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' zo-WAreawo cumulus -Wednesday, lune 22, 2011 ~ 0 O , C : Cancer dragnosrs hasn t stopped local dancer from sharmg her talents 1 BY Boanmw Ll‘ . jug-7,4 ‘ , T4.“ ., _ i Chronicle Staff t "~‘ ‘- k [Cayla Blair has always ' believed in the power of dance. Since she was six it was her chief means of expression. and she said , it's helped carry her through some 3 , 7 t, . dark times in her life. ' . w . "I've always leaned on dance / i. ' up ‘ during the most difficult times in ., , ; , ' ~ '9.- my life," said Blair. “lt's what i love.” ‘- . é ‘. ‘- g; » if , None have been darker when N ‘ ' . I 2 ‘ shewasdiagnosed with sarcomain ‘~' » 6: . ‘ we " s ‘ . “”2. “it? A?" . a}; February a month after her 20th 1 , ,- ' ' ~ . :K, ' 9‘ ~ , " . 3"; birthday. t r if if , -‘ ~ \ :‘= ' ‘ . “l was almost at a loss for .4; e . f . " , , ‘i a" .1 '2’." words.” said Blair. “It's a rare form if: ‘ » ~ 3? f 17 ‘1 f . ofsarcoma ' ‘ i a" x, *‘ i ' i . “There isn't a lot of information ’ ' j . , . ‘ 1.1““ l 2 , on it and the doctors don't know a v a . , "I _‘ j __ * if, . - » _ lot about it. but they are pretty con- 3; y 91““ _ -. t l 1 “ fident theycan treat it.” , in i f f: , ' ~ \é- t f ’ , at " lhe diagnosis lead to an aggres- ‘ .~ "’ it} , . in ,3 v. sive round of chemotherapy, and W 5 f 952'- _ ‘ ‘ s ‘ ‘ 3r althougi she's lost her hair she has- ‘ " xi :5.“ ' } H n't loss the spirit that guided her on ‘7 , ”a ‘ g , ‘ the dance floor. ‘7. L, > its; 3;. fl' _ t. She can't get out on the floor “: » ;,: ’ c if}; herself anymore. but in between treatments when she can find the and}; " i . energy she makes her way back out ‘57; 2 . to Waterloo's Star Performance Academy to teach what once was ‘ ’ second nature to her. 1; “it's really weird now not being physically able to lean on dance to Kayla Blair, centre, is surrounded by members of the Dancers Kick Cancer team at last Friday‘s Relay for Life event at Resurrection Catholic Secondary help me through this.” said Blair. School. The dancers from Waterloo's Star Performance Academy surprised their instructor battling cancer by signing up for the fundraiser. urn-Munro “he kind of had to live vicariously through everyone around me.” team and no one was responding wanted to do something for her â€"â€" touched by it. It's not the only thing she's She's done that by getting a to me.“ said Blair. they're really affected by what’s "lt's great that even throng! her learned. “Cancer is something that dance troupe made up of girls. She ended up being too sick to goingon. - tough times she‘s supporting us can make you feel so alone,” said almost her same age, ready for their attend that final performance but “They really communicate through something she loves." Blair. “But whenyou do have all this . year-end recital. She shared with learned after the fact that the girls through their bodies in dance. and “They got me,” said Blair. who support. it's good to have people them her vulnerability and it drew had put together a dance in her this was the most cathartic way to was moved by the performance there rooting for you and letting them all closer together. honour using elements inspired by express how they were feeling." captured on video. ‘l’m not one to you knowyou're not a lostcause.’ That's why she was left wonderâ€" her teaching They also announced Angela Nogueira. 18. one of the lean on people and this has been a And she promises to be back in ing why none of them signed up to that they had their own team leaders of the group said it was an huge experience and a huge lesson thestudioon herown terms. join her Walking for Kayla team at entered into the Relay for Life emotional experience. ingettingthat support. “Definitely u soon as I can get the annual Relay for Life Cancer event. and we‘re raising money in 'We started off doing choreogra- "i find that their dancing has back to it i will.” said Blair about Society fundraiser last Friday at her name. ' phy that she did. and we made it really changed. They don't take her dancing '1 just can‘t wait until Resurrection Catholic Secondary “We wanted to surprise her and individual to show how deep our being onstage for granted, and the day when the say you're good, i School. give her a bit of a boost." said Kris- relationship is with her,” said they‘ve learned how to appreciate go to the gym. Cancer isn‘t going to “My studio surprised me ten Werner who operates Star PEP Nogueira. “It was highly personal. everything the do so much more. stop me from doing everything I because I invited them to join this formance Academy. “The kids and we showed her we were all I've learned that too." wanttodo.‘ H sf ' ll .2 a I,“ it?! ’- ~ . , , ,. » ‘ 1i “a SUNSA s moo-s * . l -* “=1; , ‘4 E m -- ‘5 ' la- ‘ . " _ . tr *8 at. - ,7 ”I ‘ "'6‘ M'.‘ a ‘ ‘ 1' V .1 3:2{39‘315‘4‘ <2 gt; 1 “ . - fl- , . ‘ '2 r , ,4: «g: â€". « 5...st _ . " * 7 . ' . 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