The senior students from the Dance Works Academy opened their Friday evening show, Excerpts, with an acting showcase under the direction of Edie Inksetter. Artistic director Penny Hudson explained that the acting class was new to the school and would give dance students more confidence in performing. The skits were well done; actors Sophie Ballantyne and Shaunna Rae Williams made their dizzy characters come alive, while Paola Rodriguez and Dominique Schulz brought humour to the show with a skit about an errant bee who wants to board Noah's ark.
Following the acting, the dancers gave a polished two-hour show featuring some of their award-winning or highly rated performances from the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Performing Arts and from the 2008 Dance Power Competition.
Highlights included the bronze jazz program, now taught by former Dance Works student Shantaya Erb, and the ballet piece, Mechanics, performed by Sullivan Messner with the busiest dancer in the school, Etta Degnan (she appeared in at least 12 pieces). The Grade 6 ballet duo of Taylor Greenaway and Keely Park also excelled.
But, as always with the Dance Works Academy, the strongest showing was from their tap students. It seems that both teenagers and adults are being turned on to tap in growing numbers every year. Experienced dancer Franklin Cottrell looks terrific and has acquired a few new moves. His Fabulous Feet number, tap danced with Selena Bell and Skye Cottrell, was a good example of the ability that earned him the festival's adjudicators' choice award and a scholarship to Harbour Dance in Vancouver.
The little tappers were not performing at Friday's show, since the junior classes took to the stage on Saturday afternoon only. Hudson said that the division of older and younger classes into two separate programs allowed for less congestion backstage and helped parents with scheduling logistics. The teen hip hop dancers demonstrated their medal winning action on Bring 'Em Out, and the audience enjoyed the senior hip hop routine, Jungle to Jungle, for its funkier style and entertaining choreography. Hudson said that instructor Tal Iozef brought an urban technique to hip hop that she had been looking for, and she was sorry that Iozef has since left the school after being accepted into Cirque du Soleil. The best was saved until last. Mambo Madness featured Katalina Amanovich, Selena Bell, Skye Cottrell and the terrific Taylor Greenaway all vying for the attentions of slick mambo king Franklin Cottrell.
Dance Works will host a summer dance camp with special guest teachers in August. For more information, call 604-886-4121 or 604-741-8354.
