The best of Nelson’s dance community will share the spotlight this week.
The third annual Nelson Dance Educators’ Showcase, which runs Saturday, Nov. 17 at the Capitol Theatre, will feature performances from nine local schools. Nelson and District Arts Council executive director Sydney Black says the event differs from other dance shows by putting instructors front and centre on the stage.
“Usually they are in the back with their Grade 7s doing tap dance or leading their little five year olds’ ballet classes and supporting, but don’t get a chance to say, ‘Hey, this is all the crazy awesome stuff that I do.’ It’s been a really amazing way to let them be featured.”
Stelio Calagias and his Front Street Dance students are among the night’s performers. Calagias moved to Nelson three years ago after running a dance school in Toronto for over two decades and said he was surprised by the quality of local dance groups.
“A lot of very well-educated performing arts educators have landed here,” he said. “Nelson’s a pretty unique place and we are really happy that we’ve landed here and we feel like we’ve landed in the right place for ourselves as well.”
Black said profits from the show will be redistributed to the schools to be used as bursaries for dance lessons.
“It’s going to be highly entertaining,” said Calagias. “It’s supporting a community cause, a very worthwhile cause. We’re hoping that, as we’ve had in the past, [we’ll have] another sold-out audience.”
The Dance Educators’ Showcase runs 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $21 and can be purchased online at capitoltheatre.ca.
tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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