Arts and Culture

Why these people offered free dance classes by the lake

Ballet Kelowna hosting pop-up event ahead of Kelowna Made

Sharing a love for moving to music through free workshops and classes is what a local professional dance company is doing at City Park.

From Aug. 24 to 27, Ballet Kelowna is hosting a Pop-up Series, where it will be performing and demonstrating several styles of dance with the community.

“It’s a lot of fun, people are walking by here by the lake, and they’re stopping and checking out what we’re doing,” Simone Orlando, Ballet Kelowna’s Artistic Director and CEO told Kelowna10. “I think people are grateful to have this opportunity to be outside in the beautiful weather here in the Okanagan and enjoying dance in this amazing outdoor space.”

She said people can learn dance styles such as ballet, salsa, bachata, and more. Ballet Kelowna was able to host the inaugural outdoor event thanks to a couple of government grants.

“We received a grant from the BC Arts Council’s Arts Impact Program, and this funding has allowed us to move forward with putting on this event this year,” she explained. “We also received a grant from [them] for a new portable sprung dance floor, and this is why the Pop-up Series has launched.”

The portable dance floor will allow the dance company to host more events around the city.

“One of the reasons we’re doing this is really to build awareness of the fact that there is a professional dance company here in the Okanagan,” Orlando said. “There are so many different people [and] wonderful instructors in the community that are teaching a wide range of dance styles.”

On Thursday, Indigenous artist, Corinne Derickson, was leading a traditional syilx dance workshop about honouring the importance of salmon.

“It just filled my heart today to be out here with Ballet Kelowna and the public in this beautiful place that I live in, that my ancestors have been in for centuries,” Derickson said. “To share our culture of who we are, what our culture is, the importance of the water, [and] ntytyix, our Chief Salmon.”

The free dance event is being held ahead of a performance Ballet Kelowna will be doing at Kelowna Made on Saturday at 6 p.m. They will be showcasing excerpts from a variety of people such as Cameron Fraser-Monroe, Alysa Pires, and Orlando herself.

Published 2022-08-26 by Jordan Brenda

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