CindyMarie Small knew she wanted to be a ballet dancer at a young age, and with that drive she tackled the difficult training required to dance professionally, gracing the stage from 1991 until 2007 as a ballerina for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB). It was after that when she discovered that she was as driven as a student as she was as a dancer, and she’s graduating this week with gold at the Faculty of Arts Spring Convocation.
CindyMarie Small as ‘Nancy’ + Giuseppe de Ruggiero, photo supplied by Val Caniparoli’s Instagram
During her dance career, Small’s talent and skill made her a well-known muse as well as a dancer. She inspired many choreographers from across the Canada and around the world to create iconic roles for her, including the title role as Nancy (aka Cinderella) in a Val Caniparoli’s A Cinderella Story, Mina Murray in Mark Godden’s Dracula, and Pamina in his Magic
Flute. Godden’s Dracula and characters like his version of Mina Murray then inspired the film Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary, which was directed by filmmaker and UWinnipeg Distinguished Alumni Award winner Guy Maddin and starred Small in the same role.
After her retirement from dance, Small kept busy looking for her next move, which is how she made her way to UWinnipeg.
“At the beginning, I was working and traveling, which made online courses the best option for me,” said Small, who began her studies at UWinnipeg with an English course. She also experimented with other interests, including an interior design class at Red River College and theatre training with the Prairie Theatre Exchange, before deciding it was time to obtain her degree.
“UWinnipeg has been really good for me. At the beginning I had trepidations about being in class with younger students, but it was a hoot,” said Small. “I always asked a lot of questions and built good relationships with my teachers. I found that by showing commitment and interest in the class, my professors reciprocated with a mutual commitment and interest in preparing me to achieve my goals.”
Her commitment and aim for perfection in her studies has earned Small this year’s Gold Medal for Achievement in Psychology, and she is the recipient of the Lieutenant-Governor’s Gold Medal for the Highest Standing in the Faculty of Arts in a 3-year program. She will be gracing the graduation stage with her married name, CindyMarie Mack.
Driven as ever, Small will be continuing her studies this fall at UManitoba to complete a Master’s in Occupational Therapy.
