Special Features - Route 3, Issue 23

P E O P L E A RTS H O M E S F O O D C U LT U R E R E C R E AT I O N H I S TO RY WINTER 2014/15

Life in the West Kootenay/Boundary Region

WINTER FESTIVALS

Summer’s not the only time for great events in the West Kootenay & Boundary regions!

EVERYBODY WINS

Trail Special Olympics has been enriching lives for over 15 years

DEDICATED TO DANCE

Grand Forks is home to myriad dance groups

Ski Stars

The region has produced its fair share of ski-movie professionals

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ROUTE 3 Winter 2014/15

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9/13/13 3:46 AM

contents

PUBLISHER Karen Bennett publisher@nelsonstar.com EDITOR & ART DIRECTOR Shelley Ackerman sackerman@telus.net

ROUTE 3 is published by Black Press 250-442-2191 or 1-877-443-2191 Box 700, 7330 2nd Street Grand Forks, B.C. V0H 1H0

Being Anne by Craig Lindsay The Rossland Light Opera is producing Anne of Green Gables, page 5

Everybody Wins by Jim Bailey

Printed in Canada on recyclable paper.

Copyright 2014/15 by Black Press. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photograph, or artwork without written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden. The publisher can assume no responsibility for unsolicited material.

Trail Special Olympics has been enriching lives for over 15 years, page 11

Cover photo by Bruno Long:

Winter Festivals by Will Johnson

Ski-movie professional Leah Evans hangs out in the iconic Red Mountain locker room.

Ski Stars

by Tamara Hynd The region has produced its fair share of ski-movie professionals, page 8

Summer’s not the only time for great events in the West Kootenay/Boundary, page 14

Dedicated to Dance by Joan Thompson,

Grand Forks is home to myriad dance groups of all styles and ages, page 18

The Robson Zoo by Greg Nesteroff, page 21

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ROUTE 3 Winter 2014/15

THEATRE

Julia Halbert and Hannah Flick rehearse music as Anne and Diana from Anne of Green Gables.

Rossland Light O pera Players

Anne Green Gables

PHOTO: CLARA HALBERT

Presen t

Of

Being Anne Craig Lindsay

O STORY BY

nce upon a time Shakespeare said, “The play is the thing.”

More likely it was a Shakespeare character saying that, but the words were written by the Bard. At any rate, when it comes to the stage few do it better than the Rossland Light Opera Players (RLOP).

The players have been working hard on their latest play and will be bringing a touch of Prince Edward Island to Rossland with the well-known story of Anne of Green Gables. Rehearsals are well under way under the watchful eyes of co-directors Marnie Jacobsen and Lisa Henderson and producer

n

2015

ProduCT io

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Book by Donald Harron Music by Norm an Cam Adapted from the pbell nove

by L.M.Montgom l ery

Charles Ba

iley TheaTr

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9669 Friday, Febr uary 20, 7: 00 pm Saturday, Fe bruary 21, 7:00 pm Sunday, Fe bruary 22, 2: 00 pm adults $20.0 0, 13 & unde r $15.00 V.I.P. first 2 rows centre $25.00

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ssland Friday, Febr uary 27, 7: 00 pm Saturday, Fe bruary 28, 7:00 pm adults $15.0 0, 13 & un der $10.00 TiCkeTs: Ta

Patricia Senecal.

Thank you The RLOP has produced to our Sponso rs one or two plays per year since it began, including the Wizard of Oz in 2011, HMS Pinafore in 2006 and Grease in 2004.

Senecal said the RLOP has been putting on plays since 1960 and have roots even earlier than that. The complete story can be read in a book released a few years ago, Rossland Light Opera Players: The First 60 Years by Jack Fisher.

In 1940, a group named the Rossland Operatic Society presented Gilbert and Sullivan’s short operatta Trial by Jury on behalf of the Red Cross. The following year the Rossland

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PPlies, ro

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Amateur Operatic Society presented HMS Pinafore with Eric Bourchier in a leading role and little George Bourchier getting his first taste on stage. George and his wife Babs became some of the driving forces behind RLOP. The book goes on to say that in 1951, a couple were thinking about music and drama and got together with Rossland teachers and ➤

The Rossland Light Opera Players are producing Anne of Green Gables in February Winter 2014/15 ROUTE 3

Page 5

An assortment of memerobilia from the RLOP Hall, and The First 60 Years, a book by Jack Fisher a long-time RLOP actor and volunteer.

Page 6

ROUTE 3 Winter 2014/15

formed the group with the name the Rossland Light Opera Players. So it seems there was a brief break during the war and it was started up again in 1951 under the current name, explained Senecal.

Joining the production company and performing in musicals was a popular diversion in Rossland from mill life.

“Because working at Cominco was such a mundane job, they got a lot of workers that joined because they just needed that creative outlet in the long winters,” said Senecal. “I think that was a big part of it continuing. A lot of people had no idea what they were getting into when they joined it and grew to love it.”

Senecal moved to Rossland 14 years ago and joined the players right away. She had been involved in theatre back east and had visited Rossland on ski holidays and saw the productions.

“That’s what got my interest going,” she said. “What I was most impressed with is that they’ve got their own orchestra. That’s pretty rare for theatre companies. Often they have to hire some musicians or maybe they have a piano player. To have a full orchestra is pretty impressive.”

The orchestra members, as well as the actors, come from all over the region. Conducting the orchestra and directing the music is Lorren Culley, a former school teacher and current member of SwingSations in Trail.

Senecal said the company has performed a number of Gilbert of Sullivan productions in the past.

