A young and talented Ladysmith dance group will make its Broadway debut later this month on a famed New York City stage draped in over 115 years of theatre history.
Rhythm Dance Academy Performing Company is comprised of 12 talented girls ages 13 to 17 who have been rehearsing for over a year to prepare to be part of the internationally known Dance the Magic program.
Owner and artistic director Elise Samson said many of the girls have never travelled outside of Canada so going to the hub of performing arts world has them pretty excited.
“A lot of them have been dancing for many years so this is just a huge dream and possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she said. “I think that’s what they’re most excited about, to perform on a Broadway stage and just to meet other dancers from around the world.”
Billed as the ultimate theatrical experience, Dance the Magic selected studios from across the world to participate in its Big Apple showcase this year at the New Amsterdam Theatre based on an application that included a video audition.
“Most dance kids will go to local or semi-local competition so this is pretty special to be travelling all the way to New York to dance,” Samson added.
The community has rallied behind the girls and over $10,000 was raised through a beer and burger event, the sale of Krispy Kreme donuts, grocery bagging, bottle drives and a sold out dance showcase at Ladysmith Secondary in February.
For Tanis Elliott, 16, and Bryn Dovey, 13, performing in the New York’s famed theatre district will be a proud accomplishment to add to their dance resumes.
“I’m excited for the whole experience because I think it will be really great and something that I will remember forever,” Dovey said. “People come from all over and I’m excited to meet new people and just being in New York will be so much fun.”
The four-day program involves not only the performing but also workshops with accomplished Broadway choreographers, a cruise in the New York Harbour where they’ll see the city lights of Manhattan and Statue of Liberty as well as a private tour of the Empire State Building.
Built in 1903, the New Amsterdam Theatre has hosted many of Disney’s biggest Broadway hits over the years, including The Lion King, Mary Poppins and its current running musical, Aladdin.
The Ladysmith girls will perform a Fosse-inspired theatrical number set to Queen’s Killer Queen and another contemporary lyrical piece to Elton John’s Rocket Man.
Both are choreographed originals by Samson and the group rehearses twice a week for two and a half hours.
“They’re different and they’re refreshing,” said Elliott. “It’s weird and quirky and different and it just has that ‘wow’ factor. We all get to put that individual style on it while still being a team and working together.”
A final big production will bring together all the studios to perform the well-known ballad from Disney’s Frozen, Let it Go.
Elliott and Dovey were also part of the RDA group that travelled to Disneyland as part of Dance the Magic program two years ago where they danced in a parade down Main Street with others from Australia to Japan.
“It was inspiring. That was only my second year dancing so it was a really good learning opportunity for me. It was scary but it pushed me,” Elliott said. “You can compare it to language dialect because we’re all doing the same thing but it looks different.”
Dovey said she’s most excited about the yacht tour and seeing the Broadway production of Aladdin.
Still, it might take the glow of the Times Square reflecting back at the girls before the experience starts to sink in.
“I was watching TV the other day and a commercial of New York came on and I was like ‘oh my gosh we’re going there soon’,” Dovey said. “It’s pretty exciting.”