Salmon Arm is sending three of its best off to the 2010 Olympic Games.

Just For Kicks dancers, Taylor Boschman Tamara Shields and Nathan Fadear will perform Feb. 12 at the opening ceremonies.

The three auditioned last June and will begin rehearsing in Vancouver two to three times per week this month and four to five times a week by January.

Boschman started dancing at the age of three. Over the years he has trained in jazz, tap, ballet, modern and hip hop dance. He has won a number of awards, including the Triple Threat Vancouver scholarship in 2004 and 2006.

In 2009 he won the Best All Around Dancer Scholarship at the annual Kelowna Kiwanis Music and Dance Festival.

For the past few years, Boschman has been teaching dance at the Just for Kicks Dance Studio, as well as, teaching and choreographing with the Salmon Arm Secondary School dance program.

Now, at the age of 17, he has also been accepted into the Brigham Young University dance program in Idaho.

Boschman says he sees the Olympics as, “a chance to dance on a world stage with world-class dancers.” He is quick to add that it is also an opportunity to learn from them.

Tamara Shields sees it as a chance to advance her career as a dancer.

She has trained in both dance and gymnastics and has spent the past 11 years learning tap and jazz and lyrical, modern and Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) ballet. This past spring Shields passed her Advanced 1 ballet examination and is currently studying Advance 2.

For the past two seasons she has also attended the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Summer Program.

While working towards a university degree in kinesiology, Shields continues her studies in dance and choreography as well as teaching dance at Just For Kicks.

Nathan Fadear started dancing at the Just for Kicks Dance Studio at the age of 12. He first took up jazz and hip hop, but, after awakening his passion for dancing, he added ballet, lyrical and modern dance.

Fadear has participated in a number of school theatre programs.

“I am hoping that participating in the Olympic Games ceremony will help me mature as a dancer and performer ... to help me grow towards my dream of being on stage. It will certainly be a learning experience,” he says.

Just for kicks Dance Studio owner Patty Boschman, says that she has watched these students grow and mature as both dancers and individuals, and is very, proud of them.

“The whole community is proud of them,” she says. “We are, indeed, sending three of our finest.”

Talent: Three young dancers to perform in opening ceremonies.