“Musically it’s very challenging and fun to sing,” she said, “but for our audiences nowadays, I think some of the wit of Gilbert and Sullivan gets lost. They don’t get the words or maybe it’s bit above their heads.”

Auditions for Anne of Green Gables began last May. Once the full cast was selected in September, the troupe began rehearsals.

“Typically we have auditions in September and the show goes on the end of February/beginning of March,” said Senecal, “but we tried something different to see how it went.”

Senecal said that rehearsals for the shows are typically about five months.

Dress rehearsals for Anne of Green Gables will begin at the start of February.

Taking on the title role of Anne will be Fruitvale native Julia Halbert.

Although she’s only 14, Halbert has been in many plays already and recently performed in the youth production of Alice in Wonderland. She was in Montana in the summer taking acting classes, said Senecal. Senecal said that Halbert has already memorized most of her lines and learned her songs, and even dyed her hair red.

There are about 30 cast members including many kids playing different roles, said Senecal.

Sarah Sordi from Trail plays stern Marilla Cuthbert, and Josh Sharpe, also of Trail, plays her brother Matthew. The pair, who live together as neither married, take in orphan Anne. Senecal herself has a role as well as Minni Pye, one of the ladies of Avonlea.

“I’ve very passionate about the play,” said Senecal. “It’s a Canadian musical and my mom was born in Prince Edward Island. I went to Confederate Theatre many, many times to see Anne of Green Gables and I’ve read the books.”

Senecal said that the show will have great music and appeal to all ages.

“It’s great for kids, it’s Canadian, it’s a great story,” she said. “A lot of people are familiar with the books. Good songs as well. It’s a very wellrounded show.”

In addition to putting on great performances, the RLOP also rents out their wonderful costumes to members of the public.

“Our full second floor in our hall is all costumes,” said Senecal. “We have costumes that have been donated, clothes that have been donated,

PHOTO: CLARA HALBERT

things that have been made or passed on after 40 or 50 years. We’ve got at least 10 rooms of costumes — old military costumes, you name it, hats, gloves, it’s quite amazing.”

The company just held a big Halloween fundraiser at the Miners’ Hall in Rossland with live music and great costumes. For the Christmas season, RLOP carolers dress in traditional attire and carol around Trail and Rossland at various stores.

Anne of Green Gables runs Feb. 20 to 22 at the Charles Bailey Theatre in Trail at 7 p.m. There is also a matinee on Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. at the Bailey. In addition, there will be two performances in the Rossland Summit School auditorium on Feb. 27 and 28 at 7 p.m.

Tickets are available at the Charles Bailey Theatre box office as well as Tails Pet Supplies in Rossland.

Upper left to right: Anne of Green Gables cast members Patricia Senecal, Catherine Adair, Julia Halbert, Hannah Flick, Brooklyn Donovan, Delaney Bowman. Bottom row: Sammy King, Talia Symington-Kruuse, Hollie Arsenault, and Sasha Leithead.

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✊ OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

PHOTO COURTESY PETER VELISEK

Ski Stars

The West Kootenay has produced its fair share of ski-movie professionals Page 8

ROUTE 3 Winter 2014/15

Above: Filming and photo shoots have taken Peter Velisek throughout Western Canada and the United States as well as Scandinavia and Europe. Velisek is one of two coaches of the Whitewater Freeride Team and will be offering adult ski clinics at Whitewater's Coldsmoke Festival this February.

N STORY BY

Tamara Hynd

ew lines, fresh powder, big mountains, helicopter lifts and one-chance spine descents. These are the highlights of starring in a ski film.

And according to three local skiers, what you don’t see is the sheer physical and mental effort; it’s a chase to get there.

From the hidden pockets of B.C., the West Kootenay terrain and community has produced skiers with a higher-than-average skill level — enough to foster several professional skiers who have made the big screen. Here we feature three of them.

ROSSLAND-RAISED Leah Evans has been a pro-skier for eight years. Now based out of Revelstoke, she recently starred in the all-women pro-skier film Pretty Faces that toured with Girls Do Ski freestyle camps last fall. She can be also be found skiing luscious B.C. powder for various promotional films promoting heli and cat skiing in B.C. and Canada.

Working as a pro-skier takes a lot of natural talent with a high skill set but Evans said she’s also an entrepreneur. “In the ski industry you have to be a good business person, to be able to promote yourself and make opportunities happen.”

Opportunities like filming a TV show this January for Island Lake Lodge near Fernie, which will be reminiscent for her as it’s where Evans did her first skiing on film.

She remembers growing up in Rossland, being 18 and deciding that she wanted to be a pro skier. She was at Red Mountain with her brother, hesitating to enter a free-ride competition. A family friend gave her brother some cash with a message for Evans that the money would be hers if she entered the competition. She vaguely remembers placing seventh that day but vividly recalls it as a turning point. She decided then she wanted to go pro.

“I’ve just chased it,” she said. “You have to commit to it, then the world supports you or it doesn’t.” She gives credit to her parents for their support and the community. “There is a very big sense of community where all ages interact, and people care at Red and Whitewater.”

For Evans, facing those pinnacle moments is personal and physical, like the taste she gets in her mouth which she calls “fear breath.”

“To step up to something that scares you, it’s a crazy process. I really love it; standing on top of a big line, and also taking myself out of them [if it’s not safe]. It’s also getting to know the nuances of your body.”

“In my daily life, I don’t take that much risk unless I’m personally on point, then everything all comes together to push it. There’s a point where it’s you as an athlete excelling.”

