For immediate release
April 26, 2001

Celebration of Dance 2001 is more than just dancing

        Students from Picton to Bancroft are strapping on their dancing shoes for the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board's tenth annual Celebration of Dance.  Tuesday, May 1, 2001 will see students movin' and groovin' to the music in the biggest dance of their lives.
        The Belleville Fairgrounds will be a sea of activity as 30 to 40 area elementary schools take to the field with more than 5000 participants. The dancing takes place from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Students will move to Latin rhythms, folk, a Scottish jig, country, the sounds of the Carribean, hip hop, and more.
        The event has grown tremendously over the years and has become a local tradition in Belleville.  It started out and continues to be a way of promoting a healthy active lifestyle through daily physical activity.  Formerly held at the Quinte Sportsplex, and in more recent years at the Mary Anne Sills field, growing numbers have necessitated the move to the Belleville Fairgrounds.
        Students from grades 1 to 8 will move their way through a series of 12 dances. In some schools, dances are rehearsed as part of the regular health and physical education program. In others, dances are learned through extra-curricular programs offered on the students' lunch or after school. Students from each school often get into the spirit of celebration with custom t-shirts, face painting and flags to add colour to the celebrations.
        This past March, teachers had an opportunity to become students for a couple of hours. Approximately 70 teachers gathered after school at Quinte Secondary School to dance their way through this year's  selections. "I am not sure who enjoys the dances more, the teachers or the students."  says Ian Press, co-ordinator of the event. At the conclusion of this workshop, teachers were given a video tape which starred students from the local schools performing all of the dances. It has been used to assist both teachers and students in learning the steps to the dances. Press notes, "Our students, teachers and members of the community are really looking forward to the day ! Members of the community are welcome to drop by and see this amazing event for themselves!"
        In addition, on Friday, May 11, over 500 students from eight Bancroft area schools will be participating in the sixth annual "Celebration of Dance - North".  Colette Freeman, who coordinates the event for the north, has eleven dances on the card as well as some demonstration dances by local groups.  Returning this year, is the North Hastings High School's jive / swing team who were a hit at last year's event. Their celebration will be in the gymnasium from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, May 11 and will include eleven group dances as well as three demonstration dances. And, on Thursday, May 10, another 250 students will be dancing in the playground at Earl Prentice Public School in Marmora from 10:45 a.m. to 12noon.
        A little bit of good weather, music, physical activity, and the enthusiasm of youth and teachers will all come together to produce one of the biggest and healthiest events in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.
 

For more information contact:
Ian Press, Curriculum Co-ordinator, 966-1170 ext. 2308