A delightful four days of dance wrapped up Sunday in Fort St. John, with judges for the Peace River North Festival of the Arts selecting 20 delegates to represent the region at the B.C. performing arts festival in June.
More than $6,000 in awards and scholarships were also given to dancers, who impressed visiting adjudicators Justine Fraser of Kelowna and Alexandra Clancy of Vancouver.
Among the delegates named were Julia Bennett, Rylea Krezanoski, Addyson Soderberg, Abby Taylor, Jordyn Krezanoski, Macey Bates, Emily Peters, Sophie Soderberg, Kenlee White, Ella Brooks, and Katelyn Brooks.
Olivia Danshin and Taylor Mannoly were chosen as merited participants, and Braelyn Gladysz, Kori Daisley, Maddie Alexander, Bree Torgrimson, Temperance Milne, Sebastian Kaban, and Maddie Alexander were named alternates.
"They had nothing but praise for our kids," said dance director Melissa Paakkonen.
It's the first public performing arts fest since the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing dancers this week to Fort St. John from Dawson Creek, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Grande Prairie, Quesnel, and Beaverlodge.
The festival continues through to May 1, with voice and choral performances Sunday evening at the cultural centre. Band, piano, and string sessions begin later this week. A best of festival honours performance takes place June 4 at the cultural centre, followed by this year's virtual provincials starting June 5.
Here is a running list of awards and delegates for dance. Check back for more results.
Provincial delegates
- Stage I: Julia Bennett
- Stage I Alternate: Braelyn Gladysz
- Stage I Merited Participant: Olivia Danshin
- Stage II: Rylea Krezanoski, Addyson Soderberg
- Stage II Alternate: Kori Daisley, Maddie Alexander
- Stage III: Abby Taylor, Jordyn Krezanoski
- Stage III Alternate: Bree Torgrimson
- Ballet I: Macey Bates
- Ballet I Alternate: Temperance Milne
- Ballet II: Emily Peters
- Ballet II Alternate: Sebastian Kaban
- Ballet III: Sophie Soderberg
- Modern I: Kenlee White
- Modern II: Ella Brooks
- Modern II Alternate: Maddie Alexander
- Modern II Merited Participant: Taylor Mannoly
- Modern III: Katelyn Brooks
Overall Dance Awards
- Adjudicator's Award Scholarship: Karlie Fudger
- Adjudicator's Award Trophy: Karlie Fudger
- Most Entertaining Solo or Duo Scholarship: Abby Baker and Abby Taylor
- Most Entertaining Solo or Duo Trophy: Abby Baker and Abby Taylor
- Best Overall Group Trophy: Knocking On Heaven’s Door (Studio 2 Stage Dance Academy)
- Top Solo or Duo 12 & Under: Temperance Milne
- Top Solo or Duo 13 & Over: Karlie Fudger
- For the Love of Dance Trophy: Ayla Hedican
- For the Love of Dance Scholarship: Ayla Hedican
- Light Up the Stage Trophy: Portlynn Bates
- Light Up the Stage Scholarship: Portlynn Bates
- Most Entertaining Group Trophy: A Little Bit Of Love (Studio2Stage)
- Dance Excellence Scholarship 12 & under: Julia Bennett
- Dance Excellence Runner-up 12 & under: Brielle Beard
- Dance Excellence Scholarship 13 & over: Sophie Soderberg
- Dance Excellence Runner-up 13 & over: Abby Taylor
- Most Promising Dancer Trophy 12 & under: Macey Bates
- Most Promising Dancer Scholarship 12 & under: Macey Bates
- Most Promising Dancer Trophy 13 & over: Jessica Banesco
- Most Promising Dancer Scholarship 13 & over: Jessica Banesco
- Summer School Scholarships: Addyson Soderberg, Maddie Alexander
- Adjudicator Shoutout Awards: Temperance Milne, Zoey Mytron, Hailey McLain, Tallulah Mackereth
Class Awards
- Trophy, Dancer’s Own: Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Musical Interpretation Ballet 12 & Under: Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Musical Interpretation Ballet 12 & Under Runner-Up: Brielle Beard
