“A Day in the Life” of Lauren Thompson from Youth Singers of Calgary

September 30, 2020 Jessica da Cunha Arts, Performing Arts

What a true joy it’s been working with Lauren Thompson at the Youth Singers of Calgary this last twenty years. I’ve had the personal privilege of teaching Lauren when she joined us in our Junior High program, watching her grow into a fantastic mentor for our youth, and now working with her as a talented colleague.

Lauren is a passionate artist who values educating youth about the artistic process while delivering a noteworthy final product. Her students leave inspired, educated about the performing arts, and possessing the confidence needed to conquer the world. She has put her personal mark on our program and shaped the life of every singer fortunate enough to work within one of her divisions.

Lauren has held several staff roles within our program: KIDAZZLE, KIDZXPRESS, SHINE, SECOND CHANTS, and our GLEEK OUT summer camps (now known as SHOWBIZ KIDS), as well as guest choreographing for our JUNIOR HI, SENIOR HI, and ACT3 divisions. Lauren has also worked in the greater Calgary community with Storybook Theatre, Theatre Calgary, Lunchbox Theatre, Forte Musical Theatre Guild, and multiple schools, summer programs, and local arts groups.

Lauren holds a degree in Tourism Management and Marketing from the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. These unique skills make her a valuable asset to whichever project she’s chosen to devote her attention to.

Natural talent and a lifetime dedication to the arts have helped make Lauren an irreplaceable member of our team, an invaluable friend, and a thriving contributor to Calgary’s Arts community.

