Dance gala revives outage-affected PAC

The BC Annual Dance Competition continued as scheduled despite a six-hour power outage in Prince Rupert.

Prince Rupert’s E-Motion performs ‘Pocahantas Goes to London’ during the B.C. Annual Dance Competition’s Saturday night gala. On the final day of the competition, a six-hour power outage in Prince Rupert left the dancers in the dark, but the show continued on when power returned just in time. Dancers from across the province graced the Lester Centre of the Arts’ stage from May 8 - 14 for the competition, where more than $50,000 was given to participants in cash and scholarships.

After a six-hour power outage downed the Lester Centre of the Arts for much of Saturday, performers didn’t miss a beat for the week-ending dance gala that had the best acts performing in front of hundreds Saturday night.

With power restored just in time for the show, B.C. Annual Dance Competition participants, who had been performing for adjudicators all week-long, showed off their exquisite timing, choreography and passion for the stage all night. Overall, 40 numbers were performed, ranging in categories from hip-hop to ballet to musical theatre to tap-dancing.

Kevin Campbell/Northern View

Karlie Fudger, far right, a member of Dance Academy of Prince Rupert, wins 2016 Junior Performer of the Year, bringing the distinction back to Prince Rupert.

Highlights included the uproariously funny ‘Along Came Bialy’ by Performers North of Prince George, ‘Pocahantas Goes to London’ by Spectrum City Dance Studio, ‘Ringmaster’ by Terrace’s Contemporary Collective, ‘Rise Up’ by Port Coquitlam’s 6-Pack, a hilarious rendition of ‘Lord of the Dance’ by Dance Academy of Prince Rupert and even ‘Haida Dance’ by traditional Haida dancers.

Rupert’s Karlie Fudger won 2016 Junior Performer of the Year, Prince George’s Kieran Yip won 2016 Senior Performer of the Year and the Arts Council of Prince Rupert won the 2016 Mary Lester Service Award.

Kevin Campbell/Northern View