When she’s out skiing for fun or on a shoot that’s self propelled, she said, “It’s so much work, ski touring forever to make the line, and if you don’t get that, to do it all over again.”

Hard work or not, she feels fortunate to ski for a living. “The freedom of it. You make all these plans and then there are these moments of being so free, with good friends. That makes your life too.”

IF YOU’VE SEEN the award-winning Valhalla, filmed in Nelson by Sweetgrass Productions, then you’ve probably seen more of Nelsonite Peter Velisek than you realize.

Last year, theatres were full of powder hounds ready to witness the pros carve the big mountain lines associated with popular ski films. When this film took to the screen, it created bubbling, joyous laughter while skiers boldly took on the slopes of Whitewater from somewhat of a minimalist approach.

Naked except for boots, toque, goggles and avalanche beacon, Velisek was one of the infamous brave souls who shredded Whitewater in the buff. He said skiing naked wasn’t too cold, as he was able to warm up climbing back up the hill for another run.

Velisek got his start ski racing at Whitewater but switched to free-skiing at 19. Podium ➤

A few of the recent movies starring local pro-skiers.

PHOTO: DAN CAMPBELL

PHOTO: BRUNO LONG

Leah Evans has filmed with Sherpas Cinema, Salomon Freeski TV, Pretty Faces, Underexposed TV, Rideguide TV and written feature articles for Skier magazine and The Avalanche Journal.

James Heim is huge in the pro-skier world with a credit in most Match Stick Production films over the last eight years.

placements in big mountain competitions, which he credits to his technical skills from ski racing, led to sponsors.

One day a ski photographer asked him to model so he “started jumping cliffs”. As it turned out, his technical background also gave him a good form for photos which led to “a little bit” of filming. He said the best project was skiing in Kashmir, India for six weeks for b4Apres media’s 2010 debut film AZADI: Freedom which went on an international tour with the Banff Film Festival.

He was also in a couple shots of the cult classic, Sinners, filmed by Bill Heath of Nelson and more recently skied with Cat Ski Canada to promote cat skiing operations in B.C. Local photographer and cinematographer Bill Heath said filming stunts gave him the willies. “When I was filming Sinners, there weren’t as many heroics,” said Heath.

“I watch that stuff (now) and it makes me dizzy.” Setting the risks aside, “I think it’s really beautiful. There’s an incredible surge of artistry that’s come out of it, like skateboarding. There’s a synergy, a real connection between the athlete and the artist, and they merge into an art form in its own.”

Velisek’s love of skiing partially comes from its ever-changing nature. “There’s always something there for you to learn, discover, or escape to. There’s so much to it and so much growth in it. It’s a sport where you’re moving, deflecting angles of inertia and you can dance around the mountain. It becomes really playful the better you get. It teaches you how to be calm when you’re doing something that’s kind of crazy or demanding like a big cliff drop, a crazy straight line, something really technical or a no fall zone.”

“That’s what’s cool about the freeride team. It was set up to bring up the next best pro-skier but I find as we’re coaching, it’s more about giving these athletes a chance to learn where they’re at and push their limits.”

Velisek has skied in Chamonix, Alaska and Japan, yet for him, it’s Whitewater’s great snow quality and the terrain variety that stand out, plus Nelson’s laid back vibe.

“The variability in terrain keeps you moving and adjusting and it’s super playful and fun. It’s a little bit steeper than your average hill and the spacing of the trees is awesome.”

JAMES HEIM FROM ROSSLAND moved to Whistler a decade ago to connect with the ski industry and is now a big deal. Eight years in as a pro-skier in most Match Stick Productions films, he’s ready for another season of filming after this year’s Days of My Youth hit the big screen.

How’d he get there? “Lots of practice and having confidence,” he said. “I’ve make lots of mistakes for sure.” Growing up skiing at Red Mountain, it remains one of his favourite places to ski because of its long runs and “very good fall lines.”

Heim’s known for skiing bigger cliffs and a harder charging style.

“I like skiing bigger mountains as fast as I can, ” he said. Helicopters and big mountains are a few of his favourite things, and spines are the most exciting. “Up top, you get a little bit nervous. You usually only get to ski those lines once so you don’t get to practice, ever, so you don’t know how it’s going to turn out. You’re never 100 per cent sure how it’s going to go.”

He can be found most days in the mountains. Ironically, he said he skis the most when he’s not filming due to long set up times and multiple athletes. But filming has opened up other doors.

“Days of My Youth was unique as it was two seasons of filming which allowed for longer trips,” he said. It took him to Peru which was mostly a “ski mountaineering trip with high elevation and really steep mountains.”

Last summer he joined icon Chris Davenport in Norway to film an episode for the Red Bull Web Series — The Faces of Dav. “It was amazing at 81 degrees North and only a few weeks away from the solstice.”

With 24 hours of daylight, they purposely would not check the time.

“We’d guess it was 10 o’clock at night, and it would be 1 a.m.”

Staying on a sail boat, they sailed through the fjords in search of places to ski. They took a zodiac to shore stepping directly onto the couloir wall which they hiked up, then skied right back down to the boat.

Skiing all of his life, Heim finds the change in touring gear being lighter and more durable has him rediscovering his love of skiing. “It’s exciting, it’s not stale at all even though I’ve been skiing for so long.”

The location of this winter’s project remains unknown. “It depends where it snows, “ he said. “That’s the hard part about ski filming, you never know where it’s going to snow.”

