Shelburne-based dance studio ‘Turn It Out’ wins big on national stage

July 25, 2019 · 0 Comments

Written By BRIAN LOCKHART

Turn It Out dance studio in Shelburne has returned home with some big wins from the Shine Dance national competitions.

The studio’s dancers attended the Luv 2 Dance regional competition, the Shine Dance regional competition, and the On the Floor regional competition before attending the Shine national competition, where they won many awards.

Owner and Choreographer at Turn It Out, Serena Rumney, says her studio currently has 120 students ranging from 2 to 20 years of age. This includes 54 in competitive dance, and the rest in recreational dance. Ms. Rumney has operated her studio on Main Street Shelburne for 12 years and offers a wide variety of dance classes, including, hip hop, jazz, tap, acro, contemporary, and ballet.

Ms. Rumney was raised in Scarborough until the age of 13, when she moved to Orangeville. She danced and trained in Scarborough and was part of the Canadian tap and jazz team that danced in Germany competing for worlds.

“I am always keeping up with current trainings and am pleased to say I just completed courses in Alixa flexibility,” Serena said. “I come from a long history of dance – my grandfather was a faculty member of the dance program at Ryerson University and my mother ran dance classes in Orangeville in her late teens.”

Serena, her husband and family have lived in Shelburne for ten years.

The choreographer says she is very proud of her dancers and how each and every time they go out and amaze her.

“Every year they always get better and I love that I get to support them and watch them grow, not only as dancers, but into brilliant young men and women,” Ms. Rumney said.

She added, “I also cannot give enough credit to my teachers, Darlene Phillips and Hailey Mclarty our competitive teachers, without them this would be not be possible – and Lindsay Hare , Gracie Demille, Josie Wicks, Bryanna Osmond – our recreational teachers. And of course our assistants – they are amazing. Serena says, “There are too many to list, but I’m thankful for each and everyone of them.”

She continued, “I also need to give a huge shout out to my husband, Chad Rumney, who built and transports all the props to competition, sets them up, tears them down, and edits all the music. He is a huge supporter of the studio and is always at my side helping.”

To get an idea of how big this studio is winning, here are the awards they brought home from Shine nationals: Choreography, Judges choice, Mr. Acro Shine title winner, Mr. Shine title winner, Miss Senior Acro title winner, Miss Senior Shine title winner, Miss Intermediate runner-up Acro Shine title winner, Miss Junior runner-up Acro Shine title winner, runner-up 12 and under Dance Off winner, 4th runner-up 13 and up Dance Off winner, 3rd overall Top Studio, Top Costume award and many other overall winners.

Even though the studio only had nine dancers participate in the Luv 2 Dance Nationals, they won numerous overalls, including Duet, Trio, Showdown national winner, 2nd and 3rd Solo, runner-up National Showdown, and 3rd overall Group Showdown, as well as Choreography Choice and Costume.

Looking ahead, Serena says, “My goals next year are to help push these dancers forward to achieve everything I believe they can, and for all of them to believe in themselves.”

She says she is hoping to have more dancers come out and dance next season, regardless of ability.

“I want them to feel included and build friendships, and I really want to create an environment that the dancers feel they can let go with no boundaries, and have the studio be their safe place with no judgement,” Serena said

Beginning next week, Turn It Out dance studio will offer a small selection of summer classes and some day camps that anyone is welcome to join. Their fall session will begin late September with registration the first week of school. Anyone wanting information can call or email Serena Rumney at 519-216-5256 or Turnitout@live.ca.