Dancer Emilie Bland, who studies in the pre professional program offered through the schools and the Coast Academy of Dance (CAD), has passed her associate degree at the age of 17 to become a qualified teacher.
Emilie took a total of four major exams in modern and tap (on top of the teaching degree) and she was awarded distinction (the highest possible mark) for all of them. In addition, she has been accepted to dance with The Source Dance in Vancouver where she will learn more skills and perform with this popular and talented company.
In other dance news, the CAD's artistic director Julie Izad said that Paris's Moulin Rouge auditions (as previewed in Coast Reporter in July) were held at the Sechelt dance school recently. It was a successful turnout with some dancing hopefuls coming from as far away as Nevada and Prince George. Organizers were happy with the turnout in Sechelt noting that it was larger than the auditions turnout in Montreal. Nine candidates passed this initial screening process.
Happy Hour & Leaves
Two shows at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery (GPAG) open this weekend: A Happy Hour, a collection of works inspired by shared memories, stories and dreams of ideal happy hours, by good friends Susan Furze, Jan Poynter and Coralie Swaney will be in the main gallery. Enjoy this broad range of colourful, thoughtful and humorous subjects, in original glass, sculpture & paintings. The reception will be from 4 to 7 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 20. The exhibition runs until Sept. 26.
In the Harbour View Room of the GPAG, artist Suzy Naylor will be opening a new show of work, The Life and Times of Dy(e)ing Leaves, this Saturday. All are welcome to attend the gallery's reception for both shows.
Festivals galore
It's a weekend for festivals on the Coast.
Deer Crossing the Art Farm hosts its annual Synchronicity Festival Aug. 20 to 21, a carnival-like event in Shirley Macey Park in Gibsons.
The Pender Harbour Garlic and Music is in the Lions Park with Valdy and local musicians Joel Fafard, Penny Lang and Larry Cook from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. See www.penderharbourgarlicfestival.ca for more.
On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. check out Creek Daze and the Higgledy Piggledy Parade in Roberts Creek. Have a listen to the African music from the Song Circle, from noon to 3 p.m. as this group is busking to raising funds for their Kenyan Project. All proceeds support school projectsat Isecheno Primary School, Kenya, and will provide students withcontinued support and the primary school witha reading incentive program this fall.
The fourth festival this weekend, the Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival, is already sold out.
Meet the author
Moscow born Marina Sonkina returns to Bluewaters Books in Madeira Park to meet the public this Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. She will present her musical feature The Violin that Wanted to See the World, a children's fairy tale in medieval style, plus her new book Lucia's Eyes and other stories. For more about the bookstore, see: www.bluewaters.ca or phone Dale Jackson at 604-883-9006.
Du show
Artist Janice McFegan is showing work from her Brides series of paintings at Du Hair Salon at Park Plaza in Gibsons. The colourful, offbeat show will be up for two months.
African show
Coast residents Sasha Belle and Kocassale Dioubate (originally from Guinea, West Africa), are putting together a fun family show to be held at Gibsons' Heritage Playhouse on Friday, Aug 26.They are bringing a group of amazing performers from Victoria and Vancouver, originally from Zimbabwe, Guinea, and Ivory Coast, to present Celebrate Life -an all-ages multicultural family show at 7:30 p.m. (doors at 7).
This vibrant presentation will showcase artistic culture, music and dance through explosive Guinean percussion, tribal drumming, high-energy dances, amazing acrobatics, Zimbabwean marimba, plus soothing instrumental pieces and great vocals. Advance tickets are $15 adults, $10 children ages six to 12 with ages five and under free, are available at Gaia's Fair Trade, MELOmania, Strait Music, Bluewaters Books, Kunda African Culture Music & Dance (Ruby Lake) or at the door: $17 adults, $12 children.
Gallery visit
Shipwreck Studio Gallery in Secret Cove, the home of Kristjana Gunnars, is holding open houses every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.In addition to Gunnars' own work, she shows a selection of other items from her former gallery including some rare pieces.Her studio is located near to hiking, a marina and restaurant. Directions are marked by signs on the highway; turn at Sans Souci Road. To see what is available, artists and services, take a look at the Zoega Fine Art website: http://web.me.com/zoegafineart/zoega/Home.html.
Deadline Tuesday
Send items for Art Beat (include who, what, where, when, why and ticket info) to me via e-mail ([email protected]) or phone (604-886-4692) by Tuesday before 5 p.m. for Friday's newspaper. Art Beat covers events up to one week ahead only.
