After Valerie, age 3 , commented on the happy sounds her dress shoes made, her dad introduced her to Tap dance movies featuring Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, The Nicholas Brothers and Shirley Temple.

Her first teacher/ mentor was Fleurette ( McCuaig ) Kramer of Fleurette School of Dance. Fleurette was a former childhood vaudeville performer who had trained under the likes of Bill Robinson, Fran Scanlan, Fred and Gene Kelly and many other greats. She was known for her strong technical ability and Classical Tap style. Ernie Flatt, called Fleurette “ one of the finest Tappers I have ever seen.” Fleurette saw potential in Valerie and decided to mentor her, adding Jazz and Ballet classes to her training in addition to Tap.

Valerie was also fortunate to study Classical Tap from William Orlowski. Bill was co-founder of Canada’s National Tap Dance Company, founder of William Orlowski Tap Dance Projects and considered one of Canada’s greatest Tap dancers and choreographers! He was a strong believer in technique and preserving that technique through Classical Tap.

Valerie’s dance studies also included the Randolph Performing Arts Centre for Tap and Jazz, CCDT and School of Classical and Contemporary Dance for Ballet plus many workshops with Tap greats including Jeannie Hill and Sam Weber.

Valerie began teaching dance in 1989, working for various dance schools. In 1991 Especially Tap Canada was established under our original name Dance E.T.C