Chalkevitch family – Vladimir and Janna, and their children – Irina and Alex – 2 generations of professionals, Belarusians who have achieved world fame and recognition in their beloved field – dance: Multiple champions in different styles, coaches of national and world champions, international category judges, congress lecturers, owners of the international studio “Toronto Ballroom Academy”, winners of the awards “Best Studio of North America”, “Woman of the Year”, “Prestige” and many others in Canada and the USA, regular participants of TV and other projects …
But first things first:
The word about the “Russian couple” – Janna and Vladimir quickly spread to Calgary and they were increasingly invited to the studios in Calgary for the preparation of competitive dancers. At first the Chalkevitch combined work in 2 cities, but as time went by, there were more and more students in Calgary, and the city is big, more opportunities, more interesting life, and Janna and Vladimir finally moved to Calgary.
Participation in competitions brought more and more fame, and Janna and Vladimir expanded their circle of acquaintances. There were already dancers-children who participated in competitions. It is worth noting that the Chalkevitch took a careful and very responsible approach to working with contest dancers. The fact is that in Canada and America, there are no classes, but there are levels: beginners, then BRONZE – bronze level, then SILVER – silver, GOLD – gold, the next PRECHAMP – pre-champion, and the highest – Championship level – the level of the champion. From beginner level to gold level is a training program with the listed figures, and pre-champion level and champion level is an open category.
It’s also interesting that organizers, since contests are private, are given an opportunity to introduce additional levels: for example, Pre-Bronze, Pre-Silver, Pre-Gold or Open Bronze, Open Silver, Open Gold. Thus, the coach and the dancer have more choice, in addition, it is allowed to dance one level higher, and it is also possible to dance in 2 age categories. For example, the Juniors 1 can try themselves in the group of juniors 2. But Seniors 65+, for example, may compete in the 55+ group. Janna and Vladimir believe that such freedom of choice and wider opportunities are good for dancers and beneficial to the organizers, for example, a dancer who knows only 6 dances at bronze level, can dance 18 dances in 3 competitions, in addition, it is possible to participate in the so-called, Single dance Competition (separate dance competition) and there are 6 more competitions.
In North America competitions are also very popular competition format Pro Am (Teacher / Student), and in the dance life of Janna and Vladimir, this direction also occupied a significant place. Some students from Lesbridge continued to visit them in Calgary. Professionally, everything was fine.
Special memories of the move are associated in the Chalkevitch and with their beloved dog, who flew to Canada with them from Belarus: in search of housing in Calgary, it turned out, that having such a huge dog, as their South Russian shepherd, almost impossible to find a house to rent. So many homes have “No pets, no kids” status. – “No pets, no kids,” some homes allowed dogs to live with them, but of limited weight, and their handsome Bim far exceeded those tolerances. After a long struggle, they had to buy their own place and found peace and independence, but now Bim has a park and can walk along the river.
The daughter of the Chalkevich’s, Irina, after becoming a two-time champion of Canada has received an invitation to dance in the USA with a new partner. Very quickly Irina became one of the leading couples in the “American Style”. At the very prestigious “HERITAGE CLASSIC” competition she became the champion of America (Rising Star) and many other successful competitions throughout America filled her life.
A special and gratifying moment for Irina was the fact that a book about national champions was published in America –
“BALLROOM – Dance and Glamour” and her name and picture are included in this Encyclopedia of America’s Leading Dancers.
The Cchalkevich’s son, Alex, went on to attend university and dance in Montreal. In 2001, he won the Canadian championship for the first time. After graduating from one of the most prestigious universities, McGill University, he moved to Toronto, where his partner lived.
For the Chalkevitch family had a life situation of a diverse triangle: they are only 4 people in a huge continent and they are separated by thousands of kilometers. Then Janna and Vladimir decided to move to Toronto and be closer to their son, and it was absolutely the right and natural decision.
Very often they went to contests in Canada and America, where both son and daughter danced, so the contests became a meeting place for the whole family. The photos capture these happy moments: Irina was the winner in “American Style,” Alex won in “International Program.” Vladimir began to take photos of his children himself at contests where contest rules allowed, experimenting with artistic photography. Of course, Janna and Vladimir invested in their children and rejoiced in their successes.
