Lynda Shioya

On Pointe

Dance has been a part of Lynda Shioya’s life since she was a young girl. Born in Victoria, Lynda was just five years old when a woman asked her mom if she would like to take lessons. Her passion ignited, she spent much of her childhood in dance studios and at recitals and shows, before going on to further studies in ballet.

In her early 20s, Lynda moved to Japan, where she performed with the renowned Komaki and Asami Maki ballet companies. “I decided to join an Asian ballet company because I was realistic about my size and also because there were no role models in Canada.” Later returning to BC, she became a public and private school educator as well as a dance teacher, eventually opening her own studio. Always open to new experiences, she later took up singing and performed in musical theatre productions all over the Lower Mainland. Now retired, she still teaches dance and acts in commercials and films.

Despite a busy schedule that includes attending live performances and seeing family and friends, there are certain things that Lynda always makes time for. “I love to watch almost every program on Knowledge. Come the weekend, from eight o’clock on, I’m sitting in front of the TV because that’s when the mysteries come on. I’m such a mystery buff that I read a mystery book a day!” She enjoys watching cultural documentaries and travel shows too, having chosen destinations to visit based on what she’s seen on Knowledge. Being a big fan of the programming, she has added Knowledge to the list of organizations she donates to every December.

Lynda strongly believes in supporting her community. “What I’ve learned is that you need to give of yourself. It doesn’t have to be money, it can be anything – your time, your effort, whatever. To give is way more rewarding than receiving.”