June 2021 – Community Futures North Okanagan

When indoor fitness came to a halt and classes were moved online last spring, Accentz Dance Studio director Becky Martselos wasn’t sure what the next year would bring for her students. But Martselos’ dancers rallied around their community. They remained dedicated to dance even when it meant spending hours practicing alone in their bedrooms.

“We really are a family. Some of the dancers spend as much time in the studio as they do at home,” says Martselos. “It’s amazing to see them growing into these beautiful women inside and out that have gained confidence through dance. That support and confidence comes from other students.”

As the dancers celebrate the beauty of the Okanagan with outdoor videos for their virtual recital, Accentz Dance Studio is ready for its family to get a little bit bigger.

Through a new Dance Academy through School District 22 (SD22) developed and led by Accentz Dance Studio director Becky Martselos, local dancers can put their passion to work for high school credits and grow into Accentz’ welcoming community of dedicated dancers.

Starting in September, 14 students from SD22 in Grades 8-12 will spend half-days training with Martselos and Accentz Dance Studio instructors as part of their curriculum.

“The students come to us with dance backgrounds. It’s not an elective subject where students can decide, ‘I’m going to learn to dance,’ at 16,” says Martselos.

Martselos and Accentz’ team of 16 dance instructors will work with students to find opportunities for individual growth. Students will set personal goals at the beginning of the course and have weekly check-ins with instructors to measure their progress.

“For the past 18 months, I’ve been talking with vLearn. In December, I proposed an official Dance Academy attached to the school district to the school board trustees,” says Martselos. “And, after three months of back and forth with the District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) and trustees, it was accepted.”

But dancing, while the focus of the program, is only part of the new academy.

As Martselos prepares for hip surgery, she understands the need for injury prevention training.

“Physiotherapists will be in the class every other week to talk about injury prevention, training for longevity, and just taking care of the developing body to lessen the risk of injury,” says Martselos. “We’ll keep their bodies nice and healthy as we train because it’s so important.”

Becky Martselos of Accentz Dance Studio will welcome 14 students to the new Dance Academy through School District 22 in September.

Before starting SD22’s Dance Academy, Martselos and Accentz Dance Studio worked with School District 83 to offer a day program. Through the program, students spent five hours per week in the studio pursuing dance as an elective instead of traditional electives like woodworking or drama.

But, after running the program for a few years, Martselos noticed a flaw: only her current students were exposed to the day program.

“I just thought, there are kids at other studios that can really benefit from this and should be able to take advantage of the programming. Only, it wouldn’t be right for me to go to these studios because it might feel like I’m taking their students,” says Martselos. “I felt like I needed a bigger umbrella to operate under.”

In preparation for its inaugural year, Accentz’ Dance Academy will see six students from other studios and dancers moving to the area from the Lower Mainland and Kootenays.

“I’m in the process of working with the foreign student coordinator because I feel it would be an excellent program for exchange students,” says Martselos. “They’ll come straight into a community they’re familiar with. They’ll be embraced and supported right away by friends.”

Martselos’ own community, outside of Accentz Dance Studio, is a significant motivator in the studio’s growth.

While at a three-day training conference for dance instructors in Vancouver, Martselos received an email from Community Futures North Okanagan about a new program aimed at women in business. Called Momentum, the accelerator program connects like-minded and growth-focused entrepreneurs with resources and government funding to reach their business goals.

“I knew Momentum was what I really wanted. It was a no-brainer for me,” says Martselos.

Through the program, Martselos secured funding to build a new website, hire a professional photographer, and engage a lawyer. Beyond the funding, Martselos says the real strength of the program is in the connections between members.

“Even though I am the only dance or fitness studio in Momentum, everything we discuss applies. Whether you’re welding or picking fruit, you’ll learn something, and having an all-women group is amazingly supportive,” says Martselos.

“I’m so grateful to have spent the last two years growing with these women.”

Are you interested in learning more about Momentum? Visit CF North Okanagan online at futuresbc.com.

