Carlyle Skating Club held its final practice of the year on Monday, March 16 at the Carlyle Sports Arena. This practice and the scheduled dress rehearsal on the coming Friday, would be the last time the skaters would get to polish their routines before the March 22 show.
Club President Anita Delalleau received word Monday morning, March 16 from Skate Saskatchewan that all club events should be cancelled effective immediately due to the precautions of the growing Covid-19 pandemic. The news meant that all the work for preparations, decorations, costumes that had gone into presenting the Club’s annual ice show, was all for naught. Subsequently, the town would announce the closing of the Carlyle Sports Arena on Wednesday, March 18.
The club executive consists of Anita Delalleau, Dorothy Corrigan, Nikki Hall, Charlene Chapman Natalie Miller and Jackie Blaise. The executive, with no forewarning and now burdened with a decision of what to do, having to break the untimely news to the parents and skaters, contacted them and summoned all to the scheduled practice and to bring their costumes.
It was decided to hand out the awards at practice and to live stream the skaters in their costumes on Facebook, giving them the chance to perform with the added incentive of a virtual audience.
The theme for the show was “Back to the 80’s” and for the event Sunday, the decorations were ready and put on display to give it the feel of the much anticipated planned event.
The skaters had taken the warm-up and now donned their costumes, the parents were in the stands with their cameras to cheer on the skaters. One could sense the enthusiasm and determination of everyone involved that they would make this practice “perfect.”
Acting as MC, Nolan Mudrewich introduced each act and the practice became the main event for the skaters who had waited all year to be in this moment.
The program featured solos, duets and group skaters, all to the tunes of the ‘80’s.
The coaches of CanSkate are Brittany Rowe and MacKenzie Valentine, the Star Skate coaches are Dawn Brady, Jenna Toms and Brittany Rowe. Also putting time into the success of the club are Grace Smyth and Kyla Fischer.
The “show must go on” and it came true for the skaters at this final practice. Each skater preformed at the top of their ability and everyone that was able to watch on live stream or later on the Internet, the parents in the building, the icemaker, the newspaper reporter covering the practice, could see that the work and effort of Carlyle Skating Club made for a memorable year.
