To say the least, the past dance season has been one like no other for the Doris Sitter School of Dance.
The enthusiasm, enjoyment and just plain fun right from the get-go has been almost palpable, and for good reason -- when you’ve spent three years doing what you love in the most limited of fashions in the midst of a pandemic, getting out and about is a huge change for the better.
It was all on the stage at the Mae Wilson Theatre this past weekend, as Doris Sitter held their annual recital, the first of its kind live-and-in-person since 2019. The two shows took place on Friday, May 28 and Saturday, May 29 and featured the theme ‘Every Child a Star’.
While past years saw three performances over three nights, the DSSD opted for two shows this time around and were rewarded with solid performances right from the get-go.
“It actually went surprisingly well,” said Doris Sitter director Anita Bauck. “Usually the first show is a little bit rough, but by the second and third ones it’s really great. But it went quite smoothly [Friday] we had a lot of volunteers helping us out and the kids were excited to get on stage. You could really tell they were ready.”
Fellow DSSD director Darla Zerff carried much the same opinion.
“They hadn’t been on stage like this in almost three years, so you could tell they were enjoying it and really wanted to show that they can do,” she said. “Everybody pulled together and helped each other out and did a great job and it was a lot of fun.”
Performances ran the gamut of age groups, from adorable youngsters to experienced and hyper-talented veterans, in addition to featuring all the school’s disciplines -- from ballet to hip hop, jazz to tap dance.
Both shows played to a packed and enthusiastic house as well, as parents, friends and family took advantage of the opportunity to see their dancers live and in person.
“I was talking to some of the parents after the show [Friday] and it was ‘the last time I got to watch my kid, she was eight, and now she’s practically a woman’,” Bauck said with a laugh. “They just couldn’t believe the difference.
“So they’ve gone from maybe watching their kid at home on Zoom or jumping around their living room to actually seeing everyone live and on stage, and it’s so much fun,” added Zerff.
The performances themselves appeared to be as spot-on as could be, a product of a full season of rehearsals, practice and preparation that led to awards at every stop during the campaign.
“We’re extremely proud of the kids and the perseverance they’ve shown, not knowing if they were going to get on the stage,” Bauck said. “The commitment has all paid off and it’s very satisfying.”
