Kettle Valley Memorial and the Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce are pleased to name Ashlie Atkinson, owner of Balance School of Performing Arts, as a Top 40 recipient.
Ashlie is a distinguished performer, choreographer, and arts educator who has made exceptional contributions to Penticton’s performing arts community and beyond.
Born and raised in Penticton, Ashlie was a keen student of the arts starting at the age of 8 in voice, dance and acting. As an adult, she became a graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts with a career that has been marked by notable performances with various theatre companies, including The Arts Club, Theatre Under the Stars and Gateway Theatre Co. She also captivated audiences as a main stage singer for Norwegian Cruise Lines and was one of the final contestants on CBC's reality TV search "Maria."
When Ashlie and her husband moved back to Penticton in 2010, she starred in lead roles for Soundstage Productions’ “Chess” and “Evita”, and earned choreography credits for "Footloose", "Grease", and "We're in the Money”.
With her experience and range as a performing artist combined with a passion for teaching, Ashlie opened Penticton’s first performing arts school in 2015. That first year saw Balance School of Performing Arts offer a few dance options to 100 students with Ashlie and her husband as the teachers. By the eighth year, Ashlie achieved her goal of seeing her school provide quality training in all major performing arts’ disciplines including dance, acting, and voice taught by one of the eight talented instructors now on staff.
Ashlie’s teaching philosophy emphasizes patience, persistence, and positive reinforcement. Her vocal students, for instance, often transform from being nervous about singing in front of one person to confidently performing before full audiences by the end of their first season. This growth has a huge impact on their mental health, and volunteering to dance and sing at places and events like the Penticton’s Seniors Centre and the OSNS Share-a-Smile Telethon provide students with the experience and desire to give back to their community.
With the confidence, compassion, and quality instruction provided to all of the students at Balance School of Performing Arts, it is no surprise to see Ashlie’s students continue to receive provincial recognition in music, dance competitions, and choreography, and to also see the school continue to grow in the number of students they enroll each year.