Some of the capital region’s best young tap dancers plan to support KidSport with a variety fundraiser this Friday at St. Albert’s Community Hall.
About 25 tappers from five regional dance schools will participate in An Evening of Tap, a combo entertainment and silent auction evening.
DanceCo tap instructor Paige Tirs, along with Riley Skworoda, a dance collaborator these past four years, organized the event.
“When I was growing up in St. Albert, I enjoyed many opportunities in dance. Being able to support others that don’t have the opportunities I did is important to me. It’s a huge growing opportunity and so important for the growth and development of a child whether they’re part of organized sport or dance,” said Tirs.
Tirs and Skworoda first heard through various sources about KidSport’s ongoing assistance to families with financial barriers that prevent children from playing sports.
Although KidSport’s website does not list dance as one of the programs, a quick call in fact did confirm the service organization supports ongoing dance programs up to $300 per year per child.
The five dance schools playing a role at the fundraiser are DanceCo, Edmonton’s Third Street Beat, Sherwood Park’s Dance Fusion, Stony Plain’s Dance Soul and Edmonton Dance Factory.
Tirs noted that every dance performed at the two-hour show is a tap number backed by a variety of charts from jazz and pop to R&B and rock.
Organizers have collected a variety of silent auction donations ranging from gift certificates and ESO tickets to stained glass trinkets and liquor baskets.
Tirs would like to raise $3,000. Tickets are $16 and can be purchased in advance at 780-975-4192. All proceeds will be directed to KidSports.
