Prince Rupert’s dance studios stole the show at the Pacific Northwest Music Festival in Terrace last week, collecting dozens of top-two finishes and bringing home numerous individual accolades.
The annual competition took place in Terrace with contingents from both the Dance Academy of Prince Rupert (DAPR) and Spectrum City Dance (SCD) making the trip to participate.
DAPR received 32 first and second group placements as well as 40 first place solo/duo placements and 16 second place solo/duo placements.
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“The weekend for us went fantastic,” said Theresa Mackereth, director of the Dance Academy of Prince Rupert. “The soloists did extremely well, and we’re happy with our group placements.”
Individually, DAPR’s classical ballet group received the highest mark for their performance of Santa Maria, the junior stage dance group received the highest mark for their performance of Stop Cats. Individually, Lola Clouthier received the highest variety dance solo mark, Selena Horne received the highest music theatre dance solo mark, Kaia Jackson received the highest modern dance solo mark, Taylor Jackson received the highest marks for junior jazz dance solo and classical ballet solo, and Bailey Rae received the highest marks for the solo jazz musical interpretation and original dance choreography.
Rae also received the Pacific Northwest Music Festival Senior Scholarship, a prize worth $1,000
The dancers at SCD also had a successful outing at the festival, placing 33 out of the 35 groups they took to Terrace as well as receiving 64 top-two finishes for their solo and duet performers.
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Individually, Bianca Ferlaino received the competition’s citizenship award.
“It was spectacular,” said Spectrum City Dance director Ella Ferland. “It was extra reinforcement for the kids to get on stage.”
Both studios now look ahead to the annual BC Annual Dance Competition, which will bring over 390 dancers from across the province to Prince Rupert to showcase their choreography and dancing talent. The competition takes place May 6-12 at the Lester Centre.
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