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ROUTE 3 Winter 2014/15

PHOTO: JIM BAILEY

SPORTS & RECREATION

EVERYBODY WINS Trail Special Olympics has been enriching the lives of those they’ve touched for over 15 years

Above: The Trail Special Olympic Roadrunners join the Selkirk College Saints in celebration after a floor hockey game at Kootenay-Columbia Learning Centre in Trail. The TSO has built a strong relationship with the West Kootenay community and its businesses, organizations, and sport teams.

“I

t’s all about the smiles” is the prevailing theme of the Trail Special Olympics (TSO), and after taking in a floor hockey game between the TSO Roadrunners and the Selkirk College Saints hockey team, there was little doubt at the end of it that everyone was a winner.

Players were laughing, high-fives and hugs were traded indiscriminately between Saints and Roadrunners, and there was a genuine feeling of friendship and respect.

“It’s fun, and it’s a good challenge,” said TSO Roadrunner Gene Larocque about playing against teams like the Saints.

“I’m apparently doing better now because I’m not talking as much.”

The amiable Larocque, a Trail resident and Times newspaper carrier, has been playing floor hockey for just over a year, and also STORY BY competes in bowling and bocce.

TSO offers athletes like Larocque an opportunity to train and compete in a variety of sports including swimming, bocce, golf, track and field, soccer, alpine skiing, snowshoe-

Jim Bailey

ing, bowling, floor hockey, and basketball.

For over 15 years, the Greater Trail organization has been committed to enriching the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families, friends, and everyone they’ve touched. Through participation in sport, they develop skills and friendships, while experiencing the joy of achieving goals and increasing self-esteem, explained TSO coach and coordinator Ben Postmus.

Thanks to a dedicated crew of volunteers, coaches, and directors combined with cooperative and receptive community groups and businesses, Trail Special Olympians are thriving as never before.

“We’re up to 10 sports now with 50-plus athletes,” said Postmus. “And lots of community support, lots of local businesses involved. That’s what keeps us going, that’s what enables us to provide the sports for all these athletes.”

In July, the Trail contingent sent four athletes and three coaches to the 2014 Canada Summer Games as part of the largest Team BC ever assembled, and the athletes sparkled, winning six medals. Swimmer Sherry Altrogge captured a gold, two silver, and a bronze, while Bob Lattanzio and Neil ➤

Winter 2014/15 ROUTE 3

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PHOTO SUBMITTED PHOTO SUBMITTED

Top: The Kootenay contingent of athletes won an unprecedented 62 medals at the B.C. Special Olympic Summer Games in Langley that attracted over 1,100 athletes, the largest B.C. Summer Games to date. Above, front row from left: Trail Swimmer Sherry Altrogge led all Greater Trail medalists with one gold, two silver, and a bronze, while Neil Emery and Bob Lattanzio claimed silver in men's team bocce, and Al Cummings of Castlegar took home bronze in golf at the 2014 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Vancouver. The athletes were joined by coaches (from left back) Colin Berdusco, Alan Prough, and Ben Postmus.

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ROUTE 3 Winter 2014/15

Emery took home silver in bocce, and Al Cummings a bronze medal in golf.

“For our area, we sent the largest team to the provincial games and again the most athletes to the national games,” said Postmus. “So if we can keep that going that’s great for us, that’s great for our program, and that’s great for our community.”

Postmus, a Fruitvale resident, was also selected as an assistant coach of Team Canada’s golf team and will travel to the 2015 World Special Olympic Games in Los Angeles in July.

On a local level, TSO challenges a number of community groups and businesses in floor hockey and soccer, however, it is not just about practicing for the sake of sport alone, but rather to engage the community and break down barriers. This inclusive dynamic has put Trail in a unique relationship with Special Olympics.

“We couldn’t provide the level of support for the athletes if the community didn’t buy in,” said Postmus.

“So whether it’s the radio and paper guys come to play floor hockey, or the ski hill providing the ski passes, or the golf course guys giving us seasons passes. To put a dollar value on that stuff, we just couldn’t do it; without the community support, we just couldn’t do it.”

Earlier this year, five TSO teams signed up to play in the competitive Colombo Lodge’s AM Ford Bocce Classic, a 40-team, two-day tournament in the Trail Curling Arena during Silver City Days. While initially there may

PHOTO: JIM BAILEY

have been some apprehension among veteran competitors, it didn’t take long for them to embrace the TSO teams, which had been training to play bocce in the upcoming B.C. Special Olympic Summer Games.

“I was really impressed,” said tournament organizer Pat Zanier. “They had some really good games and the games they lost, they didn’t lose by much.”

In the end, the TSO pairing of Tim McTeer and Maria Veltri won three straight games on their way to a third-place finish, yet, one of the highlights of the tournament was a thrilling come-from-behind win by the TSO duo of Altrogge and Kayleigh Postmus.

With all the games done, the packed arena watched in anticipation of a TSO loss. But incredibly, the pair made a series of great shots to overcome a 15-11 deficit and win 16-15 on the last bocce.

“Everybody in the whole curling rink was watching the game so when the girls won, the whole place just erupted,” said Postmus.

It was an amazing experience for the players and the spectators, and another groundbreaking moment for sports in the Home of Champions.

“People are going to be talking about this for a long time, because it’s not typical for the Special Olympic guys to be included in something like this.

There’s not many communities in B.C. where they would be,” added Postmus. “When the barriers come down, we put even more smiles on faces.”

And in the end, everybody wins.

TSO Roadrunner Kayleigh Postmus celebrates with the rest of her team after a fun floor hockey matchup against the Selkirk College Saints ended in a shootout victory for the Roadrunners, but a win for everyone.

