Four days of competition left the student dancers from the Coast Academy of Dance exhausted but happy.
“Everyone was successful – they gave their all,” said artistic director Julie Izad, and they danced away with numerous awards for ensemble and choreography work.
After two days of the Coast’s Festival of the Performing Arts in which the students won nine awards, they went on to the Star Talent competition in Burnaby on April 22 and 23. Out of 482 entries in the competition, CAD drew the highest marks, bringing home gold, platinum and diamond placements along with 35 first place entries.
“We’re not a competition school,” Izad said, adding that some schools compete every week, though CAD might go once a year. “We go once, we go big!”
CAD choreographers Christina Fitchett and Becky Izad won honours in several categories. The junior jazz ensemble won for “most electric energy” and the Tango de Roxanne, performed by the pre-professional dancers received “most dynamic.” Both were choreographed by Fitchett.
The award for the highest mark in a large group and highest for contemporary ensemble went to those dances choreographed by Becky Izad. She took home the award for the highest mark overall out of 482 entries plus a cash prize for her piece Life is Still Beautiful.
The students must audition to be part of the competition ensembles and must stay 100 per cent committed to their practise. Izad attributes their success to a strong work ethic.
“We’re an academy and we concentrate on exams and technique,” she said. “It’s lots of hard work over the years and each year the competition gets stronger.”
You can still take a class for fun – CAD takes all ages from three-year-olds to 70-year-old tap dancers. The adult Cardio Cabaret, for example, choreographed by Ivana Capelletto, received “most entertaining” adult group at competition.
The annual CAD recital, Dance on the High Seas, takes place on June 10 and 11 in four shows at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Raven’s Cry Theatre in Sechelt. Tickets are $25 adults, $20 students and seniors on sale now at the CAD office during open hours, at Lucky’s Smokehouse on Wharf and at Pretty Natty Duds on Cowrie. The theatre will be selling tickets on June 9 and 10 or you can e-transfer on request at [email protected]
