Prince Albert Dance Company spotlights solo and duo performances at Showcase

Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald Hayden and Avari performed a musical theatre number as part of the Prince Albert Dance Academy Solo-Duo Dance Showcase on Saturday at the EA Rawlinson Centre.

The Prince Albert Dance Company celebrated their second year of existence by hosting their second annual Solo-Duo Showcase on Saturday afternoon at the EA Rawlinson Centre.

Bethany Leachman, the owner and operator of Prince Albert Dance Company, said that the afternoon was about giving people a chance to see the performers.

“Our main focus with the Solo and Duo Showcase is just to give our students another chance to perform,” Leachman explained. “They love being on stage. It’s a great opportunity for their friends and family and other local people just to get out to watch an amazing show with some very talented kids.”

The Prince Albert Dance Company currently has nearly 120 dancers in their studio. Leachman said that’s a good total for a second year group.

There were several graduating dancers included in the 31 performances.

“We don’t do our solos and duos at the recital, so the only other option would be for their friends and family to come watch competition,” Leachman said. “This is a nice stress free environment that they can just go out and perform.”

Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald Loick and Frankie performed a musical theatre number as part of the Prince Albert Dance Academy Solo-Duo Dance Showcase on Saturday at the EA Rawlinson Centre.

The dances spanned the genres including several musical theatre performances along with lyrical, contemporary, hip hop, jazz, modern and ballet.

“We have a really strong musical theatre group. I like to say too that, with our studio, we like to focus on all parts of performing rather than just dance or just music,” Leachman said.

Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald Gabrielle performed a jazz number as part of the Prince Albert Dance Academy Solo-Duo Dance Showcase on Saturday at the EA Rawlinson Centre.

There were several dancers who have added to their repertoire while at the studio. Some of the performers are starting to create their own dances.

“They are branching out more to be choreographers and stuff like that rather than just dancing,” Leachman said.

Leachman has been teaching for over 15 years. She founded the Prince Albert Dance Company because she wanted to create a space for more than dance.

Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald Hayden performed a musical theatre number as part of the Prince Albert Dance Academy Solo-Duo Dance Showcase on Saturday at the EA Rawlinson Centre.

“They (the students) want more than dance,” she explained. “They want to be artists and they want to explore and be creative, and for them to come and it to be more than just a studio for dancing.”

michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca

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