- Scholarship, Musical Interpretation Ballet 13 & Over: Ella Brooks
- Scholarship, Musical Interpretation Ballet 13 & Over Runner-Up: Jessia Banesco
- Scholarship, Musical Interpretation Jazz 12 & Under: Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Musical Interpretation Jazz 12 & Under Runner-Up: Olivia Danshin
- Scholarship, Musical Interpretation Jazz 13 & Over: Jessica Banesco
- Scholarship, Musical Interpretation Jazz 13 & Over Runner-Up: Maddie Alexander
- Trophy, Classical Ballet 13 & Over: Sophie Soderberg
- Scholarship, Classical Ballet 13 & Over: Sophie Soderberg
- Scholarship, Classical Ballet 13 & Over Runner-Up: Karlie Fudger
- Trophy, Contemporary Ballet 13 & Over: Abby Taylor
- Scholarship, Contemporary Ballet 13 & Over: Abby Taylor
- Scholarship, Contemporary Ballet 13 & Over Runner-Up: Sophie Soderberg
- Trophy, Hip Hop 12 & Under: Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Hip Hop 12 & Under: Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Hip Hop 12 & Under Runner-Up: Graycee Hogg
- Trophy, Hip Hop 13 & Over: Karlie Fudger
- Scholarship, Hip Hop 13 & Over: Karlie Fudger
- Scholarship, Hip Hop 13 & Over Runner-Up: Jordyn Krezanoski
- Trophy, Variety Group 12 & Under: Hamilton (Alchemy Dance Collective)
- Trophy, Variety Group 13 & Over: One, Two Snape (Dance Your Hart Out)
- Trophy, Demi-Character Group: Elite Synopations (Alchemy Dance Collective)
- Trophy, National Group: Merrily (Dance Your Hart Out)
- Trophy, Hip Hop Group 12 & Under: Shorty Gang (Dawson Creek Dance Company)
- Trophy, Hip Hop Group 13 & Over: For The Ladies (Dawson Creek Dance Company)
- Trophy, Musical Theatre/Acro/Production: Charlie (Studio2Stage)
- Stage Choreography Award: Lemon (Dance Your Hart Out)
- Ballet Choreography Award: The Chess Game (Studio2Stage)
- Trophy, Tap Solo 12 & Under: Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Tap Solo 12 & Under: Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Tap Solo 12 & Under Runner-Up: Temperance Milne
- Trophy, Tap Solo 13 & Over: Rylea Krezanoski
- Scholarship, Tap Solo 13 & Over: Rylea Krezanoski
- Scholarship, Tap Solo 13 & Over Runner-Up: Jordyn Krezanoski
- Trophy, Jazz Solo 12 & Under: Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Jazz Solo 12 & Under: Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Jazz Solo 12 & Under Runner-Up: Carissa Zaldy, Brielle Beard
- Trophy, Modern Solo 13 & Over: Sophie Soderberg
- Scholarship, Modern Solo 13 & Over: Sophie Soderberg
- Scholarship, Modern Solo 13 & Over Runner-Up: Karlie Fudger
- Trophy, Contemporary Solo 12 & Under: Hailey McLain
- Scholarship, Contemporary Solo 12 & Under: Hailey McLain
- Scholarship, Contemporary Solo 12 & Under Runner-Up: Kenlee White
- Trophy, Modern Solo 12 & Under: Kenlee White
- Scholarship, Modern Solo 12 & Under: Kenlee White
- Trophy, National Solo 12 & Under: Hailey McLain
- Scholarship, National Solo 12 & Under: Hailey McLain
- Trophy, National Solo 13 & Over: Abby Moe
- Scholarship, National Solo 13 & Over: Abby Moe
- Trophy, Classical Ballet Solo 12 & Under: Olivia Heitman
- Scholarship, Classical Ballet Solo 12 & Under: Olivia Heitman
- Scholarship, Classical Ballet Solo 12 & Under Runner-Up: Audrey Saulters
- Trophy, Jazz Solo 13 & Over: Jessica Bancesco
- Scholarship, Jazz Solo 13 & Over: Jessica Bancesco
- Scholarship, Jazz Solo 13 & Over Runner-Up: Karlie Fudger, Jordyn Krezanoski
- Trophy, Classical Group 12 & Under: Sound of Silence (Alchemy Dance Collective)
- Trophy, Classical Group 13 & Over: Cristophoris (Dawson Creek Dance Company)
- Trophy, Jazz Group 12 & Under: Sally’s Dance (Studio2Stage)
- Trophy, Jazz Group 13 & Over: A Little Bit of Love (Studio2Stage)
- Stage Choreography Award: Don’t Start Now (Alchemy Dance Collective)
