Several weeks after their building collapsed, dancers from the Euphoria Dance Centre will perform Saturday at The Miss Barton County/Miss Golden Belt Pageant.
The Princesses will perform a jazz routine to “Supermodel” by Taylor Dayne. The Miss Barton County/Miss Golden Belt contestants will perform a jazz routine to “Roar” by Katy Perry.
Princess coordinator Candace Tomlin contacted Euphoria Dance instructor Lindsay Feil about choreographing the performances a week before the building’s collapse.
“I got asked to choreograph the routines on Dec. 10,” Feil said. “I taught both of her daughters dance last year, so I actually knew Candace.”
The 16 Princesses will practice and receive tutoring from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Taylor Fry, last year’s Miss Barton County, will tutor the youngsters, ages 5 to 12.
The southwest corner of the studio on the second and third floor collapsed Dec. 17 at 2103 Forest, leaving the Euphoria Dance Centre without a home. The Euphoria Dance Centre is temporarily located at the Elks, 1120 Kansas.
“One door closes and many more open,” Feil said. “I look at this as a blessing in disguise. Although the collapse caused some hardship, EDC will be stronger than ever.”
Feil was relieved the dancers will be able to practice Saturday at Great Bend High School.
“Putting on a show is a very high stress day. You have to worry about lights, sound, props, backdrops, dressing rooms, seating, tickets, costumes, hair and make up,” Feil said. “However, watching the kids perform what they have been working so hard on and seeing them so happy is well worth all of the work. The hardest part is starting on time and the transition between each routine.”
Feil said the dancers enjoy the performance aspect.
“Performing is what it is all about for a dancer,” she said. “I always try to get involved in anything and everything with the community to give the dancers more opportunities to perform. By having multiple opportunities to perform throughout the year, the dancers build more confidence and improve on stage presence. Overall, they are less nervous at the spring recital every year, which produces an amazing show.”
Nerves are a natural process, especially with a one-day performance. Feil has taught classes to half of the Princess dancers.
“I believe that everyone will be nervous in their own way,” Feil said. “Some girls have never danced before. Some have never been in a pageant, and some have never been on a stage in front of an audience. I hope to calm all of their nerves by just having fun with it!”
The Euphoria Dance Centre features 100 dancers from 3 to 17 years old.
The non-competitive studio dancers train anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours per week. Each studio class is generally limited to eight dancers. The studio group classes range from 30 minutes to an hour per week, depending on the age of the dancer.
Competitive dancers are required to train a minimum of 2 1/2 hours per week. However, most dancers train anywhere between four to six hours per week.
Euphoria Dance Centre features 35 solos, two duets, two trios, five small groups (4-8 dancers), one large group (13 dancers), one line group (mandatory for all competitive dancers which is 32 dancers). Mandatory technique and tumbling is split into three levels. All competitive group classes which learn a routine are 30 minutes per week and technique and tumbling are both one hour per week.