Yellowknife (Oct 15/04) - There's a whole lot of pink at the Bella Dance Academy. The sign in the plaza marquee is pink. Lina Ball's T-shirt is pink and all 10 of the giggling, rambunctious five year-olds in her Tuesday afternoon class are dressed head to toe in pink.

Parents and guardians can watch the goings-on from a largely-soundproofed viewing room but Ball, 25, weaves through the cacophony, encouraging the reluctant and correcting the over-eager with good humour.

"They're one of my favourite classes," said Ball afterwards. "They're so enthusiastic."

Having danced all her life, the first thing Ball did when she moved to Yellowknife in February 2003 was to look for the dance studio.

Her search didn't take long. There wasn't one. And dance classes run through the city's recreation department filled up fast.

"I couldn't imagine not dancing," she said.

So she thought about opening her own studio.

"It started out as a dream," said Ball.

In September, the dream became a reality when Ball opened Bella Dance Academy on Old Airport Road. The studio's location, stashed in a plaza beside macho stores like a building centre and a snowmobile store, is a source of humour.

"We're the only pink sign in the plaza," said Ball.

The studio has been open barely a month but Ball is teaching five nights a week and all day Saturdays. She offers ballet, tap and jazz and has even had to add extra classes for children and teens.

The most common question people ask her is whether she offers adult lessons.

She doesn't but it's possible she may expand to include adult classes in the future.

Pam Schlosser's daughter Ally is in one of Ball's ballet classes for five year-olds.

"She's wonderful with the kids," said Schlosser.

When she got a leaflet about Bella Dance Academy in her mailbox, the ballet classes got her attention since the recreation department doesn't offer ballet for kids as young as Ally.

After trying out a demonstration class, Ally was hooked on prancing about in pink leotards.

"She just loves to dance," said Schlosser.

Ball is originally from Nanaimo and has studied dancing since she was three. She taught at a few studios in Nanaimo before moving here.

One thing she finds surprising up here is the lack of male dancers.

Out of 25 classes, and more than 100 registered students, she has just one male student.

And that's too bad, said Ball, since dance training helps with motor skills, balance and coordination, all of which can be applied to other sports.

One month into the classes, Ball said students are learning quickly and she has adjusted to her upside down life.

During the day when she's not teaching at the dance studio, she's finishing her degree in kinesiology by correspondence.

She's also training to be certified by the Canadian Dance Teachers' Association.

"It was a switch for me to working nights but I get to enjoy the sunshine and then at night I'm doing what I love.

"I can't complain."