Armed with shined-up leather shoes, a smile and a rhythm, Mats Nixon tapped his way into the world of dance’s heart at the IDO World Tap Dance Championships in Germany this fall.
“I come back each year just completely motivated,” said Nixon, 15, who competed from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 in Riesa, Germany.
The young tapper broke Canada’s five-year losing streak to win gold in the Junior Male Solo Tap Dance category.
“It feels like a responsibility almost and I need to train even more so I can come back next year and I can show that I can do this,” he added.
He has been dreaming of gold at the world championships since he was 11 — when he first travelled overseas to an International Dance Organization (IDO) competition.
“I came seventh and I was already at the top of my age category ... and the best I could do was seventh,” Nixon said.
“I knew then that I want to get better and there was people at worlds and outside of world like my teachers who inspire me to get better,” he added.
Now living in Mississauga and training at the Tap Dance Centre, Nixon was brought up in Flamborough and began dancing at age five at Rising Star Performing Arts before moving on to the Dream Centre and Dancemakerz. For the first eight years, he received well-rounded dance training.
“I liked that. I think it’s important to train everything even if you’re just focusing on one style so yeah, I always loved dance and I love training,” he said.
Not being very flexible, Nixon turned to his love for music and rhythm and began focusing solely on tap.
“You can’t give 100 per cent into eight different things, it’s just not possible,” he said, noting that if he wanted to win worlds, he was going to have to pick one style and truly become proficient. Now, he trains 15 hours a week.
Once he arrived in Germany in late November, he made his way to the open stage for rehearsal and to get used to the floor.
“It’s really just an intimidation factor — there’s always people in dry rehearsal who are sliding or cutting in front of other people just to let them know like, ‘I’m competing against you, I’m here, like you better get ready.’”
Along with his coaches, including Mike Glenney who has been training Nixon for three years and developed one of his choreography routines, there was another familiar face to help him tweak his style.
“We made a few changes and I tried to enhance his skills and his assets because he’s obviously a strong, strong tapper and I wanted to make sure he was the focal point in the routines,” said Dancemakerz owner Christie McKay-Hofland, who was at the competition with her own routines.
Nixon, who also performed as part of a trio and a duet, said that although he was at Dancemakerz for just a year, he learned ‘perfect discipline’ there. And while he didn’t study under McKay-Hofland, having her help at IDO improved his score.
The overall experience was amazing, said Nixon. After hearing the scores for the trio and duet routines, he awaited the results for his solo performance. He admits he wasn’t quite prepared for the announcement.
As they listed the tappers who placed sixth, fifth and fourth, he waited for his name. Then, in third place was Kristian Skydanovych, second place was Nixon’s friend from United Kingdom Kai Scanlan.
“I drop down to my knees and I’m just holding my head because I just couldn’t believe it and then the British coach pulls me up and he hugs me,” he said.
On the podium, the Canadian flag was raised to what Nixon described as a “screaming” rendition of the anthem from the crowd.
“It was the most amazing experience ever.”
Now back home, he continues to train with his coach — one who he will compete against next year as he moves up to the adult division.
“What they focus on more is not flash, it’s not the big steps that catch an eye, it’s making sure that you can do the little things and make sure that you can improv or that you can keep a beat,” he said of the musicality of his current training.
“The biggest thing for me is to make sure the audience and even the judges are entertained.”
McKay-Hofland said that it's that kind of maturity and growth to want to constantly improve that will take Nixon far in his career.
“He’s hungry to make himself better and that’s a true artist.”
Armed with shined-up leather shoes, a smile and a rhythm, Mats Nixon tapped his way into the world of dance’s heart at the IDO World Tap Dance Championships in Germany this fall.
“I come back each year just completely motivated,” said Nixon, 15, who competed from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 in Riesa, Germany.
The young tapper broke Canada’s five-year losing streak to win gold in the Junior Male Solo Tap Dance category.
“It feels like a responsibility almost and I need to train even more so I can come back next year and I can show that I can do this,” he added.
He has been dreaming of gold at the world championships since he was 11 — when he first travelled overseas to an International Dance Organization (IDO) competition.
“I came seventh and I was already at the top of my age category ... and the best I could do was seventh,” Nixon said.
“I knew then that I want to get better and there was people at worlds and outside of world like my teachers who inspire me to get better,” he added.
Now living in Mississauga and training at the Tap Dance Centre, Nixon was brought up in Flamborough and began dancing at age five at Rising Star Performing Arts before moving on to the Dream Centre and Dancemakerz. For the first eight years, he received well-rounded dance training.
“I liked that. I think it’s important to train everything even if you’re just focusing on one style so yeah, I always loved dance and I love training,” he said.
Not being very flexible, Nixon turned to his love for music and rhythm and began focusing solely on tap.
“You can’t give 100 per cent into eight different things, it’s just not possible,” he said, noting that if he wanted to win worlds, he was going to have to pick one style and truly become proficient. Now, he trains 15 hours a week.
Once he arrived in Germany in late November, he made his way to the open stage for rehearsal and to get used to the floor.
“It’s really just an intimidation factor — there’s always people in dry rehearsal who are sliding or cutting in front of other people just to let them know like, ‘I’m competing against you, I’m here, like you better get ready.’”
