Brooke Myers

1980 - 2021  (40 years)

• Name	Brooke Myers
  Born	17 Oct 1980	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Gender	Female
  Business	Dance Adventure
  Name	Brooke Kurczak
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-219875
  Died	18 Apr 2021
  Person ID	I219875	Generations
  Last Modified	11 Jun 2024

  
  

  Father	Richard Myers
  Mother	Chery
  Family ID	F59922	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Braden Kurczak
  Last Modified	11 Jun 2024
  Family ID	F59923	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Lifetimes: Respected teacher had a way of finding the dancer within By Valerie HillSpecial to the Record Mon., May 3, 2021 In Grade 2, Brooke Myers wrote a story about her life, her pets and her desire to become a dance teacher when she grew up. Brooke never wavered from that goal, inspiring hundreds of children after opening Dance Adventure in 1999, right out of high school. "When she was six years old, she was quite shy," said her mother, Cheryl Myers. "When she got on that stage, she was a different person. "You could feel her joy and energy." That joy and energy fuelled a passion for dance and choreography, whether she was performing with Kitchener Waterloo Musical Productions or teaching her students. "There was something about Brooke that was special," said her husband, Braden Kurczak. "She was that person people loved. "People were loyal to her; people wanted to help and do things for her; anything for Miss Brooke." Though she was kind and thoughtful, Braden said Brooke was in charge when it came to the dance studio. "I even called her Miss Brooke; a sign of respect," he said. Brooke was born in Kitchener on Oct. 17, 1980, the eldest of two children for Cheryl and Richard Myers. Her brother, Curtis, would pursue performing arts as well, but as a musician, though she had coerced him into joining her dance studio if she, in turn, helped him with his senior high school papers. Cheryl said he loved it. Brooke always had a way of finding the dancer within, even if they thought they were incapable or uninterested. She would encourage people at events to put their toes on the dance floor. That's what happened with Braden, who Brooke met through friends. He belonged to an acrobatic performance team and she somehow convinced him the next logical step in his career was to learn dance. Besides, she was excited to have more people who could do lifts and advanced flips in her numbers. As Braden said, he "won the heart of the dance teacher" and they married on July 21, 2007. Of course, the wedding was "epic" with lots of dancers and dance performances by her students. Brooke never missed an opportunity for her students to showcase their talents. She wanted them to experience the joy of being on stage and encouraged even the meekest among them. Brooke organized two trips to Disney resorts, where her dancers performed and participated in workshops run by choreographers, as she had done as a 13-year-old. Brooke starting dancing at age six. When she opened her own studio as a teenager, it was a modest single-room school with 70 eager students. Eventually, that expanded to a four-room studio in Kitchener, with more than 400 dance students and 20 people on staff. The studio would not only train young dancers but she provided opportunities to those who perhaps couldn't afford the fees. No child was turned away. Known for her beautiful choreography and spectacular shows, Braden said that during her school's annual performance, she also had the studio moms and dads perform, encouraging them to have fun, be goofy. No one refused. Her work with the students and influence in the wider community garnered Brooke an Oktoberfest Women of the Year award in 2012 in the arts and culture category. The year prior, Brooke had been named in the Record's Top 40 Under 40, an award celebrating young community leaders in Waterloo Region. She had also received several other awards in choreography and dance production. At the time of being named in the 40 under 40, Brooke said, "My goal in starting Dance Adventure was to teach children the love of dance and music while building their confidence and pride in their accomplishments." Of course, Brooke's influence was also apparent in her daughters, Quinley and Tevya, age eight and 10. The little girls would put on weekly shows for their parents after the studio was forced to shut down during the pandemic. In January 2020, Brooke found a lump in her breast. The diagnosis was a rare and aggressive breast cancer, one that offers limited treatment options. The cancer spread quickly. "We didn't tell a lot of people how serious it was," said Braden. "She wanted to have a bit of hope." Brooke, always devoted to her students, was in her studio on Easter weekend teaching despite her family's protests that she needed to rest. Brooke died on April 18, 2021, but her legacy will not be forgotten. Her best friend, Jennifer Metcalf, praised Brooke for her ability to connect with children. Jennifer helped on registration days and said Brooke consistently remembered every child's name and greeted them with a hug. "She made every single person feel special," said Jennifer "Lifetimes: Respected Teacher Had A Way Of Finding The Dancer Within". 2021. Therecord.Com. https://www.therecord.com/life/2021/05/03/lifetimes-respected-teacher-had-a-way-of-finding-the-dancer-within.html. _____________________ Brooke Myers-Kurczak 1980 - 2021 1980 - 2021 With a heavy heart, we announce that Miss Brooke passed away peacefully at home surrounded by the love of her family, on Sunday April 18, 2021. Adored wife of Braden. Proud and devoted mother of Tevya and Quinley. Cherished daughter of Cheryl and Richard. Dear sister of Curtis and his wife, Julie. Daughter-in-law of Joy and Miron. Sister-in-law of Erin, her husband, Darrell and aunt to Felix. Inspiration to countless dancers and dance families at Dance Adventure, and beyond. Brooke's laugh and smile were infectious. She would light up the room when she entered. Everyone knew there was something special about her. Whether it was her easy-going demeanour or her ability to make even the most uncomfortable situation somehow comfortable, by all accounts, Brooke was amazing. She was the first one on the dance floor, and always found a way to coax some moves out of reluctant participants. As a native of KW, Brooke attended Franklin, Stanley