For immediate release
April 25, 2002

"Celebration of Dance 2002"
Getting Better and Bigger Every Year !

         Students from Picton to Bancroft are strapping on their dancing shoes for the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board's (HPEDSB) eleventh annual "Celebration of Dance".  Thursday, May 2, 2002 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 - 40 area elementary schools take to the field with 5000 - 6000 participants.  The dancing takes place from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Students will move to Latin rhythms, folk, country, the sounds of the Carribean, hip hop, and more.
        The event has grown tremendously over the years and has become a local tradition for the HPEDSB in Belleville.  It was started out by Cathy Portt (now principal of Massassaga-Rednersville Public School) along with 300 elementary students and a high school gymnasium. It has grown tremendously over the years and continues to be a way of promoting a healthy active lifestyle through daily physical activity.  Formerly held at the Quinte Sportsplex and Mary-Anne Sills field, the growing numbers have necessitated the move to the Belleville Fairgrounds for the last two years.
        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 health and physical education or drama and dance programs. In others, dances are learned through extra-curricular programs offered on the students' lunch or after school. Students are encouraged to get into the spirit of celebration with custom t-shirts, face painting and flags to add colour to the celebrations.  This year, if the weather cooperates, we plan to have an aerial photo taken of the event.
        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 invited to drop by and see this amazing event for themselves!" "It is quite an awesome sight to see over 5000 people dancing in unison."
        On the same day, Earl Prentice Public School will be hosting their own celebration of dance event at their school.  The whole school takes part and mirrors the Belleville event out on their own field.  In addition, on Friday, May 3, over 350 students from eight Bancroft area schools will be participating in the seventh annual "Celebration of Dance - North".  Colette Freeman, who coordinates the event for the north, has twelve dances on the card as well as some demonstration dances by local groups.
        A little bit of good weather, music, physical activity, and the enthusiasm of youth and teachers will all come together on May 2 and 3 to produce one of the biggest and healthiest events in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties this year.
 

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