Along with his coaches, including Mike Glenney who has been training Nixon for three years and developed one of his choreography routines, there was another familiar face to help him tweak his style.
“We made a few changes and I tried to enhance his skills and his assets because he’s obviously a strong, strong tapper and I wanted to make sure he was the focal point in the routines,” said Dancemakerz owner Christie McKay-Hofland, who was at the competition with her own routines.
Nixon, who also performed as part of a trio and a duet, said that although he was at Dancemakerz for just a year, he learned ‘perfect discipline’ there. And while he didn’t study under McKay-Hofland, having her help at IDO improved his score.
The overall experience was amazing, said Nixon. After hearing the scores for the trio and duet routines, he awaited the results for his solo performance. He admits he wasn’t quite prepared for the announcement.
As they listed the tappers who placed sixth, fifth and fourth, he waited for his name. Then, in third place was Kristian Skydanovych, second place was Nixon’s friend from United Kingdom Kai Scanlan.
“I drop down to my knees and I’m just holding my head because I just couldn’t believe it and then the British coach pulls me up and he hugs me,” he said.
On the podium, the Canadian flag was raised to what Nixon described as a “screaming” rendition of the anthem from the crowd.
“It was the most amazing experience ever.”
Now back home, he continues to train with his coach — one who he will compete against next year as he moves up to the adult division.
“What they focus on more is not flash, it’s not the big steps that catch an eye, it’s making sure that you can do the little things and make sure that you can improv or that you can keep a beat,” he said of the musicality of his current training.
“The biggest thing for me is to make sure the audience and even the judges are entertained.”
McKay-Hofland said that it's that kind of maturity and growth to want to constantly improve that will take Nixon far in his career.
“He’s hungry to make himself better and that’s a true artist.”
Armed with shined-up leather shoes, a smile and a rhythm, Mats Nixon tapped his way into the world of dance’s heart at the IDO World Tap Dance Championships in Germany this fall.
“I come back each year just completely motivated,” said Nixon, 15, who competed from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 in Riesa, Germany.
The young tapper broke Canada’s five-year losing streak to win gold in the Junior Male Solo Tap Dance category.
“It feels like a responsibility almost and I need to train even more so I can come back next year and I can show that I can do this,” he added.
He has been dreaming of gold at the world championships since he was 11 — when he first travelled overseas to an International Dance Organization (IDO) competition.
“I came seventh and I was already at the top of my age category ... and the best I could do was seventh,” Nixon said.
“I knew then that I want to get better and there was people at worlds and outside of world like my teachers who inspire me to get better,” he added.
Now living in Mississauga and training at the Tap Dance Centre, Nixon was brought up in Flamborough and began dancing at age five at Rising Star Performing Arts before moving on to the Dream Centre and Dancemakerz. For the first eight years, he received well-rounded dance training.
“I liked that. I think it’s important to train everything even if you’re just focusing on one style so yeah, I always loved dance and I love training,” he said.
Not being very flexible, Nixon turned to his love for music and rhythm and began focusing solely on tap.
“You can’t give 100 per cent into eight different things, it’s just not possible,” he said, noting that if he wanted to win worlds, he was going to have to pick one style and truly become proficient. Now, he trains 15 hours a week.
Once he arrived in Germany in late November, he made his way to the open stage for rehearsal and to get used to the floor.
“It’s really just an intimidation factor — there’s always people in dry rehearsal who are sliding or cutting in front of other people just to let them know like, ‘I’m competing against you, I’m here, like you better get ready.’”
Along with his coaches, including Mike Glenney who has been training Nixon for three years and developed one of his choreography routines, there was another familiar face to help him tweak his style.
“We made a few changes and I tried to enhance his skills and his assets because he’s obviously a strong, strong tapper and I wanted to make sure he was the focal point in the routines,” said Dancemakerz owner Christie McKay-Hofland, who was at the competition with her own routines.
Nixon, who also performed as part of a trio and a duet, said that although he was at Dancemakerz for just a year, he learned ‘perfect discipline’ there. And while he didn’t study under McKay-Hofland, having her help at IDO improved his score.
The overall experience was amazing, said Nixon. After hearing the scores for the trio and duet routines, he awaited the results for his solo performance. He admits he wasn’t quite prepared for the announcement.
As they listed the tappers who placed sixth, fifth and fourth, he waited for his name. Then, in third place was Kristian Skydanovych, second place was Nixon’s friend from United Kingdom Kai Scanlan.
“I drop down to my knees and I’m just holding my head because I just couldn’t believe it and then the British coach pulls me up and he hugs me,” he said.
On the podium, the Canadian flag was raised to what Nixon described as a “screaming” rendition of the anthem from the crowd.
“It was the most amazing experience ever.”
Now back home, he continues to train with his coach — one who he will compete against next year as he moves up to the adult division.
“What they focus on more is not flash, it’s not the big steps that catch an eye, it’s making sure that you can do the little things and make sure that you can improv or that you can keep a beat,” he said of the musicality of his current training.
“The biggest thing for me is to make sure the audience and even the judges are entertained.”
McKay-Hofland said that it's that kind of maturity and growth to want to constantly improve that will take Nixon far in his career.
“He’s hungry to make himself better and that’s a true artist.”