The Fernie Memorial Arena was transformed on Friday and Saturday night from a regular skating rink to a concert venue and performance space. With twinkling lights lining the rink, mountains, lakes and other Fernie sights painted onto the ice, and Shred Kelly rocking out on stage, the arena was the perfect set up for the Fernie Skating Club’s annual showcase.
For the first time ever, the club’s skaters performed their annual show to live music. As skaters twirled around the ice dressed as skiers, bikers, hikers, tourists, animals, fishermen and more, local band Shred Kelly belted their special blend of eclectic tunes from centre stage. The lively music pouring from the instruments of the Fernie based band was the perfect complement to the upbeat and positive energy of the skaters.
According to skating club secretary Alanna Corrigan, the big night was the result of “numerous hours of practice with recordings from Shred Kelly.” Clearly, the practice paid off as the skaters did an excellent job with their routines.
There were 16 full performances from skaters aged three to 18. Each performance had a unique theme and was choreographed to fit with Shred Kelly’s songs. The night was started off by a large performance of 26 skaters criss-crossing the ice to the song Sing to the Night. Both the skaters and the band dressed up in vintage ski gear, with some of them even incorporating ski poles into their routine.
The skating club’s two graduating skaters were both a part of the first performance, as well as several others throughout the night. Skaters Layne Corrigan and Paige Polacik celebrated their final year with the Fernie Skating Club, wishing their fellow skaters and coaches all the best.
Intermission brought a costume change for the band (out of ski gear and into business attire) and new routines for the second half of the show. Part two of the skating showcase featured plenty of plaid, a sing along opportunity to the band’s song I Hate Work and a beautiful final performance by all the skaters in the club. Throughout both the first and second parts of the showcase, coaches Kathy Sutherland and Sue Bullick could be seen dancing along the sidelines, unable to resist the toe-tapping rhythm blasting from the speakers.
With a good turnout to both the Friday night and Saturday night shows, the club raised money to continue their operations in Fernie. Between ticket and snack sales, the club would like to thank everyone who attended for their support, as well as the coaches, parents, and volunteers for all of their hard work leading up to the performance.
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