Dancers in Penticton will be on a solid footing this year.
A new floor at the Cleland Theatre will be installed thanks to a donation from the Penticton Kiwanis Music, Dance and Speech Arts Festival.
In April, the City of Penticton partnered with Penticton Kiwanis Music, Dance and Speech Arts Festival to acquire a new tap-rated dance floor for the Cleland Theatre. In a spirit of great cooperation, the festival's Board of Directors offered a $2,000 gift towards the purchase of a new tap-rated floor for the Cleland, provided the City would cover the $3,000 balance of the cost.
"The new dance floor at the Cleland Theatre is great addition to the arts amenity, and will be enjoyed by dancers for years to come," said Deputy Mayor John Vassilaki. "We thank the Kiwanis Music and Dance Festival for their donation and contributing to a quality arts experience in Penticton."
The new floor is a Rosco Adagio dance floor suitable for all forms of dance including ballet, modern, jazz and tap. It was recently tested at the PKMF Stage Dance competitions and Dance Highlights Concert, and was deemed by all to be a wonderful surface to dance on.
"I am absolutely delighted about the developments regarding the dance floor! It is wonderful that the City of Penticton and the Penticton Kiwanis Music Festival can work together towards a new floor for the Cleland Theatre," said Lorna Bull, Kiwanis Music, Dance and Speech Arts Festival Society Secretary and Vice-President of the Penticton Provincial Host Committee. "It will be such a benefit for the future.We will be so proud of our theatre and its new, tap-rated floor when our performing artists come to Penticton in June, and all our local dance studios and groups will feel so fortunate now and in the future."
The timing on the dance floor couldn't be better as Penticton will host the 2014 Performing Arts BC Provincial Festival from June 3 to 7. This festival is held in a different B.C. centre every year and the 35 local festivals send adjudicator-recommended representatives to compete at the Provincials.
Approximately 450 of B.C.'s most promising young artists will be in Penticton with their families and friends and the city will be filled with excitement. The festival will include competitions, workshops and concerts taking place in the Penticton Community Centre and the Cleland Theatre, Penticton Lakeside Resort, the Shatford Centre, Leir House, eight churches and three dance studios.
Competitive sessions will all be open to the public. There will be four concerts presented to highlight festival winners - a true smorgasbord of the best of B.C.'s youthful performers.