ESTEVAN — The Estevan Drewitz School of Dance, its director and teacher Lorie-Gay Drewitz-Gallaway, staff, volunteers, students and their families celebrated 40 years of the art of dance in the community with a beautiful recital filled with elegance, harmony, preciseness, as well as colours, music and energy.
Two Spotlight on Stars recitals that took the stage at the Estevan Comprehensive School's cafetorium were sold out well before the Saturday performances, with people looking for spare tickets ahead of the concerts.
Drewitz-Gallaway said it was very busy but wonderful to prepare and then perform, celebrating their milestone.
"It meant so much to me, there were so many people that came, it was so overwhelming and emotional. And the children were on their best and loved getting out there in front of the audience," Drewitz-Gallaway shared. "It was a wonderful showing and a great crowd. They were so encouraging to the children every time they performed, the grads danced well, as everybody did."
One of the highlights was two students who were a part of the very first Drewitz School of Dance recital 40 years ago – one of whom now runs her own studio – who came back and spoke on stage. Drewitz-Gallaway said it was great to hear from them as it brought back all the memories of the first year.
"When I first moved here, there was no professional dance studio, so everybody was the same level, they're all beginners. And now to see what has come out of that [is wonderful], and the support from the community and the people, the parents, the students," Drewitz-Gallaway shared.
Many local people who graduated throughout these 40 years came for the recital. Many of them now have kids or grandkids dancing as well.
"When you just think about the steps, the journey from the beginning and where we've got now, it's pretty exciting."
Many things have changed throughout these years. From dance to music players and the music itself, and from costumes to decorations, all of those different components have evolved.
"Dance has evolved. In the beginning, the exam systems had hardly gotten going in Saskatchewan, and then all of a sudden, it progressed, and we're taking it to the university level. It started so much as a performing art, and it was like that for many years. And then dance became very athletic and many other aspects came into it. There is a lot of acrobatics now, and there are a lot of different things that have come through out of ballet like contemporary and lyrical,” Drewitz-Gallaway said.
“In the beginning, we just had ballet, tap, jazz and Highland, because those were the basics. And that is still the basic foundation of training children. But a lot has come out of that.”
The first classes were accompanied by music records, and now it comes out of cell phones. The first recitals' backdrops were hand painted on wooden surfaces, while now the beautiful decorations are created on the computer and printed. All those changes have also been affecting the study process.
"Technology has changed, and when technology changes, children change. So, teaching children is very different," Drewitz-Gallaway said. "In the beginning, everybody chose one or two things like ballet, tap, or tap and jazz. They worked at those two things and probably didn't take anything extra. And nowadays, parents want their children to experience a lot of things in life: dance full time, compete and participate in sports and different events, do arts and crafts, everything."
But Drewitz-Gallaway said there are also some constants that the studio carried throughout the years.
"Some things have not changed at this studio. There was always TLC [tender loving care], a passion for dance and it is still a performing art, it is something special," Drewitz-Gallaway said.
While celebrating the studio's constants, the Ruby Reflections recital also highlighted some of the beautiful moments from the past years through music and costumes.
"Some of the music that I used was actually in my very first show," Drewitz-Gallaway said.
"And believe it or not, some of the costumes from 40 years ago are back in style, again."
The recital night was also a farewell for Drewitz School of Dance assistant teacher Hunter Hildebrand, who's been with the school since being a tiny tot, through graduation and then teaching, and who is now moving to New Brunswick.
Drewitz-Gallaway thanked everyone who made this celebration a big success.
"I could not put this show on without the help of staff, volunteers, parents and the community and of course, the students," Drewitz-Gallaway said. "Dance has evolved greatly over 40 years, but once you have performed on the stage, you have a special connection like no other with this art. The special friends and dance family you develop over the years are with you forever."
Drewitz School of Dance will now have a bit of a break with a few events throughout the summer before starting another new and busy season.