The Chalkevichs’ son Alex participated in competitions all over the world, lived in England for long periods and trained with English teachers, trained for months in Italy and Russia. He returned to Toronto to participate in qualifying contests and indoor Canadian championships.
During his amateur dance, he twice participated in the prestigious and weighty for every dancer WORLD GAMES. Also indelible impression left in his memory victories in the Asian Championships: Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan.
After 5 years of championing in amateur dancing, Alex moved into the professionals and has represented Canada in this category. A great achievement for him in the professionals was the semi-finals of the Blackpool Festival!
Blackpool is the Mecca of dance and a dream for every dancer to participate in it, to go at least a few rounds. For Alex Blackpool was a happy contest, back in the amateurs, he was the first couple in Canada, which in the amateurs began his career with a quarter-final, the best 24 couples in the world, he was then the 19th. There’s a joke about Blackpool: the quarterfinalists are known by name, the semifinalists are recognized by sight, and the finalists get all the laurels.
When his son was 30, Vladimir told him: “In life everything should be in time: the child was born, went to kindergarten, then school, college, and then the mature life. It’s the same with dancing: it’s time to build your own business.” Alex heeded his father’s advice and in 2009 at a competition in Montreal, where his dancing career began, he finished his participation in competitions as the 8-time champion of Canada. Alex and his partner Larissa thanked all the teachers in the world, coaches, parents, fellow dancers, friends in their speech for the interesting bright life in dance and the influence on his formation as a dancer and a conscious person.
Thus, in 2009, the doors of TORONTO BALLROOM ACADEMY opened hospitably, for which Alex certainly benefited from his university knowledge – McGill University – Economics and Finance. The dance community of Toronto got a spacious professional studio with 3 halls which corresponds to the international standards: halls divided by a movable wall, locker rooms, lobby, equipment, acoustics – everything is up to the highest level.
The life in the new studio boiled over from the very first days. In addition to lessons, the studio holds lectures, classes on practical technique, master classes, runs the Academy for the study of the book “The Ballroom Technique” (Imperial Society Teachers of Dancing and “Technique of Latin Dancing” Walter Laird), studied the Italian language, planned dance camps, holidays, competitions, Medal tests (tests for the medal level) and much more. Leading coaches and champions from abroad and Canada are invited to the studio.
The studio has become a real forge of finalists and champions in all age categories. In all Canadian competitions, TORONTO BALLROOM ACADEMY students have stood in the finals and on the podiums. Along with the painstaking work of preparing contest pairs, open days are organized for new students.
Alex is a generator of new ideas – it became possible to publish a glossy dance studio magazine, which covered student participation and successes, useful articles, materials on important aspects for dancers.
At many prestigious competitions, the studio has received the “Top Studio” award.
On the competition “Arnold Classic” in America “Toronto Ballroom Academy” received such award 4 years in a row.
After the end of their children’s competitive careers, Janna and Vladimir began to actively travel as judges in competitions. And once, being under the impression of one of these trips to Hong Kong to judge the World Cup, Janna was struck by what she saw. Ballroom dancing there is under the patronage of the government, children have the opportunity to practice for free: it seems that everyone dances!
Upon their return from Hong Kong, Jeanne and Vladimir decided to “become that government for the children of Toronto” themselves and opened group classes for 6-7 year olds for free for a whole year of classes. At first this caused some distrust on the part of parents, because there is nothing free here, it was assumed that the training would be appropriate or there would be some trick in it. But after a few months people believed in Janna and Vladimir. Classes were not canceled, not rescheduled, and most importantly, the children in a burst told their parents about each dance class. The Chalkevitch themselves comment on their decision this way: “Parents of children at this age are like at a crossroads: where to send the child, what to invest money and time, what kind of sport or art occupation will bring the greatest return. That is why we have defined a long enough period of time, a whole year, it is possible to observe children in the group, to analyze how harmoniously the dance “lays” on their souls, to discuss with parents. For some it is entertainment, for others it is realization of ambitious ideas, the first steps to the pedestal. There were more and more children and we had to open a second group.
