Members of the Airdrie Dance Academy had some impressive performances recently at the Central Alberta Dance Festival in Red Deer, taking home several awards.  

The event was held at Red Deer College from April 26th to 28th with around 400 dance groups from all across Alberta taking part.  Airdrie Dance Academy owner and Head Instructor Susan Laing said she was very proud of her dancers who won team as well as individual awards.  The accolades included the Overall Grand Championship in Division One.

"Our Senior Contemporary Group of 17-year-olds won that.  It means they were the adjudicators pick out of about 400 groups."

Airdrie Dance Academy won the same award in 2017 for their Musical Theatre group.

The Jazz 3 Class of male and female dancers received the top overall mark in the nine to 11-year-old division.

Another Airdrie dancer was chosen as the top soloist of the competition. 

"Madison Maxwell won a scholarship to go down to L.A. and participate in a couple of parades and a workshop for this summer," said Laing.  

Every great dance group has to have an outstanding choreographer and Laing fits into that category.  She too won an award, being named the Top Choreographer for her Senior Musical Theatre number called "Maids."  When asked if it was difficult to choreograph musical theatre, Laing replied, it's just something that she does.

"It's fun. I find a piece of music that I love and I figure out which class is going to work that music the best, then I pick the costumes then we start the whole process. It takes months. I love it."

Laing said she has about 250 families participating in dance classes at the Airdrie Dance Academy which is now in its 26th season.

"They work really hard and I'm super, super proud of all of them."

 

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