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Winter 2014/15 ROUTE 3

Page 13

EVENTS

PHOTO: PHIL BEST

Winter Festivals

STORY BY

Will Johnson

With files from Craig Lindsay

Summer’s not the only time for great events in the West Kootenay/Boundary! This season’s offerings feature fire dancing, human dog sledding, baseball and other unlikely pastimes

Page 14

ROUTE 3 Winter 2014/15

T

here are a number of compelling reasons to curl up in front of the fireplace as temperatures drop and snow blankets the landscape. But organizers throughout the West Kootenay/Boundary are busily working to offer an eclectic variety of events in the first few months of 2015.

With winter festivals coming up in Nelson, Rossland, Christina Lake and Grand Forks, tourists and residents alike will have plentiful opportunities to get outdoors. “From a tourism perspective, this is when we bring in about a third of our tourists. It’s huge. Most people are coming for the skiing, be it alpine, cross country, cat, backcountry or heli-skiing. We are so fortunate to be blessed with gorgeous snow and terrain,” said Dianna Ducs, executive director of Kootenay Lake Tourism. And while the slopes will be routinely packed with ski and snowboard enthusiasts, there will also be unlikely pastimes on offer, such as human dog-sledding, fire dancing and baseball in the snow.

“It’s not all about the skiing. It’s also about the vibe. We have so many events going on, so many activities, it’s hard to choose,” said Ducs. We highlight both the traditional annual events, as well as some new ones!

WHITEWATER WINTER CARNIVAL

JANUARY 17–18

W

PHOTO: PHIL BEST

hitewater Ski Resort is hosting its sixth annual winter carnival this year. There will be numerous family activities, including marshmallow roasting and snow sculpting, while the slopes will be packed with avid ski and snowboard enthusiasts.

“This is my fifth winter carnival. I’ve never missed one since I started going. It’s my favourite weekend of the winter, because it’s a celebration of winter. We all come together, we’ve got families all around and who doesn’t love fireworks?” said Rebeckah Hornung, sales and marketing director for Whitewater.

She said she especially enjoys the torchlight parade, in which staff members slalom down the slopes holding torches. “You see this streamline of fire coming down the Silver King Side, like a flaming S on the slopes. It’s so beautiful,” said Hornung.

On Saturday night there will be live local music and a buffet dinner at the lodge. On Sunday the Gerick’s Summit Cup will be held, with prizes complements of Gerick Cycle & Ski. Kids can learn how to use avalanche beacons in the beacon park as part of avalanche awareness day.

“This is an important day for us. We have incredible back country access and we do our best to offer a variety of activities teaching people how to venture out safety,” she said.

Hornung said one of the biggest draws is the gorgeous surrounding landscape, as Ymir peak stands sentinel over the festivities. “You know how mountains can grasp you? Ymir is a really special one. It’s breathtaking,” she said. skiwhitewater.com

THE BOUNDARY DOG SLED CLASSIC

JANUARY 17–18

I

PHOTO: JIM HOLTZ

t’s almost time for the dogs and the mushers to hit the trails for the annual Boundary Dog Sled Classic. Ruth Sims, president of the Boundary Dog Sled Association, said the format for the event will be the same as last year. “Everyone will be racing once on Saturday and once on Sunday,” she said. “The overall combined time will be winning time between the two days.”

The races will start and finish near Jewel Lake resort, west of Grand Forks, with individual loops traveling through evergreen stands and meadows. “There are several different classes,” said Sims. “There’s one class that has three dogs pulling, one class with four dogs pulling, one class that has six dogs pulling, and one that has two dogs pulling someone in cross country skis (called skijoring).”

Sims said last year’s event went really well with most mushers saying they would be returning this year. Mushers and their dogs came from all around B.C. and the United States. The event is, of course, open and free to the public and Sims hopes to see a good crowd out. ➤

Winter 2014/15 ROUTE 3

Page 15

CHRISTINA LAKE WINTERFEST

JANUARY 29–FEBRUARY 1

R

ossland has claim to one of the oldest winter carnivals in Canada, as theirs was founded in 1898 by Norwegian miner and ski enthusiast Olaus Jeldness, who famously strapped wooden sticks to his feet called “skis” and kick-started the sport in the area by descending the back end of Red Mountain all the way down Washington Street to Columbia Avenue in a stunning eight minutes.

“Olaus was the pioneer. He was basically an epic dude who had a lot of courage,” said media director Lisa Wegner, who said Jeldness’ spirit lives on in Rossland’s avid slope-worshipping culture.

During the weekend, visitors and residents alike will be invited to take to the streets for a parade, live music downtown and even a street that’s been closed down to host the Rail Jam, where freestyle snowboarders and skiers can show off their tricks without being bothered by traffic.

“They close off the entire street, set up obstacles and people ski and snowboard down. The street is shut off for two whole days, so enter the competition if you’ve ever wanted to freestyle on the streets of Rossland — this is your chance,” she said.

A pancake breakfast will be held on Saturday, followed by the infamous bobsled races down Spokane Street. Visitors can also enjoy ice sculptures, team bobsledding and more.

Red Mountain will also be hosting the classic Learn to Luge event.

“If it wasn’t for our sponsors, volunteers and our community, this carnival wouldn’t be the massive success that it is,” said Wegner. rosslandwintercarnival.com

PHOTO SUBMITTED

ROSSLAND WINTER CARNIVAL

JANUARY 29–FEBRUARY 1

PHOTO: TOURISM ROSSLAND/SHELLEY PEACHELL

T

he Christina Lake Winterfest has been going on annually for nearly thirty years, and organizers are continually trying to take it up a notch. This year they’re having a Fire and Ice theme, which features fire dancing troupe Luminosity performing an intricate half-hour show in the snow on Saturday night.

