After a six-hour power outage downed the Lester Centre of the Arts for much of Saturday, performers didn’t miss a beat for the week-ending dance gala that had the best acts performing in front of hundreds Saturday night.
With power restored just in time for the show, B.C. Annual Dance Competition participants, who had been performing for adjudicators all week-long, showed off their exquisite timing, choreography and passion for the stage all night. Overall, 40 numbers were performed, ranging in categories from hip-hop to ballet to musical theatre to tap-dancing.
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Karlie Fudger, far right, a member of Dance Academy of Prince Rupert, wins 2016 Junior Performer of the Year, bringing the distinction back to Prince Rupert.
Highlights included the uproariously funny ‘Along Came Bialy’ by Performers North of Prince George, ‘Pocahantas Goes to London’ by Spectrum City Dance Studio, ‘Ringmaster’ by Terrace’s Contemporary Collective, ‘Rise Up’ by Port Coquitlam’s 6-Pack, a hilarious rendition of ‘Lord of the Dance’ by Dance Academy of Prince Rupert and even ‘Haida Dance’ by traditional Haida dancers.
Rupert’s Karlie Fudger won 2016 Junior Performer of the Year, Prince George’s Kieran Yip won 2016 Senior Performer of the Year and the Arts Council of Prince Rupert won the 2016 Mary Lester Service Award.
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Dance Unlimited performs ‘Incantation’ during the first half of performances at Saturday’s gala.
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E-Motion performs ‘Empire of Angels’, a Classical Ballet Group number that started the show with a bang.