Valerie G. Barnes Connell Jordan
Northern Advocate
Founded in September 2021, the Tri-Community Dance Club has grown to include close to 80 dancers, said Genevieve Candelora, chair of the board for the Club, in an interview with the Northern Advocate.
The Club time is separated into two semesters, September to December and January to the end of May.
Over the years, different people have been brought in to work with the club participants on different aspects of dance.
They host a Showcase at the end of each semester, close to the same date every year, so that it’s a set schedule, rather than having pick a date for the Showcase. Everyone knows when it’s going to be held.
Dancers can join the club at three years of age for the Combo class this year and five years for the Tap class. This class included ballet, modern style and Hip Hop this year,
A second class focuses on Tap. Potential dancers start as young as five in the Tap class.
One of the hopes of the club is that children will start dancing young and remain involved into their teen years.
As of this year, there are dancers who are 13, and Candelora hopes they will stay through until they are 18.
Starting at three years and staying with the club, “some of the children will be able to say that they grew up dancing in La Ronge … that’s really cool.”
The club is affiliated with Performing Arts Warehouse in Prince Albert. Their instructor is the owner and teacher with the Warehouse.
Dancers have weekly lessons, which could be compounded, if they happen to be in both classes, the Combo and Tap. In that case they would have two lessons weekly.
Their weekly lessons are held virtually in La Ronge and then there is a monthly, in person, lesson with the Instructor, Jenna Trawin, who travels to La Ronge for the in-person lessons.
The Club also has one Dance Assistant, who lives in La Ronge, Madison Vandale, along with two youth dance assistants, Amelia Putz and Najlia McIntosh.
The youth are members of the club, who “help out with the classes.”
The 2023/24 year saw the Club added a Festival Group to their mix. The Group competed in three festivals, called Dance Blasts, two in Prince Albert and one in Tisdale.
Members of the Festival Team have to be registered in right classes so, like a regular class, they would be part of [Combo or Tap] to be part of the Festival Group.
Members of the Group can enter competition as a solo, or int duos or trios as well.
“We have had quite a few dancers receive awards from La Ronge, which is really good … so it’s nice to have La Ronge being recognized that way,” Candelora said.
They also include representatives from other dance clubs to participate in their Showcases.
At their final Showcase for the year, May 25, they featured members of the Performing Arts Warehouse, from Prince Albert; Ishraq Dance Troupe; and Pre-Cam Community School’s Hoop Dance class.
The Club is governed by a Board, which includes: Genevieve Candelora, chair; Camille Galloway, secretary; Kaylee Irving, treasurer; and members at large: Jessica Green; Ivana Cross; Jenny Wilkins; Shianna Kruger; Melissa Mckenzie; Robyn Klassen; and Laura Kingston.