“Our show starts with some LED glow toys, some hoops and juggling,” said Cynthia Howard, one of the performers. “And then we move into the fire element, doing the same things and using the same toys, but now with fire. We’ll be spinning fire in various formations, mostly free form.”

The Fire and Ice theme continues through the weekend. ““The ball teams will be dressing up in the theme. People are being encouraged to wear costumes,” said Lisa Smith of Lisa’s Lakeside Bistro, which will be hosting many of the weekend’s events.

Thursday will start with an open mic night, and will include a performance by 14-year-old Christina Lake singer Damion Alblas. On Friday there will be a baseball game involving the local fire department at the Christina Lake Community Hall. “People ask us ‘what do you mean, you play baseball in the snow?’ That’s just how we are around here,” said Smith.

Sunday will include events at the Christina Lake Welcome Centre, where there will be a polar bear swim, human dog sled races and snow-shoeing races.

FAMILY DAY IN GRAND FORKS

FEBRUARY 7–9

F

PHOTO SUBMITTED

amily Day in Grand Forks is a three-day event where the community sponsors events such as skating, swimming and skiing and families can experience the fun free of charge over three days.

Saturday events are focused on Market Street where a road hockey rink is set up and run by the Grand Forks Border Bruins hockey team.

Fun for children and adults!

There are free hot dogs, hot chocolate and kettle corn, and winter golf activities. Burn barrels will be around to keep warm. In the afternoon there will be free bowling and a free movie. On Sunday and Monday there is free all day skiing and hot dogs at Phoenix Mountain, and on Monday free skating and swimming at the rec centre.

Page 16

ROUTE 3 Winter 2014/15

“T

he Kootenay Coldsmoke is one of the most exciting weekends of our year,” said Rebeckah Hornung, sales and marketing director for Whitewater Ski Resort, which will be hosting the three-day celebration of mountain culture.

“It’s just a fun-jam packed weekend, with everything from mountain clinics on the slopes to events in the village, where we have demos and activities going on. And as if that’s not enough, there’s social events down in Nelson during the evenings.”

The clinics include the Roam Randonee and Valhalla Pure Slope Style events on Saturday,

then the Poker Run and Backcountry Olympics on Sunday. During the events, participants’ backcountry skills, fitness and skiing abilities will be put to the test. The ultimate winners will be crowned King and Queen of Coldsmoke. “You get a trophy and a season’s pass for the next year,” said Hornung.

On Friday night there will be a multimedia event at the Nelson Civic Theatre. Then on Saturday there will be a buffet dinner at the Nelson Rod & Gun Club.

“It’s always a very positive weekend. Everyone has such a great time celebrating the powder snow and everything about mountain culture and the Kootenays.” coldsmokepowderfest.com

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Winter 2014/15 ROUTE 3

Page 17

ARTS & CULTURE

Dedicated “I to Dance Grand Forks and the Boundary region are home to myriad dance groups of all styles and ages STORY BY Joan

Thompson

From left: Les Folles Jambettes at a private ranch in Germany where they posed on an antique carriage; The Hip Sisters performing Sahra Saidi at the GFSS auditorium on Nov. 13 as part of the Moulin Rouge Dance Spectacular; Award winners Clarissa Palek and Adrian Palek at Seattle Feisanna 2014; Rara Avis dancer Tess Kazakoff in Arabic Andalusian dance.

Page 18

ROUTE 3 Winter 2014/15

love this town! People aren’t afraid to dance, no matter how old they are!” Gemma Greengrass, the very young and enthusiastic new owner of Dazzle Dance Studio in Grand Forks, blithely notes.

“And the incredible diversity of dance here — belly, Irish, cancan, ballroom — it is really amazing for the size of the community!”

It does not take long for a newcomer to Grand Forks to size up the phenomenal pull that dancing has on residents of this valley. It is a force that ignites imaginations, drives schedules, seduces audiences and compels multitudes to strive for a more elegant pirouette, a higher grand jeté and a better relationship with their body. Students from ages five to 80 struggle to choose between belly dance and ballroom, jazz and ballet, zumba and Irish dance, jazzercise and bellyfit, lyrical and tap.

Dance instructor Michele Cipressi Dean tries to explain dance’s popularity: “People are drawn to dance because it is something healthy, social, fun, and can be tremendously uplifting because of the goals accomplished and the way it impacts the whole being. Movement is such a key to healthy body/mind connectedness.” But to get people to this point, a team of skilled instructors and choreographers is needed and a culture of dance that is motivating to all students at every level. Looking more closely, these certainly are and have been hallmarks of dance in the Boundary.

While dances and society balls proliferated during Grand Forks’ boomtown years of copper smelting and sawmills, people today pinpoint the participation of a dance troupe from Grand Forks at Expo ‘86 as a pivotal event in the emergence of dance as a discipline and performing art in the

city. Led by Gisela Ko, a physiotherapist and Berlin-trained Modern Dancer, her Adult Folk Dance Ensemble awed Expo audiences with their varied program. Buoyed by their success, folk dance classes ranging from highland to flamenco, children’s ballet classes and an adult dance group defined the dance landscape in the town for the next ten years.

This was to change when a high-kicking, spirited can-can group — Les Folles Jambettes (Crazy Legs) — burst onto the scene.