- Ballet Choreography Award: Sound of Silence (Alchemy Dance Collective)
- Adjudicator’s Shoutout Awards: Ayla Hedican & Bad Girls, Portlynn Bates & Emerson McInnis
- Trophy, Contemporary Solo 13 & Over: Karlie Fudger
- Scholarship, Contemporary Solo 13 & Over: Karlie Fudger
- Scholarship, Contemporary Solo 13 & Over Runner-Up: Jessica Bancesco, Ella Brooks
- Trophy, Variety Solo 12 & Under: Audrey Saulters
- Scholarship, Variety Solo 12 & Under: Audrey Saulters
- Scholarship, Variety Solo 12 & Under Runner-Up: Carmen Mackenzie
- Trophy, Variety Solo 13 & Over: Addyson Soderberg
- Scholarship, Variety Solo 13 & Over: Addyson Soderberg
- Scholarship, Variety Solo 13 & Over Runner-Up: Alexis Mackenzie
- Trophy, Acro Solo 12 & Under: Temperance Milne
- Scholarship, Acro Solo 12 & Under: Temperance Milne
- Trophy, Acro Solo 13 & Over: Karlie Fudger
- Scholarship, Acro Solo 13 & Over: Karlie Fudger
- Trophy, Lyrical Jazz 12 & Under: Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Lyrical Jazz 12 & Under: Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Lyrical Jazz 12 & Under Runner-Up: Brielle Beard
- Trophy, Ballet en Pointe Solo: Ella Brooks
- Scholarship, Ballet en Pointe Solo: Ella Brooks
- Scholarship, Ballet en Pointe Solo Runner-Up: Kori Daisley
- Trophy, Demi Character 13 & Over: Sophie Soderberg
- Scholarship, Demi Character 13 & Over: Sophie Soderberg
- Trophy, Demi Character 12 & Under: Olivia Heitman
- Scholarship, Demi Character 12 & Under: Olivia Heitman
- Scholarship, Demi Character 12 & Under Runner-Up: Macey Bates
- Trophy, Lyrical Jazz 13 & Over: Karlie Fudger
- Scholarship, Lyrical Jazz 13 & Over: Karlie Fudger
- Scholarship, Lyrical Jazz 13 & Over Runner-Up: Jessica Bancesco, Jordyn Krezanoski
- Trophy, Lyrical Jazz Group 12 & Under: Dreams (Alchemy Dance Collective)
- Trophy, Lyrical Jazz Group 13 & Over: Knocking on Heaven’s Door (Studio2Stage)
- Trophy, Contemporary/Interpretative/Modern Group: You Don’t Own Me (Dance Your Hart Out)
- Trophy, Tap Group 12 & Under: Fashion (Dawson Creek Dance Company)
- Trophy, Tap Group 13 & Over: I Lived (Studio2Stage)
- Trophy, Open Group: Winter Song (Studio2Stage)
- Stage Choreography: Buddy (Alchemy Dance Collective)
- Ballet Choreography: Knocking on Heaven’s Door (Studio2Stage)
- Trophy, Duo Excellence 12 & Under: Macey Bates and Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Duo Excellence 12 & Under: Macey Bates and Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Duo Excellence 12 & Under Runner-Up: Portlynn Bates and Julia Bennett
- Trophy, Duo Excellence 13 & Over: Maddie Alexander and Addyson Soderberg
- Scholarship, Duo Excellence 13 & Over: Maddie Alexander and Addyson Soderberg
- Scholarship, Duo Excellence 13 & Over Runner-Up: Jordyn Krezanoski, Rylea Krezanoski
- Trophy, Duo Excellence 13 & Over Ballet: Abby Taylor, Ella Brooks, Rylea Krezanoski
- Scholarship, Duo Excellence 13 & Over Ballet: Abby Taylor, Ella Brooks, Rylea Krezanoski
- Scholarship, Duo Excellence 13 & Over Ballet Runner-Up: Addyson Soderberg, Sophie Soderberg
- Trophy, Duo Excellence 12 & Under Ballet: Brielle Beard, Julia Bennett
- Scholarship, Duo Excellence 12 & Under Ballet: Brielle Beard, Julia Bennett
Group Awards
- Top Tap Group 12 & Under: Fashion (Dawson Creek Dance Company)
- Top Tap Group 13 & Over: I Lived (Studio2Stage)
- Top Jazz/Lyrical Group 12 & Under: Sally’s Dance (Studio2Stage)
- Top Jazz/Lyrical Group 13 & Over: Knocking On Heaven’s Door (Studio2Stage)
- Top Ballet Group 12 & Under: The Chess Game (Studio2Stage)
- Top Ballet Group 13 & Over: Cristophoris (Dawson Creek Dance Company)
- Top Stage Group 12 & Under: Hamilton (Alchemy Dance Collective)
- Top Stage Group 13 & Over: One, Two Snape (Dance Your Hart Out)
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