Canterbury dance students getting ready to perform in front of in-person audience

It’s ‘Overture! Curtain! Lights!’ for Grade 12 dance students at Ottawa’s Canterbury High School.

Students are showcasing their work on stage for the first time in three years, despite a cancelled class.

“I’ve been looking forward to this pretty much my entire high school experience,” says Kampbell Featherstone.

Students prepare their own pieces to show in front of an audience.

“The big reason why I came to Canterbury,” said Natasha Prystasz, “I’ve always dreamed of creating my own piece and getting to share it with my fellow dancers in my class.”

The production, in these students’ final year, used to be a class for credit at the school, but when it was cut, students knew the show just had to go on.

“We were all so excited to just devote so much of our time, even outside of school, to just be able to create something that’s our own,” said Prystasz.

The students are spending time before and after school, and between courses to make it happen.

“Sometimes we’re here at school from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 or 5, sometimes even 5:30 depending on the day, and we’re always going; it’s all of this on top of our school work,” says Bennett Richardson.

The showcase used to take 10 months to prepare, these students have 11 weeks; COVID-19 restrictions delayed preparation and rehearsal until after March Break.

“To prepare over 40 to 50 pieces, which is a lot of work,” says Richardson.

The production is also a major fundraiser for the dance program, according to teacher and department head, Rebecca Tee.

This show is back in-person, in front of an audience.

“We’ve been waiting to get on stage for two years and to finally be able to be in front of an audience, behind the lights, it’s a very exciting experience – because not a lot of people in this room have been able to do that before,” said Richardson.

Read more @ https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/canterbury-dance-students-getting-ready-to-perform-in-front-of-in-person-audience-1.5945207