Tonya Wanner Photography

A figure skater needs the speed of a speed skater, the strength of a hockey player, the balance and flexibility of a gymnast and the grace and control of a ballerina! Think about that for a moment. This is J A D Y N and she is both a figure skater from @skatesaskatoon and a dancer from @bsobad, so she’s pretty much unstoppable!! ... Thank you to @gordiehowesports for allowing her on the ice and being ok with us taking over an area with her music playing for a bit.

2021 Let’s unify. Let’s love. Let’s respect. Let’s forgive. Let’s learn. Let’s grow. Let’s take what we’ve learned from 2020 and use it wisely.... My wish for YOU this year, is that you live each day loving yourself and believing in yourself so you have what you need to commit to the work and the process.

The sun will rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it’s here is up to us. - Journey Wisely At a time when dancers are feeling so restricted like everyone else right now, it was something else to capture this girl dancing so freely right now! The crisp air, the sun shining brightly on her as she reached for that light, and the emotion behind the song she danced to, all of it brought out the best in her. Zoom in for her expression to see her feel...ing it all! Loved this winter shoot with @maddychristianson from @bravo.dance.co

2020 was a year that started off with so much excitement, promise and growth and although it ultimately didn’t end up the way we all started the year off imagining, there was some GOOD! There was a lot of good actually, even if some days I had to look for it more than others. I may not have been able to do what I had set out and planned to do, work with everyone I was excited about, and the international collabs definitely came to a crashing halt, but there was still growth... in big ways and I was able to continue working with so many beautiful incredible dancers. I’m still thankful for the year I did have and all the teachings that came along with it. I’m so grateful to all of you for the continued support and the encouragement moving forward as we look ahead to the possibilities of working together soon. I’ve taken a break away from this Insta world for the last while and during the holiday season to slow down, enjoy my family and get up to our cabin life up north, where I can really zero in on my intentions for 2021. As I slowly tippy toe into the year carefully. Here are my top nine posts of the year! Nine shoots I was SO pumped about and grateful for each of these individuals! Thank you just isn’t enough.

Work It Wednesday Who’s ready to work for it and make it happen? You with me? @reeses_pieces77 inspires many young dancers to want to wake up and work hard for your dreams. Working with her last year was one of the many sweet collabs I had in the works, and I’m grateful we were able to make this happen when we did! ... Currently re-planning the collabs this year because I’m hopeful they will be able to happen and I can travel again! We can plan right? See more

One of the things I’ve been working on during this season is turning past images I’ve done for dancers into even more artistic pieces of art for them for gifts and to be enlarged onto canvases. I have to say I’m loving the process and showing the dancers just what the end result looks like and hearing what they think. Note: This dancer is incredibly talented and this was a one shot take and completely untouched! I love that this was her favourite shot also. This is M A ...D D I E @maddie_kraft who dances with ITP at @ignitedanceworksinc and I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with her a couple of times now. If you’d like me to work on one of your past images I’ve shot, there’s still time to get in before the holidays and have a special gift made up for the dancer in your life!!

Cue all the emotions! This was such a bittersweet shoot as it was the one and only Nutcracker shoot in studio (not knowing that it would be) This was a test shoot in the brand new studio space that I’m working with and was soooo excited about. Immediately following this shoot was when I made the decision to pause all indoor studio shoots at this time while we need to be masked indoors. Then with the news of further restrictions to dance yesterday, I know a lot of you danc...ers and teachers and studio directors are feeling it today!! So this was a VERY special shoot for this beautiful girl right here!! I’m also excited to show you just the space and lighting that I get to play around with in this studio when I do get back in there for individual and small group dance shoots for you all!! This is A Y L A who dances at @studio1rpdance Dancing with the nutcracker in her beautiful @artstonecostumes tutu and @blochdancecanada pointes that she just got this season!!! Yaaaa girl!! I can’t wait to show you more in the future in this beautiful space, once I resume my in studio shoots at @simplybettermedia Let me know your fav out of these three images all differently lit! I’ll give you my fav....#1!!

Envision who you want to be. Who you have the power to become. Look towards that light and be determined to go get! ... This girl has the pure look of determination and there no doubt she’s willing to work for what she wants! I’m happy to start Monday off with this spotlight on S O R A Y A @sosow2274 an Intermediate ITP dancer from @ignitedanceworksinc Let’s show her some love!!