At this Regina studio, it's dancers' steps that count, not their age

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Jaimie Kopeck has loved performing for as long as she can remember.

Her mother signed her up for dance classes when she was a young child to harness that energy.

"I still remember being four years old, walking upstairs in my little tippy-tap shoes to take my first dance class," she said. "I was just smiling when I left the class."

Fast forward a few decades and Kopeck is helping other people smile. She's the owner of Collective Studios Regina, an inclusive space that focuses on dancing and performing for adults.

The studio has been operating in Regina since 2022. It offers lessons in all levels and dance styles, including ballet, tap, jazz, country, burlesque, hip hop, salsa and more.

Kopeck wants everyone to feel welcome, whether they are brand new to dance or if they are getting back into it after a few years away.

Anna Valimaki says she was nervous when she first started classes, but it's been a lot of fun.

She says she thought at first that she might be too old to get involved.

"Can you teach a 60-year-old how to dance that's never danced before?" Valimaki asks. "I was a little nervous, but it's been so fun. The classes are amazing."

Kaydence Otte was a competitive dancer when she was younger. She says she loved performing on stage and wanted to feel that energy rush again.

Otte says performing is a wonderful feeling.

"It's scary, but when you're on stage, it feels so good. And it's hard to find somewhere like that once you're 18-plus," she said.

"Some of us literally seek that feeling of being on stage, and she's given that to us."