Most people use dancing as a form of recreation, but Peter Ferreira and Geraldine Goyer use it as a form of community building.
Dance Addicts Studio fuses Geraldine’s skills as an instructor and Peter’s experience in business. This, combined with a mutual passion for dance, brought dancing to the Heights in October 2007. “Because dancing has so many social and fitness benefits, it’s excellent for the community,” Peter says.
With the studio specifically designed for dancing, participants learn better because they’re comfortable in their surroundings. In addition, the staff members provide support to their students from the moment they walk in to when they leave. They pay extra attention to the little things that help to create a more confident dancer.
In addition, they offer various socials and practice time, which is extremely important. “All the dance lessons in the world won’t make a difference if you don’t take time to practice,” Peter says. “At Dance Addicts, it’s all in-house, making it a home for dance. Here we’re with them all the way.”
Dance Addicts offers social dances from Cha Cha to Tango and solo dances like Hip Hop and Pussycat dolls,with classes available to both adults and youths. “One of the main reasons the studio was opened was to get kids dancing together again,” says Peter. Because they’re not a competitive dance school, their youngest students enjoy learning without pressure, and as they develop into better dancers, they are seen to be standing taller, and dealing with each other with respect. Contributing to the community through ways such as this, means a lot to both Peter and Geraldine. As Peter says, “dance is a team sport where everyone wins!”
Peter and Geraldine have different reasons for appreciating the Heights. Peter loves that the Heights has character and history and that it is unique. Geraldine values the family atmosphere, and feels that it is really safe. She also likes that everything is at your door step. They chose Burnaby not only because they love it here, but because it was also under-serviced by social dance schools. This, plus the fact that the location is central, and the Heights is a great neighbourhood with great culture, made it the ideal place to tango.
When they’re not at work, Peter enjoys relaxing, going for walks, exercising, watching movies and working on his car. Geraldine is busy with her children, and when she can, she enjoys fencing, and hiking with her dog.
Dance Addicts Studio is located at 4622 Hastings Street, two blocks east of Willingdon Avenue. For more information, visit www.danceaddicts.ca, or call 604-830-1326.
