Who says you must pick one?
Known by many in the community as a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and science lover, Ruby Eger is one of Regina’s many shining stars. Aside from her pursuits in dancing, she is a third year actuarial science and pure math student at the University of Regina (UofR). She is also a teacher at Collective Studios and has been trained professionally in dance styles like jazz, lyrical, heels, contemporary, and hip-hop. The Carillon recently had the opportunity to interview Eger; her feature reel can be found on our Instagram account @thecarillonregina.
Life as a dancer
At three years old, Eger started ballet and has since garnered 14 years of competitive dance experience. In 2024, she completed an Intensive Training Program (ITP) at the Harbour Dance Centre in Vancouver. “What I [did] was a lot of technical training, training my ability to pick up choreography, and just learning about the dance industry,” she reminisced. In this program, Eger danced for 25 hours every week and learned about the behind the scenes of film, performance, and dance projects.
Though you wouldn’t be able to tell from her exceptional commitment to her craft, she experienced a lot of imposter syndrome in the beginning of her career, especially in new spaces. “I felt really behind being in British Columbia [surrounded] by a lot of dancers who already had access to all of these amazing teachers. [That] was something I did not have,” said Eger. “Being in Saskatchewan, there’s a limited amount of teachers or workshops that come through here.”
It’s very beautiful to see people who […] maybe [have just] come from a job or they’re very reserved but come here and [dance] to Britney. – Ruby Eger
By recognizing her own strengths and focusing on what she could bring to the table, Eger was able to overcome this obstacle. “It’s really just you against yourself and seeing if you can be a better dancer today than you were yesterday. That’s what I need to bring myself back to,” she stated.
Eger’s time with her teachers in Vancouver not only motivated her as a dancer, but also inspired her to teach. She expressed that the relationship between her and the dance community is mutual and she wants to give back to them for being a special part of her life. “I thought it was really valuable to go and learn a bunch of different styles, techniques, and ideas, then bring them back to Regina,” she shared.
Also an actuary science major
After attending the ITP, Eger faced another obstacle: she realized that dancing as a career was a lifestyle that she did not want. “It’s a lot of moving around. You’re never […] stationed in one area [and] it’s all contract work, so it’s a little risky,” she confessed.
Though being a dance teacher brings her joy, she also desires to work as an actuary. “Even when I was in high school, I always was asking the question [of] what can I do to bring dance and science together,” she said. Eger came to acknowledge the distinction between the two and feels she will be content with creating a healthy balance for herself. “If I’m working as an actuary or in that corporate world, but I also make time to teach […] and dance, [that’s] enough for me to be fulfilled with that passion,” she expressed.
The relationship between her and the dance community is mutual and she wants to give back to them for being a special part of her life. – Lee Lim
Bringing arts and science together
This year, her wish to bridge science and dance came true when she was asked to apply for a project with curator Dr. Glenn Sutter of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. “I read the [application] and it was so interesting because, throughout my life, I’ve had big passions for science and dance,” stated Eger. “This was finally a project where I was combining both of those things.”
Sutter’s research explores how museums are connected to Anthropocene traps, and if museums are countering or reinforcing them. Eger met with Sutter and found herself drawn to the idea and his original song, “Tiny Devils,” which was used for both the title and concept of the video collaboration. Eger was able to take the concept of Anthropocene traps and turn it into a visual story with her choreography. “I took the idea […] that’s really obscure and unrelated to dance and [boiled] it down to its bare bones, then [turned] it into dance,” said Eger. The project can be viewed on Dance Saskatchewan’s website and YouTube page.
Dance brings to our community a space that allows people to be unapologetically themselves. “It’s very beautiful to see people who […] maybe [have just] come from a job or they’re very reserved but come here and [dance] to Britney,” she said. Eger encourages those who want to dance to try even if they’re scared. She says she is one text away if someone doesn’t want to be alone in class. For Eger, dance isn’t about perfection but fun and improvement.
