Windsor French school gets $1.4 million for new dance studio

The Providence Catholic School Board is investing $1.4 million to build a professional dance studio at a French high school in Windsor.

Ecole E.J. Lajeunesse will start to offer a new dance program in September — when the dance studio is expected to be up and running.

The school's Principal Thomas Couvillion said the dance program is all about student engagement, even if the $1.4 million studio raises a few eyebrows.

"We've shown to have succeeded very well academically in our provincial scoring," said Couvillion. "A lot of that is the engagement of the students and that's really what their objective is. So yes, people will probably question it, but I really have a problem when we're questioning things that are for the benefit of the students," he said.

Grade 10 student Celeste Vigneus, who's been dancing for most of her life, is happy to hear about the new program.

"I think it's really exciting because I am gonna have the option to take my passion as one of my classes for school and get a credit for that," she said.

Many of the school's 400 students are excited about the studio as well.

"They're excited about it too because even though they have never danced," said Vigneus. "There's gonna be all different levels for the class so they are going to be able to learn choreography classes and how to dance…the basics."

The school has consulted the area's dance community for guidance and will allow some public use.

"I think that mixing it with school is perfect…especially here because it will be in French and it's just a lot of opportunities that a lot of kids don't always have…outside of school," said Ally Ostrow, a Grad 11 student.

The tendering process is the next step for the school, followed by construction, which is expected to start in the next couple of months.

A dance teacher is also expected to be hired before September.