Park and Grand River Collegiate. She found her love of dance at the age of six and continued to train until her graduation. During these years, Brooke made many lifelong friendships and developed a love for each of her dance teachers, whom she always spoke of fondly. Brooke won many scholarships and awards and had the chance to dance in Las Vegas and in Disney. She also had the opportunity to perform on many occasions with KWMP. Brooke shone brightly when she was on stage, but loved, equally being back-stage directing her shows and recitals. She encouraged her dancers to pursue their dreams of being on stage and made a point of attending their performances to support them. You could always count on a flower, or a bag of skittles, from Miss Brooke outside the stage door, at the end of a show. From the beginning, Brooke was drawn to younger children and had a special connection to them. Her parents like to joke that if you couldn't find Brooke, you just needed to find the nearest pile of children. She would be somewhere near the bottom giggling and laughing with them. Brooke loved working with dancers of all ages, but there was a special place in her heart for the littlest ones who entered the studio. She knew that was the time to help them find a lifelong love of dance and she did her best to help them discover it. Family was always important to Brooke and she spent many hours in Port Dover with her extended family. She was the first to help coordinate a family function and made sure everyone had a great time. On holidays, and most weekends in the summer, Brooke aimed to be in Dover, on the Beach or sitting at Gramma's house looking at the lake. Canada Day in Port Dover was a favourite, and a family tradition that was not to be missed. She loved to celebrate it with her Grampy, special aunts, uncles, and cousins. Brooke could always be relied upon to cheer for her family and friends - or anyone she met, for that matter. Her brother, Curtis, was among the most special souls for her. She relished cheering him on at hockey and baseball games as well as watching him as a drummer in shows for Naked Flubber and Since'84. Brooke was so very proud of her brother's talents. In 1999, fresh out of high school, Brooke took a risk that very few in her generation did. She decided to live her passion and started Dance Adventure. With the support of her parents, she opened a one room studio that grew over 21 years to be a home to more than 400 dancers annually who hope to learn, grow, and absorb some of the passion Miss Brooke had for her art. It was through the studio and a chance crossing through mutual friends that she met the love of her life, Braden. He likes to tell the story about how he won the dance teacher's heart; she likes to tell the story about how she rolled her eyes when he started talking. Brooke and Braden complimented one another and through their love, made the other better. Together, they have two brave, strong, beautiful, intelligent, and talented daughters, who share their mother's love of dance and music. Brooke loved her girls and made sure they felt special each moment they were together. Brooke will forever be the connector, the instigator, and the first to do something unexpected. She had a kind soul. She brought out the best in the people around her. She provided joy and love to the lives of everyone she met. Brooke was, quite literally, a ray of sunshine. Brooke showed us the things that made for a great family were love, laughter, hugs, and dancing, which was ceaseless in her home. When asked what made her most proud, she said it was watching her dancers performing on stage. She loved each and every one of her dancers and made sure they knew they always had a place at DA, no matter what. Brooke found joy in the simple things in life. A swim in the pool. A beautiful sunset. A sappy movie or a design show on TV. We know in our hearts that she is in a better place, with a smile on her face, probably in the midst of pulling together the greatest production, or jazz line, of all time. Miss Brooke always left her dancers with something to work on outside of class. So here is your challenge: once a week, have a kitchen dance party, sing some songs together or take some silly pictures. Most importantly, every day, please take a moment to tell the people you love how much they mean to you - give them a hug if you can or send them a comforting message. And every chance you get, squeeze your kids like you never want to let them go. Brooke is, and will always be, an inspiration to all of us. She will forever be our Miss Brooke. As expressions of sympathy, in Brooke's honour, our family will be providing donations to our local performing arts community. We encourage all of you to continue to support the arts which have been so badly impacted this past year, whether that is Drayton Festival, KWMP, The Centre in the Square, Buskers, or another group or event. We further encourage you to support the Grand River Cancer Center and Grand River Hospital who showed great care, concern and compassion to Brooke and our family during the past 15 months - we are forever grateful to the team there. One of the things that Brooke truly believed in was making dance accessible to families who may be struggling financially. Each year, she would assist a few families at her studio who needed a hand by making dance more affordable and accessible, often without them knowing. To truly honour the legacy of Miss Brooke, we plan to set up a fund to help make dance more available to our local dancers. There will be more information available in the coming months as we fulfil this ambition. A private memorial service will be held at the Henry Walser Funeral Home (519) 749-8467. Extended family and friends may view Brooke's service on Friday April 23, 2021 at 11 a.m. via the following livestream link: https://www.henrywalser.com/live-streaming A public gathering to celebrate Brooke's life will be held at a later date. Visit www.henrywalser.com to view Brooke's memorial. "Brooke Myers-Kurczak Obituary (1980 - 2021) - Kitchener, ON - Waterloo Region Record". 2021. Legacy.Com. https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/therecord-waterloo/obituary.aspx?n=brooke-myers-kurczak&pid=198396317&fhid=31138.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 17 Oct 1980 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth