Many new Canadian children will get the chance to take the stage this Saturday at Dancers’ Studio West. Young Spirits Moving, presented by Footprints Dance Project, features 20 to 25 kids between the ages of nine to 20 years, many of whom are from Sudan. The free performance will include an eclectic mix of dance styles, from creative and modern dance to hip hop as well as original rap music. “We focused on the community of children by the arts centre that I work at,” says Canadian choreographer, performer and Footprints founding artistic director Neah Kalcounis. “Ninety-three per cent of the kids were born outside this country and face a lot of challenges.”

The idea behind Footprints is teaching children who wouldn’t otherwise have a dance education. “A lot of these kids came on their own,” notes Kalcounis. “They show up because I’ve been forging a relationship with them, where they can make the conscious choice to get to dance class themselves.”

There is the group of seven- to 13-year-olds, and a group of teenagers, some of which Kalcounis has worked with for two-and-a-half years. “The girls that have been with me since 2005 — I’m so proud of them for what they’ve accomplished,” she says, noting that at ages nine to 10, they’ve already turned into beautiful dancers and creative movers. “They are more adjusted, and really mature for what they’ve accomplished. That means more to me than getting them to point their toes.”

There is also a group of boys involved, including emerging choreographers and rappers. “We’ve got some teenagers who have choreographed their own dances — both duets and solos,” Kalcounis says. “They’ve really got their own individual groove.”

The training Kalcounis does with the group includes ballet, modern and creative improvisation. Other dancers from the Calgary dance community have taught the group additional dance styles such as hip hop.

In mid-August, five dancers in her group performed in Edmonton’s Western Canada Summer Games, receiving exposure on Global TV. Kalcounis notes the positive effect performances can have on the dancers. “I’d like to get as diverse an audience as possible,” she says. “I’d like to get a diverse group of people watching them, so they can get that experience of a large community scene at work.”

Young Spirits Moving opens December 15 at Dancers’ Studio West.