Invitation To Dance

Throwback time 👟

Show us a photo of your dancer's very first pair of dance shoes, or if you still have the actual shoes hiding in a closet somewhere, even better.

Ballet slippers with the sparkles already peeling off, tiny tap shoes, whatever it was.

There is something so sweet about that first pair.

Drop your photos below or send them our way, we would love to see where every ITD journey started.

Something we believe pretty firmly around here: dance is not a competition between your child and the dancer next to them.

It is a conversation between your child and who they are becoming.

We care about turnout and technique, absolutely, but what we care about most is watching a dancer walk into the studio a little more sure of themselves than they were the class before.

Confidence built through kindness, not comparison.

That is the whole reason Invitation To Dance exists, and it is not changing anytime soon.

A little reminder for these hot Calgary days ☀️💧

If your dancer is doing any at-home practise, a summer camp, or just playing outside before class starts up again, heat and hydration matter more than we sometimes think.

A dehydrated body gets tired muscles, and tired muscles are more prone to little strains and cramps, even outside the studio.

Water bottle in every bag, a bit of extra rest after a hot day, and stretching when the body is warm rather than overheated.

Small habits now make a difference once regular classes are back in full swing.

Stay cool out there, dance family.

Would you rather... dance edition 🎬

Would you rather always perform your favourite piece in front of a packed house, or get to dance it just for yourself in an empty studio, no one watching at all?

Would you rather master one style completely, or be pretty good at every style?

Would you rather have unlimited turns in every pirouette, or never lose your balance in a leap again?

Tell us your answers below, we love seeing how everyone thinks about this stuff differently.

Two truths and a twirl 🩰

Here are three things about Invitation To Dance.

Two are true.
One is made up.
Can you guess which is which?

1. This studio has been part of the Calgary community for thirty five years.
2. We teach nine different dance styles under one roof, including aerial.
3. Every single dancer who has ever walked through our doors started before the age of five.

Drop your guess below.

Sounds every dance family knows 🎧

- The zip of a garment bag being unzipped in the car.
- The very specific crinkle of a new pair of tights.
- “One more time from the top.”
- The click of bobby pins hitting a tile floor.
- A sibling asking “are we done yet” from the waiting room.
- The hairspray can running out at the worst possible moment.

Which one hit you the hardest?

Tell us in the comments, we know there are more we forgot.

“To dance is to be out of yourself, larger, more powerful, more beautiful.” – Agnes de Mille

We think about this one a lot, especially in the summer when there is no recital to prepare for and no big show on the calendar.

Dance does not need an audience to matter. It does not need a stage to be powerful.

Sometimes the most beautiful dancing happens in an empty studio in July, just a dancer figuring something out for themselves.
That is still growth.
That still counts.

Wherever your dancer is finding their movement this summer, even if it is just in the living room, we hope it feels like this quote.

Okay, we need your help with this one 😂

What is going through this dancer's mind right now?

Drop your best caption below.

Bonus points if it makes Miss Erin laugh out loud in the studio office.

Let's talk about why acro and aerial are not just cool tricks 🤸‍♀️✨

When your dancer works on handstands, backbends, or an aerial silk sequence, they are building core strength, shoulder stability, and body awareness that shows up in every other style they take.

That extra control in an arabesque? A lot of it comes from the same muscles used to hold a handstand.
That confidence stepping into a new tap combo? Often built from learning to trust their body in the air first.

It is one of the reasons we love offering acro and aerial alongside ballet, jazz, tap, and the rest.

Every style feeds the others. Strength in one class shows up as confidence in the next.

If your dancer has been curious about trying acro or aerial, summer is a great time to ask us more about it.

Summer bingo! 🩰☀️

We put together a little card for you to play along with all summer long.

Comment which square you have already hit (or which one you are determined to get to before the break is over)!

◻ Found a stray bobby pin somewhere weird
◻ Practised a combo in the kitchen
◻ Convinced a sibling to be your dance partner
◻ Watched old recital videos for fun
◻ Caught yourself humming a routine at the grocery store
◻ Talked about dance shoes while shopping for sandals
◻ Missed the studio, just a little

However many you have, you are officially part of the ITD family, summer break or not.

Tag a fellow dance parent who needs this today.