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'Surreal': Area dancer living the dream on Canada's Got Talent

'I feel very grateful for the opportunity to be on such a big stage for the whole country to watch,' says long-time dancer and dance instructor
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Orillia's Ashley Veldboom has auditioned on Canada's Got Talent.

An Orillia woman has danced her way onto Canada’s Got Talent.

Ashley Veldboom, a professional contemporary jazz and acro dancer, started dancing when she was just three years old.

“My mom says I always loved to go to the dance studio,” she explained. “I was always very happy when I was at dance class.”

When she was just ten years old, Veldboom decided she wanted to start competing against the best dancers in the world in her age group.

“For me, it wasn’t necessarily about the competition,” she explained. “I liked that competing meant I got to dance more.”

When Veldboom turned 14, she started teaching dance and gymnastics and has been doing so ever since. She currently teaches at Tapp’s Performing Arts in Orillia.

“It makes me extremely happy to share something I’m so passionate about,” she said, “I enjoy passing on all the knowledge that I’ve been able to gain from experience with dancing in the competitive (field) and getting my foot in the door into the professional industry.”

The now 21-year-old Orillia Secondary School graduate has found herself on Canada’s Got Talent for the second time. She first auditioned last season with her team, Intrepid Dance Company. Unfortunately, the audition never aired on the show.

“I decided that I wanted to do it again,” she said. “It has always been a dream of mine to be on TV, especially dancing on TV, so I wanted to try again.”

This time around, Veldboom submitted a solo performance and was selected to audition live.

“It’s definitely surreal,” she said. “I feel very grateful for the opportunity to be on such a big stage for the whole country to watch.”

Veldboom hopes her performance on Canada’s Got Talent inspires other young dancers and athletes to chase their dreams.

“I’m glad that a lot of my students are able to watch me perform on this national stage,” she said. “I’m very grateful and I feel overwhelmed with all the support I’ve received."

Veldboom says she couldn’t have made it this far without a ton of support. She thanks her dance teacher, Emily Battalia, the Tapp’s Performing Arts community, her Intrepid Dance Company team, and her family.

“All of my friends and family have been cheering me on,” she said. “It’s definitely appreciated and has helped me enjoy the process.”

Following her time with Canada’s Got Talent, Veldboom will continue to pursue her career in professional dancing.

“I’ve already done a few music videos, movies, and stage performances,” she said. “Canada’s Got Talent is definitely the biggest platform that I’ve had the opportunity to perform on, so I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

The next episode of Canada’s Got Talent airs on Tuesday at 8 p.m. on Citytv.

Canada’s Got Talent is an amazing experience,” she said. “You’ll have to watch to find out what happens.”


Tyler Evans

About the Author: Tyler Evans

Tyler Evans got his start in the news business when he was just 15-years-old and now serves as a video producer and reporter with OrilliaMatters
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