By Tansy Cai
Who would have known that someone with such a profound dislike for dance would later blossom into a passionate dancer? Born and raised in Vancouver with her two brothers, Grade 12 student Alina Jiwani has ardently embraced dance and has become one of the most experienced and accomplished dancers in the Collingwood Hip Hop Crew. Despite Alina's diligence and natural dancing talent, she ultimately attributes her success to the support of her family, expressing,“ I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today if it weren’t for my family, who left Uganda and worked so hard here in Canada!”
Alina was enrolled in dance classes by her parents when she was four years old. By the time she turned ten, she had been dancing for six years and was ready for a change and wanted to quit. Only when she was eleven did she decide to rejoin her studio; this time around, she learned to appreciate dance for herself. She even decided that she would pursue dance seriously to eventually become a professional teacher or dance studio owner. The breakthrough in her mindset was most likely the result of her witnessing the achievements and happiness of her mentors. For the past seven years, Alina has studied almost all types of dance styles, including Jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, and theatre. However, recently she has been influenced by the culture of Los Angeles and New York, and venture into the street styles, hip-hop and jazz. Watching spectacular shows and taking classes with teachers in the US have inspired Alina to work diligently towards her goal of performing beyond the stages of Canada.
Who would have known that someone with such a profound dislike for dance would later blossom into a passionate dancer? Born and raised in Vancouver with her two brothers, Grade 12 student Alina Jiwani has ardently embraced dance and has become one of the most experienced and accomplished dancers in the Collingwood Hip Hop Crew. Despite Alina's diligence and natural dancing talent, she ultimately attributes her success to the support of her family, expressing,“ I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today if it weren’t for my family, who left Uganda and worked so hard here in Canada!”
Alina was enrolled in dance classes by her parents when she was four years old. By the time she turned ten, she had been dancing for six years and was ready for a change and wanted to quit. Only when she was eleven did she decide to rejoin her studio; this time around, she learned to appreciate dance for herself. She even decided that she would pursue dance seriously to eventually become a professional teacher or dance studio owner. The breakthrough in her mindset was most likely the result of her witnessing the achievements and happiness of her mentors. For the past seven years, Alina has studied almost all types of dance styles, including Jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, and theatre. However, recently she has been influenced by the culture of Los Angeles and New York, and venture into the street styles, hip-hop and jazz. Watching spectacular shows and taking classes with teachers in the US have inspired Alina to work diligently towards her goal of performing beyond the stages of Canada.
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Almost everyday, Alina is at her dance studio. During her high school career, she has spent over thirty hours each week dancing or assisting in its teaching. Sometimes, she even leaves school before lunch, so that she can participate in the Super Achievers Program before attending competitions all over BC or performances for different show conventions. Alina proudly shares with us the opportunities she has been exposed to as a professional dancer, “I was able to travel to perform in Disneyland, assist a class at the Olympic oval for workout to conquer cancer, audition for Disney movies, appear in a Nickelodeon Feature Film, participate in a pre-professional hip hop company and perform at the Canadian Hip Hop Championships!” What is remarkable is that Alina has been selected into the Canadian team for the World Championships of Performing Arts. She is delighted with this accomplishment but is also especially proud of the numerous opportunities she has been bestowed to express herself creatively and confidently on any stage, small or large. With her love and dedication to dance, she will definitely be dancing for the rest of her life. We wish Alina Jiwani the best of luck in her future endeavors of realizing her dreams of becoming a famous dance teacher as well as presenting on the world’s stage!
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