Studio Dance Arts is proud to announce that Company dancer Teija Lappalainen has been accepted into the highly selective International Summer Dance Program at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Teija earned her invitation during the Breaking Bounds Dance Convention held in Toronto in November 2025.
During the convention, faculty members from Point Park University conducted audition classes for scholarship and summer intensive opportunities. Following her audition, Teija was selected and invited to attend Point Park’s International Summer Dance Program.
For more than 40 years, Point Park University’s International Summer Dance Program has attracted talented dancers from across North America and around the world. The intensive program is designed for serious pre-professional dancers and acceptance is by audition only. The program is recognized as one of the premier university-based summer dance training experiences in the United States.
This July, Teija will travel to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to participate in the two-week intensive, where she will train alongside dancers from across North America and internationally. The program features an extensive curriculum including ballet, jazz, , contemporary, modern, pointe, conditioning, hiphop, and supplementary professional-level training classes taught by distinguished faculty and industry professionals.
“I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity," said Teija. "I look forward to training with dancers from acround the world and learning from the faculty at Point Park University this summer.”
Under the guidance of Studio Dance Arts faculty, Teija has continued to develop her technical foundation, artistry, and performance skills throughout her years of training. Her acceptance into the program reflects her dedication, work ethic, and commitment to excellence.
“Teija has worked incredibly hard and continues to grow as both a dancer and a young artist,” said Richard Kim, Founder/Executive Director of Studio Dance Arts. “We are thrilled to see her receive this opportunity and are very proud of her accomplishment.”
Teija’s acceptance continues a long tradition of Studio Dance Arts dancers pursuing advanced training opportunities, as well as professional careers beyond Northern Ontario and demonstrates the high level of training being achieved by students within the Studio Dance Arts Company Program.
The entire Studio Dance Arts family congratulates Teija on this exciting achievement and wishes her an incredible experience this summer at Point Park University.
About Studio Dance Arts
Founded in 2003, Studio Dance Arts is celebrating its 24th season of providing dance education and performance opportunities to students throughout Sault Ste. Marie and the surrounding region. The studio offers recreational, competitive, and adult programs and is committed to helping dancers achieve their personal and artistic goals while fostering excellence, discipline, and a lifelong love of dance.
Source: Studio Dance Arts
