LISTOWEL – The dancers and staff from the Listowel School of Dance (LSOD) are back with a bang, attending their first two live events in over two years this past April.
In the wake of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team at LSOD was left devastated when in-person competitions in the spring of 2020 were cancelled. Then, in 2021, things in the world were still up in the air and with COVID cases still at such high numbers, competitions opted for virtual alternatives instead of live events. Finally in 2022 after training, waiting, and being let down year after year, the team was finally able to attend two live competitions, the first in London and the second in Niagara Falls.
Studio Owner and Artistic Director Jane Laurin said, “No matter how our dancers did, we were so proud to see them back on stage.” While dancing through lockdowns in kitchens and living rooms, “The real victory for all of us was getting back in front of a live audience. It was thrilling to see the magic of live performance and return and see the faces of our kids who have fought so hard to get there,” she added.
With 43 competitive students, the LSOD company is comprised of dancers ages 6-18 varying in disciplines from ballet, to jazz, tap, lyrical, and even acrobatics. The small but mighty team comes filled with excitement, perseverance, and a lot of hard work. Facing many challenges including holding rehearsals via Zoom, and often never having a full rehearsal due to exposure/isolation.
It was especially exciting for the LSOD team as their first live competition in over two years resulted in a plethora of recognition including special judges’ awards, technique awards, overall placements in the competition, and even taking home “Top Studio” titles in two of the divisions – awarded to the team with the highest average overall score.
The team’s second event also came with many awards and lots of recognition along with the opportunity to come together with people from across the province to share their passion for dance and the arts.
“The whole staff went into this season grateful to be on stage. Our dancers getting extra acknowledgement was just icing on the cake,” Laurin said. “The individual victories for our students – seeing them achieve their goals, large or small, was the real trophy.”
The staff and students at LSOD will be wrapping up their 2021-22 season with their year-end recital, “Frozen,” which will be taking place at Listowel District Secondary School, on Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5 at 3 p.m. Admission is by cash donation.
The team at LSOD cannot wait to take the stage again and hopes to see members of the community in the audience embracing the magic of “Frozen.”