A sun sets above the orchard as the new indoor restaurant fills with laughter. Inside, guests bond over the season’s craft cider and artisan farm-to-table food. It’s an image that lies on the horizon for The BX Press Cidery.

If you had asked her when she opened the cidery, Missy Dobernigg would have told you that the cidery would never serve food. Now, more than eight years into the business that’s kept her family’s orchard alive, Dobernigg is preparing to do just that. When the cidery closes for the season in the fall, massive renovations to the iconic outdoor-only ciderhouse will begin.

“It’s lovely here when the weather is perfect, but not having indoor dining limits our season to three months,” says Dobernigg. “It’s a very different experience if you’re here during a thunderstorm compared to a beautiful sunny day.”

This year, Dobernigg extended the covered outdoor patio so guests can enjoy the cidery and its woodfire flatbread regardless of the weather. When construction begins in the fall, Dobernigg said the new patio will come down and the building will expand to add indoor seating and a commercial kitchen that overlooks the orchard.

“We’re seeing the demand for indoor dining. People really want a farm-to-table experience where they can connect with their food and its origins,” says Dobernigg. “It’s an opportunity that, right now, feels like a logical way for the business to expand. We would always regret it if we don’t take this opportunity.”

A concept image shows the indoor dining plans for BX Press Cidery’s upcoming expansion.

As Dobernigg prepares to renovate the cidery and make the most of the beauty of the orchard, she’s building connections with local growers and producers to craft the menu. Currently, the BX Press serves thin-crust flatbreads and charcuterie boards.

“We’re focused on farm-to-table dining as we grow the business. Our concept is unique for Vernon. With the expansion, we’d like to be able to expand the menu to reflect this passion,” Dobernigg says. “We take great care with the ingredients in our ciders. We use real fruit, never any artificial flavouring, and the apples are all grown right here in our orchard. We want our food to be the same way.”

Before the indoor dining overlooking the apple trees opens to the public, Dobernigg is starting the transition to full organic production at the orchard. That transition began in 2021 and will take roughly three seasons to complete.

“It will be a big change for the farm that will help balance the business,” she says. “We use about half of the apples we grow in the cidery, and the rest go to BC Tree Fruits for the fresh market.”

From the plans for an indoor commercial kitchen and seating to a fully organic orchard, Dobernigg says the business is expanding to support the needs of the community.

“When we were one of few craft cideries in the province, it was easy to get on the liquor store shelf. Now, there are close to 40 of us all vying for those same four shelves. But what we have here at the orchard is unique to and we want to share it,” says Dobernigg.

“The community has been amazing to us. Rather than pushing wholesale, we want to build our business in a direction the people in Vernon want to support.”

Missy Dobernigg is a member of Community Futures North Okanagan’s business accelerator program, Momentum.

As growth at the iconic North Okanagan orchard ramps up, Dobernigg says she is thankful for the support of like-minded entrepreneurs in Momentum, Community Futures North Okanagan’s business accelerator for women.

“There are some really inspiring women in the program,” says Dobernigg. “Running a business can be isolating. You’re never off. Having that intentional time to connect with other women entrepreneurs running the same grind is mentally uplifting.”

Through Momentum, Dobernigg secured funding for professional photography to promote her business, legal advice on contracts, and enlisted an HR specialist to aid in growing the cidery’s staff.

“Having access to these professionals has made a huge difference for my business,” says Dobernigg. “It’s had a tangible impact through available government funding and intangible impact through its discussion topics and speakers.”

But, most of all, Dobernigg is thankful for her community, both in Momentum and Vernon as a whole.

“I’m so grateful that opportunities continue to open up and that the community continues to stand behind us in whatever direction we take the cidery.”

Are you interested in learning more about Momentum, our business accelerator for women entrepreneurs? Visit CF North Okanagan online at futuresbc.com.

Accentz Dance Studio Community is Moving into Schools

BX Press Cidery Expansion Plans Bear New Fruit