Students from the Drewitz School of Dance showcased their dancing skills on Saturday during the 35th annual Spotlight on the Stars at the Estevan Comprehensive School’s cafetorium.
Under the direction of dance studio owner Lorie-Gay Drewitz-Gallaway, the show featured 43 numbers and the talents of approximately 240 students. Many people also volunteered to help make the show possible.
Sold-out crowds packed the cafetorium for afternoon and evening performances.
"I thought the kids did really well," said Drewitz-Gallaway. "It's a big day, because we put two complete shows on, and each show takes about three hours. It's a lot for the little ones, but they have energy and they're raring to go."
The evening show wrapped up around 10 p.m. on Saturday night, she said, but the young children were ready to perform again.
Since it was the 35th edition, the show's theme was Blast from the Past, and there were numerous nods to the studio's history.
For example, most of the songs had been performed in previous years. The first two numbers, Famous Models and Hot Lunch Jam, were also performed at the first Spotlight on the Stars in 1984.
There was also a history on the Drewitz School of Dance inside the program, and a list graduates, assistant teachers, helpers, office staff, MCs, seamstresses, costuming workers, backdrop designers and music people.
Drewitz-Gallaway said there were a lot of former students who returned for this year. And some of the children who have been through the dance studio in the past now have children in dance.
It was important to celebrate the studio's history, she said.
“It shows that children and students, even when they graduate, it’s made them believe that even though they come from a smaller centre, they can do wonderful things,” said Drewitz-Gallaway.
Also during the recital, there was a fundraiser for Payton Sernick's family. Payton is a member of the dance studio and is currently battling cancer. The effort raised more than $2,200.
This week's edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.
