Ripley teen with Team Canada, wins medals at international dance contest in Germany

Ripley's Taylor Pollard, 17, brought home gold and silver medals, as a member of Team Canada, at the International Dance Championships, held Oct. 21-31, 2016, in Wetzler, Germany.

The Grade 12 student at Kincardine District Secondary School is an accomplished dancer, and with the team, competed in adult modern and jazz categories. Team Canada won gold in modern dance, and silver in jazz.

"I love travelling in Europe, so to have the opportunity to dance there was incredible," said Taylor. "I loved being able to watch all the other countries' teams."

Her parents, Jeff and Maryellen Pollard, and brother, Ty, joined her in Germany and enjoyed watching her compete, and win medals.

Taylor also travelled to Mexico, in the fall, to perform with the Five Star Dance Company, a pre-professional dance company that allows young dancers to experience what a professional dance environment is like before choosing to make it a career. "I was the entertainment at the Barcelo Maya Resort for a week," she said.

With dancing, school and working part-time job at Dairy Queen in Kincardine, Taylor's dance card is pretty full. She plans to stay a fifth year at KDSS before finalizing her future plans.

She loves to dance and loves to compete, and credits her dance teachers, Jenna Hart and Courtney Nelson at Danceology in Lucknow, for her accomplishments in dance.