Nanaimo's Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts celebrates its 30th anniversary with three shows titled Sing, Sing, Sing on Sunday at the Port Theatre.
The shows will go at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Studio founder Dolores Kirkwood will be a guest at the celebration.
Kirkwood Academy was founded by Dolores Kirkwood in 1976.
Together with the Liebich and Wood families of Nanaimo, parents of her students, she bought an old church on Morpeth Road to house her students.
Some very talented dancers and teachers emerged from this studio. Student Gail Stefanek is a member of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company who returns to dance at the Port Theatre; Tim Thompson attended the National Ballet Teacher's Training Program and then embarked on a teaching career; Lydia Green was a member of the National Ballet of sa国际传媒 and Richard Landry presently dances with this prestigious company. Their pictures taken as young students, still adorn the walls of Kirkwood.
Carole and Lindsay Martyn bought the studio from Kirkwood in 1989.
They bought the old fire hall on Bowen Road a year later and have extensively renovated it.
It now has three studios, a costume and consignment room, and scenery storage as well as amenities for the students such as a homework room, kitchen, play area and change rooms.
They continued in the tradition started by Kirkwood with students dancing in the community at senior citizen's lodges, participating in Santa Parades, ground-breaking ceremonies, celebratory events in the malls, Relay for Life, shows, festivals and productions.
With Lindsay's background in television and theatre, and Carole's background as a professional ballet dancer, they began mounting ballets and musical theatre productions with full sets, lighting and featuring the orchestra and professional guest artists. Their Nutcracker has become a highlight in December.
They now also have a touring Youth Company under directorship of Carole Martyn and Jennifer Quibell.
A new era of dancers and teachers have emerged from the studio -- Jillian Vanstone, Stefan Stewart, Sarah Kingston, Connor Gnam, Michelle La Fortune, Andrea Philip, Jennifer Quibell, Kirsten Graham, Geneen Georgiev, to name but a few. Now, there is another surge of dancers ..... Young Sophie Carr won the Save On Foods Amazing Kid Award and is also off to the next round of competition at the sa国际传媒 Festival of the Arts in Prince George next week, along with Katrina MacCorquodale, Margaret Trajan and Allison Rhodes, as representatives of the Upper Island Musical Festival.
For tickets, contact the Port Theatre ticket centre at 754- 8550. The centre is open two hours before show times.