The Pointe N’ Drop dance studio is gearing up to get Swan Hills fired up for Swancicle Days with their Winter Showcase performance. The highly anticipated presentation promises to be a night of spectacular dance performances that will leave the audience spellbound.

The group will be performing routines that they have choreographed for two upcoming competitions, the More Vibe (March 23 – 26) and Dance Vibe (April 20 – 23) dance festivals at the Arden Theatre in St. Albert. Victoria Dyck, Pointe N’ Drop’s dance instructor, reports that quite a few of her students are excited for the opportunity to perform their dance routines for parents, family, and friends ahead of the St. Albert dance events. Family and friends will be free to take pictures and videos during the Winter Showcase on Friday, whereas doing so is not permitted during the competitions.

Pointe N’ Drop has added a new dance genre to their repertoire this year. In addition to the lyrical and hip-hop classes offered in previous years, the studio is exploring new creative territory with contemporary dance. When asked about this new genre, Victoria describes it by saying, “It’s a brand new one I’ve never done before; it’s kind of a mix of hip hop and lyrical together. And it can be whatever kind of, I want to say mood, but the majority of it can be dark or haunting almost, which is kind of what intrigued me because I’ve never done anything like that before.”

While the studio takes students between 6 and 18 years of age, the contemporary genre is only open to students 11 and up because of how intense it can get. Victoria explains that she put the age limit in place “Because you kind of need an emotional maturity to dance in it, to understand the story and the way it needs to be portrayed.” Pointe N’ Drop students will demonstrate this genre by closing out the Showcase on Friday with a contemporary performance.

With 26 students this season, Victoria has choreographed 13 routines for the group. She reports that while she has had more students in her groups before, this is the highest number of routines she has put together for a single season.

Be sure to head down to the Keyano Centre at 6:30 P.M. this Friday to experience Pointe N’ Drop’s Winter Showcase and cheer them on in advance of their upcoming competitions.

Dean LaBerge, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Grizzly Gazette