is coming to Barrhead from Vancouver. "We cover all the basics of contemporary — jazz, tap, everything except ballet," he said, adding that he has wanted to do a workshop in Barrhead for quite some time.
"Is it possible to do this for a living?" he asks, repeating a question often posed to him. "I like teaching in small towns, like Barrhead, to let people know that if you want to be a dancer, you can do it."
When asked about his plans for the future, Ward said he hopes to combine dancing with world travel. "The best thing would be with a big cast," he said. "You get to see the world and you’re dancing, two of the coolest things ever, in one." Anyone interested in attending the three-day workshop can e-mail swavey@gmail.com or fill-out a registration form at: www3.telus.net/blinn/registration.doc. |
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