The 35th annual Invitational Dance Carnival – hosted by Dance Images by B.J. and Denee School of Dance – wrapped up on Sunday afternoon with their final slate of performances, capping off a busy week of action that saw plenty of young dancers showing off their skills in front of the judges.
“It absolutely is a lot of hard work, but it’s absolutely worth it to give this opportunity to all the dancers,” said Barb Jackman, the ‘B.J.’ in Dance Images by B.J. “There are lots of competitions around in this area this weekend, so really, we’re always grateful that people support the carnival and come on out. There’s a lot of camaraderie and support and I think that’s what makes our competition also be desirable for others.”
A total of 14 studios from all corners of the province took part in the show, which featured dancers in a wide range of disciplines, from ballet to hip hop, tap to contemporary and everything in between. Competitors took to the Peacock Collegiate stage in solos, trios and full group dance numbers, each the culmination of hours of practice and dedication designed to put their best foot forward when the time came.
“It was great,” Jackman said when asked about the calibre of competition she saw on the weekend. “Children are allowed to compete at their own level, so if you’re a younger dancer just starting, you wouldn’t have to compete against those older kids who have been dancing all along. So it gives everybody an opportunity to be successful and show what they know.
“Then there’s a lot of camaraderie between the teachers, the audience, everyone is very supportive so everyone can do their very best job.”
Adjudicators for the show were Irene Booth, a certified Ballet and Modern dance examiner from Nanaimo, B.C., who worked alongside Professional Adjudication Alliance-certified Nola Antony from Fort McMurray.
Planning for the Carnival began essentially when the 34th annual show ended, with work in earnest starting in the fall.
“We run with almost 100 volunteers, they come from the two host studios, us and the Denee School of Dance, and it takes a pretty big team,” Jackman said.
“It is day four, though, so we’re happy. We lived to tell about it,” she added with a laugh before admitting that work on year 36 is already underway.
“It’s already starting to be planned, you have to be way ahead in the dance world to be on top of everything.”
Be sure to check back often for a rundown of award winners from the event.