By New Year’s Eve, under the script of Alex Cchalkevich’s wife, Julia, a very talented and creative person, a great holiday with Russian Santa Claus, the Snow Maiden and Mother Winter was organized. (The Santa Claus in Toronto couldn’t compare to the one the kids knew at “Smile” in Minsk. He was a popular stage and movie actor, singer of songs, and bard Yevgeny Nikitin throughout the years). But the costumes of New Year’s characters brought from Belarus came in handy now in Toronto for Janna and Vladimir.
The experiment of free education for children received a wide public response throughout the year, in magazines and on television, Janna and Vladimir gave interviews, talked about the goals of the experiment and increasingly gained the trust and appreciation of parents. A film was made about Janna and Vladimir Chalkevich by Ethnic Television, “ONE OF US”, as successful representatives of the Russian-speaking community.
Another bright page in the life of the Chalkevich family is associated with the judging of the JUNIOR OLIMIC GAMES. There is an American Athletic Union (AAU) sport organization in America. Irina Chalkevich actively supports this movement (mini-Olympic contests) with opening and closing ceremonies, with a parade of participants, the oath from the dancers and judges. This is a very spectacular competition, Janna Chalkevich annually judges this prestigious “dance marathon”.
The Prize “The Toronto Prestige” is an annual award in recognition of work of Janna and Vladimir Chalkevich in Canada. It is an annual award that rewards outstanding services of Russian-speaking government and public figures and organizations, businessmen, artists, science, education, sports, medicine, who have made a significant contribution to the Russian-speaking community of Toronto. Both Alexander and Julia were nominated for this Prize, but the Jury preferred Alex’s parents, and Alex and Julia received a “Certificate of Nomination”.
Just like the parents, the Chalkevich parents also have their children, a son and a daughter.
In America, their daughter Irina was recognized by the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW) as VIP WOMAN OF THE YEAR on April 25, 2017 and received the prestigious award for her leadership and success in entrepreneurship. Irina was given the opportunity to host a National Radio Roundtable.
IRINA CHALKEVICH Dance Titles:
- 9 Dance National Canadian Champion;
- 2 times National Canadian American Smooth Champion;
- United States National Rising Star Champion;
- United States National Professional 9 Dance Runners up (Ballroom & Latin);
- Open to the World Finalist.
ALEX CHALKEVICH Dance Titles:
- 8 times Undefeated Canadian Standard Champion;
- 2 times North American Standard Champion;
- Asia Open Champion;
- Macau Open Rising Star Champion;
- Blackpool Rising Star Finalist.
Alex’s coaching accomplishments:
- Nearly 30 Canadian national champions, medalists and finalists;
- Two world champions in 10 dances (Under 21);
- World and International finalists;
- Four-time winner of the BEST STUDY IN NORTH AMERICA (2009-2012);
- Captain of the Canadian Dance Sport Team in the ARNOLD DANCESPORT CLASSIC competition (USA);
International and Canadian Lecturer:
- German Open Championship – Germany;
- International Training Dance Camp – Italy;
- Merano International Dance Camp – Italy;
- Canadian DanceSport Federation – Canada;
International and Canadian Judge:
- World Free Style Championship – China;
- Merano Grand Prix – Italy;
- Slovenia Open – Slovenia;
- Estonian Closed Championship – Estonia;
- WDSF World Open – Belarus;
- Beijing Open DanceSport Championship – China;
- WDSF Grand Slam – China;
- Ohio Star Ball – USA;
- Arnold DanceSport Classic – USA;
- Embassy Ball – USA;
- Snowball Classic – Canada;
- La Classique Du Quebec – Canada
And many others!
CHALKEVICH family – 2 generations of professionals working in one team. “Mastery and Continuity” – the basis of the happy Chalkevich family, the most ordinary people from blue-eyed Belarus, who achieved world fame and recognition in their favorite business – Dance.
“- Love what you do and always remain professionals!”
Janna, Vladimir, Irina and Alex Chalkevich