– Donald Jones, Principal Choreographer at the Youth Singers of Calgary

Lauren Thompson 1
At the Youth Singers of Calgary I choreograph the Grade 3 choir KIDAZZLE and the Grades 4-6 choir KIDZXPRESS. We start rehearsals for the 2020/21 season on Sept 10 and I cannot express how excited I am to see these kids again! For months we’ve been planning their season full of incredible music, fun dances and a creative way to spend the year together. Every year since I can remember we’ve taken a group picture backstage at the Jubilee Auditorium right before their big show starts. Each year the combined divisions will be anywhere from 50-75 young performers. Taking these photos every year and seeing how they grow up makes me feel like such a proud momma! The best part is trying to find me in the photos!
Lauren Thompson 2
I started dancing when I was 3 years old in your typical ballet and tap classes, and once again when I joined Youth Singers, but it wasn’t really until I turned 15 that I truly discovered my passion for it. From that point on I sought out every opportunity to dance on a stage; from Calaway Live to Dance Montage to musical theatre productions, to professional gigs with IllFX! In the Youth Singers of Calgary Spring Production I danced alongside one of my favorite stage partners Jeff Diodati to an a cappella version of “I’ve Had the Time of My Life”. It was a dream come true being the only two dancers on stage performing such an iconic duet! (Fun fact – my shoe came unclipped right before the big lift…nothing like a live performance!)
I began teaching and choreographing when I was 18 and it changed my life. I knew I loved to dance and perform, but it was then I discovered how much I enjoyed creating those dances and most importantly how much I enjoyed working with kids. Choreography has taken me to professional shows, adult shows, adult choirs and high schools, but it is my love of teaching our younger performers that has become a part of my everyday life. This is me taking a rehearsal bow with the KIDAZZLE and KIDZXPRESS divisions of the Youth Singers of Calgary. Our Spring production at the jubilee auditorium is typically the first big stage a lot of our younger singers get to experience. I’ve performed on that stage over almost two dozen times, but getting to relive that first experience every year through those singers is so cool.
I began teaching and choreographing when I was 18 and it changed my life. I knew I loved to dance and perform, but it was then I discovered how much I enjoyed creating those dances and most importantly how much I enjoyed working with kids. Choreography has taken me to professional shows, adult shows, adult choirs and high schools, but it is my love of teaching our younger performers that has become a part of my everyday life. This is me taking a rehearsal bow with the KIDAZZLE and KIDZXPRESS divisions of the Youth Singers of Calgary. Our Spring production at the jubilee auditorium is typically the first big stage a lot of our younger singers get to experience. I’ve performed on that stage over almost two dozen times, but getting to relive that first experience every year through those singers is so cool.
Lauren Thompson 4
As much as dancing is my first love, singing is what ultimately brought me to Youth Singers. It is such a relief from stress and a huge mood booster and is something I’ve turned to a lot in my tiny apartment lately. Whether it’s by yourself in your shower or car (I am always that crazy person stopped at the light beside you rocking it out) or on stage in front of thousands, there is this joy found in singing that anybody of any age, language or skill level can enjoy. If I find the opportunity to sing even one song anywhere, it is a good day. For 10 years I performed with the semi-professional ensemble SHINE as a part of the Youth Singers. I auditioned when I was 18 and performed alongside my friends who I looked up to for years. I grew immensely as a performer while being a part of this group and even co-managed and choreographed the ensemble from 2013-2018. Over the years the ensemble changed and was made up of a variety of members, all of whom I still call my friends today – and we still find the time to sing together.
Lauren Thompson 5
Even though most arts programs run during the school year, I’ve spent my summers gigging, working, and promoting Youth Singers for our fall programs. For five years I worked part-time on the Marketing Team at Youth Singers before being hired on full time this past summer. This is one of many summer booths we would set up and help promote the program to everyone in Calgary! If I’m given the opportunity to start talking about Youth Singers you’ll have a hard time getting me to stop 😉
Lauren Thompson 7
I have choreographed a number of productions with StoryBook Theatre including The Paper Bag Princess, but one of the shows I am most proud of is The Urban Jungle Book. It was a brand new show that as a cast and crew we workshopped together and developed a storyline, characters and original music. Joe Slabe then went and wrote the show, including all the music, based on the inspiration from the original story of “The Jungle Book”. It was a process that spanned over a few months, with the world premiere taking place in March 2016. Getting to create something I am incredibly proud of with such talented artists is an experience that is going to be hard to top! Over Quarantine, StoryBook Theatre did a Facebook Live series called “Everyday Heroes at Home” and caught up with artists, directors, and performers from all over. For one episode the cast and crew of the Urban Jungle Book all came back together and got to reminisce about our time creating and performing the show! The cast is now living all over in Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Orlando, and getting to catch up and see each other again completely refilled my spirits!
A mentor, inspiration and friend, Katherine Burrowes, is a colleague at Youth Singers and one of the co-founders of the Calgary dance company IllFX. They invited me to dance with them at a corporate event where we had a custom built stage, amazing costumes, live band, and a number of additional special acts throughout the night. As a dancer, it doesn’t get much better! The two-month rehearsal process leading up to the show was like a training bootcamp and I loved every minute of it! Katherine and her team Edgar and Cody push you to be better than what you think you’re capable of, and are some of the best people to train and perform with. Katherine is such an inspiring dancer and getting to work alongside her once again at Youth Singers in the 2020/21 season keeps me pushing myself to always be better!
A mentor, inspiration and friend, Katherine Burrowes, is a colleague at Youth Singers and one of the co-founders of the Calgary dance company IllFX. They invited me to dance with them at a corporate event where we had a custom built stage, amazing costumes, live band, and a number of additional special acts throughout the night. As a dancer, it doesn’t get much better! The two-month rehearsal process leading up to the show was like a training bootcamp and I loved every minute of it! Katherine and her team Edgar and Cody push you to be better than what you think you’re capable of, and are some of the best people to train and perform with. Katherine is such an inspiring dancer and getting to work alongside her once again at Youth Singers in the 2020/21 season keeps me pushing myself to always be better!
One of my absolute favorite shows I’ve ever choreographed is Naughty...But Nice! A holiday musical for grown-ups by Forte Musical Theatre Guild. It became an annual tradition and we’ve enjoyed a new and hilarious production every Christmas for the last SIX YEARS! Typically around this time we’d be starting to talk about the show Joe Slabe would be putting out a call for new and fun songs to songwriters all over Canada. Let's all cross our fingers that we’ll get to see it take the stage for the 7th time soon! The show took home three Calgary Critic’s Awards and received the Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical!
One of my absolute favorite shows I’ve ever choreographed is Naughty…But Nice! A holiday musical for grown-ups by Forte Musical Theatre Guild. It became an annual tradition and we’ve enjoyed a new and hilarious production every Christmas for the last SIX YEARS! Typically around this time we’d be starting to talk about the show Joe Slabe would be putting out a call for new and fun songs to songwriters all over Canada. Let’s all cross our fingers that we’ll get to see it take the stage for the 7th time soon! The show took home three Calgary Critic’s Awards and received the Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical!

