For over two hours each day, the Athabasca Dance Society tapped, swayed and leapt, showcasing their dance skills at the Nancy Appleby Theatre in three concerts from May 10-12.
The trio of concerts marked the end of the year for the Athabasca Dance Society.
“It was perfect,” Joleen Lesage, the society’s fundraising director said.
The society managed to have nearly three sold out shows.
“Saturday and Sunday were sell-outs and Friday we still had a few tickets available,” Lesage said.
The shows featured the society’s range, its 100 members performing dance numbers from ballet to hip-hop. Some came all the way from Lac la Biche to dance. Dancers ranged from three to adults.
Athabasca Dance Society teacher Kerry Doidge said it was the usual backstage shenanigans to a good show.
“The show had its usual little entertaining moments backstage as every performance does, but we managed sew costumes together and sew dancers into costumes and unlock doors that had children locked behind them,” she said.
This year was different, Doidge said, with the society trying out a class for three-year-olds and a moms and tots class.
“The show went on as it has for over thirty years in Athabasca,” Doidge said.
The society had a busy year with performances at Pleasant Valley Lodge, a Christmas show at the Nancy Appleby Theatre where proceeds went to the Food Bank and even an intermission show at an Edmonton Oil Kings game.
The Athabasca Dance Society also recognized Doidge for her years of service.
“I’m very touched that the students and the executive thought of me and thought of commemorating my time with the society,” Doidge said.
Doidge said it was a real pleasure to have built the club from a once a week dance studio to a club that has had dancers graduate from places like the School of Toronto Dance Theatre and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet to make their careers in art and dance.
In an email after the show, Doide said at the final performances, she is reminded of the Athabasca Dance Society's mission statement, which states it is "dedicated to igniting and supporting a lifelong passion for dance in dancers, instructors, parents and the public. We foster physical and personal growth by developing dancers and instructors in an open and inclusive environment."
"When I am greeted backstage by students — some of whose parents once stood in their very spot with the same anticipation of the moment they step on stage, or by volunteers who were themselves once dancers or parents of past dancers, when I look into the audience to see the familiar faces of so many who return to see their friends or to simply support their alma mater and when I look onto the stage at the beaming faces, each one proud of their accomplishment, I see that dedication realized," she said. "The dance society continues to flourish because of that passion."
The recital may have marked the end of the year dance, but some dancers will continue on.
“We do still have some dances that still go on for ballet because some classes have exams in June,” Lasage said.
