This time of the year is always emotional, with graduates of all kinds saying good-bye to their mentors and making a step forward into adult life. But this year turns to be even more difficult with no actual graduation ceremonies happening anywhere in the country and most of the world.
The past weekend was the time of the traditional Drewitz School Dance recital. For 37 years it’s been the hottest selling ticket in town. And for graduates as well as for dance studio choreographer, director and owner Lorie-Gay Drewitz-Gallaway, not to be able to have closure to their year, work and time together was heartbreaking.
“(The recital) was always a big part, and also an emotional part because of all the graduates, which some of them I had since they were pre-school. And this is their moment where I let them shine, it’s kind of their awards night,” said Drewitz-Gallaway.
“This year has been very difficult, but I’m so proud of everything they have done, whether they’ve been highly competitive dancers or just my recreation dancers. The most wonderful thing a teacher can see is how they grow as a dancer and their own private journey to get there. And they all in my eyes have succeeded and won.
“So as they step forward into the future, I want them to make sure that they really take all the things that I know they remember, like our fun times and our rules, and friendships and all the communication that they’ve learned with other people and other instructors, take that forward and know that now I know they are going to succeed out there because they are well-equipped to go forward from here.”
This year’s Drewitz School of Dance graduates are Angelle Avery, Bryn Lamontagne, Faith Haberstock, Gabrielle Bokhorst, Kailey Kowalchuk, Kiera Renauld and Macey Menzies. When all restrictions are lifted, she plans to have a private supper with all of them and their parents to be able to just sit back and talk.
“So we can have closure and we can have that last hug because it’s so important to me,” said Drewitz-Gallaway with emotion.
Despite the recent challenges, for the Drewitz School of Dance, the past year was super busy and successful. They had their Ballet Summer School Extravaganza in August, pre-school Back to Basics and fall registration, which saw a lot of students joining and rejoining. In October they had quite a few students attend the Canadian Dance Teacher Association’s dance jam at Evraz Place, where kids had an opportunity to meet instructors from all over the world.
The United Way Estevan’s Telethon was another traditional big event on the students’ calendar.
“It’s our big fall performance, and the children get really excited about that,” said Drewitz-Gallaway.
There also were two exam sessions in the fall, and for the first time, they partook in a multicultural dance event held in Weyburn at the end of September. The Estevan Kinette Club’s Princess and Superheroes Ball and the Robbie Burns Night were on the agenda in 2020, along with more examinations.
“We had the last examination session, Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) ballet exams, happen on March 10, 11 and 12. And we were all just getting in costumes and we were getting all pumped to get the choreography finished. The 13th the examiner left, headed back to Toronto, and that Monday they announced the closure of all schools,” recalled Drewitz-Gallaway.
Unlike many other schools around, they managed to get all their exams done for the year and had their all planned events except for the recital.
“I feel quite happy that out of 12 main events we do a year, 11 got completed,” said Drewitz-Gallaway.
Parents and students were quite happy as well since in professional dance the examination is the required step, without which one can’t proceed to the next level or pursue a career in dance.
Nevertheless, the inability to have their 37th dance recital was very tough on everyone involved.
