Photo: Sarah Makins
By Katie Ryan
Sarah Makins offers more than just dance instruction. As her students learn to plié, perfect proper techniques and express themselves through dance, Makins has been instilling confidence in her students and teaching them life lessons all along.
This year marks Makins’ 20th year as dance instructor, a dozen of which she has spent in Lloydminster teaching local girls and boys the fine art of dance and life, for which a large number of parents are grateful for.
“She just pours absolutely everything – her heart and soul – into everyone of those kids at the studio,” said Nichole Watson, whose three daughters, ages five, nine and 15, all take lessons from Makins at Fame Dance Studios.
Watson said it is the ‘positive family atmosphere’ that Makins creates at her studio that makes Fame and Makins stand out.
“No one puts in more time, I don’t even think we put in as much time as she does with them,” she said with a laugh, referring to herself and other Fame parents. “I think the biggest thing for me is that she tries to focus on the whole individual. It’s not just dance that she cares about. She is just trying to create really confident, well rounded students, so she is really involved in not only teaching them dance, but other things. She always asks about school, so I think she just really empowers them in all aspects and really says that they can do anything.”
While Makins prefers to stand outside of the limelight, she is taking her milestone in stride.
“It’s kind of hilarious, actually,” she laughed. “I wondered when I was younger how many years I would enjoy doing the same task and we had the cliché, ‘20 years gone, looking forward to another 20.’ It’s still just an absolutely, thoroughly satisfying and rewarding job.”
Just as Makins has made a difference in the lives of her students – roughly 3,000 or so to date – it was a teacher at the Edmonton School of Ballet that made a difference to her as a young dancer.
“I spent a lot of time there as a student,” she said. “Pretty much all of the teachers there and Mrs. Flynn (made a difference). She is still the head of that school and she showed me what it was to know what it is to perform throughout the year and not just do the dance festivals.”
Makins gave her first dance lessons in Sherwood Park two decades ago and said her teaching and choreography has evolved and grown over the years. Today, Makins instructs out of two studios, in Lloydminster and Provost, covering a wide range of dance styles and disciplines for all ages, including musical theatre and piano as well. Makins also taught dance in the Dominican Republic for three summers, learning new styles of dance in return.
Though each program will differ in technique, Makins’ goal is to empower each of her students to be the best they can be on stage and in life.
“It’s a lot of work to put on the shows, but it’s well worth it, especially at the end of the year when I hear from parents that their little girl or boy is so confident now. They are fine on stage and it’s showing at school,” she said. “That’s how we get the best dancers – from people who are kind and confident. You cannot hide that. Confidence is number one and it does take a certain level of work in my opinion, to be able to get that off the ground for them through their programming.”
Balance is essential in Makins practice. Instead of putting her students through each competition on the festival circuit, Makins has been taking a different approach. To maintain balance for herself and her students, of the 10 events each program performs each year, only two will be at festivals for competition and the rest are geared towards showing students the power of dance.
“We still want to show them what it is to be seen by an adjudicator and that’s all a positive experience,” said Makins.
“But, we really want to show that the art of dance comes first. The goal as a dancer and a choreographer is to lose yourself in the art form – it’s like the zen of the moment. You lose yourself in the dance, that’s how it has to be for the best dancer or choreographer. That’s something that I have tried to do.”
Watson said she speaks for many parents when she decided to draw attention to the humble dance instructor’s anniversary, honouring Makins for her time and drive.
“She just breathes positivity into everything and that is a talent and a skill in and of itself,” said Watson. “We appreciate everything she does. Our kids would not be the performers or the dancers or the children that they are without her. She really has given so much of herself to them and I think that shows with how well they do, how well they perform and how much they love it.”
As Makins marks her 20 years of teaching, she remains focussed on the years to come and new students she can connect with.
“It’s beyond an honour. I am really looking forward to spending a lot more time doing exactly the same thing,” she said.