With the start of the competitive dance season on the immediate horizon, it’s once again time for Dance Images by BJ to help out the less fortunate in the community.
And if things go as well as they have in the past, this Sunday evening’s Dance for Hunger Showcase will once again bring in tons -- yes, tons -- of food for the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank.
The annual event sees dancers and patrons alike gathering non-perishable food items for donation to the food bank and bringing them to the Centennial Auditorium in Peacock, where the items will be picked up during the Showcase.
As for the event itself, it acts as a kick-off to the competition dance season for Dance Images, with youngsters and veterans taking the stage to perform in front of what is certain to be a packed house.
“We’re really excited this year, we’ll be featuring all of our dancers from our Acro program and then all our solo, duo and trio dancers will be performing that evening, that’s kind of their big show to start the season,” said Shauna Bzdel with Dance Images. “It’ll be a really big evening of entertainment for everyone, and we’re hoping we get lots of people from outside the studio as well, so we can get lots of donations for the food bank.”
Entry fee is $10 and a non-perishable food item, with entry for youngsters under 10 only $5.
Dance Images will spend the majority of the day Saturday and Sunday on stage in rehearsals, leading up to their performance on Sunday evening.
“All weekend kids will be bringing their food donations in, too,” Bzdel said. “This way they appreciate what they have, what their parents provide for them by having them in dance and also to recognize that there are a lot of people in our community who are struggling… It’s a win-win, teaching our dancers to be good humans and look out for the needs of others by doing small acts that make a big impact in our community.”
The Showcase has done just that for many years now, with the gathered food often cracking the 2,000-pound-plus mark. It all goes to a great cause, too, with the food bank always looking to restock their shelves in the months after the holidays.
“Every time I end up talking to Terri (Smith) and Deanne (Little), this is a really important time of the year, too,” Bzdel said. “Over the holiday season, a lot of people were relying on the food bank, and they’ve gone through a lot of the inventory they have. This is a really great way to replenish that stock for families that are still needing it. The need is definitely there, and to put this together and make an impact in the community, it’s great to be able to put that mindset in our kids.”
Showtime is 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, and tickets are available at the door.
