Dufferin Dance Weekend held at DCMA a massive success

January 21, 2015 · 0 Comments

Fair to say history was made surrounded by history as Dufferin Dance Weekend 2015 held at the Dufferin County Museum & Archives (DCMA) over the weekend of January 17th was a resounding success which will hopefully become an annual event.
Dance enthusiasts, first timers, and even the curious were treated to an inaugural and historical event as live streaming from Fleck Theatre of Toronto’s Harbour Front, entertained, graced and wowed an eager audience at the DCMA. If onlookers had not known of the Fleck Theatre, the jaw dropping beautiful performances are certainly treasured memories now. This experience was only made possible by the very hard work of Catherine Carpenko, who started Dufferin Dance Ontario and is Past Chair of Dance Ontario, with the help and dedication of a team of supporters.
“It’s a dream come true!,” said Carpenko. “Ever since I opened my studio in 1977, it’s been a dream of mine to unite the Dufferin community this way and with the help of a grant we applied for through heritage Canada, it’s now the first time in Canada we’ve been allowed to live stream.”
While Carpenko thanks everyone who helped to make the weekend possible, sponsors Dufferin Arts Council, T.D Bank, Dance Ontario, Canadian Heritage, including special thanks to Ginny MacEachern, she is very humble in acknowledging her historically accomplished dream that took over thirty years to reach fruition.
Also featured during Saturdays events were live performances and free workshops featuring a number of wonderful and diverse styles and origins of dance. If sustenance was needed, The Globe Restaurant was available introducing the wonderful Boxed Lunch concept of filling a lunch box with a wonderful array of choices for a low cost of $15.99.
“I was thinking I would have to choose between coming to the museum to try line dancing or attend the Fleck Theatre performances and so this is really great that I was able to do both. It’s absolutely wonderful!” said Mulmur resident, Kim Tesolin. “I really wanted to try Croc’s Country Kickers Line Dancing Workshop. It looks like a lot of fun, and it is!”
Shelburne’s Serena Bryan of Turn It Out Studio, Orange Peel Team of Morris Dancers (Traditional English Style of Dance), National Aboyne Dancer, Emma Horsley, and Chanda School of Dance of Orangeville were just a few of the exiting live performances delivered throughout the day.
For more information regarding the event, contact Carpenko at 647-215-6865, visit http://www.danceontario.ca/, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dufferin-Dance-Network, and to find out more about the Fleck Theatre, located at the Queen’s Quay Harbourfront Centre, visit http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/venues/fleckdancetheatre/

By Alex Sher