NEWS photo Paul McGrath

ELEN Gurguiev has just begun classes for the second season
of his North Shore Batlet school. It is one of few schools in the
Lower Mainland teaching the Vaganova style, the leading
method of instruction around the word.

Wednesday, Octobér 16, 1996 - North Shore News — 43

Bulgaria with love

North Shore is ideal, says ballet master

By Deaaa Lancaster
Contributing Writer

ELEN Gurguiev designed the
logo for his ballet school when
he was just 15 years old.

He didn’t know when, or how, or
where he would open it, but be knew
that he would.

Last September, three months after
arriving in Vancouver, the then 26-
year-old Gurguiey gave his first class at
the Elen Alexandrov Gurguiev School
2 Ballet and Jazz.

“[came to Vancouver on June Ist
and I was staying with a friend of mine
in Vancouver,” Gurguiev said. “I could
see out the window to (the North
Shore), I didn’t even know what I was
looking at, and [ said ‘that’s where I’m
going to open my school.’”

It hasn’t been easy bur Gurguiev
does not regret the choice. He found
the ideal studio on the top floor of the
hall behind St. Andrew’s United
Church on St. Georges. The room has
high ceilings, big windows, and wood-
en floors, which is easy on the knees
when jumping. It was August and the
minister was away so he told the church
secretary of his plans to rip up the car-
pet, paint, and put up mirrors in the
room. Gurguiev is Bulgarian. He began
to learn English when he came to
Canada in 1992 and still speaks it with
a heavy accent.

“I don’t think she understood what
Iwanted to do. She thought I would
rent the room as it was.” The uproar
over his renovations died down last
September after Gurguiev met with the
church board and minister, and now he
says his relationship with the church
staff is wonderful. '

“Heather (the secretary) is like
another mom to me.”

As for the school, in its second sea-
son enrolment sits at about 21 stu-
dents. The ages range from five to 30.
Most are in their second year of classes

with him, but chat doesn’t mean they .

are taking it easy. Gurguiev is serious
about ballet. He lost six students last
year because his classes, although fun,
were more work than they expected
them to be.

“It is hard for me to explain to par-
ents: this is a ballet school, it is nora
playground. They are paying me to
teach their children to dance.”

When the students quit he said it
was a slap in the face, “I was fecling
very dramatic and depressed, but now I
know I should not take it too serious-
ly.” Now, he said he is learning to
explain himself and talk about what he
wants, and the parents of his students
are supportive.

Gurguiev is teaching his classes the
Vaganova, or Russian, method of ballet.
It is the same method taught at profes-
sional schools around the world,
including the Royal Winnipeg Ballet
School.

Most Lower Mainland — Ballet
Schools teach the syllabus of the Royal

ONE of Elen Gurguiev’s stu-
dents prepares to go onstage.

Academy of Dance (RAD) in London,
England. Students learning the RAD
method must repeat and perfect the
same exercises in every class. °

Gurguier hopes that both the vari-
ety and wide-spread acceptance of the
Vaganova method will appeal to those
seeking training on the North Shore.

Gurguiev studied (the , Russtan
method himself as a student at
Bulgaria’s National Ballet School and
the Bolshoi Ballet School in Moscow.
He joined the National Ballet of
Bulgaria after graduation and_ per-
formed throughout Europe.

He began teaching in Spain. When
he arrived in Canada he became artistic
consultant to a skating team in Victoria.
Then on to Toronto where he studied
teacher training and assisted classes at
the National Ballet School of Canada.

But he had to come back to the
West Coast to open his school. ,

“Once you’ve been here you cannot
ignore it,” he said. And he plans on
being here for a very long time.

Phone him at 984-6408 for infor-
mation.

2 athe. at,
ae
Mie

aN

West Vancouver Memorial
Library Gallery: Both Sides
Together, painting in’ pastels
and watercolors by artist June
Wells, ongoing to Nov. 3. Info:
925-7400.

Ferry Building Gallery:
Touch Stone, Touch Wood, col-
lection of acrylic paintings
and drawings by artist: Jane

NEWS photo Brad Ladwidge

DISTINGUISHED West Van
artist Unity Bainbridge
displays what she calis
her “antiques,” watercol-
ors and sketches she cre-
ated as far back as the
"30s, at North Vancouver
istrict library's Capilano
branch, in Edgemont
Village.

Wolsak. to Oct. 20. 925-7266.
Siik Purse Arts Centre:
Harbor Scenes in Watercolors,
by artist Lyle Nanson, to Oct.
20. Still Lifes in Oils, by artist
Cyprian Libera, Oct, 22-Nov.
3, Info: 925-7292,

Seymour Art Gallery: /f We
Build tt They Will Conte,
photo exhibition by W.V. artist
Valerie Metz, Oct. 16 opening
reception. 7-9 p.m. display
continues to Nov. 3. Design
for Living: The Chair, Oct. 16
exhibition reception, 7-9 p.m.,
display continues to Nov. 3.
Dixeovery ‘97 The Darker
Side, call for entries for juried

exhibition, Cornucopia of

Creative Gifts, juried sale ot
origina) art and craft: work
from B.C. artist., Nov. 27 lo
Nec. 1, opening preview for
members and their guests: ts
Nov. 27. 7-9 pa.

West Yancouver Muscuns
and Archives: West

Vancouver Collects!
Exhibition includes Coast
Salish baskets, West
Vancouver Girl Guides*
mementos, and a section on
“modern” office technology
(turn of the century to World
War Two). Info: 925-7295.
Dundarave Cafe: Delightful
Diversity, watercolors .and
mixed media on various’ sub-
jects, show runs to Oct. 26.
info: 926-8639.

Presentation House Gallery:

Action, Performance and the

Photograph, also Transient
Moments: Vancouver and the
Performance Photograph, to
Oct. 27. North Vancouver
Museum and Archives, open
Wed.-Sun., (2-5 p.m, inside
Presentation House, — free
admission.

North Vancouver Musesnt
and Archives: The Amess
Collection, Oct. 9 through
Dee. Kottoms Up! A Walk in

Burrard Inlet, Noy. 6-March
1. Hours are Wednesday to
Sunday. noon to 5 p.m. Info:
987-5618.

Presentation House Theatre:
Rogers’ and Hammerstein's A
Grand Night for Singing, fea-
turing hit show tunes, Oct. IT-
Oct. 36, tickets $1 &$15, call
980-7950. Info: 990-3474.
Deep Cove Shaw Theatre:
The Waman in Black, spine-
chilling thriller, Oct. [8-Nov.
2, Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m, call 929-
3200 for reservations. A
Christmas Caroi, Charles
Dickens’ classic tate adapted
for the stage, Noy. 15-30, 8
pan, Wed. Sat. call 929-9456
for reservations and iafo.

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