Unique Waterloo dance program hoping to bounce back from pandemic hit
Unique Waterloo dance program hoping to bounce back from pandemic hit
A program at Wilfrid Laurier University is teaching adults living with developmental disabilities how to dance.
The program, called Feel the Beat, puts on a showcase every year for the university community.
“I like to dance and see my friends,” said Kali Kay who joined the program 12 years ago.
“My favourite part is the hip hop dancers all feel the beat,” said another participant Ren Franklin.
The program hit a roadblock when the pandemic started. In-person rehearsals were cancelled and the group had to switch to online.
“Zoom always comes with challenges,” said dance instructor Lily Blyth. “Sometimes people’s Wi-Fi isn’t working or it lags, so it’s hard to keep the music up to the beat and everyone hearing it at the same time. So that definitely has been a challenge.”
As a result, a significant number of participants left the program. Blyth said before COVID-19, the program had roughly 15 participants. However, this years only three returned.
Blyth and her fellow instructors are now aiming to grow the program back to its pre-pandemic levels. They have been encouraging participants to spread the word through other community groups, and are calling past participants to rejoin.
“Feel the Beat is an amazing program and community where we can share our love of dance. We’re really hoping we can get the program back to what it was,” said Blyth.
“Feel the Beat is my favourite,” said Kay. “And I want to see [my friends and instructors] again.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Brown campaign accuses Conservative party of acting in favour of Poilievre after disqualification from leadership race
Patrick Brown has been disqualified from the federal Conservative leadership race, after ballots have already begun to be mailed out, and his campaign is fighting back against what it calls anonymous allegations.
'Most stressful experience': Express Entry draws resume, but long waits take toll
Canada's immigration department is restarting all Express Entry draws for immigration applications Wednesday, after pausing the program 18 months ago during the pandemic.
Woman who was set on fire on Toronto bus has died, police confirm
A woman who was set on fire while on a Toronto bus in a random attack last month has died, police say.
Boy, 2, orphaned after both parents killed in Fourth of July parade shooting
Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35, the parents of a two-year-old boy, were among seven people killed in the Chicago-area mass shooting on July 4.
'We're all really shaken up': Father recounts reuniting with missing daughter as U.S. man is charged
The father of the Edmonton girl who was missing for nine days said he was getting ready to post another update on Facebook last Saturday when police knocked on his door.
Religious group members charged over alleged murder of 8-year-old girl in Australia
Australian authorities have charged 12 members of a religious group with the alleged murder of an 8-year-old girl, police said in a statement Tuesday.
Jayland Walker was handcuffed when his body arrived at the medical examiner's office: autopsy report
Jayland Walker was handcuffed behind his back when his body arrived at the coroner's office to be processed as part of the investigation into the officers who shot and killed him in Akron last week, according to a medical examiner's report that was reviewed by CNN.
Amanda Todd case: 'Pornographic' Facebook image reported to police, high school friend testifies
A high school friend of B.C. teen Amanda Todd has testified he took action when he saw what he described as a 'pornographic' picture of her on Facebook in November 2011.
July 4 shooting suspect bought guns legally despite threats
The man charged with killing seven people when he unleashed a hail of bullets on an Independence Day parade from a rooftop in suburban Chicago legally bought the high-powered rifle used in the shooting and four other weapons, despite threatening violence, police said.
London
-
Council quashes push for Toronto-style apartment inspections
Slumlords were squarely in the crosshairs of city council on Tuesday evening, but how to best ensure renters have safe and properly maintained housing proved divisive.
-
Brown campaign accuses Conservative party of acting in favour of Poilievre after disqualification from leadership race
Patrick Brown has been disqualified from the federal Conservative leadership race, after ballots have already begun to be mailed out, and his campaign is fighting back against what it calls anonymous allegations.
-
Victim of fatal crash near Exeter, Ont. identified
Huron County OPP have identified the victim of a fatal crash north west of Exeter, Ont. on Monday evening.
Windsor
-
WPS release additional photo of sexual assault suspect
Windsor police have released an additional photo of a person they say is wanted for sexual assault.
-
-
Brown campaign accuses Conservative party of acting in favour of Poilievre after disqualification from leadership race
Patrick Brown has been disqualified from the federal Conservative leadership race, after ballots have already begun to be mailed out, and his campaign is fighting back against what it calls anonymous allegations.
Barrie
-
Patrick Brown disqualified from Conservative leadership race
Conservative Party of Canada's leadership committee has disqualified Patrick Brown from the Conservative leadership race.
-
Simcoe County hospital turns to virtual physicians to help tackle staffing shortages
Georgian Bay General Hospital hopes to address a staffing shortage with virtual physicians.
-
Barrie police arrest man wanted on Canada-wide warrant
Police in Barrie arrested a man wanted on a Canada-wide warrant as he made his way into the city Monday night.
Northern Ontario
-
Brown campaign accuses Conservative party of acting in favour of Poilievre after disqualification from leadership race
Patrick Brown has been disqualified from the federal Conservative leadership race, after ballots have already begun to be mailed out, and his campaign is fighting back against what it calls anonymous allegations.
-
Toronto home sales down 41 per cent from June 2021: real estate board
June sales of Toronto homes fell by just over 41 per cent compared with the same month last year as higher borrowing costs weighed on the market, the region's real estate board said Wednesday.
