An audience gathered in the KCVI auditorium on Friday to enjoy a night of dance, music and the donation of $3,200 to Cystic Fibrosis Canada hosted by Queen’s Dancerama.

Along with some help from TAPS and the Peer Support Centre, the Dancerama event capped off a year of bake sales and outreach events raising money and awareness for cystic fibrosis.  

After the Nov. 23 announcement that ASUS Orientation Week ended its long-standing partnership with the cystic fibrosis charity Shinerama, there was still a want for more continued campus charity efforts to assist with cystic fibrosis research.

These efforts culminated in Dancerama’s third annual recital on Feb. 2, called Raising the Barre for Cystic Fibrosis.

Not only did Raising the Barre feature a selection of talent from Queen’s and the Kingston community, it also had a raffle and silent auction open to the public.

One of the standout performances was a tap routine to the song “Thriftshop” from students Shannon Slade and Elyse Reynolds. The artful percussion of the dance acted as a backbeat to the acoustic cover of Macklemore’s original. At the climax of the performance, the dancers took turns soloing, bouncing off each other’s routine almost conversationally. Both the rhythm of the dance and the joy on the dancers’ faces were infectious.

A group of young dancers from Kingston’s Arabesque Academy of Dance also took the stage with a lyrical routine entitled “Wintersong.”

Their movements mirrored the lyrics of the song, with each turn and extension of their arms complementing the story. These dancers, aged seven to 10, proved to be a highlight of the night while adding a strong local community presence to the charity show.

The Queen’s dance community was equally well represented on Friday night with Queen’s Dance Club and Queen’s Competitive Dance Team delivering polished routines that ranged from contemporary to hip-hop. Queen’s Salsa Club also made an appearance that lent a unique flavour to the evening’s lineup.

Musical performances from acapella groups The Caledonias and Momentum diversified the program. They delighted the audience with touching renditions of “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” and toe-tapping cover of “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If I Ain’t Got That Swing).”  

The dance routines and musical performances were entertaining but they also managed to weave together the various organizations around a common cause.

The community collaboration was clear with Queen’s and Kingston performers proudly sharing the stage, equally evident when the Cystic Fibrosis Canada representatives presented the cheque for $3,200 in donations.

A night of talented performers and community participation supported Raising the Barre’s charitable dedication, ensuring the performance and the cause were never far apart.