Tom Henihan
Express Staff
A lot of hard work and discipline is paying off for the Smoky River Dance Society (SRDS) with a successful and busy schedule as the season winds to a close.
Competing for a second year in the Peace River Dance Festival at Glenmary School on March 19 and 20, the SDRS earned silver in Novis Jazz, Musical theatre, Hip-hop, Ballet 7 and 8 year olds and ballet 9 plus. Junior Jazz, performing modern dance won Gold.
Ballet 7 and 8-year-old ballet were also ranked as having the most potential.
“For kids who never danced before they have been performing very well,” says SRDS president, Chantal Roy. The SRDS has two instructors: Alysia Sharpe teaches ballet and Brogan Severson teaches all other disciplines.
The Peace River Dance Festival, hosted by the Peace Region Dance Society is a regional event, presenting a broad spectrum of disciplines and styles including jazz, ballet, tap and contemporary. The festival, which is professionally adjudicated, was established to present more opportunities for dance societies in the north.
This year, along with SRDS the festival included dancers from Repertoire Dance, High Prairie, Petkus Arts Company, High Level and of course, Peace Region Dance Society.
The next major event for the SRDS is its End of season Recital, April 24, at Georges P. Vanier in Donnelly. The recital, which is the society’s only annual fundraiser, will feature jazz, ballet and hip-hop and two new disciplines introduced this year, creative movement for 3 to 5 year olds and musical theatre. The event will also feature the sale of flowers, DVDs and a silent auction.
Although the end of season recital is the official end of the SRDS season, the dance society has still another competition on its schedule for April 30 and May 1 at the Standing Ovation Festival in Unchaga Hall Dawson Creek.