Star Bound! Canadian Dancer Amy Carys Is Excelling In the Studio and On Stage
Canadian Dancer Amy Carys Says She’s “Ready For It All”
BY KRISTYN BURTT
Canadian dancer Amy Carys’ pathway into the dance industry has been anything but traditional. She went from “flipping all over the house” as a kid to pursuing rhythmic gymnastics. The dance part came later. Even though she was successful in her rhythmic gymnastics career, the now-18-year-old realized that she was having the most fun when she competed her free routine.
“It was dancing on a carpet,” she explains of her game- changing moment away from rhythmic gymnastics in the seventh grade. “So, I realized that I liked dance better than the apparatus [hoop, rope, ball, clubs, and ribbon]. So, I signed up for an acrobatic camp at my dance studio [Dansko Studios in Victoria, B.C.] that I’m now currently with, and it changed everything.”
Carys took an organic route from rhythmic gymnastics to acro before she ever tackled ballet and jazz, but she was considered late bloomer in the dance world. “I joined dance when I was about 10,” she says. “So, that was pretty late from my friends who I’m now currently dancing with. I started acro, and then I went to ballet and jazz. Now, I’m doing every style. I do tap and hip-hop, but my stronger styles are jazz, lyrical, and contemporary.”
Still, her rhythmic gymnastics training wasn’t a waste of time because it gave Carys an “amazing foundation” when it comes to flexibility.
She adds, “But it also set me back — I had to learn how to use strength and build strength. In rhythmic gymnastics, they were just stretching us, and it wasn’t necessarily conditioning and learning how to use your body for different movements. I found the hardest part about catching up was learning strength within the technical side of dance.”
She also gained experience by training with Team Canada in 2024 as a part of the International Dance Organization’s global competitions, taking her to the World Championships that same year.
“Team Canada is similar to being on a dance team,” Carys says of the competition with over 4,000 dancers in attendance. “We went to Poland in 2024 for the World Championships, and there were 30 countries.” Not only did her team place high in the group dances, but she placed “sixth overall in the world” for her acro solo.
THE SHIFT
The global experience and the immersion into technical dance classes also shifted Carys’ mindset. She gradually began to realize that dance just might be the next
step for her after graduation this spring.
“In the past two years, I’ve been thinking about what I want to do with graduation
getting closer,” Carys shares. “There are many things I love to do, but the one thing that’s always stuck with me is dance. If I can dance forever, I probably would.”
That means stepping up her training this year in preparation for what’s to come after graduation.
“I’m currently training every day between two and three hours,” Carys says. “I’ve been doing training more on the weekend — every style. I’ve also been doing gymnastics. I’ve been taking master classes, some Zoom classes.”
She’s also been leaning on her mentors in the dance industry who are shaping the
next stage of her career. “I’ve met so many amazing artists and choreographers, but in the past six months,
I met Kevin Mylrea. He has completely changed the game for me with how much I want to do in the industry.”
Mylrea has enjoyed a successful career, working with Cirque du Soleil, Shania Twain, in TV and film, including The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Descendants 3, and So You Think You Can Dance Canada.
“He has really shown me what is out there in the industry and how many possibilities there are,” Carys reveals. “And if I’m even able to do a tiny portion of what he was able to do, I’d be beyond lucky.”
Mylrea has also offered Carys advice that she’s taken to heart about pursuing a professional career in dance. “He says, ‘Walk through all the doors, try everything.’ The industry is an open book of experiences, and it’s limitless what you can
do,” she notes.
With her mentor’s guidance, Carys has opened her eyes to opportunities with Cirque du Soleil, especially since it incorporates her love of acro, rhythmic gymnastics, and dance.
It’s always been a huge interest of mine,” she says. “I’ve watched many of their shows, and I’m in awe of everything that they do. It’s unreal.”
NEXT STEPS
While Carys hasn’t sent in that audition tape just yet, she also has other ideas on the
horizon — one that involves a So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation alum, Tate McRae.
“She’s someone I look up to so much,” Carys says of the 22-year-old Canadian pop star. “If I could be on stage and do her tour with her, I would do that any chance I get. That’s one of my dreams.”
But she’s not going to limit herself to Cirque du Soleil or a backup dancer to a musical artist; Carys is ready for it all.
“Going back to Kevin’s advice, he has done so much that I couldn’t even name. He
whips out all these things that he’s done that I’ve never even known about,” Carys
says with admiration. “I would love to do as much as I possibly can, whether that’s
film and TV, whether that’s some sort of dance company or Cirque, or even NFL
cheerleading.”
With big goals in mind, Carys also knows that she wants to take a few strides ahead of her high school graduation.
“My hope is to have some sort of L.A. agent, which would be a great goal to accomplish, hopefully this year,” she divulges. “I think that would really help me in the industry to network and meet new people.”
With Los Angeles feeling more her “vibe” over New York, Carys is hoping to cross paths with other Canadian talent, including World of Dance Season 3 contestant Briar Nolet.
“I don’t necessarily need to work with everyone, but I would love to just have the opportunity to take classes from people whom I admire and would love to see. I’ve taken classes from Briar in L.A. already, which… oh my gosh, my mind was blown. I had so much fun,” she says while also dropping other names, including So You Think You Can Dance Season 17 runner-up Keaton Kermode and World of Dance Season 3 competitor, Derek Piquette.
Carys is also making sure she’s inspiring the younger dancers who are coming up behind her by offering some great advice.
“As you get older, remember why you dance,” she advises. “You joined dance for a reason, and that was to have fun, express yourself, to meet friends, learn new things, and become the best version of yourself.”
And as Carys looks toward her next chapter, her advice still guides the way — the kid who “flipped all over the house” is ready to show the world her talent.
Photos by: Dayna Szyndrowski
