RIVERS
BANNER May 15, 2015
ersary v i n Celebrating our 106th An
Gazette-Reporter Serving the Rivers, Rapid City and Oak River areas for 105 years
Volume 107, Issue 44
89¢ + tax
Silver celebration
Photo by Samantha Machut
Following their annual recital, all 82 members of Razzamatazz Dance Club and teacher Charlene Hiscock (back row left) gathered on stage in Brandon for a club photograph.
By Sheila Runions and Tracy Roulette Twenty-five years ago DalySaskatchewan Recreation District offered dance lessons and those were so popular that a parent committee was formed and thus, Razzamatazz Dance Club was established. The instructor for the first five years was Jacqui Lepp; Charlene Hiscock has taught the dancers for the past 20 years. She has been a fantastic instructor all these years and the parent committee really appreciates her continued dedication to and love for the club. Each year starts in September and this year the club offered hip hop, tap, jazz, ballet, pointe ballet and lyrical, as well as boys-only classes. Dance was held three nights a week at their studio in Rivers Civic Centre (the basement of Riverdale Municipality office building); Razzamatazz really appreciates the opportunity to use this facility. The dance season culminates with a recital; for this silver celebration, the show was held in Brandon’s Westman Centennial Auditorium on Sunday, May 3. It was the largest group of children on record, and a surprise dance from some alumni made for a program that was three hours long. Despite that, many positive comments were heard from the 425 viewers: “Best show I have seen,”
“Great quality of dancing!” “Professional show with fantastic lighting.” With comfortable amphitheatre seating, it was heard multiple times that supporters would rather travel to Brandon and pay admission (admission was abolished 10 years ago when the club asked for donations at the door) so no matter the row, one could see the stage and fancy footwork. Recitals were originally held in Rivers Theatre and Cultural Centre (amphitheatre seating) but once it was condemned, shows were moved to Rivers Collegiate gymnasium. The school seats approximately 300 people so the move to Brandon also resulted in a larger crowd and more space for dancers on and offstage. For the club’s 10th anniversary, 60 girls danced. The 20th show had 59 male and female dancers and included a new discipline, hip hop. This year’s membership was 82 dancers, including 10 males, the largest contingent ever, and 18 preschoolers. It’s no wonder then, that Charlene thanked all her junior helpers by presenting them a potted plant and a card: helpers were Rachel and Camryn Veitch, Megan and Haile Hubbard, Emily Chen, Jordan McLeod, Tia Lee and Trista Morgan, Hannah Toews
and Laura Pepper. Emily was also presented a graduation gift; she’s been dancing with Razzamatazz/Charlene since age three. There were 47 different dances from 31 different groups/ soloists, plus the alumni dance performed by Sheri-Lyn Green, Kelsey Kroeger, Dana and Brittany MacDonald, Molly Jay, Katie Crouch, Helen Chen and Jill Beever. Laura Pepper danced her Rolling River Festival of the Arts jazz winning routine; Makenna Scott performed her festival-winnineg hip hop dance. Many Razzamatazz groups participated in Brandon Festival but the entire club was represented at Rolling River; congratulations to all dancers for their great performances at these festivals. Charlene presented three scholarships to her students: Emma Roulette was awarded the Al Gilbert Memorial Exam Scholarship (Laura Pepper and Madison Vandal also took dance exams); Aiden Pompana won
the combo dancer scholarship and Chanelle Dupuis, the noncombo scholarship. The Honey House Bakery and Cafe made and decorated a slab cake as well as 250 mini cupcakes. The cake was completely consumed and approximately 200 of the cupcakes at the after show party when people perused photo albums from the past 25 years. Razzamatazz raised $392 in the 50/50 draw, which was won by Catherine Murphy of Brandon. Shelly Brown of Rivers won the raffle (which raised an additional $430) of zero gravity lawn chairs, beach balls, towels,
etc. Dance Images (a Brandon studio) dancers were asked to help behind the scenes and to sell roses in the lobby on recital day; for their volunteer efforts this group was presented a donation from the proceeds of the sale of tickets. Razzamatazz Dance Club accepts children aged three and over. If you are interested in learning more about the club or want to hear about some exciting new changes, a spring meeting is scheduled for Sunday, June 7 at 7 p.m. It will be in the upstairs hall at Riverdale Community Centre in Rivers; everyone is welcome.
RCMP locate missing woman By Tara Seel Media Relations Just before 7 p.m. on May 5 Spruce Plains RCMP were alerted to a missing person from Rapid City. Nicole Marie Jones, 42, was last seen on May 4; police were concerned for her well-being. On May 9 at approximately 8 p.m. Spruce Plains RCMP located Jones. She was found deceased and no foul play is suspected.