-
Two young ER doctors quit Montreal jobs, blaming Quebec's broken health-care system and Bill 96
Two young emergency room doctors, raised and trained in Montreal, are leaving their jobs after only two years to move back to Toronto – and they say the Quebec health-care model and Bill 96 are to blame.
Ottawa
-
Gatineau woman still waiting for luggage to arrive after 22 days
An Ottawa woman whose luggage was lost more than three weeks ago still does not have her bag back.
-
Brown campaign accuses Conservative party of acting in favour of Poilievre after disqualification from leadership race
Patrick Brown has been disqualified from the federal Conservative leadership race, after ballots have already begun to be mailed out, and his campaign is fighting back against what it calls anonymous allegations.
-
NEW THIS MORNING
NEW THIS MORNING | Electric scooters roll out in Ottawa today
E-scooters are back in Ottawa starting today, but they come with some changes and you won't see quite as many.
Toronto
-
Woman who was set on fire on Toronto bus has died, police confirm
A woman who was set on fire while on a Toronto bus in a random attack last month has died, police say.
-
Brown campaign accuses Conservative party of acting in favour of Poilievre after disqualification from leadership race
Patrick Brown has been disqualified from the federal Conservative leadership race, after ballots have already begun to be mailed out, and his campaign is fighting back against what it calls anonymous allegations.
-
Toronto home sales down 41 per cent from June 2021: real estate board
June sales of Toronto homes fell by just over 41 per cent compared with the same month last year as higher borrowing costs weighed on the market, the region's real estate board said Wednesday.
Montreal
-
Two young ER doctors quit Montreal jobs, blaming Quebec's broken health-care system and Bill 96
Two young emergency room doctors, raised and trained in Montreal, are leaving their jobs after only two years to move back to Toronto – and they say the Quebec health-care model and Bill 96 are to blame.
-
COVID-19 outbreaks lead to temporary closure of at least 3 Quebec sleepaway camps
At least three sleepaway camps in Quebec have temporarily shut down because of COVID-19 outbreaks, according to the province's camps association (ACQ).
-
You can now create an account, view past consultations on Quebec's Clic Sante health portal
The Clic Santé appointment booking portal in Quebec, which was used during the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, has expanded its functions in recent weeks.
Atlantic
-
'We can’t forget all we’ve learned': Expert’s advice as N.S. lifts mandatory COVID-19 measures Wednesday
Tuesday was the last day for the volunteer-run asymptomatic walk-in COVID-19 testing sites that were once a constant during the pandemic.
-
Halifax closing Meagher Park, unhoused people to be moved
A park in west end Halifax that became the site of an encampment last fall is closing to the public and removing unhoused inhabitants in the process.
-
N.B. woman shocked at four-year wait time to see dermatologist
A Riverview, N.B., woman has written her MLA and Health Minister Dorothy Shephard in hopes of having her voice heard over wait times to see specialists.
Winnipeg
-
'Please break the silence': Family of Winnipeg man missing since January 2021 pleads for information
It has been a year and a half since a 33-year-old man disappeared in Winnipeg. Police now believe he was a victim of foul play and say someone out there knows something.
-
New Omicron sub-variant is in Manitoba, province says
New sub-variants of COVID-19 are in Manitoba, with scientists watching trends warning the mutated version of the Omicron variant called BA.5 is highly transmissible.
-
Brown campaign accuses Conservative party of acting in favour of Poilievre after disqualification from leadership race
Patrick Brown has been disqualified from the federal Conservative leadership race, after ballots have already begun to be mailed out, and his campaign is fighting back against what it calls anonymous allegations.
Calgary
-
Calgary council approves $87B climate strategy
Members of Calgary city council have passed a controversial climate strategy that outlines how the city will reach net-zero by 2050.
-
10 vehicles, shed catch fire in northeast scrapyard near airport
An investigation is underway into the cause of a Wednesday morning fire at a scrapyard in northeast Calgary near YYC Calgary International Airport.
-
Alberta to extend $50/month electricity rebate program until December: source
The Alberta government is set to announce that electricity rebates will run until December, CTV News has learned.
Edmonton
-
'We're all really shaken up': Father recounts reuniting with missing daughter as U.S. man is charged
The father of the Edmonton girl who was missing for nine days said he was getting ready to post another update on Facebook last Saturday when police knocked on his door.
-
Alberta to extend $50/month electricity rebate program until December: source
The Alberta government is set to announce that electricity rebates will run until December, CTV News has learned.
-
Brown campaign accuses Conservative party of acting in favour of Poilievre after disqualification from leadership race
Patrick Brown has been disqualified from the federal Conservative leadership race, after ballots have already begun to be mailed out, and his campaign is fighting back against what it calls anonymous allegations.
Vancouver
-
Amanda Todd case: 'Pornographic' Facebook image reported to police, high school friend testifies
A high school friend of B.C. teen Amanda Todd has testified he took action when he saw what he described as a 'pornographic' picture of her on Facebook in November 2011.
-
Mayor makes last-minute proposal for renter protections in Vancouver's 30-year plan
The long-awaited Vancouver Plan is set to go before council on Wednesday after almost four years of work – and Mayor Kennedy Stewart is adding a last-minute amendment.
-
AFN delegates vote overwhelmingly in support of embattled national chief
Chiefs representing Indigenous communities from coast to coast have descended on Vancouver for the Assembly of First Nations General Assembly — with several resolutions on the agenda that could determine the political fate of their elected leader.