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ArtsceneYoungest Lecomte joins siblings at National Ballet SchoolBy Dominik Kurekwas not surprised when the trio got into theOAKVILLE BEAVER STAFFnational school program.Theyre hard workers and theres cer-Following in the dancing footsteps of her tainly a lot of talent there too, she said.older siblings, nine-year-old Isabella Lecomte All three of them are natural performers.has entered one of the world leading institu-They certainly come to life on stage.tions in professional ballet instruction.The two sisters, Olivia and Isabella, haveThe Oakville dancer has entered Canadas been taking dance lessons since about theNational Ballet Schools summer program. age of two, while Sebastian only began at ageIts a program her two older siblings went seven, and it wasnt in ballet at first.through before moving onto the schools When Sebastian began his instruction atfull-time program, where they are now.Allegro, his talent was quickly evident.Twelve-year-old Sebastian, who will enter When he started at the studio, he wasGrade 8, and 14-year-old Olivia, entering only taking a hip hop class (one hour perGrade 10, say they are excited to have their week), Dacyshyn said. He performed at theyoungest sister join them at the exclusive end of year recital and just blew everybodyschool in Toronto, which sees auditions away . . . Everybody that watched him, theirfrom across Canada and the world.jaw just dropped.Weve always been really close, said the Following that first year, Sebastian tookoldest sister, Olivia. So leaving when I was on more dancing. He dropped the hip-hop10 was really hard to be away from both of and made the switch to ballet and jazz.them, but then, since theyre both coming Despite his late start, Sebastian has hadwith me, its good. We get to be together great success with ballet. He got accepteddown there.into the national schools full-time program,The three siblings are quick to recognize and just finished his second year. Hes alreadytheir Oakville dance instructor who got had the lead child role in the national balletsthem to the level of performance needed to production of the annualThe Nutcrackerenter the national dance school. All three twice, something his older sister has done astook dance lessons at the Allegro School of well.Dance in Oakville under studio owner and Ever since I heard about (the program),instructor Laura Dacyshyn.I wanted to learn more about it and be in theLaura has helped us out a lot, Olivia program, Sebastian said.said, adding without the teacher they could The youngest sister is also excited tonot get so far.begin.Dacyshyn will continue instructing Speaking to the Beaverthe day before theIsabella in the upcoming school year, as the first day of the summer program (July 5),full-time national program does not begin she said with a big smile, Im very exciteduntil Grade 6, when Isabella will have to and Im hoping that I dont get injured.audition again in the hope of getting into the She admits injuries are rare at thefull-time program.school.MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVERPrior to opening her dance studio, Aside from dancing, Isabella also singsDANCERS: Oakville's Lecomte siblings Isabella, front, Olivia, and Sebastian are students at theDacyshyn was a professional dancer with and has received vocal lessons for the pastNational Ballet School. Olivia and Sebastian are in the full-time program while Isabella is beginningThe National Ballet of Canada, where many few years and recorded two albums.with this year's summer program. All three took dance at Oakville's Allegro School of Dance.See National page 27of the ballet school's graduates end up. She www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, July 8, 2011 26