TISDALE — One of the largest dance festivals in the Northeast marked its tenth anniversary.
Dance Experience, hosted by the Tisdale Dance Centre, saw almost 1,000 dancers from 12 different dance clubs visit the RECplex from April 18 to April 22.
“What’s so important about our tenth year is we’re still here,” said Carman Smith, the Tisdale Dance Centre’s president. “Without our continued sponsorship, without all of the parents that volunteer endless hours, without the teachers giving the children all of the work and bringing them to Dance Experience, and without the children dancing, none of this would happen.”
The dance festival began as a two-and-a-half day event before working its way up to its current five.
Smith said for the tenth anniversary, the focus is on the dancers.
“It’s a children’s festival and we offer a space for everyone of all ages and all abilities to dance, to express themselves and to be encouraged, not just in dance, but in life.”
Two expert adjudicators came to Tisdale for the week. Kristy Neumeier Sotnikow has been a successful dance studio owner in Saskatoon for more than 17 years and has performed with Weird Al Yankovic and captained a dance team with the World Basketball League. Angela Quinn is the artistic associate with the Kelowna Actors Studio and is also very active in film and television.
Smith said Dance Experience is important for the dance club.
“This is huge for us,” she said.
“This is a massive fundraiser for us and to be able to compete in our home town and our home stage with our surrounding communities that we love and respect so much in the dance world is just a wonderful thing for everybody.”
The club has also seen some recognition away from the studio. They’ve been nominated for group of the year for the Tisdale Chamber of Commerce’s awards, while a student has been nominated youth of the year and an executive member has been nominated citizen of the year.
The dance centre will also host its annual recital on May 6 at the RECplex at 2 p.m.
