Bring the Energy!

Hi Energy Dance Studio host inaugural festival

Photo Credit: Hi Energy on Facebook

Bonnyville’s Lyle Victor Albert Theatre was overrun with tiara & tutus on March 17th, as Hi Energy Dance Studio hosted their inaugural dance festival. The club welcomed Hi Energy 2, from St. Paul, Pirouette Dance Studio, from Cold Lake, and the Krya Ukrainian Dance Club, from Bonnyville.

Dance Instructor and studio owner, Maria Tebutt, know affectionately as ‘Miss Maria’, said she couldn’t be more pleased with the event, “I had a lot of positive feedback from the parents, adjudicators, and the dancers. They all really enjoyed the festival.”

There was 123 entries in the festival, ranging from solos and duets to large dance troupes of 15+ dancers on stage.

“The kids all left smiling; we’ll definitely do it again,” it’s all about the kids, said Miss Maria.

The festival marked the start of the competitive season for the dancers, “it was a really good experience for them. A lot of them came out not scared of festival. It was really positive for the kids to experience it and not have to travel too far.”

One item of feedback came a few times, said Miss Maria, “our theatre is small.” The dance instructor said if the town is able to build a new theatre she would definitely utilize that to host larger festivals.

Dance festivals can bring hundreds of kids, and their parents to the community for extended weekends. Festivals are often large economic boosts to communities thanks to increased hotel and restaurant usage.

“It gets the kids geared up for festivals at the bigger centres and great feedback for the kids to work on as they head to the festivals,” Miss Maria said despite theatre size, the studio plans to host a festival next year to start the season, as well.

Moving from the Lyle Victor

The studio once found its home at the Lyle Victor. Once news came that the theatre may be torn down, the studio planned for the future and build a professional studio on Miss Maria’s property.

“It is the only, actual, professional dance studio in the entire area,” the studio has two dance rooms, with proper flooring, lighting, bars, and mirrors. There is change rooms for the students and a homework area for kids who have multiple dance lessons on the same night.

“It definitely helps the kids come in and feel like professional dancers. They’re just so happy to call it their dance home.”

The studio is located 10 kms out of Bonnyville, on Moose Lake. For more information on Hi Energy Dance Studio, visit them online at hienergydance.com.