Solstice Studio

10/23/2025

✨ A Heartfelt Thank You ✨

I’m so excited to share this incredible photo album from our final Solstice Studio show, captured by the amazing Marijka. 🥹💛

She went above and beyond in every possible way… from backstage moments of laughter and nerves, to quiet hugs, teary eyes, and those raw, emotional connections that defined our final show together. Every photo tells a story — and somehow, she managed to capture the heart of who we are.

Marijka, thank you for not only your incredible work, but for who you are, kind, caring, fun, and full of heart. This was the biggest album she’s ever created, and she’s been working on it tirelessly since our show in June, balancing it alongside all her other projects. I’m endlessly grateful. 💛

To everyone who made this show possible — the volunteers, staff, and of course, our amazing dancers, thank you. You are the heart of Solstice. You poured yourselves onto that stage with such honesty, emotion, and vulnerability.

This was our last Solstice show… and these photos are the final memories of Solstice in motion, full of love, art, and everything we built together. 🩵

✨️And word from Marijka ✨️

Hello dancers & families!

I’m so excited to be delivering your finished 2025 dance recital photos!

Images have been sorted by dance number and you will find all the folder tabs at the top of the gallery screen.

You can download your images out of this gallery for free (the watermarks will disappear when you do), and if you’d like you can also order prints, wall art, and cards through it (visit the “Print Store” button at the top). ��

This gallery will expire after 6 months, so please make sure you download your photos before then! After that there will be a $30 reactivation fee.

Photography by Marijka also offers a variety of photoshoots with both indoor and outdoor options:
Families, couples, school portraits, creative portraits, goddess sessions, and more!
I have a large client closet available for use with any session booking, filled with pieces for all body types/sizes and lots of accessories and props!

Here is the link to my website so you can see more examples of my work:
https://www.photographybymarijka.com

If you have any questions about the gallery or photos, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Text/call: 250-570-8329
Email: [email protected]

Have a great day!

-Marijka

Gallery link:

https://photographybymarijka.pixieset.com/guestlogin/thrivesolsticestudiorecital2025/?return=%2Fthrivesolsticestudiorecital2025%2F

Please click on the link. Fill in YOUR email.
Use password: Solstice2025

10/01/2025

✨ THRIVE – Solstice Year-End Showcase Recordings ✨

Friends & families of Solstice,

I’m so happy to finally be able to share with you the recordings of our year-end showcase THRIVE 🌱—our very last Solstice performance, and one that will forever hold a special place in my heart. 💛

Thank you so much for your patience in waiting for these to be released. Now you can relive the magic of that day from the comfort of your homes.

👉 Skip through the intermission, grab some popcorn, cast the video to your TV, and enjoy watching with your families!

🎥 Evening Performance: https://youtu.be/4Jww-BPsdVo?si=HflzmCVRxmVH5kNg

🎥 Daytime Performance: https://youtu.be/d1e5DvsYZgw?si=aaow1vHTZsOPdg9R

This show was a celebration of resilience, growth, and community—and every dancer, parent, and supporter made it possible. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being part of our Solstice journey. 🌙✨

📸 Photography from both shows and rehearsals will be published by the end of October!

With gratitude and love,
Mrs. Jenny

Thrive our year-end evening show.

08/01/2025

🔥 ATTENTION DANCE STUDIOS in Campbell River, Courtenay & Comox!
LIMITED-TIME BOOKINGS: August Choreography with Mya Koropecki-Nichols

Looking to bring something fresh, original, and deeply moving to your stage this season? Whether you need a last-minute solo or a standout group piece, Mya Koropecki-Nichols is here to help your dancers truly shine from the inside out.

Known for her bold vision and unmistakable choreographic style, Mya’s work is emotionally charged, musically sensitive, and crafted with intention. Every piece she creates tells a story rich with feeling, texture, and her own signature artistry.

