BY MANDI IDLE
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For the fourth time in five years, dancers from the Company G Dancers have been invited to perform on a Caribbean cruise ship next March. Management liked their singing and dancing so much they asked them to return to entertain on the luxury liner. |
A group of young dancers from Sudbury are anxious and excited about a unique opportunity to display their talents once again on the beautiful Caribbean seas.
The Company G dancers have again been invited to show off their talents on a Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship.
This will be the fourth time in the past five years Company G Dancers have performed for this cruise line.
The large contingent of local dancers have every intention of making the trip next spring.
The dancers and supporters will spend the next year raising funds as there isn?t a lot of financial assistance available to them through arts groups or organizations.
?There?s not too much funding out there for dancing,? said Carol Lafontaine, owner of Company G Dance Academy. ?This causes some financial frustration for the dancers as well as for me.?
Because so many Greater Sudbury dance groups have performed to rave reviews across Canada and around the world over the past three
decades, it?s surprising to Lafontaine there isn?t more funding available.
?This would be such an awesome experience for them (dancers),? Lafontaine said. ?They would develop a lot of teamwork skills.?
After submitting an audition tape to the Royal Caribbean Company, Company G dancers were informed they had been selected to perform again next March.
Because all of the dancers are between the ages of seven and 19 and in school, the planned trips take place during March Break.
One of the dance company?s veteran performers was part of a Company G trip two years ago and says it was an experience she will never forget.
?It was spectacular,? said Asha Dillion, a 15-year-old dancer who would love to be able to return to perform again. ?It?s a magical experience (referring to the 2003 trip).?
The girls of Company G will be performing on Royal Caribbean Cruises ship called the Sovereign of the Seas. This particular ship has been completely refurbished and is now up and running.
The first time Company G auditioned dancers for the cruise ship performance, they made it. Management liked their singing and dancing so much they asked them to return.
?It?s a pretty large crowd,? said Angele Lafontaine, the 17-year-old daughter of Carol Lafontaine. ?It?s a fun performance because it?s more laid back.
The crowd is there to relax.?
With the ship setting sail from Florida docks, all 22 dancers will be fundraising over the next several months. Besides entertaining, the idea is to allow a working vacation, said Lafontaine.
The dance group would perform one complete show and then be allowed to spend the rest of the week relaxing and having fun.
?It?s amazing,? Lafontaine said. ?You get treated like royalty.?
The Sovereign of the Seas travels to the Bahamas, with entertainment options such as a fitness centre, day spa, basketball court as well as a rock-
climbing wall.
Lafontaine partnered with Joanne Chartrand to take over ownership of Company G Academy two years ago.
The name of the dance company honours the original founder Gisele Sivret. She created the academy seven years ago.
Company G will soon be looking to add a few dancers to their group.
?We will be having some dancers leaving, moving away for schooling, so we will need new dancers to take their place,? Lafontaine said.
Classes take place Monday to Friday in the evenings, and on the weekends throughout the day at the dance group?s main headquarters on Notre
Dame Avenue, located above the Midas Muffler shop building.