Brussels' Albers brings home gold, silver from Prague's Dance World Cup

BY SCOTT STEPHENSON

Huron County’s own Alyssa Albers has just come home from the Dance World Cup (DWC) in Prague, and she brought along with her some pretty exciting souvenirs. The 18-year-old won the gold medal in the Senior Solo Acro category, as well as a silver medal with her Senior Acro Group - not bad for her first time participating in the massive global dance competition. Albers may have returned to Canada as a world class champion, but this down-to-earth dancer still took some time out of her workday for a follow-up interview with The Citizen about her once-in-a-lifetime experience.

 

Albers is currently working at McCall Livestock in Brussels, a staple of the local cattle scene founded by her grandparents Ross and Fran McCall. She’s not one to sing her own praises, but luckily, Fran was on hand to do it for her. “We’re just so proud of Alyssa!” she exclaimed. “She’s just absolutely amazing!”

 

The DWC is the largest youth dance competition in the world, which was a real change of pace for Albers, who has lived on her family’s farm her whole life. “It was quite an experience,” she said. “There were a lot of people!” This year, the 10-day event brought almost 10,000 dancers from 54 countries to the Czech Republic to show off their skills. As part of the opening ceremonies, all of the performers met at the Old Town Square in Prague and marched down the streets in a massive parade.
Competing on the world stage was just one of the exciting things about her trip. “Being able to tour around was pretty cool - I didn’t dance until a week after we got there, so I toured around Prague. It is a beautiful city, and there was lots to do.” One of the stops on her walking tour was the Old Town Hall, where she watched the famous Prague Orloj clock strike the hour. It’s the oldest operating astronomical clock in the entire world. She also discovered that she’s fond of chimney cake - a sweet cylindrical treat that is enjoyed all over Europe.

 

Her group dance fell on the Wednesday of the competition. While members of the team were hoping that their performance would land them in the top six, Albers had no idea how things would turn out. “When they announced us as silver we were shocked. It was a crazy competition. North American Acro and European Acro are very different, so I wasn’t sure how it was going to play out... North American Acro is more like dancing and adding in the acrobatics, whereas European is more like, trick after trick after trick. So they’re really different, and it’s really just what the judges think of the dance, to be honest.”

 

Two days later, it was time for Albers to show the world the solo routine she’d been practising at home for months with her dance teacher, Jenna Andrew. Andrew was not able to make the trip to Prague, and while Albers missed having her mentor there to help her warm up, she felt lucky to be performing a routine that her teacher had choreographed just for her. Andrew is one of the teachers at Danceology MWO in Lucknow, where Albers has been training for over a decade. The only other member of Canada’s team to come from Huron County was 11-year-old Gabby Yu of Wingham, who is also a Danceology student. Yu’s team placed seventh in their category.

 

Going into Albers’ performance, winning was the furthest thing from her mind. “I was just happy I’d made it onto the team - that’s an accomplishment itself, really. I didn’t care how I was going to do, because all that mattered was how I felt when I came off the stage, and I felt really good. And I definitely wasn’t expecting anything.” When her name was announced, it came as a total surprise. “I was shocked! I didn’t know what to do - I was shaking, but it was really exciting, and I was really proud of myself.” She sent a message to Andrew as soon as the news sunk in. “I texted her in all capitals - they’re pretty excited and proud of me.”
Equally proud were the members of Albers’ family who were in attendance that day. “My opa was actually able to come watch me. He lives part-time in Holland, so he took a bus trip over to come watch - that was pretty cool. My parents were cheering so loud, my boyfriend jumped out of his seat - I don’t know what my brother’s reaction was, but I think he’s secretly proud of me.” The whole family went on a boat cruise afterwards to celebrate her win.

 

So what plans does this world champion dancer have for the future? At 18, Albers may have reached the end of her formal dance education, but that doesn’t mean she’s done with dance entirely. “I’m really happy with how I, kind of, ended my dance career - I think this was a good way to end it. But I definitely think it makes me more passionate to teach dance. That’s something I’m going to be doing for sure.”

 

In the short term, Albers is excited to have a great summer, going to concerts and spending time with friends. “I’m going to hang out with my dance friends next weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing them because I haven’t seen them since dance class ended.”

 

As a newly-minted world class champion, Albers has been getting a lot of attention, both locally and from beyond Huron County. She’s enjoying the spotlight, but isn’t letting it go to her head. “A lot of people are talking about it, and it’s pretty cool to be recognized that way! I’m not one to speak on it much - like ‘oh look, I won!’ And I was definitely excited to come home. I missed it here.”