💥 Top Overall Choreographer chosen from over 500 routines
🏆 Multiple choreography awards across Contemporary, Jazz, Lyrical, Acro & Musical Theatre
🎓 Currently training at the prestigious Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Contemporary Dance in London, UK
🎭 Years of experience as both a competitive dancer and choreographer

Mya understands the heart of a dancer and how to bring out their truest expression on stage. She’s not just creating routines she’s creating moments.

✨ Available for:
– Solos, Duos, Trios
– Small & Large Groups
– Styles: Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, Modern, Acro, Musical Theatre

⚡️Available only for the month of August — limited spots!

📬 Inquire for pricing & availability
📧 [email protected]

07/06/2025

Where a spinning prop becomes an extension of your body

 We’re so excited to share that Jenny Hoopnosis is passing her beloved hoop dance program on to the incredible Atlas at Studio North! Jenny couldn’t be happier to see her program continue with such a fun, creative, and caring teacher. Atlas brings amazing energy, fresh ideas, and a kind spirit that the kids will absolutely love.

 Hoop dance is a unique blend of circus-style tricks and expressive dance — from creating playful characters, to telling meaningful stories, to performing dramatic pieces that light up the stage. It’s an art form that can be performed solo, with partners, or in groups, making it endlessly versatile and engaging.

Classes are offered for:

Ages 5–7

Ages 8–10

Ages 11–18

No experience is required — everyone is welcome to come spin, dance, and explore something new. Custom dance hoops are provided in class.

 Hoop dance also has a fascinating history. From its early roots in ancient Egypt, to becoming a playful craze in the 1950s, to evolving into rhythmic hooping, circus artistry, festival performances and more — hoop dance has traveled through time and cultures, always captivating people with its beauty and skill.

 This class helps develop fantastic hand-eye coordination, builds confidence, and sparks creativity in every dancer.

 
Dress Code

 Wear comfortable clothing you can easily move in — pants or shorts, and fitted T-shirts or tank tops that won’t flip up or get caught in the hoop. Hair should be up in a ponytail, bun, or braids. Dancers can go barefoot or wear socks.

 Come join Atlas at Studio North and discover how a simple hoop can become an extension of your body — and your imagination!

 Registration opens this week through the Studio North website 

07/06/2025

Where a spinning prop becomes an extension of your body

We’re so excited to share that Jenny Hoopnosis is passing her beloved hoop dance program on to the incredible Atlas at Studio North! Jenny couldn’t be happier to see her program continue with such a fun, creative, and caring teacher. Atlas brings amazing energy, fresh ideas, and a kind spirit that the kids will absolutely love.

Hoop dance is a unique blend of circus-style tricks and expressive dance — from creating playful characters, to telling meaningful stories, to performing dramatic pieces that light up the stage. It’s an art form that can be performed solo, with partners, or in groups, making it endlessly versatile and engaging.

Classes are offered for:

Ages 5–7

Ages 8–10

Ages 11–18

No experience is required — everyone is welcome to come spin, dance, and explore something new. Custom dance hoops are provided in class.

Hoop dance also has a fascinating history. From its early roots in ancient Egypt, to becoming a playful craze in the 1950s, to evolving into rhythmic hooping, circus artistry, festival performances and more — hoop dance has traveled through time and cultures, always captivating people with its beauty and skill.

This class helps develop fantastic hand-eye coordination, builds confidence, and sparks creativity in every dancer.

Dress Code

Wear comfortable clothing you can easily move in — pants or shorts, and fitted T-shirts or tank tops that won’t flip up or get caught in the hoop. Hair should be up in a ponytail, bun, or braids. Dancers can go barefoot or wear socks.

Come join Atlas at Studio North and discover how a simple hoop can become an extension of your body — and your imagination!

Registration opens this week through the Studio North website

A program developed by Jenny at Solstice Studio lives on with a new season at Studio North Dance Academy. We are so excited to introduce Hoop Dance to our programming.