One of its founding members, Mona Mattei, recalls that moment. “I had just moved down from Fort St. John and was pining for the can-can troupe I had left behind there.

With the help of a friend, I decided to rustle up a group of dancers for a competition just months away in Rossland. It was insane, and likely another reason for our name!”

The group’s initial bravado has not dimmed and they have gone on to win the respect of local, regional and international audiences, touring twice to Germany. Fellow

dancers Mel Shenstone and Cynthia Garnett are keen to set the record straight about can-can technique. “Can-can is one of the most physically demanding forms of dance; it requires a tremendous amount of stamina, flexibility and resilience.”’ “But,” Mel adds, “it is a fabulously fun way to keep fit, to perform and to travel with a group of likeminded women!” Always popular with their audiences, this semi-professional troupe’s choreographers, Mona, Mel and Cynthia, thrive on keeping the Les Folles Jambettes’ dances robust and entertaining, often blending elements of jazz, tap and Charleston to underscore the theatrical character of the dances.

As a way to raise funds for their first trip to Germany, Les Folles Jambettes hosted in 2003 what was to become an annual institution in the community — the Dance Extravaganza. New to the stage at that event were a bellydance inspired fusion group — The Hip Sisters — and a youth Irish dance ensemble, The Spirit of the Dance. Dance

in the Boundary, in all its complementary colours, had truly begun.

The Hip Sisters, since their unveiling in that first Dance Extravaganza, have become, along with their sister fire-spinning group “Luminosity”, a well-known entity across the Boundary and beyond. They work from a core desire to maintain the beauty and artistic integrity of the bellydance form, and their performances clearly attest to that.

Fusing bits of Bollywood, classic Egyptian and Turkish Romani into their dance, the Hip Sisters’ repertoire of styles and ideas dazzles on stage.

While choreographers Cynthia Howard and Laurie Nichols take pride in the group’s success, they take the greatest pleasure in knowing they are helping to create a women’s circle in action, the spirit of which is always evident in performance.

The Spirit of the Dance (“Spoirad an Damhsa” in Gaelic), who had also made their debut in 2003, were soon turning heads and attracting keen recruits. Founded by director ➤

Winter 2014/15 ROUTE 3

Page 19

Top: The Jazzercise group performs Can't Touch This at the Moulin Rouge Dance Spectacular.

Above: Dancers from Sean Nos Irish Dancers troop perform improvisation at the Moulin Rouge performance.

Page 20

Michele Cipressi Dean, planting the seeds of Irish dance in a valley long cultivated by the Doukhobor community has proven to be surprisingly propitious. Though the group was started to provide recreational Irish Dance entertainment in the Boundary, students have gone on to achieve success in competitive Irish Dance.

Affiliated with the Haran School of Irish Dance in Kettle Falls, Washington, and the Blakey School of Irish Dance in Kelowna, two graduates of the program — Ally Riddle and Adrian Palek — are now poised to compete at the Nationals Level in Rhode Island this year with the hopes of advancing to the Worlds being held in Montreal also this year.

Another graduate, Clarissa Palek, on track to earn her teaching certificate in Irish dance, comments on the “take no prisoners” world of competitive Irish Dance.

“There are so many rules in Irish Dance — it is the most structured dance form in the world. Style of dance, metre and tempo of music, hairstyle, makeup and dress have to be precisely according to regulations right down to the sock glue you wear to hold your socks up while dancing! It’s crazy, but after 11 years of doing it I still love it. You have to put so much effort and thought into it that when you finally can do it, it is so rewarding, and the audience response is the icing on the cake!”

When not managing the intricacies of Irish Dance training, or dancing in the adult fusion belly dance troupe she founded in 2006, “Rara Avis Dancers,” Michele Dean is teaching the other classes she offers under the umbrella of her new business, “Granby Dance and Wellness”. Formerly a dance studio owner/operator, Michele’s passion — dance & movement as therapy — now inspires her dance instruction. “I love the fact that my job — keeping people moving — does incredible things for people’s physical and emotional health. I see that in Bellyfit, where women of all abilities, ages and sizes walk out of my class feeling renewed and strengthened.

“Bellyfit was designed to help women connect with

ROUTE 3 Winter 2014/15

the ‘divine feminine’ within themselves and the planet, thereby empowering an energy that is often blocked in our everyday lives. It is powerfully releasing bodywork!”

In her bellyfit classes and her “Last Chance Bellydance’’ class, Michele caters to women 50 and up only.

If the Last Chance Belly Dance option doesn’t excite you, there are plenty of other classes for the 50+ set in Grand Forks. On any given day, one can find a jazzercise class (taught by Edie Raspberry-Faulkner), a zumba class (with teacher, Sonia Wood), low-impact bellyfit or ballroom dance. The latter, taught by May Berge, has been tuning up ballroom dance enthusiasts in Grand Forks for the past six years. For a $2.00 drop in fee, May will unravel the mystery of a bucket list of ballroom steps for you — foxtrot, waltz, rumba, salsa, cha-cha, night-club two-step, tango, samba — and might throw in a country step or two.

During my visit, ten couples had braved the evening to master the country two-step, and with May’s guidance and encouragement, were gaining confidence with each step. Her positive energy was palpable: “I love it when people have that ‘Aha moment’ — when they realize that they don’t have two left feet, and can learn to dance!”

Since 2004, children have been well served by the dance studio in town. Now called Dazzle Dance Studio and owned/operated by Gemma Greengrass, its roster of seven other teachers — Michele Cipressi Dean, Geena Hall, Nicole Hirtz, Sarah Leslie, Stacey O`Donnell, Sage Sherstobitoff and Kristy Zamec — ensure a comprehensive dance education for students in the area.

