Dancing is a very popular activity with many youth taking part in learning and competing different routines, but an important aspect is allowing youth to dance for fun in addition to the competition. Tammy Lawrence-Bhimji has The Dance Zone School of Dancing based in Weyburn and Carlyle. Her belief is to foster a love of dance in youth, while taking them to competitions, but to also show them what they can do with dance in the future.
As a way to help instill this in her dancers, they have been given opportunities this year to not only participate in the usual competitions they attend, but to perform on a cruise in February as well as performing on Telemiracle in March.
“We have 34 children ages five to 17 doing the cruise,” Lawrence-Bhimji explained. “I learned about the cruise opportunity through a friend who had taken their studio. We applied by sending an audition tape of past performances; usually it takes 12-18 months to be placed, but we were chosen and given a date within four months. They were quite impressed with what they saw from the dancers.”
“The opportunity was open to all dance families and it’s nice to have so many that did sign on.”
The cruise will take place over the February break, from Feb. 15 to 22, on the Carnival Liberty. Although the youth will gain travel experience through the Caribbean with stops in Mexico, Bahamas, and Isla Roatan, the exciting portion comes with their two night showcase. Open to all the guests onboard the ship, the dancers will perform a 30 minute non-stop performance.
“We’ve been practicing on Sundays since December and will be doing a choreographed Broadway show,” Lawrence-Bhimji said.
This is the kind of experience that can lead to future possibilities for dancers.
“It’s really exciting for the kids to be going,” she explained. “It will help give the dancers an eye-opening as well for what the future can hold for them as dancers. They have the opportunity to perform on cruise ships and see the world.”
Locally participating in this opportunity are Vanessa Bendtsen, Jorja Bendtsen, Taylor Sargent, Hayley Hislop, Abigail Birch, Brooklyn Lewis, Payton Spry, Presley Wilcox, Olivia Brownridge, and Natalie Haddow.
Additionally Vanessa and Jorja, Sargent, Hislop, Birch, and Lewis are also part of the senior dance team, made up of 18 dancers in total, who will be performing on this year’s Telemiracle. Though specific times will not be released for performers until February, they will be performing either on Saturday, March 7 or 8.
“They auditioned in September with a jazz number called, ‘All That Jazz,’ and we were notified in November that we had been chosen to perform,” Lawrence-Bhimji stated.
“We chose to audition because it’s just another opportunity to perform and as a teacher I believe dancing is not all about the competitive dance but it’s about their love of dance and participating in non-competitive settings is good for that.”
The local dancers who are participating on this senior squad and going to Telemiracle will be collecting pledges and donations on behalf of the community to present after their performance.
For anyone unable to catch this performance, the Dance Zone’s local recital will be held on May 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the Carlyle Elementary School’s gymnasium. Tickets will go on-sale April 20.