📣Hoop dance combines circus tricks & rhythmic hoop dance skills with creative dance technique📣

Meet Atlas, our new Hoop instructor.

With over nine years of formal training under Jenny Hoopsis at Solstice Studio, and experience as a competitive dancer, Atlas brings a wealth of creativity and passion to her classes. Currently taking a break from her astrophysics studies, she’s excited to share her love of movement and connect with everyone at Studio North.

Learn more about our other programs at www.riverportdanceworks.com/studionorthdanceacademy

07/01/2025

🌟 Something truly magical happened…

✨ When one door closes, another door opens.

Today, I handed in my keys. Solstice is officially closed forever… and my heart is both heavy and so incredibly full.

But something truly wonderful has come out of this, something I couldn’t have even dreamed up myself. 💛

Not long ago, Jen Soo, the owner of Studio North and Stage West Dance Academies, reached out when she heard Solstice was closing. She wanted to meet right away, so the very next day, we stood together in the middle of Solstice and talked about everything. It was one of those caring, open conversations between two women who know the dance world , the dreams, the challenges, the ups and downs, and the deep love we pour in.

Near the end of that talk, Jen had this beautiful, wondering thought:

“What if I took over this space?”

My heart nearly burst. It was brilliant. The only catch? My lease was up in a week. The moving truck was already scheduled. I had to have everything cleared out.

But Jen, she saw the space, felt its spirit, and her eyes lit up. In that moment, we both got this spark of excitement. You could almost feel the future shift.

Jen jumped in with everything she had to try to make it happen. Meanwhile, I packed my personal things and cleaned and organized, just hoping, trusting this wild gut feeling that somehow, she was going to pull it off.

And day by day, we talked constantly. Through this whirlwind, Jen and I formed a bond that I know will never break. It all felt so special, so meant to be.

Then, two nights ago… I got the message.

Jen got the space!!!

I cried — truly cried — tears of joy. Because Solstice doesn’t have to vanish. It gets to live on in a beautiful new way, through Jen, her incredible crew at Studio North, and now, in this space that still holds all our memories.

Everything inside stays. The art, the furniture, the very heart of the studio. Even some of our instructors are joining Jen and her team.

I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect ending for Solstice… which really is just a new beginning. 💫

This wasn’t planned. It was a last-minute, heart-led leap of faith. And somehow, the universe aligned to keep dance, love, and community thriving right here.

So here’s our big, special news. A chapter closes… and another, just as full of hope, opens.

💖 Thank you to everyone who’s ever been part of Solstice. And thank you, Jen Soo, for carrying this light forward. I truly couldn’t be happier.

Studio North Dance Academy
Stage West School of Performing Arts

06/30/2025

✨ A little PSA for dance parents…

I want to share an important warning about acro classes.

Across many dance studios right now, it’s become common practice to hire people who are not certified to teach acro. Often, these are dancers or former gymnasts with no formal training in teaching acro or gymnastics safely.

This is incredibly risky. Kids can (and sadly do) suffer serious injuries — including spine, neck, shoulder, and hip injuries — when acro isn’t taught properly. These are injuries that can stay with them for life.

Acro is difficult, intense, and demands precise technique. Proper skill progressions, strength building, and spotting are absolutely critical to prevent injuries. It’s not enough that a teacher once did these skills themselves — they must know how to build them safely in children’s growing bodies.

At Solstice, our acro coach wasn’t just a former gymnast — she was both a certified gymnastics coach and Acro certified. Because safety matters BIG TIME.

Parents, please don’t be afraid to ask:
👉 Is your child’s acro teacher certified in acro dance or gymnastics instruction?
👉 What safety certifications or progressions do they follow? ( PLEASE ASK)

Your kids deserve coaches who take their safety seriously. 💛

06/20/2025

Please read emails that have been sent out throughout the weeks until recent with all details to be prepared and organized.
That way, there's less stress and more FUN!

06/20/2025

❤️🫶

06/19/2025