An impressive team of talent has already been assembled in the teen competitive jazz/lyrical class and Gemma reports that “They are enjoying dance classes for much the same reasons I did as a kid. Its exciting, challenging, you get to work with a team, and to gain a sense of belonging with the people you train with. And they practice between classes. I’m really impressed by how dedicated they are!”

Dedication has been key to the success of dancers, dance instruction and dance companies in the Boundary. It has been the reason for the respect given the business of dance in Grand Forks, the sell-out shows and the disproportionate number of alumni that have continued on in the challenging field of the performing arts.

And the reason for the dedication? My suspicion is that the dancers knew about the importance of living life unapologetically long before behavioral scientist Steve Maraboli lay it down in his book, Unapologetically You: Reflections of Life and The Human Experience. “Live your truth. Express your love. Share your enthusiasm.

Take action towards your dreams. Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music. Embrace your blessings. Make today worth remembering.”

Or simply, just dance!

HISTORY BY

Greg Nesteroff

THE ROBSON

ZOO

In the 1950s and ’60s, the Woodrow family kept monkeys, cougars, and bears in their private menagerie

A

llen Woodrow was always passionate about wildlife.

Beginning in 1948, the Cominco electrician and his first wife Mary ran a mink farm on a Robson acreage and cared for orphaned fawns, bear cubs, and coyote pups that the local game warden entrusted with them. But when they adopted a couple of cougar kittens, neighbouring fruit ranchers complained.

“This is fruit country and you should be raising fruit, not animals,” they were told. “Give it up or apply for a zoo license.” So they did apply, unsuccessfully at first. But somehow Allen sweet-talked officials into changing their minds.

“A full zoo license was something I really shouldn’t have been able to get,” he recalled. “It was the only one in British Columbia other than Stanley Park. That allowed us to buy, sell and trade to other zoos, farms, or sanctuaries.”

While their growing menagerie always drew public attention, by 1955 they were trying to turn it into a bonafide tourist attraction, including a playground, museum, and gardens with specimens of all evergreen trees native to BC. An Englishman named Clifford Sherlock lent his expertise to build thatched huts for the animals, while Allen salvaged iron from the Cominco scrap yard for cages.

“On weekends particularly,” Cominco Magazine stated, “parents from far and wide pack their broods into cars and head straight for Robson on the Lower Arrow Lake to see the animals.”

Allen Woodrow with one of his cougars, on the cover of Cominco Magazine, from October 1962.

At various times the array included beavers, badgers, burros, raccoons, foxes, mink, goats, lynx, owls, ravens, eagles, hawks, pheasants, peacocks, porcupines, ducks, swans, snakes, de-scented skunks, a dingo, a bobcat, a kinkajou, assorted fish and reptiles, and a mynah bird named Tina who could wolf whistle and mimic a smoker’s cough.

But the cougars — up to six at once, including four born in captivity — were the stars. There was Herman, who sported a gold tooth, and Nikki, mascot of the southern trans-Canada highway association, who made numerous public appearances.

Allen was once excused from jury duty when he told the judge he had to wrestle his cougars. Two of them were in the Disney movie Charlie the Lonesome Cougar; Allen also received credit as a “wildlife supervisor” for providing a pair of raptors for Disney’s Ida, The Offbeat Eagle.

The zoo wasn’t a money-maker. Admission was free for children and by donation for adults, while expenses were high. The Woodrows never refused a stray animal even as the constant feeding and maintenance became nearly overwhelming. “It seemed like the work ➤

Winter 2014/15 ROUTE 3

Page 21

A story about the Robson Zoo in the October 1962 issue of Cominco Magazine.

Page 22

never ended,” Mary remembered, although they had help from six children they raised.

Her favourite animals included a fawn named Bubbles who had a weakness for cookies and would follow kids to the bus stop each morning. One fall, Bubbles disappeared. “We thought we’d never see her again. The next spring I was walking about two blocks from my house and felt a wet nose in my hand.

I turned around, and sure enough it was her.”

A beloved duck named Cheep Cheep, raised as a pet, also appeared to be gone for good after joining a flock. But during a ferocious winter storm, while the family huddled around the fireplace, “we hear a taptap-tap at the door. The kids all jumped up. ‘CheepCheep! It’s got to be Cheep-Cheep! Nobody else knocks on the door like that.’ And it was.”

Despite ever-expanding plans, the zoo closed in early 1966. Allen blamed highway changes that eroded their ability to draw visitors. “Although area residents have continued to patronize the zoo there has been no great tourist interest,” he said at the time.

ROUTE 3 Winter 2014/15

“The zoo is too far off the beaten track.” (Robson was then primarily accessed by ferry.)

Mary recalled restrictions on highway signage as a further factor. “The government banned all road signs so it just meant having a sign on your own property.

So we couldn’t really advertise that much.”

Most animals went to the Calgary and Victoria zoos.

Others were released to the wild. Allen shot the bears, reasoning it would be unsafe to let them loose. Mary visited the cougars in Victoria, where they came running when they heard her voice: “One licked my face and pawed my hands.”

Allen died in 1998 and Mary in 2002.

A few signs of the zoo remain: the bear cage, coyote house, and a meat cooler are still standing n the property, which is bounded by Broadwater and Evin roads. While roadside animal attractions may be widely frowned upon today, judging from comments on Facebook sites like Lost Kootenays, there remains great nostalgia for and fascination with the Robson zoo.

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