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What ‘hood are you in?

I live in the Beltline, downtown Calgary and I love it! I’ve lived downtown for the last 8 years and I just love the vibe it brings to the city. From listening to the cheers and honks after a Flames game, staying awake all night to the sound of Stampede fireworks, people watching on one of the many sunny patios, to enjoying a more calm and relaxed atmosphere with a walk to the Elbow or Bow river – you get the best of both worlds.

I enjoy the spontaneity of meeting friends last minute for a drink, getting in line early (or late) for brunch at some of Calgary’s hottest spots, and having easy access to so many different areas like 4th Street, Stephen Avenue, East Village, and 17th Avenue! (The lime scooters have slowly become my main mode of transportation.)

But what I really enjoy is the culture I get to experience. Being able to walk to the theatre in Arts Commons, take a dance class at the brand new Decidedly Jazz Danceworks studio, or visit the Calgary Public Library and the National Music Centre, they’re all right in my backyard!

What do you do?

I am the new Marketing Manager and Development Associate at the Youth Singers of Calgary. I became involved with the Youth Singers over 20 years ago at 8 years old and have grown up as a performer, choreographer and now have joined the administrative team. It truly is an organization I hold near and dear to my heart and helped shape who I have become.

I stayed in Calgary to attend University so that I could stay a part of Youth Singers, which made my decision of getting a Marketing Degree at the Haskayne School of Business a pretty easy choice! I’ve worked in marketing ever since and now I have the opportunity to apply my education to a program I am truly passionate about!

Youth Singers also developed my love for teaching and choreography when I joined the artistic staff in January 2008. I took that passion into the community and began teaching and choreographing for school programs, summer camps and Calgary theatre companies including Storybook Theatre, Lunchbox Theatre and Theatre Calgary. Every day I get to be creative, whether that’s brainstorming a new marketing campaign or choreographing my next piece and I can’t imagine anything better! Now I just need to find the time to put myself back on the stage!

What are you currently working on?

Right now we are days away from kickstarting the 2020/21 season at Youth Singers and I’m so proud of the innovative work our team and organization has done to launch this program during these times. My passion for the performing arts and developing youth through the arts comes directly from my experience at Youth Singers, and now being a part of the plans to adjust our program so that Calgarians can continue to have that opportunity is my complete focus. I cannot imagine a world without this program, and so my thoughts day in and day out are how do we keep going!

As a marketer, it is really stretching my thinking on how to communicate a re-imagined program and inspire our messaging to our families and broader community. We’ve been hard at work creating a video demonstrating exactly what our year is going to look like for our families! It was really fun getting to develop a video storyboard, assist in filming, and get to dance in it! And is now up all over Facebook, Instagram and Youtube – check it out! (I think soon I can add video production to my resume!)

As a choreographer, I am trying to retrain my brain to create for the screen instead of for the stage. And let me tell you – it is no easy feat! Although I am enjoying the process and cannot wait to share the work we’ve created. Who knew a new skill that would be semi-required as a choreographer is video storyboarder! I’m so grateful for getting the chance to continue singing and dancing, even if it isn’t how we have always done it, and I’m hoping that as we all continue to pivot and adjust, I’ll be able to connect back again with my Calgary Arts community as a whole and create some beautiful work together.

As a performer it has been a while since I’ve been on stage. I performed with Youth Singers in the semi-professional ensemble SHINE for 10 years up until 2017. I’ve been fortunate to have performed in a few musical theatre productions in the past few years, and back in March 2020 we were days away from opening “Cabaret” before we were shut down. We are hoping we’ll be able to bring that show back to life as soon as we can and you’ll catch me dancing in the Kit Kat Klub!

Where can we find your work?

The Youth Singers 2020/21 Season is going to be such a great year, and our re-imagined program is like none-other! Registration is now open and trust me, you’ll want to be a part of it! Most of my work as an artist and choreographer has been on the stage, and Youth Singers has a great YouTube channel with a ton of videos of not only my work as a choreographer, but as a young performer! Some of my personal favorite choreographed pieces include; “Sing”, “Step One” and “Spirit of Adventure”. And an honourable mention to “I’ve Had The Time of My Life” where I lived out my Jennfier Grey and Patrick Swayze dreams!

 

 

 

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