TATE MCRAE: DANCER

She's only 13 years old, but Tate McRae already has many memories that will last forever. And in 2016 alone. This past summer, the Calgary youngster finished third in the popular So You Think You Can Dance reality TV show, while also getting the opportunity to be on stage with teen idol Justin Bieber.

“This year has been absolutely surreal,” said McRae. "Getting the chance to be on So You Think You Can Dance was the journey of a lifetime, and I think I grew so much as a dancer and as a person.

“It was crazy that I even made top 10,” she said. “Getting that far was crazy because no one in Canada could vote — my family, my friends, who were so supportive and had my back the whole time, none of them. So I was relying on giving it all I had on that stage.”

A student at the School of Alberta Ballet, McRae practises ballet three hours each morning, has actual Grade 8 studies for five hours, then it's back to training at her mother's YYC Dance Project studio.

“It's always been my dream to share my passion for dance with everyone in the world,” she said, “and I think that sort of happened this summer, which is so cool.”

Then there was the Bieber adventure.

“It was my first concert ever and we got to perform on stage with him for a whole four-minute piece,” she said. “It was so crazy, I have to say, it was the best concert ever. He was very busy, but he asked our names on stage and gave us high-fives, and that's all I needed.”

Also an actress, McRae has done commercials and voice-over work with Nickelodeon. This winter, she heads to Cabo San Lucas for a gala and in March she's in Australia for another performance with her mentor, Kathryn McCormick.

“I have very many dreams,” she said. “I have a jam-packed schedule, but I love what I do. Every single second is awesome.”