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Maple Ridge ballerina off to Boston

Erika Bernard, 12, was chosen from more than 2,400 students who audition for the Boston Ballet School's summer program
Vienna Kliman (left) and Erika Bernard (right)
(From left) Vienna Kliman and Erika Bernard.

Erika  Bernard, 12, of Maple Ridge has been accepted into Boston Ballet School’s summer dance program.

Bernard and Vienna Kliman, of Coquitlam, were chosen from more than 2,400 students who auditioned during a 33-city audition tour that traveled throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia.

Both dancers train at the danceLAB Studios in Coquitlam and have achieved great success under    the direction of principal ballet teacher Jennifer Hill.

Bernard has spent the past two summers at Canada’s National Ballet School in its pre-professional program and recently returned from the Youth America Grand Prix finals in New York. She was only one of nine Canadians selected to compete in the classical ballet competition, which is the largest of its kind in the world. Only 60 scholarships are awarded to over 300 finalists at the competition.

Bernard won a scholarship to The Rock School in Pennsylvania.